The Audain Art Museum in Whistler, British Columbia, will be recognized not only for its artists but also its designers and builders.
The museum, scheduled to open in October, is an arc-shaped steel structure that touches the ground in six places and cantilevers in all directions from the foundation. It’s also one of the world’s first major projects to use a new steel casting technology for enhanced earthquake resistance.
Twelve cast steel Scorpion Yielding Connectors (made by AISC Member Cast Connex Corporation) have been installed at the museum. In the event of an earthquake, they will function almost like a giant shock absorber, said Michael Gray, one of the University of Toronto researchers and cofounder of Cast Connex.
"In an earthquake, nonlinear response in a SYC is isolated to the brace assembly while the other elements of the frame, such as beams, columns and gusset plates, are intended to remain predominantly elastic," he said.
To learn more, read the Daily Commercial News article.