The Seismic Room

The Seismic Room is a sophisticated device that can reproduce what happens during an earthquake in three different situations: ground-floor or street level, fifth floor of an anti-seismic building or fifth floor of a seismically isolated structure. The Room, that can host up to 10-12 adults, is set up as a furnished room where you can observe the effects of an earthquake on common household objects.

The simulator makes it easy to understand:
• what is an earthquake, seen as a sequence of rapid movements of the ground;
• how during an earthquake the movements of a structure are amplified, both in amplitude and in length, in comparison with the movements of the ground;
• what are the benefits granted to people and objects by seismically isolating structures.

The Seismic Room was created by the Civil Protection Department in collaboration with the Centre of Competence Reluis, networks of university laboratories of seismic engineering, and, more specifically, with the Laboratory of Material Tests and Structures of the University of Basilicata Region.