The sequence of earthquakes that has greatly affected Christchurch and Canterbury since September 2010 has again demonstrated the need for seismic retrofit of heritage unreinforced masonry buildings. Commencing in April 2011, the damage to unreinforced stone masonry buildings in Christchurch was assessed and recorded with the primary objective being to document the seismic performance of these structures, recognising that they constitute an important component of New Zealand’s heritage architecture. A damage statistics database was compiled by combining the results of safety evaluation placarding and post-earthquake inspections, and it was determined that the damage observed was consistent with observations previously made on the seismic performance of stone masonry structures in large earthquakes. Details are also given on typical building characteristics and on failure modes observed. Suggestions on appropriate seismic retrofit and remediation techniques are presented, in relation also to strengthening interventions that are typical for similar unreinforced stone masonry structures in Europe.
Damage to TJ's Kazbah in New Brighton. The east and north walls and part of the upper floor have collapsed, tipping rubble and the contents of the rooms out onto the street. The photographer comments, "The occupants of the business and rooms all managed to escape alive. A digger was used to make the building safe and then used to sift through the rubble for any surviving belongings. It was a very emotional time for the ex-occupants".
A large concrete beam, still partially connected by reinforcing rods to the partially-demolished building it came from lies across an entranceway.
Damage to the British Hotel on Oxford Street. The top of the building has crumbled bringing the roof down with it. Bricks lay along the footpath where they landed. Wire fencing has been used to create a cordon around the building.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to a building on Oxford Terrace. The wall to the right has collapsed, the concrete blocks spilling onto the footpath in front. USAR codes have been spray-painted on the ground at the entrance of the building.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to the Cranmer Courts on the corner of Montreal and Kilmore Streets. A large section of the building has crumbled, masonry spilling onto the footpath below. Wire fencing has been placed around the building as a cordon.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to the Brannigan's building on the corner of Gloucester Street and Oxford Terrace. Many of the windows down the centre of the building have broken. There are also cracks in the panels beneath many of the windows.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to the Cranmer Courts on the corner of Montreal and Kilmore Streets. A large section of the building has crumbled, masonry spilling onto the footpath below. Wire fencing has been placed around the building as a cordon.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to the Kenton Chambers on Hereford Street. The bottom right section of the building has collapsed, the bricks and other rubble spilling onto the footpath below. Large cracks have formed between the windows of the building.
A photograph of an earthquake damaged building on Armagh Street. The bricks walls have partially collapsed, and the bricks have fallen onto the car park in front.
Damage to a building on Ferry Road. The side walls have partially collapsed, and part of the brick wall is bowing outwards in danger of further collapse.
Damage to a building on Ferry Road. The side walls have partially collapsed, and part of the brick wall is bowing outwards in danger of further collapse.
A photograph of buildings on Oxford Terrace with damage to their awnings. USAR codes can be seen spray-painted on the fence of the Bangalore Polo Club.
A photograph of an earthquake damaged building on the corner of Tuam and High Streets. The ground floor was the former site of C1 Espresso Cafe.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Back of the PGG-Wrightson building on Cambridge Terrace where people are trapped. Earthquake damage in central Christchurch after a 6.3 earthquake".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch Earthquake. Headmaster Simone Leese talks from his new Headmaster's Office in the main square, about the damage to Christ's College campus buildings."
The Arts Centre on Worcester Boulevard with damage to the gables. Steel bracing has been placed against the front of the building to hold the walls together.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Looking north east across High Street (lower centre). Badly damaged McKenzie & Willis building with the red containers at centre left".
Damage to the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. Straw bales have been used as packing between the building and the shipping containers supporting its north-west corner.
A photograph of the earthquake-damaged brick wall of a house on Bealey Avenue near Springfield Road. The ceiling of the building has been braced with scaffolding.
A photograph of an excavator clearing rubble from earthquake-damaged buildings on Manchester Street. In the background emergency management personnel in hazmat suits are standing in groups.
A photograph of the Canterbury Provincial Chambers Buildings, taken from Oxford Terrace, across the Avon River. Damage to the roof can just be seen between the trees.
A photograph of the earthquake-damaged brick wall of a house on Bealey Avenue near Springfield Road. The ceiling of the building has been braced with scaffolding.
A photograph of the badly-damaged John Bull Cycles building on the corner of Colombo Street and Tuam Street. Most of the building's facade has fallen away and it has been cordoned off with wire fencing. Signs indicating that the business has relocated can be seen in the window.
A photograph of earthquake damage to a building on the corner of Tuam Street and Madras Street. The top corner of the façade has crumbled, and the bricks have fallen onto the footpath below. The building has been cordoned off by wire fencing and the road is closed.
A photograph looking east along Tuam Street towards the intersection of Colombo Street. The badly-damaged Bean Bags and Beyond building at 626 Colombo Street can be seen on the right hand side. In front of it is the remains of the Leather Direct building (615 Colombo Street).
Civil Defence staff walking down Durham Street, a fire engine behind them. Beside them, the damaged Provincial Council Legislative Chamber can be seen. The building's roof and walls have collapsed, as has the scaffolding that had been erected to repair it after the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A photograph of the badly-damaged Coachman Inn on Gloucester Street. Parts of the roof have fallen away and there are many cracks in the building. Bricks and rubble have fallen onto the footpath and road below and wire fencing has been placed around the building as a cordon.
Damage to the church hall of St John the Baptist Church in Latimer Square. The roof has been weather proofed with plywood and there are cracks in the buildings masonry. The remains of fallen bricks can be seen on the footpath. A safety fence has been erected around the building.
Damage to the church hall of St John the Baptist Church in Latimer Square. The roof has been weather proofed with plywood and there are cracks in the buildings masonry. The remains of fallen bricks can be seen on the footpath. A safety fence has been erected around the building.