When an earthquake hit the area off the coast of northern Japan no one was ready for what was to occur next: the tsunami. As images of the destruction in Japan radiate from media outlets, researchers at the UB Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER) are thinking about what comes next.
The nuclear power plants in Japan that have been affected by the tsunami were built about 40 years ago. Michael Constantinou, professor of civil, structural and environmental engineering, refers to these as "first generation" power plants. Constantinou and other researchers in MCEER are developing technology for the next-generation nuclear power plants and are looking to Japan to learn from the effects of the disaster.
"Nuclear disaster is a major problem which presents a new paradigm for us," Constantinou said. "It is easy to prevent [nuclear disaster], yet it has not been done."
The first-generation nuclear power plants in Japan were equipped with tsunami walls that were too weak for the high magnitude wave that hit northern Japan. Constantinou believes that researchers can learn from this devastation when building the next-generation power plants, which can be raised higher off the ground to help prevent water damage from potential tsunamis and structurally engineered to withstand multiple environmental disasters.
The large amount of debris that resulted from the tsunami is creating a new issue for engineers. Gilberto Mosqueda, associate professor of civil, structural and environmental engineering, says that by looking at the damage in Japan, engineers can create structures that can withstand multiple forces.
"[The devastation in Japan] is different due to the high magnitude earthquake, which was followed by a large tsunami," Mosqueda said. "[Due to this] there is a lot of cascading hazards, debris pilling up on one another; we have to make structures more resilient to multiple hazards instead of just focusing on one form of destruction."
Constantinou says that it is important to gain respect for nature's power. He begins his classes that focus on earthquake engineering by showing images of damage caused by earthquakes so that students can first gain respect for nature's power before trying to prevent it.
"Just looking at pictures [of damage], you realize the power of nature," Constantinou said. "It is the responsibility of the engineer to do something about it, to keep it from occurring at such a magnitude, and to learn from it."
As the nuclear damage continues to unfold in Japan, it is hard to tell what will happen next. As engineers attempt to predict outcomes, the world's view of nuclear power is changing, as is the way it is being taught. With the next generation of engineers and scientists evolving everyday, it is important to integrate the new findings from the recent damage into the classroom.
"Teaching is influenced by the events around us in order to pass along lessons," said Andrew Whittaker, professor and chair of the department of civil, structural and environmental engineering. "[The U.S.] will absolutely pay attention to assure that the U.S. power plants are safe."
Japan's effect on the world may create many new improvements to nuclear power plants around the country. Most nuclear power plants, much like in Japan, were built in the mid 1950s and 1960s, and were not built to withstand the force of tsunamis and other natural disasters.
Due to the unstable condition surrounding Japan, researchers must learn from afar what the damage is. Constantinou says that there is talk of eventually going to Japan to observe the damage created by the tsunami in the future.
The damage caused by the earthquake in Japan has primarily affected "secondary systems" such as piping and suspended ceilings, which do not directly endanger human life but are important to observe to learn how to better predict the future, according to Constantinou.
Email: news@ubspectrum.com
