The earthquake barrier - a solution for adding ductility to otherwise brittle buildings.

Brittle buildings, built before the 1973 Uniform Building Code required ductility as a means for resisting severe earthquakes, are the greatest safety hazard in seismically active regions. The Earthquake Barrier system introduces to these older buildings a resistance against earthquake damage by providing a 'force barrier' which prevents the structure from sliding during severe wind storms or minor earthquakes and then limits the forces transmitted during strong motion earthquakes to well below the actual strength of the structure. It also provides an 'energy barrier' that maintains the sliding structure on its foundation by dissipating energy, thereby protecting the building from damage. (from paper)