Building Pendulums for Skyscrapers This technology was developed to earthquake-proof existing structures. The approach is really simple: simply suspend a giant ball of enormous mass with steel cables from a permanent structure at the top of the building. Like a result, when the structure begins to shake during earthquakes, the ball operates as a pendulum. It swings back and forth, generating energy that is released later when the system is put back into operation after the earthquake. The building's owner will have this system inspected by an engineer from time to time, who will make sure it's working properly and no parts of the system are damaged. If anything looks amiss, the engineer will tell the owner how to fix it. This is not meant to be a long-term solution for new buildings. The goal is to make existing structures more earthquake-resistant by using these pendulums. In addition, some newer buildings use this technique as an alternative to conventional seismic design. Here, large weights are used at different points in the structure to absorb energy before it reaches the floor frame. Pendulums can also be used in roadways to improve vehicle ride quality. When a vehicle crosses a bridge or rises up a hill, its weight causes the suspension to compress. This makes the wheels rise off the ground, which creates a feeling of insecurity for the driver.