http://www.ndmindia.nic.in/EQ_G_H_Dwellers_English.pdf

Quake-absorbing homes

To protect life and property from the threat of quakes 

There are two main types of anti-earthquake technology: \"quake resistance\", which refers to strengthened columns, beams and walls designed to be resistant against quakes, and \"seismic isolation\", structures installed in house foundations to absorb vibrations of the ground. If a house is directly connected to its foundations, it is also directly vulnerable to seismic vibrations. Seismic isolation structures are like a buffer that provides protection for the house. As illustrated, THK\'s quake-absorbing seismic isolation structures use crossed LM Guides to greatly reduce the amount of vibration transmitted from the ground to the house above. http://www.thk.com/eng/products/example/house_a.html

Traditional Earthquake-Resistant Structure The structure strengthens the monument to resist earthquake force. There are two different concepts of seismic structure: seismic isolation and anti-earthquake structures. The seismic isolation structure was utilized to protect the monument of Rodin from great earthquakes.

Seismic Isolation System   The structure reduces the force of earthquakes acting on the monument. The seismic isolation basement including the structural frames to support the back of the monument weighs 66.3 tons. This sheer weight is supported by five circular roller bearings. The circular roller bearing is composed of rollers featuring a four-second natural period, stacked in two layers in X and Y directions so that it is able to move in any direction. The round-trip cycle is as slow as four seconds, which helps to prevent the force of an earthquake from being propagated to the monument.

http://www.takenaka.co.jp/takenaka_e/rodin_e/structure/structure.html

In Japan, one of the worlds most earthquake prone countries, thorough precautions against earthquakes are required. Conventional \"anti-earthquake bridge design\" which uses the concept of resisting earthquakes through the strength of its construction. Recently, \"load dispersing bridges\" or \"seismic isolated bridges\" have been adopted: the former will support a superstructure elastically at many points with rubber bearings and disperse the inertial force of the superstructure to protect it from earthquakes. The latter will support the superstructure with quake-absorbing bearings strong enough to protect it from major earthquakes such as the Tokyo Earthquake of 1923, and avoid damage by increasing the period of vibration and absorbing the energy associated with earthquake induced vibration.

Conventional bridges with earthquake resistant design Horizontal force is concentrated on a rigid pier.

Load dispersing bridge (Base Isolated) RB and LRB are used to disperse the horizontal force induced on each pier.

Seismic isolation bridge LRB is used to increase the vibration period and damp the vibration.

http://www.oiles.co.jp/en/menshin/bridge/index.html

http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?content_spotlight/earthquakes/damage_reducing