Engineers can't wait around for the next big one to hit. So, they use a huge platform to simulate an earthquake. The PEER shaking table is the largest six degree-of-freedom shaking in the United States. What that means is that it can move in six unique directions. It can move horizontally along both the X and Y axes, and vertically along the Z axis. It can also rotate along each of these three axes, allowing for pitch, roll and yaw. Combine these motions together and engineers can simulate just about any earthquake-like movement. Video updated March 2016.