Earthquake-proof school desk provides cover for natural disasters

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When designing the desk, Brutter and Bruno had to consider not just the durability of the desk, but also how it would be used every day in the classroom

Each corner of the school desk is outfitted with collapsible "crush zones" that distribute the brunt of an impact to the edges, rather than the middle

The bottom of the desk remains intact after an earthquake, giving students enough space to remain safe from harm

Brutter and Bruno are currently awaiting a patent and official approval from Padua University in Italy so they can begin distributing their desks to disaster-prone areas around the world

The desk was submitted to a battery of tests by having different materials of different weights dropped on it from a height

With the desks lined up in rows, this space could also act as escape tunnels for students to escape or be more easily rescued by emergency workers

Each corner of the school desk is outfitted with collapsible "crush zones" that distribute the brunt of an impact to the edges, rather than the middle

Two designers have developed an "earthquake-proof" desk that can absorb the impact of up to a ton of weight and even provide escape routes for rescue crews to reach trapped students

While it might block a few pieces of stray drywall and glass, a wooden desk isn't going to withstand the crushing weight from large chunks of concrete or steel

The desk was submitted to a battery of tests by having different materials of different weights dropped on it from a height

The designers dropped solid blocks of steel and concrete as well as bags of rocks weighing up to 1000 kg (about 1 ton) onto their desk

A new school desk has been designed to protect students during an earthquake by absorbing the impact of falling concrete and steel weighing up to 1000 kg (about 1 ton)

Article Summary

Anyone who has been through earthquake drills in school knows the standard defense against falling debris is for students to crawl under their desks. Unfortunately, while this might block a few pieces of stray drywall and glass, a wooden desk isn't going to withstand the crushing weight from large chunks of concrete or steel. In fact, people hiding under their desks could very likely become trapped with no way out. That's why two designers have developed an "earthquake-proof" desk that can absorb the impact of up to a ton of weight and even provide emergency routes for rescue crews to reach trapped students.

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