Lemon and Lime

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A digitally manipulated photograph of a stack of metal beams.

Access All Areas

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A digitally manipulated image of the head of a digger resting on a pile of soil. The photographer comments, "You can go anywhere you like when you are a rock star".

He's Not Heavy, He's My Brother

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A large concrete beam, still partially connected by reinforcing rods to the partially-demolished building it came from lies across an entranceway.

My Neighbour's House Being De-Constructed

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A digitally manipulated image of an excavator demolishing a house. The photographer comments, "My neighbour I thought was going to be one of the first to be rebuilt in the area after being damaged in the 22 February 2011 earthquake, but the builders have knocked it down and not returned yet".

Sunday is a Day of Rest

Images, UC QuakeStudies

The head of a digger resting on a pile of soil next to QEII Stadium. The photographer comments, "The deconstruction of the QEII stadium in Christchurch pauses on a Sunday".

Big Red

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A digitally manipulated image of an excavator. The photographer comments, "This is a huge excavator in the Christchurch CBD. It is being used to clear away the enormous amount of rubble from the buildings being demolished. It seems that nearly all the big machinery from all other the world has been needed in the clean up of the earthquake damaged buildings and utilities".

The Wrecking Crew Move On

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A digger being loaded onto the back of a truck. The photographer comments, "After clearing away the remains of a building in Christchurch, New Zealand destroyed by the February 22 earthquake the digger can now be transported to its next destination for destruction".

The Strange Lines of Bubbles in Earthquake Liquefaction

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Liquefaction in North New Brighton. The photographer comments, "This is the liquid part of liquefaction left when the heavier sand content has dropped down. After the double quake in Christchurch local to me I found these strange lines of bubbles on the surface".

Thought I Would Drop In

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Dried liquefaction silt in North New Brighton. The photographer comments, "This is the the top layer of liquefaction that has dried up in the hot sun. A broken eggshell is around 5 times stronger than these, but a fallen leaf is just not enough to break one. You can see underneath that the heavier sandy layer of liquefaction has dried and has cracked as well".

The Italian Ladies

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Dried liquefaction silt in North New Brighton. The photographer comments, "This is the result of liquefaction which spewed out after the double earthquake in Christchurch. Having flowed into a shallow depression that was deep enough for a fair quantity of the silty liquid to settle and separate: the heavy sand below and a talcum powder like substance on top. Some of these are so delicate that a mouse crossing them would probably crack them. Here the sun has dried them out and they have contracted and curled up towards their centres".

My Photographic Visualisation of the Christchurch Earthquake

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A motion-blurred photograph of houses, with the Port Hills in the background. The photographer comments, "This I hope gives you a feel of what it feels like in an earthquake. When you spend your whole life thinking that you and your home are built on solid ground, it can be quite a shock when you find it is not. You can feel the house shaking like a dog with a toy, rising up violently underneath you or the most gentle form which is when the ground moves gently like a wave moving under a rowing boat. It is not just the movement, you often get a rumbling sound which can precede a violent shake or can result in no movement at all. This means that some vehicles can sound like the rumbling initially and in the early days would get your heart racing. Another form of stress is when big excavators as heavy as a tank move as you can feel the ground shake from streets away, but you do not always hear the engine. For most of us the problem when the shaking starts, is wondering if this is the start of an extremely violent earthquake or will it peter out".

The Housing Slump

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Two images of a house, taken before and after the earthquakes. In the after photograph the chimneys are gone, a column supporting the car port has partly collapsed, windows are broken, and the previously neat lawn and driveway are overgrown. The photographer comments, "This was a house that I was selling up to the September 2010 earthquake in Christchurch. It was on Avonside Drive, which was an area that has been badly hit in every earthquake that has hit the area. In the September quake parts of the house moved in different directions and one of the upstairs doors had to be smashed open to release one of the sons from his bedroom. This occurred in the dark with numerous aftershocks shaking the house. Liquefaction poured up through the floor and flowed down the drive. Everyone got out OK, but soon after the house was red stickered meaning it was dangerous to enter. The house was looted many times even though there was constant police patrols. When the most violent earthquake occurred on 22 February 2012 both the tall heavy chimneys came crashing through into the living areas. Subsequent earthquakes and aftershocks have caused one of the brick fence pillars to fall and the front garage pillar to break up and twist. The family's troubles did not end there. They moved into the home of one of their parents and this mansion of a home was so badly affected by the February earthquake that no one could enter to collect any of their or their parents' belongings. They now own a new home, which they are fond of except when the ground shakes yet again. There has been to date 10,712 earthquakes and aftershocks since 4 September 2010".