- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
UC Berkeley Building Designed to Withstand Powerful Earthquakes
Report highlights innovative seismic technology used to protect campus structure
Mar. 3, 2026 at 10:54pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
A report from Fast Company details how UC Berkeley's Grimes Engineering Building has been constructed with specialized technology to help it withstand powerful earthquakes. The building features 36 thin metal rods made from a flexible compound known as shape-memory alloy, which are designed to bend under heavy tension and then snap the building back into its original shape after a large quake.
Why it matters
The Grimes Engineering Building is located near the Hayward Fault, which runs along the eastern edge of the UC Berkeley campus. Over the years, the university has spent billions to mitigate the risks posed by this active fault line, which is capable of generating major earthquakes. The innovative seismic technology used in the Grimes Building represents the university's ongoing efforts to protect its facilities and the surrounding community.
The details
According to the Fast Company report, the Grimes Engineering Building was constructed with 36 thin metal rods made from a flexible compound known as shape-memory alloy. These rods are designed to bend under heavy tension during an earthquake, and then essentially snap the building back into its original shape once the shaking subsides. This allows the building to withstand the powerful forces of a major quake without sustaining significant structural damage.
- The Grimes Engineering Building was recently constructed on the UC Berkeley campus.
The players
UC Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley is a public research university located in Berkeley, California. It is one of the top-ranked universities in the world and is known for its innovative research, particularly in the field of earthquake engineering.
Mark Sarkisian
A structural engineer and partner at the architecture firm SOM, Sarkisian has worked extensively with UC Berkeley on developing new seismic technologies to protect the university's buildings.
What they’re saying
“This is a place where they test, understand, and deploy new technologies in seismic zones year after year after year. It's remarkable what the professors here have done.”
— Mark Sarkisian, Structural Engineer, SOM
What’s next
UC Berkeley officials plan to continue investing in innovative seismic technologies to protect the campus and surrounding community from the risks posed by the Hayward Fault.
The takeaway
The Grimes Engineering Building's use of shape-memory alloy rods demonstrates UC Berkeley's commitment to developing cutting-edge solutions to safeguard its facilities against powerful earthquakes. This innovative approach highlights the university's leadership in earthquake engineering and its efforts to enhance public safety in seismically active regions.
