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Images for BUILDING CODES; more images...

Images, UC QuakeStudies

USAR codes and a yellow sticker can be seen on the doors of a damaged building. The yellow sticker was part of a building assessment system used following the February earthquake and indicates that this building has limited access and needs further evaluation.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Damage to the Caxton Press building (left) and the adjoining building. In front is a pile of bricks, cordonned off with tape and road cones to keep the public away. Spray-painted codes show that the buildings have been checked by USAR.

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

Base isolation is arguably the most reliable method for providing enhanced protection of buildings against earthquake-induced actions, by virtue of a physical separation between the structure and the ground through elements/devices with controlled force capacity, significant lateral deformation capacity and (often) enhanced energy dissipation. Such a design solution has shown its effectiveness in protecting both structural and non-structural components, hence preserving their functionality even in the aftermath of a major seismic event. Despite lead rubber bearings being invented in New Zealand almost forty years ago, the Christchurch Women's hospital was the only isolated building in Christchurch when the Canterbury earthquake sequence struck in 2010/11. Furthermore, a reference code for designing base-isolated buildings in New Zealand is still missing. The absence of a design standard or at least of a consensus on design guidelines is a potential source for a lack of uniformity in terms of performance criteria and compliance design approaches. It may also limit more widespread use of the technology in New Zealand. The present paper provides an overview of the major international codes (American, Japanese and European) for the design of base-isolated buildings. The design performance requirements, the analysis procedures, the design review process and approval/quality control of devices outlined in each code are discussed and their respective pros and cons are compared through a design application on a benchmark building in New Zealand. The results gathered from this comparison are intended to set the basis for the development of guidelines specific for the New Zealand environment.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Detail of spray painted codes left after a building had been cleared by a USAR team. This system was used following the February earthquake to mark buildings that have been checked. This building has also been red-stickered, and has a notice that says "Danger. Do Not Enter".

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

Christchurch earthquake events have raised questions on the adequacy of performance-based provisions in the current national building code. At present, in the building code the performance objectives are expressed in terms of safety and health criteria that could affect building occupants. In general, under the high intensity Christchurch events, buildings performed well in terms of life-safety (with a few exceptions) and it proved that the design practices adopted for those buildings could meet the performance objectives set by the building code. However, the damage incurred in those buildings resulted in unacceptably high economic loss. It is timely and necessary to revisit the objectives towards building performance in the building code and to include provisions for reducing economic implications in addition to the current requirements. Based on the observed performance of some buildings, a few specific issues in the current design practices that could have contributed to extensive damage have been identified and recommended for further research leading towards improved performance of structures. In particular, efforts towards innovative design/construction solutions with low-damage concepts are encouraged. New Zealand has been one of the leading countries in developing many innovative technologies. However, such technically advanced research findings usually face challenges towards implementation. Some of the reasons include: (i) lack of policy requirements; (iii) absence of demonstrated performance of new innovations to convince stakeholders; and (iv) non-existence of design guidelines. Such barriers significantly affect implementation of low damage construction and possible strategies to overcome those issues are discussed in this paper.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of a severely-damaged building on Armagh Street. The building's facade has completely fallen away, and the bricks have fallen onto the footpath in front. USAR codes have been spray painted on an exposed wall.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A view across Durham Street to the Amuri Courts building. The building has been yellow-stickered, and USAR codes has been spray painted in pink on one of the windows. Cracks are visible in the road out front.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

The facade of the building housing the Daily Bagel and the Covent Fruit Centre has fallen away, leaving the building unstable and dangerous. The front wall has toppled onto the footpath leaving a pile of bricks. The front windows of this and surrounding buildings have been spray-painted with USAR codes 'No Go' and the times they were checked.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of emergency management personnel standing outside the Canterbury Trade Union Centre on Armagh Street. Emergency tape has been draped around the outside of the building and USAR codes have been spray-painted on a column near the entrance. Behind the building are several other earthquake-damaged buildings.

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

Designing a structure for higher- than-code seismic performance can result in significant economic and environmental benefits. This higher performance can be achieved using the principles of Performance-Based Design, in which engineers design structures to minimize the probabilistic lifecycle seismic impacts on a building. Although the concept of Performance-Based Design is not particularly new, the initial capital costs associated with designing structures for higher performance have historically hindered the widespread adoption of performance-based design practices. To overcome this roadblock, this research is focused on providing policy makers and stakeholders with evidence-based environmental incentives for designing structures in New Zealand for higher seismic performance. In the first phase of the research, the environmental impacts of demolitions in Christchurch following the Canterbury Earthquakes were quantified to demonstrate the environmental consequences of demolitions following seismic events. That is the focus here. A building data set consisting of 142 concrete buildings that were demolished following the earthquake was used to quantify the environmental impacts of the demolitions in terms of the embodied carbon and energy in the building materials. A reduced set of buildings was used to develop a material takeoff model to estimate material quantities in the entire building set, and a lifecycle assessment tool was used to calculate the embodied carbon and energy in the materials. The results revealed staggering impacts in terms of the embodied carbon and energy in the materials in the demolished buildings. Ongoing work is focused developing an environmental impact framework that incorporates all the complex factors (e.g. construction methodologies, repair methodologies (if applicable), demolition methodologies (if applicable), and waste management) that contribute to the environmental impacts of building repair and demolition following earthquakes.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of several earthquake-damaged buildings on Lichfield Street. A section of the top storey of the building in the middle has collapsed. USAR codes have been spray-painted on the front door, columns, and windows of all of the buildings. A red sticker has also been stuck to the door of the closest building, indicating that it is unsafe to enter.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A damaged building on Durham Street. Cracks can be been in the brickwork, as well as a pile of bricks from a damaged wall to the left. Wire fencing has been placed around the building as a cordon. USAR codes have been spray-painted on the front window.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Strong aftershocks felt in Canterbury, Quake firms to seek government wage subsidy, More services, access to buildings being restored in Christchurch, Minister for Earthquake Recovery discusses plans, Heavy rain causes flooding and road closures in Lower North Island, Building codes minimised quake's injuries and damage, Glass supply freezes as Christchurch companies clean up.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the earthquake damage to a building on Lichfield Street. Masonry from the top section of the building has broken away and spilled onto the footpath below. A red sticker has been placed on the door, indicating that the building is unsafe to enter. USAR codes have been spray-painted on the column and window to the right.