Reconstructing Ikuta Shrine with Composite Columns

The earthquake that struck the Kobe area in January 1995 severely damaged the Ikuta Shrine, an important Shinto religious site, totally destroying the Hall of Worship. The collapse began when the connecting elements between columns and upper girder broke. With this connection no longer intact, the frame became unstable. The mass of the roof was free to move since the columns' single pin connections at the foundation provided no resistance, and the structure collapsed.