Earthquakes can be a major threat to cities and people’s lives. Some scientists have tried to rule out these events in advance by using technology such as fiber optics to detect earthquakes and waves, while others are looking for ways to reduce the damage they can cause. Civil engineering professor Moussa Leblouba from the University of Sharjah, UAE, has come up with the latest possible solution that is simple and effective – and doesn’t use any electricity. It takes the form of a cylinder with a rod running through the middle and out at the end. The rod part inside the cylinder has small wires connecting to the outside, and the whole cylinder is filled with iron balls. The idea is that this device will absorb and dissipate the impact of an earthquake.
This doesn’t sound that complicated, and that’s because it really isn’t. Speaking to EurekAlert!, Leblouba explained that the device only needs the power of physics to do its job. “When the attached structure vibrates, the shaft moves back and forth inside the cylinder, and the rods push against the dense balls. The friction produced between the balls and the rods absorbs and dissipates the vibration energy,” he said. He also added that this device received a damping ratio of about 14% in the test, which shows that it does its job at the right level.
Leblouba received a patent for this anti-seismic device in 2025, although there is still a lot of work to be done before it can be widely used. While it looks good right now, it still needs more testing to prove itself.
There is still a long way to go
There are many advantages to Moussa Leblouba’s device. Besides not requiring power, which makes it easy to retrofit into old buildings, it is also modular. This means engineers can take it apart and replace parts as needed, ensuring it remains in working order. In addition, its simplicity reduces production and storage costs. That flexibility also means that developers can tailor the device to fit specific size, weight, and architectural needs.
That said, there are still roadblocks to overcome. Most notably, the team has so far only fitted the device to small movements of 1 to 5 millimeters (0.04 to 0.2 inches). Although the device worked well, managing a stiffness of 5 kilonewtons per millimeter, it needs to be tested under real-world conditions outside the lab before it can be widely used. Professor Leblouba said the research team plans to develop larger versions of the device and direct the design to more realistic simulations of seismic activity, including scenarios involving scale models of buildings.
Earthquakes aren’t going anywhere, and all we can do is prepare as best we can. Earthquake emergency supplies from Harbor Freight can help, but it’s innovations like these that will really help make getting through an earthquake easier and safer.