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Working in a school in Japan gives you many opportunities to see and do things you might not have a chance to back home. Today I got to try the 地震体験 or "Earthquake experience" here at school. Basically it is a large truck with a generator and a big hydraulic system connected to a makeshift room with a table and four chairs and a big plasma TV. On the TV, depending on the simulated quake, is a CG living room, or street. The hydraulics are strong enough to really throw the room around. The kids enjoyed themselves. Some were a bit rattled and there was only one case of tears. I was in a simulation of a Kantou earthquake that went up and down the richter scale with a max of 8 for a few seconds. My previous earthquake experiences in Japan have been very mild, so this was quite an eye opener. This is something that doesn't happen in Australia, so for the J-natives and those of us who have chosen to make a life over here in Japan it certainly pays to know about these things!

 

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has anyone else had a major earthquake experience? (real or simmed) and yes I realise I may have left myself open to some rude jokes. grin.gif

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Yes, earthquakes didn't bother me too much until we had the big 6.8 (plus hundreds of aftershocks) in Chuetsu three and a half years ago. I'd stay well clear of the truck, though I don't suppose it will be coming to this area anyway!

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That would be fantastic!

 

Being in relatively geologically stable Aus I have never experienced and earthquake, but I would think it would help those who have experienced a simulated earthquake to cope much much better when the real thing hit.

 

It's a bit like practicing CPR on the Resusi-annie doll...you feel pretty stupid at the time, but if the time comes to use it you are much more likely to be able to do it that someone who has just read about it.

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 Originally Posted By: IIIII
Does that thing just go round schools and public places for people to try out?


I believe so, but I doubt this one goes to large (800+ students) schools unless they are happy to camp out for the week. My school only has about 70 kids and it took 2 periods for everyone to have a go. I guess there must be larger versions that cater to larger venues. Someone was telling me there was one set up outside the local Jusco shopping centre over the weekend.

My first earthquake experience was interesting, I was asleep and for some reason i found myself on a boat feeling seasick. Woke up still feeling like i was on a boat. Took a few seconds for it to sink in that it was an earthquake. It was over before I even thought of taking any action.
Strange how you get really violent up and down shaking and then subtle wave-like side-to-side motions. I think a lot of it was down to the really flexible construction of the apartment block I was in.
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That's because there are a number of different types of seismic waves. The important ones are P (pressure) waves, which propagate backwards and forwards along the direction of travel, and S (shear) waves which are normal to travel (up and down or side to side). They move at different speeds too, so away from the hypocentre, they come one after another.

 

Sorry \:\)

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No sorry necessary yo! Thanks for the details \:\) It was cool to be able to visually see the wave frequency on the the chairs around the table. They would tip and then stay balanced on two legs as each wave hit them.

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I've dug out Parasnis (Greek, hey tsonda thumbsup.gif ).

 

Geophysics 201 gives P waves (back and forth), S waves (side to side) and Rayleigh waves (up and down).

 

Velocity in sedimentary rocks.

 

P waves 3,500-6,500 m/s

S waves 1,800-3,800 m/s

 

(Rayleigh are a type of S wave).

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Tsonda, you deserve it mate! Up to 18 days, nice.

 

 Originally Posted By: thursday.
maybe he could drive one of those trucks around and lecture people too.

 

Yeah, but whats the bet he'd end up lecturing just the female staff, in private. And he won't even have to turn the hydraulics on ;\)

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I have had a go in one of these. It was more fun than scary but hard to imagine feeling that all of a sudden in your own house.

 

I wonder how many of these things they have doing the rounds.

 

Who was running it warhawk?

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