Helicopter Flight over Christchurch New Zealand
Police tape cordons off large cracks in the road beside large piles of liquefaction dug from people's houses on a street in Avonside after the September 4th earthquake.
Workers digging up the road on the corner of Avonside Drive and Retreat Road in Avonside, with road cones and "Road Closed" sign, after the September 4th earthquake.
A photograph of a resource room in the Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering at the University of Canterbury after the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A photograph of a staff room in the Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering at the University of Canterbury after the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A photograph of a toppled bookcase in the Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering and the University of Canterbury after the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
This paper presents on-going challenges in the present paradigm shift of earthquakeinduced ground motion prediction from empirical to physics-based simulation methods. The 2010-2011 Canterbury and 2016 Kaikoura earthquakes are used to illustrate the predictive potential of the different methods. On-going efforts on simulation validation and theoretical developments are then presented, as well as the demands associated with the need for explicit consideration of modelling uncertainties. Finally, discussion is also given to the tools and databases needed for the efficient utilization of simulated ground motions both in specific engineering projects as well as for near-real-time impact assessment.
The sequence of earthquakes that has affected Christchurch and Canterbury since September 2010 has caused damage to a great number of buildings of all construction types. Following post-event damage surveys performed between April 2011 and June 2011, the damage suffered by unreinforced stone masonry buildings is reported and different types of observed failures are described. A detailed technical description of the most prevalently observed failure mechanisms is provided, with reference to recognised failure modes for unreinforced masonry structures. The observed performance of existing seismic retrofit interventions is also provided, as an understanding of the seismic response of these interventions is of fundamental importance for assessing the vulnerability of similar strengthening techniques when applied to unreinforced stone masonry structures.
Unrestrained unreinforced clay brick masonry (URM) parapets are found atop a large number of vintage URM buildings. Parapets are typically non-structural cantilevered wall elements that form a fire barrier and in most cases form decorative and ornamental features of vintage URM buildings. Parapets are considered to be one of the most vulnerable elements that are prone to out-of-plane collapse when subjected to earthquake induced shaking. An in-depth analysis of the damage database collected following the 2010/2011 Canterbury earthquakes was performed to obtain information about the distribution, characteristics and observed performance of both the as-built and retrofitted parapets in the Christchurch region. Results, statistical interpretation and implications are presented herein. http://www.aees.org.au/downloads/conference-papers/2015-2/
Liquefaction 'volcanos' in Kaiapoi, after the September 4th earthquake. Silt erupted out of the ground, piling up over the surface and leaving cracks at the mouth of the volcano.
Liquefaction 'volcanos' in Kaiapoi, after the September 4th earthquake. Silt erupted out of the ground, piling up over the surface and leaving cracks at the mouth of the volcano.
Liquefaction 'volcanos' in Kaiapoi, after the September 4th earthquake. Silt erupted out of the ground, piling up over the turf and leaving cracks at the mouth of the volcano.
Liquefaction 'volcanos' in Kaiapoi, after the September 4th earthquake. Silt erupted out of the ground, piling up over the surface and leaving cracks at the mouth of the volcano.
Liquefaction 'volcanos' in Kaiapoi, after the September 4th earthquake. Silt erupted out of the ground, piling up over the surface and leaving cracks at the mouth of the volcano.
Liquefaction 'volcanos' in Kaiapoi, after the September 4th earthquake. Silt erupted out of the ground, piling up over the surface and leaving cracks at the mouth of the volcano.
Liquefaction 'volcanos' in Kaiapoi, after the September 4th earthquake. Silt erupted out of the ground, piling up over the surface and leaving cracks at the mouth of the volcano.
Damage to a residential property on Chichester Street in Pines Beach, after the September 4th earthquake. "Danger Keep Out" tape bars off entry to the collapsing side of the house.
The Canterbury earthquake series of 2010/2011 has turned the city of Christchurch into a full scale natural laboratory testing the structural and non-structural response of buildings under moderate to very severe earthquake shaking. The lessons learned from this, which have come at great cost socially and economically, are extremely valuable in increasing our understanding of whole building performance in severe earthquakes. Given current initiatives underway on both sides of the Tasman towards developing joint Australasian steel and composite steel/concrete design and construction standards that would span a very wide range of geological conditions and seismic zones, these lessons are relevant to both countries. This paper focusses on the performance of steel framed buildings in Christchurch city, with greatest emphasis on multi-storey buildings, but also covering single storey steel framed buildings and light steel framed housing. It addresses such issues as the magnitude and structural impact of the earthquake series, importance of good detailing, lack of observed column base hinging, the excellent performance of composite floors and it will briefly cover research underway to quantify some of these effects for use in design.
Helicopter Flight over Christchurch New Zealand
None
An aerial photograph of the University of Canterbury following the 4 September earthquake, taken from a helicopter.
An aerial photograph of the University of Canterbury following the 4 September earthquake, taken from a helicopter.
An aerial photograph of the University of Canterbury following the 4 September earthquake, taken from a helicopter.
An aerial photograph of the University of Canterbury following the 4 September earthquake, taken from a helicopter.
An aerial photograph of the University of Canterbury following the 4 September earthquake, taken from a helicopter.
Damage to the Visitors Centre in Kaiapoi, after the September 4th earthquake. The foundation has lifted and there are cracks along the road. Tape and fences bar the public off from access.
Following the magnitude 6.3 aftershock in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 22 February 2011, a number of researchers were sent to Christchurch as part of the New Zealand Natural Hazard Research Platform funded “Project Masonry” Recovery Project. Their goal was to document and interpret the damage to the masonry buildings and churches in the region. Approximately 650 unreinforced and retrofitted clay brick masonry buildings in the Christchurch area were surveyed for commonly occurring failure patterns and collapse mechanisms. The entire building stock of Christchurch, and in particular the unreinforced masonry building stock, is similar to that in the rest of New Zealand, Australia, and abroad, so the observations made here are relevant for the entire world.
None
A photograph of a staff member entering an office in the Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering at the University of Canterbury, after the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
Workers survey a street in Avonside where there are large cracks, piles of liquefaction dug up from people's houses, fenced off portions of the street and an army vehicle parked, after the September 4th earthquake.