Bayer MaterialScience and its partners from industry and academia have developed an efficient and affordable earthquake protection for buildings.
An extremely tear-resistant woven fabric is applied with a special adhesive directly to the wall which forms a permanent bond. The objective is to delay or even prevent the collapse of the walls, giving the occupants time to flee the building to safety.
The company hopes that it will enable to protect many people from the horrific consequences of earthquakes in the future. The key component of the system is the adhesive formulated with Dispercoll U, a waterborne polyurethane dispersion. It adheres extremely well to masonry and the woven fabric, yet is flexible enough for a permanent bond.
The system is available from professional distributors under the name MapeWrap EQ System and installed by trained personnel. The major advantage of the system is that it can be applied easily in both new construction and existing buildings. It can then be covered with wallpaper or other coatings, so that the occupants can continue to decorate as they please.