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Images, UC QuakeStudies

A fallen branch caught in weeds in the River Styx. The photographer comments, "This branch was broken off during one of the recent Christchurch earthquakes and fell into the River Styx. Now one side has sprouted roots and the other new buds".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A damaged concrete tilt-slab building. The slabs have separated and tilted, and are supported by steel bracing. The photographer comments, "This house in Christchurch was made by bolting 4 slabs of concrete together. A fantastic idea in a country prone to earthquakes".

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".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Road damage and liquefaction in a residential street. The photographer comments, "A great gouge in the road caused by liquefaction undermining the road surface and a car driving over it. This was the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand on 22 February 2011".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of a member of SPCA helping a member of Massy University's Veterinary Emergency Response Team (VERT) to load medical supplies into their vehicles. VERT travelled to Christchurch after the 22 February 2011 earthquake in order to assist with caring for animals.

Videos, UC QuakeStudies

A video about field trials conducted by the Department of Building and Housing at Queen Elizabeth II Park in Christchurch. Fifty kilograms of explosives are being used to simulate a magnitude-4 earthquake at a distance of 10 kilometres. The aim of the trials is to test soil-strengthening techniques that could be used to repair damaged land in Christchurch.

Videos, UC QuakeStudies

A video of a press conference with Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel and Raf Manji, Chair of the Christchurch City Council Finance Committee, about the KordaMentha report. KordaMentha is an independent auditing firm which specialises in insolvencies and corporate recovery. The report analysed the Christchurch City Council's three year budgeting plan and the financial strategies that lay behind it. Much of this budget dealt with the challenges in Christchurch caused by the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. Dalziel talks about the cost of mending Christchurch's infrastructure, the Council's insurance settlement, and the need to address the findings in the report. Manji talks about the Council's financial options following the report.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Many areas of Christchurch are underwater, dealing with what's been described as the worst flooding since the earthquakes. The high tide has just passed, with the rivers already running across roads and flooding into some homes. Schools have been closed, businesses inundated and dozens of roads around the city, closed. Already more than 70mm of rain has fallen in the past 24 hours, making it the city's wettest July on record. Now as the bad weather moves south the army has been put on standby in Dunedin for the expected deluge there. RNZ reporters Niva Chittock, Adam Burns and cameraman Nathan McKinnon are in Christchurch with the details.

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

Validating dynamic responses of engineered systems subjected to simulated ground motions is essential in scrutinising the applicability of simulated ground motions for engineering demand analyses. This paper compares the responses of two 3D building models subjected to recorded and simulated ground motions scaled to the NZS1170.5 design response spectrum, in order to evaluate the applicability of simulated ground motions for use in conventional engineering practice in New Zealand. The buildings were designed according to the NZS1170.5 and physically constructed in Christchurch prior to the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes. 40 recorded ground motions from the 22 February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, along with the simulated ground motions for this event from Razafindrakoto et al. (2018) are considered. The seismic responses of the structures are principally quantified via the peak floor acceleration and maximum inter-storey drift ratio. Overall, the results indicate a general agreement in seismic demands obtained using the recorded and simulated ensembles of ground motions and provide further evidence that simulated ground motions using state-of-the-art methods can be used in code-based structural performance assessments inplace of, or in combination with, ensembles of recorded ground motions.

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

The Mw 6.2 February 22nd 2011 Christchurch earthquake (and others in the 2010-2011 Canterbury sequence) provided a unique opportunity to study the devastating effects of earthquakes first-hand and learn from them for future engineering applications. All major events in the Canterbury earthquake sequence caused widespread liquefaction throughout Christchurch’s eastern suburbs, particularly extensive and severe during the February 22nd event. Along large stretches of the Avon River banks (and to a lesser extent along the Heathcote) significant lateral spreading occurred, affecting bridges and the infrastructure they support. The first stage of this research involved conducting detailed field reconnaissance to document liquefaction and lateral spreading-induced damage to several case study bridges along the Avon River. The case study bridges cover a range of ages and construction types but all are reinforced concrete structures which have relatively short, stiff decks. These factors combined led to a characteristic deformation mechanism involving deck-pinning and abutment back-rotation with consequent damage to the abutment piles and slumping of the approaches. The second stage of the research involved using pseudo-static analysis, a simplified seismic modelling tool, to analyse two of the bridges. An advantage of pseudo-static analysis over more complicated modelling methods is that it uses conventional geotechnical data in its inputs, such as SPT blowcount and CPT cone resistance and local friction. Pseudo-static analysis can also be applied without excessive computational power or specialised knowledge, yet it has been shown to capture the basic mechanisms of pile behaviour. Single pile and whole bridge models were constructed for each bridge, and both cyclic and lateral spreading phases of loading were investigated. Parametric studies were carried out which varied the values of key parameters to identify their influence on pile response, and computed displacements and damages were compared with observations made in the field. It was shown that pseudo-static analysis was able to capture the characteristic damage mechanisms observed in the field, however the treatment of key parameters affecting pile response is of primary importance. Recommendations were made concerning the treatment of these governing parameters controlling pile response. In this way the future application of pseudo-static analysis as a tool for analysing and designing bridge pile foundations in liquefying and laterally spreading soils is enhanced.

