A Technical University in Japan Famous for Its Unique Earthquake Tower Competition.
Located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area characterized by continuous seismic and volcanic activity, Japan is the most earthquake-prone country in the world, experiencing devastating earthquakes.
The toothpick towers must be at least 50 cm tall and weigh under 65 grams.
Throughout its history, the Land of the Rising Sun has endured hundreds of earthquakes accompanied by tsunamis occurring right off the Pacific Ocean. Approximately 71% of the world’s strongest earthquakes occur in the Ring of Fire.
Although Japan occupies only 0.25% of the Earth’s land area, it experiences 18.5% of the world’s earthquakes, with 20% of earthquakes measuring 6.0 or higher on the Richter scale occurring in Japan.
Therefore, constructing earthquake-resistant architecture is crucial for Japan. To withstand the extreme forces of an earthquake, buildings must absorb as much seismic energy as possible. A structure that can absorb all the energy from an earthquake will not collapse.
To foster innovative design solutions, a technical university has created a competition for students to develop toothpick tower designs capable of withstanding earthquakes.
Since 2006, the Department of Architecture at Sojo University has held an annual event called “Toothpick Tower Earthquake Competition,” challenging student teams to build earthquake-resistant towers using only toothpicks and wood glue.
The toothpick towers must be at least 50 cm tall and weigh under 65 grams. They are affixed to corresponding wooden boards to prevent sliding when the base begins to shake.
Each team’s earthquake-resistant tower is placed on a 30 cm wooden board, and progressively heavier metal blocks are added to the top of the tower. The base begins to vibrate, simulating an earthquake. As the oscillations increase, the tower starts to topple. The team whose tower remains standing the longest will be declared the winner.
The Toothpick Tower Competition has garnered attention since its inaugural event, and since 2011, Sojo University has also hosted a competition for high school student teams to enhance high school students’ interest in creating and designing earthquake-resistant structures.
