A photograph of Colombo Street taken through a car window. In the distance is the earthquake-damaged tower of ChristChurch Cathedral.
Blossom coming out by the Worcester Street bridge. File reference: CCL-2011-08-12-CanterburyPublic Library pre-demolition-041 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Our City building extensively propped up. File reference: CCL-2011-08-12-CanterburyPublic Library pre-demolition-040 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Demolition crane near the Bridge of Remembrance. File reference: CCL-2011-08-12-CanterburyPublic Library pre-demolition-043 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Damaged house on the cliff on the road to Sumner, Christchurch. File reference: CCL-2012-05-12-Around-Sumner-May-2012 DSC_019.JPG From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Removal of the earthquake damaged footbridge over the Avon at Medway Street. Tuesday 12 February 2013. File reference: CCL-2013 -02-12-untitled.bmp From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
This thesis presents an assessment of historic seismic performance of the New Zealand stopbank network from the 1968 Inangahua earthquake through to the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake. An overview of the types of stopbanks and the main aspects of the design and construction of earthen stopbanks was presented. Stopbanks are structures that are widely used on the banks of rivers and other water bodies to protect against the impact of flood events. Earthen stopbanks are found to be the most used for such protection measures. Different stopbank damage or failure modes that may occur due to flooding or earthquake excitation were assessed with a focus on past earthquakes internationally, and examples of these damage and failure modes were presented. Stopbank damage and assessment reports were collated from available reconnaissance literature to develop the first geospatial database of stopbank damage observed in past earthquakes in New Zealand. Damage was observed in four earthquakes over the past 50 years, with a number of earthquakes resulting in no stopbank damage. The damage database therefore focussed on the Edgecumbe, Darfield, Christchurch and Kaikōura earthquakes. Cracking of the crest and liquefaction-induced settlement were the most common forms of damage observed. To understand the seismic demand on the stopbank network in past earthquakes, geospatial analyses were undertaken to approximate the peak ground acceleration (PGA) across the stopbank network for ten large earthquakes that have occurred in New Zealand over the past 50 years. The relationship between the demand, represented by the peak ground acceleration (PGA) and damage is discussed and key trends identified. Comparison of the seismic demand and the distribution of damage suggested that the seismic performance of the New Zealand stopbank network has been generally good across all events considered. Although a significant length of the stopbank networks were exposed to high levels of shaking in past events, the overall damage length was a small percentage of this. The key aspect controlling performance was the performance of the underlying foundation soils and the effect of this on the stopbank structure and stability.
Removal of the earthquake damaged footbridge over the Avon at Medway Street. Tuesday 12 February 2013. File reference: CCL-2013 -02-12-untitled6.bmp From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Removal of the earthquake damaged footbridge over the Avon at Medway Street. Tuesday 12 February 2013. File reference: CCL-2013 -02-12-untitled7.bmp From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Removal of the earthquake damaged footbridge over the Avon at Medway Street. Tuesday 12 February 2013. File reference: CCL-2013 -02-12-untitled8.bmp From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Removal of the earthquake damaged footbridge over the Avon at Medway Street. Tuesday 12 February 2013. File reference: CCL-2013 -02-12-untitled3.bmp From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Removal of the earthquake damaged footbridge over the Avon at Medway Street. Tuesday 12 February 2013. File reference: CCL-2013 -02-12-untitled2.bmp From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Removal of the earthquake damaged footbridge over the Avon at Medway Street. Tuesday 12 February 2013. File reference: CCL-2013 -02-12-untitled5.bmp From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries.
Volunteers from the Wellington Regional Emergent Management Office standing on a pile of bricks from an earthquake damaged building in Christchurch.
Helicopter Flight over Christchurch New Zealand
Helicopter Flight over Christchurch New Zealand
Helicopter Flight over Christchurch New Zealand
Helicopter Flight over Christchurch New Zealand
Helicopter Flight over Christchurch New Zealand
Helicopter Flight over Christchurch New Zealand
Helicopter Flight over Christchurch New Zealand
Helicopter Flight over Christchurch New Zealand
An entry from Deb Robertson's blog for 19 November 2012 entitled, "Christchurch: Trying to make sense of living here....".
A photograph of the earthquake damage to a house in Christchurch. The bricks on the side wall have crumbled and damaged the fence below. Plywood has been used to board up the front window.
A photograph of an earthquake-damaged house in Christchurch. The bricks on the side of the house have crumbled, exposing the inside.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to a residential street in Christchurch. Portaloos can be seen on both sides of the road.
A paper prepared for the Ozwater 2013 conference detailing the story of the damage to, and subsequent repair of, Huntsbury Reservoir.
Helicopter Flight over Christchurch New Zealand
Helicopter Flight over Christchurch New Zealand
For the first time in November 2011, Christchurch residents finally had the opportunity to see the earthquake-damaged city centre on the Red Zone bus tours organised by CERA. Damage to buildings can be seen out the window.