A house, one of the few still remaining in the Dallington Red Zone (Avonside Drive, Dallington). The area is "red zoned" due to land damage from earthquakes (mainly the February 22nd 2011 6.4 magnitude quake).
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Earthquake damage. As a result of the September 2010 earthquake, with further damage from the February 2011 event.
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Earthquake damage. As a result of the September 2010 earthquake, with further damage from the February 2011 event.
Worcester Blvd. Lawrence Roberts works for Photo & Video in Christchurch, suppliers of much of my photo gear in exchange for cash!
At least two broken pieces from the Scott statue rest in the Canterbury Museum. The statue toppled in the 22nd February 2011 earthquake.
Earthquake damage. As a result of the September 2010 earthquake, with further damage from the February 2011 event.
The objective of this study is to examine the influence of near-fault motions on liquefaction triggering in Christchurch and neighboring towns during the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence (CES). The CES began with the 4 September 2010, Mw7.1 Darfield earthquake and included up to ten events that triggered liquefaction. However, most notably, widespread liquefaction was induced by the Darfield earthquake and the Mw6.2, 22 February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Of particular relevance to this study is the forward directivity effects that were prevalent in the motions recorded during the Darfield earthquake, and to a much lesser extent, during the Christchurch earthquake. A 2D variant of the Richart-Newmark fatigue theory was used to compute the equivalent number of cycles (neq) for the ground motions, where volumetric strain was used as the damage metric. This study is unique because it considers the contribution and phasing of both the fault-normal and fault-parallel components of motion on neq and the magnitude scaling factor (MSF). It was found that when the fault-normal and fault-parallel motions were treated individually, the former yielded a lower neq than the latter. Additionally, when the combined effects of fault-normal and fault-parallel components were considered, it was found that the MSF were higher than those commonly used. This implies that motions containing near-fault effects are less demanding on the soil than motions that do not. This may be one of several factors that resulted in less severe liquefaction occurring during the Darfield earthquake than the Christchurch earthquake.
This paper presents insights from recent advanced laboratory testing of undisturbed and reconstituted specimens of Christchurch silty-sands. The purpose of the testing was to establish the cyclic strength of silty-sands from sites in the Central Business District (CBD), where liquefaction was observed in 4 September 2010, 22 February 2011, and 13 June 2011. Similar overall strengths were obtained from undisturbed and reconstituted tests prepared at similar densities, albeit with higher variability for the reconstituted specimens. Reconstituted specimens exhibited distinctly different response in terms of lower compressibility during initial loading cycles, and exhibited a more brittle response when large strains were mobilised, particularly for samples with high fines content. Given the lower variability in natural sample response and the possibility of age-related strength to be significant for sites not subjected to earthquakes, high quality undisturbed samples are recommended over the use of reconstituted specimens to establish the cyclic strength of natural sands.
In recent years, significant research has been undertaken into the development of lead-extrusion damping technology. The high force-to-volume (HF2V) devices developed at the University of Canterbury have been the subject of much of this research. However, while these devices have undergone a limited range of velocity testing, limitations in test equipment has meant that they have never been tested at representative earthquake velocities. Such testing is important as the peak resistive force provided by the dampers under large velocity spikes is an important design input that must be known for structural applications. This manuscript presents the high-speed testing of HF2V devices with quasi-static force capacities of 250-300kN. These devices have been subjected to peak input velocities of approximately 200mm/s, producing peak resistive forces of approximately 350kN. The devices show stable hysteretic performance, with slight force reduction during high-speed testing due to heat build-up and softening of the lead working material. This force reduction is recovered following cyclic loading as heat is dissipated and the lead hardens again. The devices are shown to be only weakly velocity dependent, an advantage in that they do not deliver large forces to the connecting elements and surrounding structure if larger than expected response velocities occur. This high-speed testing is an important step towards uptake as it provides important information to designers.
