WEMO ERT Set 3 - February 2011 - Photograph 088

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of a wooden frame covered by a tarpaulin on Worcester Street, near Latimer Square.

The Effectiveness of Retrofit Technologies in Wooden-Framed Houses in Well…

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

New Zealand has a long tradition of using light timber frame for construction of its domestic dwellings. After the most recent earthquakes (e.g. Canterbury earthquakes sequence), wooden residential houses showed satisfactory life safety performance. However, poor performance was reported in terms of their seismic resilience. Although numerous innovative methods to mitigate damage have been introduced to the New Zealand community in order to improve wooden house performance, these retrofit options have not been readily taken up. The low number of retrofitted wooden-framed houses leads to questions about whether homeowners are aware of the necessity of seismic retrofitting their houses to achieve a satisfactory seismic performance. This study aims to explore different retrofit technologies that can be applied to wooden-framed houses in Wellington, taking into account the need of homeowners to understand the risk, likelihood and extent of damage expected after an event. A survey will be conducted in Wellington about perceptions of homeowners towards the expected performance of their wooden-framed houses. The survey questions were designed to gain an understanding of homeowners' levels of safety and awareness of possible damage after a seismic event. Afterwards, a structural review of a sample of the houses will be undertaken to identify common features and detail potential seismic concerns. The findings will break down barriers to making improvements in the performance of wooden-framed houses and lead to enhancements in the confidence of homeowners in the event of future seismic activity. This will result in increased understanding and contribute towards an accessible knowledge base, which will possibly increase significantly the use of these technologies and avoid unnecessary economic and social costs after a seismic event.

NicksPlace Photograph 134

Images, UC QuakeStudies

The damaged gable walls of the Cranmer Centre are protected by tarpaulins and wooden framing.

June 2011 Earthquake - Photograph 02

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Damage to a house in Richmond. Bricks have fallen from the walls, exposing the wooden framing beneath.

WEMO ERT Set 1 - March 2011 - Photograph 09

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of bricks and wooden framing piled up in between a house and fence in Christchurch.

BeckerFraserPhotos June 2011 photograph 057

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A damaged building on Lichfield Street. The brick facade has fallen from the upper storeys, exposing the wooden framing beneath.

Crack'd for Christchurch Photograph 067

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of Jonathan Hall transferring Crack'd for Christchurch's ottoman artwork onto a wooden base in Helen Campbell's garage. The ottoman has been made out of polystyrene, wood, mesh, and concrete, laid over a steel frame.Crack'd for Christchurch comments, "December 2013. Jonathan delivers the footstool to Helen's garage where it will be mosaicked.."

BeckerFraserPhotos February 2011 photograph 322

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Cracks in the concrete foundation and wooden walls of a house on Avonside Drive. The photograph shows where the metal frame of the house's conservatory has come apart, and shards of glass from it can be seen on the footpath.

Canterbury Earthquake September 2010 - Photograph 13

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Damage to a house in Richmond. Part of the brick wall has slumped to one side, leaving a visible gap between the wall and a windowframe. Broken wooden framing can be seen in the gap. The photographer comments, "Cracking in the external brickwork".

Canterbury Earthquake September 2010 - Photograph 24

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Damage to a house in Richmond. Bricks have fallen from a wall, exposing the wooden framing beneath. The photographer comments, "The foundation and a section of the wall of the dining room have shifted and cracked. The dining room floor is very springy".

June 2011 Earthquake - Photograph 04

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Damage to a house in Richmond. Bricks have fallen from the walls, exposing the wooden framing beneath. Power lines between the house and a power pole have been stretched taut. The photographer comments, "The house and power pole have moved, stretching power lines taut as a guitar string".

June 2011 Earthquake - Photograph 15

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Damage to a house in Richmond. Bricks have fallen from the walls onto the driveway, and a large gap between the concrete foundation and the wooden framing shows how much the house has moved. The photographer comments, "The foundations and brick cladding moved, but the timber wall remained in position. The gap grew to over 400mm by the time the house was demolished.

WEMO ERT Set 1 - March 2011 - Photograph 51

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the earthquake damage to Knox Church on the corner of Bealey Avenue and Victoria Street. The brick walls of the gables have collapsed, exposing the building's wooden frame and the inside of the building. Wire fences and emergency tape have been placed around the building as a cordon.

Mark Lincoln Photograph 091

Images, UC QuakeStudies

The damaged Knox Church on Bealey Avenue. The brick walls have collapsed, exposing the wooden structure beneath. The photographer comments, "Bealey Avenue is open to traffic, as are many of the side streets, and the damage to buildings along this street is quite impressive and perhaps just a small taste of the damage that lies beyond the cordon ... At the Hagley Park end of Bealey Avenue lies the Knox Church. This church suffered in the first earthquake and featured in the news a fair bit at the time. It's crazy to think that all that appeared to be damaged then were some bricks that had fallen from near the roof. Now, Knox Church is all but a wooden frame holding up a roof. It's eerie to drive past this large church and be able to look straight through it to trees on the other side".