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Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

Recent field investigations were carried out to define the shear wave velocity (VS) profile and site periods across the Canterbury region, supplementing earlier efforts in urban Christchurch. Active source surface wave testing, ambient wave field (passive) and H/V spectral ratio methods were used to characterise the soil profile in the region. H/V spectral ratio peaks indicate site periods in the range of 5-7 seconds across much of the Canterbury Plains, broadly consistent with those based on a 1D velocity model for the region. Site periods decrease rapidly in the vicinity of the Canterbury foothills and the Banks Peninsula outcrops. In Christchurch, the Riccarton Gravels result in a significant mode of vibration that has a much shorter period than the site period of the entire soil column down to basement rock.

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Canterbury Brewery, St Asaph Street, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-02-20-CanterburyBrewery-February-2012 DSC_144.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Canterbury Brewery, St Asaph Street, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-02-20-CanterburyBrewery-February-2012 DSC_147.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Canterbury Brewery, St Asaph Street, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-02-20-CanterburyBrewery-February-2012 DSC_142.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Canterbury Brewery, St Asaph Street, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-02-20-CanterburyBrewery-February-2012 DSC_146.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Canterbury Brewery, St Asaph Street, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-02-20-CanterburyBrewery-February-2012 DSC_143.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

Canterbury Brewery, St Asaph Street, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-02-20-CanterburyBrewery-February-2012 DSC_145.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

Seismic isolation is an effective technology for significantly reducing damage to buildings and building contents. However, its application to light-frame wood buildings has so far been unable to overcome cost and technical barriers such as susceptibility of light-weight buildings to movement under high-wind loading. The 1994 Northridge Earthquake (6.7 MW) in the United States, 1995 Kobe Earthquake (6.9 MW) in Japan and 2011 Christchurch Earthquake (6.7 Mw) all highlighted significant loss to light-frame wood buildings with over half of earthquake recovery costs allocated to their repair and reconstruction. This poster presents a value case to highlight the benefits of seismically isolated residential buildings compared to the standard fixed-base dwellings for the Wellington region. Loss data generated by insurance claim information from the 2011 Christchurch Earthquake has been used to determine vulnerability functions for the current light-frame wood building stock. By using a simplified single degree of freedom (SDOF) building model, methods for determining vulnerability functions for seismic isolated buildings are developed. Vulnerability functions are then applied directly in a loss assessment to determine the Expected Annual Loss. Vulnerability was shown to dramatically reduce for isolated buildings compared to an equivalent fixed-base building resulting in significant monetary savings, justifying the value case. A state-of-the-art timber modelling software, Timber3D, is then used to model a typical residential building with and without seismic isolation to assess the performance of a proposed seismic isolation system which addresses the technical and cost issues.

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

A view after the 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch 4 September 2010. Corner of Colombo and Byron Streets. Given a bit of a HDR process to add some of what I was "feeling" at the time.