In recent years, significant research has been undertaken into the development of lead-extrusion damping technology. The high force-to-volume (HF2V) devices developed at the University of Canterbury have been the subject of much of this research. However, while these devices have undergone a limited range of velocity testing, limitations in test equipment has meant that they have never been tested at representative earthquake velocities. Such testing is important as the peak resistive force provided by the dampers under large velocity spikes is an important design input that must be known for structural applications. This manuscript presents the high-speed testing of HF2V devices with quasi-static force capacities of 250-300kN. These devices have been subjected to peak input velocities of approximately 200mm/s, producing peak resistive forces of approximately 350kN. The devices show stable hysteretic performance, with slight force reduction during high-speed testing due to heat build-up and softening of the lead working material. This force reduction is recovered following cyclic loading as heat is dissipated and the lead hardens again. The devices are shown to be only weakly velocity dependent, an advantage in that they do not deliver large forces to the connecting elements and surrounding structure if larger than expected response velocities occur. This high-speed testing is an important step towards uptake as it provides important information to designers.
The site of the Robert Falcon Scott statue. Here is what it looked like before (lining up ICE from POLICE on the Police building) www.flickr.com/photos/johnstewartnz/5921425414/in/set-721...
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrameny aka Christchurch Basilica
A couple of city blocks away from the now damaged Cathedral a temporary $4million cathedral has been built using large cardboard tubes and sheeting.
Sitting on the concrete in front of what was my model railway room - a single car garage at the rear of our house in Pacific Park. Reason it is here - one of the houses behind my old house is going to be trucked out. See previous photo.
A suburban "red zone" house from Velsheda Street (#11), Pacific Park, is finally cut in half and loaded ready for transport out and a future life somewhere else in the South Island, whether it be close by or way down south in Gore or Clinton (where a few have gone already). The house has been stripped of it's bricks and jacked up for over four m...
Went for a drive down to South New Brighton/Southshore after work today to see what interesting birds I could find on the Estuary (godwits, skuas, terns etc), but passing Jellico Street, I saw this. T-Rex the seismic survey truck from the University of Texas that is visiting the city (first time out of USA). Weighs 30 tonne and from the marks o...
Awaiting the demolition ball! See the hole punched in by the neighbouring building (now demolished) during the February 22 2011 earthquake. This building is leaning to the north (left) while it's now demolished neighbour was leaning to the south (right). All because the crap land gave way underneath!
Exactly 2½ years (27/02/11 - 27/08/13) since the Queensland (Australia) SAR team TF1 spray painted this on a concrete fence in Armagh Street. Not many of these signs left now as many buildings have been demolished.
Went for a drive down to South New Brighton/Southshore after work today to see what interesting birds I could find on the Estuary (godwits, skuas, terns etc), but passing Jellico Street, I saw this. T-Rex the seismic survey truck from the University of Texas that is visiting the city (first time out of USA). Weighs 30 tonne and from the marks o...
The damaged (and once iconic Christchurch Cathedral) waits it's fate (repaired or demolish/rebuild) with the Millenium hotel in background.
Went for a drive down to South New Brighton/Southshore after work today to see what interesting birds I could find on the Estuary (godwits, skuas, terns etc), but passing Jellico Street, I saw this. T-Rex the seismic survey truck from the University of Texas that is visiting the city (first time out of USA). Weighs 30 tonne and from the marks o...
Trees cut down so a house being removed from behind could get out above the fence on one of those elevating house removal trailers. I don't know the story about the yellow (recycling) wheelie bin - the wheels have been removed.
The old Esplanade Tavern is being demolished due to damage suffered in the earthquakes of 2011. Another one of New Brighton's iconic buildings to go.
While the whole of the North Island is under drought conditions and parts of the South Island likely to follow suit, I doubt it will happen in Christchurch. With hundreds of earthquake road, water and sewer repairs underway many are spilling hundreds of litres of water per minute, like this one outside my house. It has been running like this fo...
Work is continuing on the earthquake damaged South New Brighton bridge. Avon River to the left, Avon-Heathcote Estuary the other side of the bridge.
Went for a drive down to South New Brighton/Southshore after work today to see what interesting birds I could find on the Estuary (godwits, skuas, terns etc), but passing Jellico Street, I saw this. T-Rex the seismic survey truck from the University of Texas that is visiting the city (first time out of USA). Weighs 30 tonne and from the marks o...