A photograph of an earthquake-damaged building on Manchester Street. The corner of the building has cracks running through the masonry.
As part of the 'Project Masonry' Recovery Project funded by the New Zealand Natural Hazards Research Platform, commencing in March 2011, an international team of researchers was deployed to document and interpret the observed earthquake damage to masonry buildings and to churches as a result of the 22nd February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The study focused on investigating commonly encountered failure patterns and collapse mechanisms. A brief summary of activities undertaken is presented, detailing the observations that were made on the performance of and the deficiencies that contributed to the damage to approximately 650 inspected unreinforced clay brick masonry (URM) buildings, to 90 unreinforced stone masonry buildings, to 342 reinforced concrete masonry (RCM) buildings, to 112 churches in the Canterbury region, and to just under 1100 residential dwellings having external masonry veneer cladding. In addition, details are provided of retrofit techniques that were implemented within relevant Christchurch URM buildings prior to the 22nd February earthquake and brief suggestions are provided regarding appropriate seismic retrofit and remediation techniques for stone masonry buildings. http://www.nzsee.org.nz/publications/nzsee-quarterly-bulletin/
Police walking down Manchester Street in the aftermath of the 22 February 2011 earthquake. Masonry from several buildings has fallen onto the road.
The M7.1 Darfield earthquake shook the town of Christchurch (New Zealand) in the early morning on Saturday 4th September 2010 and caused damage to a number of heritage unreinforced masonry buildings. No fatalities were reported directly linked to the earthquake, but the damage to important heritage buildings was the most extensive to have occurred since the 1931 Hawke‟s Bay earthquake. In general, the nature of damage was consistent with observations previously made on the seismic performance of unreinforced masonry buildings in large earthquakes, with aspects such as toppled chimneys and parapets, failure of gables and poorly secured face-loaded walls, and in-plane damage to masonry frames all being extensively documented. This report on the performance of the unreinforced masonry buildings in the 2010 Darfield earthquake provides details on typical building characteristics, a review of damage statistics obtained by interrogating the building assessment database that was compiled in association with post-earthquake building inspections, and a review of the characteristic failure modes that were observed.
A photograph of a piece of masonry removed from the Cranmer Centre. Carved words in the masonry read, "Dono 1968. Stephen Smith 68-72 Vicky Duncan".
A view looking south down Manchester Street in the aftermath of the 22 February 2011 earthquake. Several vehicles have been crushed by falling masonry.
Wooden bracing holding up the remaining masonry of this wall of the Cramner Centre (formerly Christchurch Girls' High School). Above the bracing, the masonry has fallen away.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to the Registry Building on the corner of Montreal and Worcester Streets. Masonry around the gable has collapsed onto the footpath below. Steel bracing has been used to hold up the remaining masonry. Wire fencing has been placed around the building as a cordon.
A photograph of the earthquake damage to the Registry Building on the corner of Montreal and Worcester Streets. Masonry around the gable has collapsed onto the footpath below. Steel bracing has been used to hold up the remaining masonry. Wire fencing has been placed around the building as a cordon.
Rubble beneath a masonry house on Peterborough Street.
A photograph of masonry from the Guthrey Centre.
A photograph of an earthquake-damaged building on the corner of Welles and Manchester Streets. Masonry from the top floor of the building has come away and windows have been broken.
A photograph of the badly damaged Canterbury Provincial Chambers on Durham Street. The roof and upper walls of the Stone Chamber have collapsed, the masonry falling onto the footpath below.
Police standing at the intersection of Manchester Street and Gloucester Street in the aftermath of the 22 February 2011 earthquake. Masonry from several buildings has fallen onto the road.
A photograph of cracks in the masonry of the Observatory tower at the Christchurch Arts Centre. The cracks formed as a result of the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A photograph of fallen masonry from 112 Centaurus Road.
A photograph of masonry details removed from the Cranmer Centre.
A photograph of a crane removing masonry from the Cranmer Centre.
A photograph of a crane removing masonry from the Cranmer Centre.
A photograph of a crane removing masonry from the Cranmer Centre.
A photograph of a crane removing masonry from the Cranmer Centre.
A photograph of a crane removing masonry from the Cranmer Centre.
A photograph of a crane removing masonry from the Cranmer Centre.
A photograph of fallen masonry from St Paul's-Trinity-Pacific Church.
A photograph of fallen masonry from St Paul's-Trinity-Pacific Church.
A photograph of a crane removing masonry from the Cranmer Centre.
Martin van Beynen, a reporter for The Press newspaper, photographing damage to Wave House (Winnie Bagoes Pizza Bar). Masonry from the building has collapsed onto several parked cars.
A photograph of the collapsed Durham Street Methodist Church viewed from the side. All that is left is a pile of masonry and a vague indication of where the walls used to be.
A photograph of the masonry around a window of the Cranmer Centre.
A photograph of a piece of masonry removed from the Cranmer Centre.