Seismic base isolation is a relatively new seismic retrofitting technique that provides a structure flexibility to withstand the lateral forces during an earthquake. Base isolators act like large “motor mounts” when placed under a load-bearing column of a bridge or building and, during a seismic event, the isolators absorb the impact thereby greatly reducing the seismic forces transmitted through the building.
Sheedy Crane has been instrumental on a number of key seismic retrofitting projects to include San Francisco’s City Hall, the largest structure in the world ever upgraded with seismic base isolators. Sheedy also installed the largest friction-pendulum isolators at the time on the Benicia-Martinez Bridge.
In fact, many of the concepts for temporary shoring column load transfer and seismic dampening equipment installation are unique to Sheedy, such as our specially designed friction griping technique.