The wind damper of Taipei 101, the world’s second highest building, registered its biggest ever vibration due to the heavy rain and strong winds brought by Typhoon Soudelor.
According to the skyscraper’s management, the vibration of the tuned mass damper reached 100 centimeters a minute before 7:00 am Saturday.
According to Taipei 101's website, the TAIPEI 101 Observatory has the world's largest and heaviest wind damper with a diameter reaching 5.5 m (18 feet) and a weight of 660 tons. It is the only operational wind damper in the world exposed for public viewing. The wind damper is suspended between the 92nd and 87th floors and is composed of 41 layers of 12.5 cm (5 inch) thick steel plates riveted together, serving as one of the key elements of the wind and earthquake resistance systems of TAIPEI 101.