A photograph of emergency management personnel signing in at the temporary Civil Defence headquarters in the Christchurch Art Gallery.
A seismic financial risk analysis of typical New Zealand reinforced concrete buildings constructed with topped precast concrete hollow-core units is performed on the basis of experimental research undertaken at the University of Canterbury over the last five years. An extensive study that examines seismic demands on a variety of multi-storey RC buildings is described and supplemented by the experimental results to determine the inter-storey drift capacities of the buildings. Results of a full-scale precast concrete super-assemblage constructed and tested in the laboratory in two stages are used. The first stage investigates existing construction and demonstrates major shortcomings in construction practice that would lead to very poor seismic performance. The second stage examines the performance of the details provided by Amendment No. 3 to the New Zealand Concrete Design Code NZS 3101:1995. This paper uses a probabilistic financial risk assessment framework to estimate the expected annual loss (EAL) from previously developed fragility curves of RC buildings with precast hollow core floors connected to the frames according to the pre-2004 standard and the two connection details recommended in the 2004 amendment. Risks posed by different levels of damage and by earthquakes of different frequencies are examined. The structural performance and financial implications of the three different connection details are compared. The study shows that the improved connection details recommended in the 2004 amendment give a significant economic payback in terms of drastically reduced financial risk, which is also representative of smaller maintenance cost and cheaper insurance premiums.
Douglas Marshall is the Civil Defence controller for the Selwyn District.
A photograph of a Civil Defence portaloo on Major Hornbrook Road.
A photograph of a Civil Defence portaloo on Major Hornbrook Road.
A photograph of a Civil Defence portaloo on Major Hornbrook Road.
A photograph of a Civil Defence portaloo on Major Hornbrook Road.
A photograph of a Civil Defence portaloo on Major Hornbrook Road.
An attendee of the 2011 United States New Zealand Partnership Forum outside the Christchurch Art Gallery. In the background, members of Civil Defence have gathered after an aftershock hit during one of their briefings. The Christchurch Art Gallery served as the headquarters for Civil Defence after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
A photograph of members of Civil Defence and other organisations helping with the emergency response to the Canterbury earthquakes. They are standing on the corner of Montreal and Gloucester Streets outside the Christchurch Art Gallery. The Art Gallery served as the headquarters for the Civil Defence after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
Attendees of the 2011 United States New Zealand Partnership Forum outside the Christchurch Art Gallery. In the background, members of Civil Defence have gathered after an aftershock hit during one of their briefings. The Christchurch Art Gallery served as the headquarters for Civil Defence after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
Members of the Civil Defence Logistics Team conferring at their temporary headquarters in the Christchurch Art Gallery after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
Members of the Civil Defence Operations Team conferring at their temporary headquarters in the Christchurch Art Gallery after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
Members of the Civil Defence Operations Team conferring at their temporary headquarters in the Christchurch Art Gallery after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
Members of the Civil Defence Operations Team conferring at their temporary headquarters in the Christchurch Art Gallery after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
The first meeting for new civil defence volunteers in Christchurch since the earthquake last month has attracted more than four times the number that usually turn up.
A photograph of structural engineers taking a lunch break outside the temporary Civil Defence headquarters at the Christchurch Art Gallery on Montreal Street.
A photograph of emergency management personnel signing in at the temporary Civil Defence headquarters in the Christchurch Art Gallery.
Members of the Civil Defence Operations Team conferring at their temporary headquarters in the Christchurch Art Gallery after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
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An infographic giving contact details where Civil Defence information can be obtained.
John Carter, Minister for Civil Defence gives reporters in Wellington a briefing.
Civil Defence and Department of Conservation command units parked in Cranmer Square.
A Civil Defence personnel member speaking with an injured survivor from the collapsed Pyne Gould Corporation building near the base of the building.
A view across Latimer Square to the medical centre set up by the Civil Defence after the 22 February 2011 earthquake to treat wounded people.
A Civil Defence staff member completing a Level 1 Rapid Assessment inspection on a damaged house. The brickwork on the outer walls have collapsed.
A Civil Defence staff member placing a red sticker on the window of a damaged house. The sticker indicates that the building is unsafe to enter.
A photograph of a truck loaded with supplies in Wellington. A Civil Defence trailer has been hitched to the back.
Attendees of the 2011 United States New Zealand Partnership Forum conferring with a member of the Earthquake Commission outside the Christchurch Art Gallery. In the background, members of Civil Defence have gathered after an aftershock hit during one of their briefings. The Christchurch Art Gallery served as the headquarters for Civil Defence after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
A photograph of Ray Whelan and Mark Osborne, from the Wellington Emergency Management Office, standing at a registration station in Cowles Stadium. The stadium was set up as a Civil Defence Report Centre after the 4 September 2010 earthquake. In the background, members of the Red Cross can be seen.