Following the 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquakes, a renewed focus has been directed across New Zealand to the hazard posed by the country‘s earthquake-vulnerable buildings, namely unreinforced masonry (URM) and reinforced concrete (RC) buildings with potentially nonductile components that have historically performed poorly in large earthquakes. The research reported herein was pursued with the intention of addressing several recommendations made by the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission of Inquiry which were classified into the following general categories: Identification and provisional vulnerability assessment of URM and RC buildings and building components; Testing, assessment, and retrofitting of URM walls loaded out-of-plane, with a particular focus on highly vulnerable URM cavity walls; Testing and assessment of RC frame components, especially those with presumably non-ductile reinforcement detailing; Portfolio management considering risks, regulations, and potential costs for a portfolio that includes several potentially earthquake-vulnerable buildings; and Ongoing investigations and proposed research needs. While the findings from the reported research have implications for seismic assessments of buildings across New Zealand and elsewhere, an emphasis was placed on Auckland given this research program‘s partnership with the Auckland Council, the Auckland region accounting for about a third each of the country‘s population and economic production, and the number and variety of buildings within the Auckland building stock. An additional evaluation of a historic building stock was carried out for select buildings located in Hawke‘s Bay, and additional experimental testing was carried out for select buildings located in Hawke‘s Bay and Christchurch.
A photograph of section of a mural on the side of the Shoreline Fitness Centre on Hawke Street. This section contains a large bubble with the message, "Space. Occupy Equality Street", inside. Next to this is another bubble with the message, "Love", painted inside.
A photograph of Mike Hewson's installation, 'Prop Hide', on the south wall of the former Trinity Congregational Church. The installation is part of a series titled, 'Homage to the Lost Spaces'. The building housed the Octagon Live restaurant between 2006 and 2010.
A photograph of Mike Hewson's installation, 'Prop Hide', on the south wall of the former Trinity Congregational Church. The installation is part of a series titled, 'Homage to the Lost Spaces'. The building housed the Octagon Live restaurant between 2006 and 2010.
A photograph of street art by DTR on a factory wall depicting two green blob monsters. There is also tag writing and orange text that reads "So live". In front of the artwork, there are cars parked in parking spaces.
A photograph of street art by DTR on a factory wall depicting two green blob monsters. There is also tag writing in shades of green, blue, and brown, as well as orange text that reads "So live". In front of the artwork, there is a car parked in a parking space.
A photograph of street art by DTR on a factory wall. The art depicts two green blob monsters. There is also tag writing in shades of green, blue, and brown, as well as orange text that reads "So live". In front of the artwork, there is a car parked in a parking space.