A pile of brick in front a damaged building in Christchurch central. The site grounds are overgrown.
Looking through the cordon fence, a pile of brick in front a damaged building in Christchurch central.
An overgrown site in Christchurch Central. Some damaged building and fences can be seen in the background.
A video of a tour of the Christchurch central city Red Zone. The video includes footage of the site of the Brannigans Building on the corner of Oxford Terrace and Gloucester Street, the inside of the central library, Gloucester Street, Manchester Street, High Street, Poplar Lane, and Hereford Street.
The magnitude Mw 6.2 earthquake of February 22nd 2011 that struck beneath the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, caused widespread damage and was particularly destructive to the Central Business District (CBD). The shaking caused major damage, including collapses of structures, and initiated ground failure in the form of soil liquefaction and consequent effects such as sand boils, surface flooding, large differential settlements of buildings and lateral spreading of ground towards rivers were observed. A research project underway at the University of Canterbury to characterise the engineering behaviour of the soils in the region was influenced by this event to focus on the performance of the highly variable ground conditions in the CBD. This paper outlines the methodology of this research to characterise the key soil horizons that underlie the CBD that influenced the performance of important structures during the recent earthquakes, and will influence the performance of the rebuilt city centre under future events. The methodology follows post-earthquake reconnaissance in the central city, a desk study on ground conditions, site selection, mobilisation of a post-earthquake ground investigation incorporating the cone penetration test (CPT), borehole drilling, shear wave velocity profiling and Gel-push sampling followed by a programme of laboratory testing including monotonic and cyclic testing of the soils obtained in the investigation. The research is timely and aims to inform the impending rebuild, with appropriate information on the soils response to dynamic loading, and the influence this has on the performance of structures with various foundation forms.
Damaged building in Christchurch central, steel bracing and scaffolding are used to support the walls on the building.
Researchers Liz Toomey and Jeremy Finn, School of Law, in front of a damaged building in central Christchurch.
Detail of a damaged building in Christchurch Central. Bit of broken furniture, fabric and brick rubble can be seen.
Empty spaces down a street in Christchurch Central. The sites on the right are left by the demolition of buildings.
New research suggests about half the Christchurch businesses which left the central city after the Canterbury earthquakes are unlikely to return.
A video of a tour of the Christchurch central city Red Zone. The video includes footage of Colombo Street and Gloucester Street.
The Avon river, with some cordon fence visible on the left and the central Police station in the background between the trees.
The Minister for Earthquake Recovery, Gerry Brownlee, is due to give the government's response to the Christchurch City Council's draft central city plan tomorrow.
When the earthquake demolished Christchurch's central business district, some business owners had no option but to pack up and start again in a different city.
The creation of a new unit within the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority to oversee the rebuilding of central Christchurch is being welcomed by business leaders.
A year and a half after the February Earthquake, economics has ensured much of the waste material coming out of Christchurch's central city has been recycled.
The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission has tried to determine exactly who should have put a cordon around a central Christchurch building identified as an earthquake risk.
Since September 2010 Christchurch, New Zealand, has experienced a number of significant earthquakes. In addition to loss of life, this has resulted in significant destruction to infrastructure, including road corridors; and buildings, especially in the central city, where it has been estimated that 60% of buildings will need to be rebuilt. The rebuild and renewal of Christchurch has initially focused on the central city under the direction of the Christchurch City Council. This has seen the development of a draft Central City Plan that includes a number of initiatives that should encourage the use of the bicycle as a mode of transport. The rebuild and renewal of the remainder of the city is under the jurisdiction of a specially set up authority, the Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA). CERA reports to an appointed Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery, who is responsible for coordinating the planning, spending, and actual rebuilding work needed for the recovery. Their plans for the renewal and rebuild of the remainder of the city are not yet known. This presentation will examine the potential role of the bicycle as a mode of transport in a rebuilt Christchurch. The presentation will start by describing the nature of damage to Christchurch as a result of the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. It will then review the Central City Plan (the plan for the rebuild and renewal for central Christchurch) focusing particularly on those aspects that affect the role of the bicycle. The potential for the success of this plan will be assessed. It will specifically reflect on this in light of some recent research in Christchurch that examined the importance of getting infrastructure right if an aim of transport planning is to attract new people to cycle for utilitarian reasons.
A graffiti paste-up of a digger on the side of a building in the central city. The artist has added a speech bubble reading, "Nom, nom".
Cathedral Square hosted one of New Zealand’s most significant historic events after the armistice was signed by the Western Allies and the Central Powers on 11th November 1918 in Paris, Franc…
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Canterbury Earthquakes will today begin to examine the failure of the building that's come to symbolise the damage to the central city.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, is offside with the business community in Christchurch over the decision to permanently relocate nearly 500 public servants outside of the central business district.
The rebuild of central Christchurch has been taken out of the control of the city council and will now be managed by a newly formed unit within the Government's Earthquake Recovery Authority.
A central-Christchurch property owner says attempts by insurance companies to limit the amount of money they end up paying out for earthquake damage, is just part of doing business.
Looking into Christchurch Central over cordon fencing and road cones. A crane can be seen in the background and on the right is the empty site where the CTV building once was.
A photograph of volunteers at the Info Gap temporary outdoor display space on the corner of Peterborough and Colombo Streets.
A photograph of volunteers constructing the Info Gap temporary outdoor display space on the corner of Peterborough and Colombo Streets.
A photograph of an installation titled 'Halo', which is part of the LUXCITY event.
The Avon river, with some cordon fence around Our City O-Tautahi, that was in the former Municipal Chambers visible on the left and the central Police station in the background between the trees.
A photograph of volunteers painting a pathway in Gap Filler's temporary outdoor cinema on the corner of Madras and St Asaph Streets.