The isolators—some weighing thousands of kilograms—that protect buildings against earthquakes have been miniaturized. Using domestic and national resources, they have been made small enough to fit in the palm of a hand. The system was developed by engineers at Yıldız Technical University. As part of the project, small-capacity mini isolators will be combined according to size and need to be tailored to the specific buildings where they will be used. 

Providing information about the developed isolator, Prof. Dr. Serkan Bekiroğlu, a faculty member in the Department of Civil Engineering at YTÜ, said, “The structural engineer actually determines the isolator’s design parameters based on the spectrum obtained from the seismic hazard map. By arranging them in a specific topology to meet that requirement, we will have created our large isolator composed of smaller units.” 

High-capacity isolators become active during earthquakes exceeding a certain magnitude. However, these isolators—which fit in the palm of your hand—can also flex during smaller earthquakes. 

The system will be designed by combining multiple isolators, such as this small, palm-sized one. This will ensure that structures are protected not only from major earthquakes but also from potential damage caused by low-intensity earthquakes.