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The Canterbury earthquakes in New Zealand caused significant damage to a number of reinforced concrete (RC) walls and subsequent research that has been conducted to investigate the design provisions for lightly reinforced RC walls and precast concrete wall connection details is presented. A combination of numerical modelling and large-scale tests were conducted to investigate the seismic behaviour of lightly RC walls. The model and test results confirmed the observed behaviour of an RC wall building in Christchurch that exhibited a single flexural crack and also raised questions regarding the ability of current minimum reinforcement requirements to prevent the concentration of inelastic deformation at a small number of flexural cracks. These findings have led to changes to the minimum vertical reinforcement limits for RC walls in in the Concrete Structures Standard (NZS 3101:2006), with increased vertical reinforcement required in the end region of ductile RC walls. An additional series of wall tests were conducted to investigate the seismic behaviour of panel-to-foundation connections in singly reinforced precast concrete panels that often lack robustness. Both in-plane and out-of-plane panel tests were conducted to assess both grouted connections and dowel connections that use shallow embedded inserts. The initial test results have confirmed some of the previously identified vulnerabilities and tests are ongoing to refine the connection designs. http://www.aees.org.au/downloads/conference-papers/2015-2/
The 2015 New Zealand strong-motion database provides a wealth of new strong motion data for engineering applications. An important component of this database is the compilation of new site metadata, describing the soil conditions and site response at GeoNet strong motion stations. We have assessed and compiled four key site parameters for the ~460 GeoNet stations that recorded significant historical ground motions. Parameters include: site classification (NZS1170.5), Vs30, fundamental site period (Tsite) and depth to bedrock (Z1.0, i.e. depth to material with Vs > 1000 m/s). In addition, we have assigned a quality estimate (Quality 1 – 3) to these parameters to provide a qualitative estimate of the uncertainty. New highquality Tsite estimates have largely been obtained from newly available HVSR amplification curves and spectral ratios from inversion of regional strong motion data that has been reconciled with available geological information. Good quality Vs30 estimates, typically in urban centres, have also been incorporated following recent studies. Where site-specific measurements of Vs30 are not available, Vs30 is estimated based on surface geology following national Vs30 maps. New Z1.0 values have been provided from 3D subsurface models for Canterbury and Wellington. This database will be used in efforts to guide development and testing of new and existing ground motion prediction models in New Zealand. In particular, it will allow reexamination of the most important site parameters that control and predict site response in a New Zealand setting. Furthermore, it can be used to provide information about suitable rock reference sites for seismological research, and as a guide to site-specific references in the literature. We discuss compilation of the database, preliminary insights so far, and future directions.
More than four years after the February 2011 earthquake devastated Christchurch's city centre, the rebuild in and around the iconic Cathedral Square has stalled.
A story submitted by Godfrey Nosa to the QuakeStories website.
A story submitted by Barbara de Vries to the QuakeStories website.
A photograph of a page in The Record newspaper. The newspaper is on a table at the Hororata cafe.
A technical guideline which defines SCIRT Delivery Team requirements for as-built field surveying and attribute information.
A flyer which was attached to an email inviting people to the Humaneers action learning group.
Our Christchurch reporter Rachel Graham travelled to Japan, with the support of the Asia New Zealand Foundation, to find out.
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“Christchurch people of the younger generations and strangers to the city who wander among the ordered prettinesses of the Christchurch Botanical Gardens, and pace along the pleasant winding paths …
A photograph of Jane Song from the Canterbury Migrants Centre standing next to a noticeboard with post-it notes attached. She is attending the Celebrating Communities event held in August 2015. The event was part of the All Right? mental health campaign of the CDHB.
An image introducing the All Right? 'World Cup Final Survival Guide'. The Survival Guide depicted ways to practice the Five Ways to Wellbeing while watching the match. All Right? posted the image on their Facebook page on 27 March 2015 at 3:19pm.
A photograph of balloons about to be released. Worries and wishes are written on the balloons. In the foreground is Tracey Chambers from The Canterbury Community Trust. The photograph was taken at The Worry Bug book launch at St Albans School on 8 July 2015.
A photograph of balloons about to be released. Worries and wishes are written on the balloons. In the foreground, a ONE News cameraperson films the events. The photograph was taken at The Worry Bug book launch at St Albans School on 8 July 2015.
A photograph of children making silhouettes on stage at The Worry Bug book launch. The screen is illustrated in the style of The Worry Bug book. The photograph was taken at The Worry Bug book launch at St Albans School on 8 July 2015.
A photograph of children making silhouettes on stage at The Worry Bug book launch. The screen is illustrated in the style of The Worry Bug book. The photograph was taken at The Worry Bug book launch at St Albans School on 8 July 2015.
A photograph of Aranui Primary School pupils meeting one of the 'All Righties'. The photograph was taken at the launch of the Aranui AWA trail at Aranui School. All Right? posted the photograph on their Facebook page on 2 September 2015 at 3:55pm.
A photograph of balloons about to be released. Worries and wishes are written on the balloons. In the foreground, a ONE News cameraperson films the events. The photograph was taken at The Worry Bug book launch at St Albans School on 8 July 2015.
A photograph of balloons about to be released. Worries and wishes are written on the balloons. In the foreground is Tracey Chambers from The Canterbury Community Trust. The photograph was taken at The Worry Bug book launch at St Albans School on 8 July 2015.
A photograph of balloons about to be released. Worries and wishes are written on the balloons. In the foreground is Tracey Chambers from The Canterbury Community Trust. The photograph was taken at The Worry Bug book launch at St Albans School on 8 July 2015.
A photograph of women participating in the Health Day at the Pa event held at Tuahiwi Marae in August 2015. Staff member Vaea Hutchen from the All Right? Mental health campaign of the CDHB is leading a group of women doing a Maori action song.
Four years after the Christchurch earthquakes, English language student numbers are still only just over half what they were before the 2011 quake.
Kiwi director Christopher Dudman on his television documentary The Day that Changed My Life, which features those who survived in the immediate aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake, 22 February 2011.
A woman who was badly injured in the February 2011 earthquake is critical of the proposed design of the Canterbury Earthquake Memorial.
A story submitted by Jayne to the QuakeStories website.
A document created to summarise the initial SCIRT and New Zealand Red Cross collaboration workshop.