Research papers, The University of Auckland Library

In the aftermath of the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes in New Zealand, the residual capacity and reparability of damaged reinforced concrete (RC) structures was an issue pertinent to building owners, insurers, and structural engineers. Three precast RC moment-resisting frame specimens were extracted during the demolition of the Clarendon Tower in Christchurch after sustaining earthquake damage. These specimens were subjected to quasi-static cyclic testing as part of a research program to determine the reparability of the building. It was concluded that the precast RC frames were able to be repaired and retrofitted to an enhanced strength capacity with no observed reduction in displacement capacity, although the frames with “shear-ductile” detailing exhibited less displacement ductility capacity and energy dissipation capacity than the more conventionally detailed RC frames. Furthermore, the cyclic test results from the earthquake-damaged RC frames were used to verify the predicted inelastic demands applied to the specimens during the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes. https://www.concrete.org/publications/acistructuraljournal.aspx

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

This paper provides a summary of the ground motions observed in the recent Canterbury, New Zealand earthquake sequence. The sequence occurred in a region of relatively moderate seismicity, 130km to the east of the Alpine Fault, the major plate-boundary in the region. From an engineering perspective, the sequence has been primarily comprised of the initial 04/09/2010 Darfield earthquake (Mw7.1) followed by the 22/02/2011 Christchurch earthquake (Mw6.3), and two aftershocks on 13/06/ 2011 (Mw5.3 and 6.0, respectively). The dense spacing of strong motions in the region, and their close proximity to the respective causative faults, has resulted in strong ground motions far exceeding the previous catalogue of strong motion observed in New Zealand. The observed ground motions have exhibited clear evidence of: (i) near-source directivity; (ii) sedimentary basin focusing, amplification and basin effect refraction; (iii) non-linear site response; (iv) cyclic mobility postliquefaction; and (v) extreme vertical ground motions exceeding 2g, among others.

Research papers, Lincoln University

The earthquake swarm that has struck Canterbury, New Zealand from September 2010 has led to widespread destruction and loss of life in the city of Christchurch. In response to this the New Zealand government convened a Royal Commission under the Commissions of Inquiry Act 1908. The terms of reference for this enquiry were wide ranging, and included inquiry into legal and best-practice requirements for earthquake-prone buildings and associated risk management strategies. The Commission produced a final report on earthquake-prone buildings and recommendations which was made public on the 7th December 2012. Also on the 7th of December 2012 the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) released a Consultation Document that includes many of the recommendations put forward by the Royal Commission. This paper examines the evidence presented to the Royal Commission and reviews their recommendations and those of MBIE in relation to the management of earthquake-prone buildings. An analysis of the likely impacts of the recommendations and proposals on both the property market and society in general is also undertaken.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Christchurch Art Gallery is on track to reopen late next year, almost five years after the most devastating of the city's earthquakes put it out of commission. One of the key players in this important next step is Dr Lara Strongman who is the gallery's new senior curator.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Beverly Forrester farms near Harden which is down the road from Hanmer Springs. Road damage means she's cut off from the outside world, apart from her phone Beverly was caught up in the Christchurch earthquake, so the events of the last 24hrs have been quite trying for her.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Silver Award recipients, Peter Jakowetz (second to the left) and Jason Pemberton (middle). Peter is from Christchurch and Jason was originally USA, then Hamilton. Pictured here with Vice-Chancellor Dr Rod Carr, Prime Minister John Key and Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Gerry Brownlee.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Three leading artists: the singer Madeleine Pierard; the children's book illustrator Gavin Bishop and playwright and actor Jacob Rajan discuss why they create work with Paul Bushnell. Awa Press writer Jane Bowron reads from her book Old Bucky & Me: Dispatches from the Christchurch Earthquake.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

One of the great community initiative's in Canterbury is the Rangiora Earthquake Express - where urgent help is still needed. These Rangiora volunteers have been up and running for sometime now, with daily runs into the Christchurch suburbs most desperately in need of water and other essential supplies.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Health correspondent Karen Brown visited Christchurch Hospital a week after the disaster that resulted in patients being resuscitated by torchlight. She reviews the immediate impact of the earthquake on the region's health services, how they’re picking themselves up and what lies ahead.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Mike Ardagh is a specialist emergency physician at Christchurch Hospital, who is chairing a research group which is looking into the health implications of the earthquakes. His work in improving the efficiency and performance of emergency departments was recognised in the New Year's Honours.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Maureen Garing talks with Vaughan Milner, chief executive of Presbyterian Support in the upper South Island, about the Church's role in responding to community emergencies. The conversation deals particularly with the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake and was recorded prior to the Pike River mine tragedy.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Sam Johnson founded the Student Volunteer Army from a Facebook page in response to the Christchurch earthquakes. Sam spoke with Karyn on air ten years ago today, and he shares his memories including how the Student Volunteer Army has grown into a nationwide movement.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

It's 10 years since an earthquake killed 185 people in Christchurch. Ports of Auckland workers the latest people to be vaccinated against Covid-19. And Papatoetoe High students are back to school following three community Covid cases at the college. Nicola Wright has the news.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Primary and intermediate teachers marching in Christchurch echoed the message of their colleagues further north - they also want pay increases and improved working conditions. But they say that their classrooms are even more complex as they continue to deal with the effects of the earthquakes - and the associated trauma.