Technologies
Researchers from Germany have created “seismic wallpapers” that will protect the masonry of the wall from collapsing and falling during earthquakes.
Scientists from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology used rigid high-strength glass fibers that are woven in such a way that they form a strong elastic coating. At the same time, the fibers are woven in four directions to evenly distribute energy when the walls shake.
This high-tech wallpaper is attached to the wall with a flexible and soft adhesive made from water and a large number of polyurethane balls. After the adhesive penetrates the wall, the water evaporates and the balls firmly fix the material to the wall.
The seismic material has already been tested on a house model during an earthquake simulation.
Like regular wallpapers, seismic wallpapers can be attached to walls in the house and painted or decorated as you like. Since the material is very porous, there will be no dampness on the walls and mold. Alternatively, with wallpaper, you can cover the building from the outside.
Mortiz Urban, a developer of seismic wallpapers, explained that these wallpapers are suitable for brick walls, not concrete buildings that require stronger carbon fibers. But German scientists are already working on their creation.
Scientists say that thanks to seismic wallpaper, the building will not collapse. The wallpapers themselves will go into commercial production this year.
