Search

found 96 results

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

This paper outlines the deconstruction, redesign and reconstruction of a 2 storey timber building at the University of Canterbury, in Christchurch, New Zealand. The building consists of post tensioned timber frames and walls for lateral and gravity resistance, and timber concrete composite flooring. Originally a test specimen, the structure was subjected to extreme lateral displacements in the University structural testing laboratory. This large scale test of the structural form showed that post tensioned timber can withstand high levels of drift with little to no structural damage in addition to displaying full recentering characteristics with no residual displacements, a significant contributor to post earthquake cost. The building subsequently has been dismantled and reconstructed as offices for the Structural Timber Innovation Company (STIC). In doing this over 90% of the materials have been recycled which further enhances the sustainability of this construction system. The paper outlines the necessary steps to convert the structure from a test specimen into a functioning office building with minimal wastage and sufficient seismic resistance. The feasibility of recycling the structural system is examined using the key indicators of cost and time.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

When Christchurch couple Maree Mockford and Bruce Vincent's home was badly damaged by the February earthquake they shifted into a caravan on their property. Six months later they're still roughing it, using a chemical toilet and showering off site.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Christchurch central seems to have a business micro-climate. And right now it's chilly. The CBD is nothing like it used to be before the 2011 earthquake and those businesses that re-opened say they really had no choice because of the demands of insurance companies.

Audio, Radio New Zealand

Specially designed sleeping boxes originally made to keep babies safe during the Christchurch earthquakes are now being used for vulnerable infants in South Auckland. The little beds are called "Pepi-Pods" and they're being given to families with babies that might be susceptible to cot death.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of Sally Airey standing in a Re:START mall car park on Cashel Street. Airey is holding a large handmade mask that will be used as part of FESTA's Canterbury Tales event. Canterbury Tales was created by Free Theatre Christchurch, and was the main event of FESTA 2013.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A woman takes a photograph over the top of the cordon fence at the east end of Re:Start mall. The photographer comments, "The new temporary city mall has been open in Christchurch now for a week. Buildings damaged in the earthquake have been demolished and replaced with cargo containers to create a new, temporary, Cashel Mall. I visited the mall yesterday and was quite impressed with what they have done. The cargo containers have been nicely converted, brightly painted and smartly branded to create some good looking stores ... You'd think it would be strange to stand where my old office used to be and view these cargo-container-stores, but the reality was that it was so far removed from what used to be there that it was actually quite difficult to make the connection. It was only when straying to the attractive wooden boundary fences and peering over that you're suddenly taken back to the time running right up to, and shortly after, the earthquake".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Pieces of iron fretwork from the entrance to the Warners Hotel carefully laid on the ground in front of the building. Thisshows the careful salvaging which has taken place during the demolistion of many heritage building in order to be able to re-use significant pieces later".

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A year after the first earthquake on 4 September 2010, aftershocks continue to be felt in Canterbury, and they're not always seismic ones. When buildings collapse or are cordoned off, or even just closed for repairs - what happens to the lives and livelihoods of those who used to fill them with noise and energy? Kris Vavasour returns to Lyttelton to catch up with performers and friends, to hear about life in an altered landscape.

Research papers, The University of Auckland Library

The Canterbury region experienced widespread damage due to liquefaction induced by seismic shaking during the 4 September 2010 earthquake and the large aftershocks that followed, notably those that occurred on 22 February, 13 June and 23 December 2011. Following the 2010 earthquake, the Earthquake Commission directed a thorough investigation of the ground profile in Christchurch, and to date, more than 7500 cone penetration tests (CPT) have been performed in the region. This paper presents the results of analyses which use a subset of the geotechnical database to evaluate the liquefaction process as well as the re-liquefaction that occurred following some of the major events in Christchurch. First, the applicability of existing CPT-based methods for evaluating liquefaction potential of Christchurch soils was investigated using three methods currently available. Next, the results of liquefaction potential evaluation were compared with the severity of observed damage, categorised in terms of the land damage grade developed from Tonkin & Taylor property inspections as well as from observed severity of liquefaction from aerial photography. For this purpose, the Liquefaction Potential Index (LPI) was used to represent the damage potential at each site. In addition, a comparison of the CPT-based strength profiles obtained before each of the major aftershocks was performed. The results suggest that the analysis of spatial and temporal variations of strength profiles gives a clear indication of the resulting liquefaction and re-liquefaction observed in Christchurch. The comparison of a limited number of CPT strength profiles before and after the earthquakes seems to indicate that no noticeable strengthening has occurred in Christchurch, making the area vulnerable to liquefaction induced land damage in future large-scale earthquakes.