Utility managers are always looking for appropriate tools to estimate seismic damage in wastewater networks located in earthquake prone areas. Fragility curves, as an appropriate tool, are recommended for seismic vulnerability analysis of buried pipelines, including pressurised and unpressurised networks. Fragility curves are developed in pressurised networks mainly for water networks. Fragility curves are also recommended for seismic analysis in unpressurised networks. Applying fragility curves in unpressurised networks affects accuracy of seismic damage estimation. This study shows limitations of these curves in unpressurised networks. Multiple case study analysis was applied to demonstrate the limitations of the application of fragility curves in unpressurised networks in New Zealand. Four wastewater networks within New Zealand were selected as case studies and various fragility curves used for seismic damage estimation. Observed damage in unpressurised networks after the 2007 earthquake in Gisborne and the 2010 earthquake in Christchurch demonstrate the appropriateness of the applied fragility curves to New Zealand wastewater networks. This study shows that the application of fragility curves, which are developed from pressurised networks, cannot be accurately used for seismic damage assessment in unpressurised wastewater networks. This study demonstrated the effects of different parameters on seismic damage vulnerability of unpressurised networks.
An entry from Sue Davidson's blog for 14 October 2012 entitled, "Dora's Data Network".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "155 Worcester Street, Radio Network House".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Radio Network House being readied for demolishing by implosion".
A photograph of the NewstalkZB building. The photograph is captioned by Paul Corliss, "Looking down Oxford Terrace, River Avon to right, towards Central City".
A presentation by Dr Matthew Hughes (Department of Civil and Natural Resource Engineering) on "Liquefaction Impacts on Christchurch's Water and Wastewater Networks".
An aerial photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Radio Network House, Worcester Street and Latimer Square (left)".
A video of the demolition of the Radio Network House on Worcester Street. The building was demolished by Controlled Demolition Inc using a controlled implosion.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Latimer Square and Radio Networks House (under demolition). IRD building top left and Pacific Tower centre right".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Worcester Street looking east from Colombo Street. The Westende building on the left is a new building, and Radio Networks House will be demolished by implosion".
A video of a press conference about the implosion of Radio Network House on Worcester Street. The video includes statements by Peter LockHart, Bill Johnson, and Warwick Isaacs.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Westpac building (centre), Radio Networks House (lower left), Pacific Tower (right) and Novotel hotel (extreme right) and Cathedral roof behind it".
A video of a tour of the inside of the Radio Network House on Worcester Street. Maurice Gibbens, demolition supervisor from CERES, and Craig Stracey, operations manger, explain how the building has been prepared for demolition by implosion.
The Canterbury Communities' Earthquake Recovery Network or Cancern acts as an advocate for those in damaged homes.
A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Radio Network House seen from a vacant lot at 168 High Street".
A video of an interview with Corporal Pani Bell about his work guarding cordons at the edge of the Christchurch central city red zone. Bell talks about the progress of the Christchurch rebuild, the shrinking of the red zone, the implosion of the Radio Network House on Worcester Street, and the temporary offices which have been built for the cordon guards.
An aerial photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Latimer Square". Seats set up in Latimer Square in preparation for the commemoration of the anniversary of the 22 February 2011 earthquake can be seen on the right.
Leanne Curtis is a Canterbury Communities' Earthquake Recovery Network board member and Peter Townsend is the chief executive of the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce.
The destruction of the Radio Network building in Christchurch has prompted hopes that explosive demolition could be used to bring down other earthquake-damaged buildings.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Latimer Square and IRD building (centre)".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "A new building, Westende Building on the corner of Manchester and Worcester Streets is nearing completion. Radio Network House (behind) to be demolished".
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "The view from the top of Alice in Videoland".
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 15 June 2012
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 23 May 2012
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 13 January 2012
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 18 May 2012
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 5 October 2012
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 16 March 2012
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 20 April 2012
A copy of the CanCERN online newsletter published on 17 August 2012