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VISUALS:
Sixty-gallon oak wine barrels donated by Robert Mondavi
Winery and filled with water will be stacked in various
configurations up to 18 feet high. The stacks, weighing
up to 15,000 pounds, will be subjected to heavy shaking
exceeding that of the 1994 Northridge earthquake, which
had an estimated magnitude of 6.8. The stacks are expected
to topple. Special catch harnesses designed for the experiment
will prevent the barrels from rolling off the shake table
and creating a safety hazard.
BACKGROUND:
Data collected from the shake will allow wine industry
leaders to estimate their earthquake risk, expected to
be considerable. High-end brands stored in traditional
oak barrels are more susceptible to spillage than wine
stored in steel drums. Most California wineries are located
within 30 miles of a major fault, especially those in
the Napa and Sonoma valleys, near the Mendocino coast
and from Monterey south to San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara.
DIRECTIONS:
The
Richmond Field Station is off Interstate 580 in Richmond,
about six miles from UC Berkeley. Heading north on I-80,
take the I-580 West exit and continue to Bayview Ave.
Exit and turn left at the top of the ramp, and continue
to the stop sign. Proceed straight on Meade St. parallel
to the freeway for about 1/4 mile, then turn left onto
S. 47th St.. Take an immediate right into the Richmond
Field Station and ask at the guard station for directions
to the shake table. More complete directions and a map
are at http://www.eresonant.com/pages/testing/rfs-directions.html.
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Note:
More information can be found on Marrow's Web site, http://www.eresonant.com.
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