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OSU profs make earthquake-proof wine rack
Professors test wine racks in Oregon Wood Innovation Center on campus, simulating seismic activity of up to a 7.2 magnitude earthquake
Taryn Luna
Issue date: 2/2/09 Section: News
Two Oregon State wood science professors and a graduate student simulated seismic activity of 6.2 and 7.1 magnitudes at the Oregon Wood Innovation Center on campus to test the strength and endurance of new wine shelf for Newood Display Fixture Mfg. Co. of Eugene., called the MightyPine Shelving Line.
"We have a system here that we can use to test basically anything made of wood," said Dr. Rakesh Gupta of the department of wood science and engineering. "We are the facility to do it."
OSU's contract with Newood was simply to test shelves that had already been created by the company. The money the department of wood science and engineering earned will be used to fund future projects.
Gupta, his colleague Milo Clauson, graduate student Kenny Martin, Newood engineer Jok Ang and CEO Gerry Moshofksy, tested 12 shelves over the course of three weeks at the center.
Each shelf held 1,200 pounds of 100-pound weights - the equivalent of 30 cases of wine - and was placed on a steel beam that moves back and forth to simulate the shaking that occurs during an earthquake. Three shelves were tested at each magnitude.
Another simulation was what Gupta called the "push over" test. According to Newood's website and Gupta, this test applied lateral forces to the structure to determine the shelf's breaking point.
"We were testing the stability of the structure to determine if they can be used after an earthquake," Gupta said. No wine bottles were used throughout the testing.
The shelves, which are marketed to wine departments and package stores, passed the tests.
"We recommended that they should actually bolt the wine boxes to the shelves," Gupta said.
According to Moshofsky, Newood supplied a significant amount of wood pine fixtures used in grocery stores until earthquakes in the mid '90s proved that steel outperformed wood. The MightyPine Line tested at OSU features laminated layers of pine, which adds considerable strength to the structure.
Because no tests on steel were performed, the tests did not determine which of the two materials would hold up better in an earthquake, but Gupta shows strong faith in wood.
"Wood performs very well under earthquakes, mainly because wood can absorb lots of energy. Wood has the right combination of flexibility and strength," Gupta said. "In the U.S., 90 percent of the houses are even made of wood."
Taryn Luna, senior reporter
news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231
"We have a system here that we can use to test basically anything made of wood," said Dr. Rakesh Gupta of the department of wood science and engineering. "We are the facility to do it."
OSU's contract with Newood was simply to test shelves that had already been created by the company. The money the department of wood science and engineering earned will be used to fund future projects.
Gupta, his colleague Milo Clauson, graduate student Kenny Martin, Newood engineer Jok Ang and CEO Gerry Moshofksy, tested 12 shelves over the course of three weeks at the center.
Each shelf held 1,200 pounds of 100-pound weights - the equivalent of 30 cases of wine - and was placed on a steel beam that moves back and forth to simulate the shaking that occurs during an earthquake. Three shelves were tested at each magnitude.
Another simulation was what Gupta called the "push over" test. According to Newood's website and Gupta, this test applied lateral forces to the structure to determine the shelf's breaking point.
"We were testing the stability of the structure to determine if they can be used after an earthquake," Gupta said. No wine bottles were used throughout the testing.
The shelves, which are marketed to wine departments and package stores, passed the tests.
"We recommended that they should actually bolt the wine boxes to the shelves," Gupta said.
According to Moshofsky, Newood supplied a significant amount of wood pine fixtures used in grocery stores until earthquakes in the mid '90s proved that steel outperformed wood. The MightyPine Line tested at OSU features laminated layers of pine, which adds considerable strength to the structure.
Because no tests on steel were performed, the tests did not determine which of the two materials would hold up better in an earthquake, but Gupta shows strong faith in wood.
"Wood performs very well under earthquakes, mainly because wood can absorb lots of energy. Wood has the right combination of flexibility and strength," Gupta said. "In the U.S., 90 percent of the houses are even made of wood."
Taryn Luna, senior reporter
news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231
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