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Research papers, The University of Auckland Library

The current seismic design practice for reinforced concrete (RC) walls has been drawn into question following the unsatisfactory performance of several RC wall buildings during the Canterbury earthquakes. An overview of current research being undertaken at the University of Auckland into the seismic behaviour of RC walls is presented. The main objectives of this research project are to understand the observed performance of RC walls in Christchurch, quantify the seismic loads on RC walls, and developed improved design procedures for RC walls that will assist in revisions to the New Zealand Concrete Structures Standard. A database summarising the performance of RC wall buildings in the Christchurch CBD was collated to identify damage modes and case-study buildings. A detailed investigation is underway to verify the seismic performance of lightly reinforced concrete walls and initial numerical modeling and small-scale tests are presented in addition to details of planned experimental tests of RC walls. Numerical modelling is being used to understand the potential influence that interactions between walls and other structural elements have on the seismic response of buildings and the loads generated on RC walls. The results from finite element analysis of a severely damaged RC wall in Christchurch highlighted the effect that the floor diaphragms have on the distribution of shear stains in the wall.

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

We measure the longer-term effect of a major earthquake on the local economy, using night-time light intensity measured from space, and investigate whether insurance claim payments for damaged residential property affected the local recovery process. We focus on the destructive Canterbury Earthquake Sequence (CES) 2010 -2011 as our case study. Uniquely for this event, more than 95% of residential housing units were covered by insurance, but insurance payments were staggered over 5 years, enabling us to identify their local impact. We find that night-time luminosity can capture the process of recovery and describe the recovery’s determinants. We also find that insurance payments contributed significantly to the process of economic recovery after the earthquake, but delayed payments were less affective and cash settlement of claims were more effective than insurance-managed repairs in contributing to local recovery.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the earthquake damage to a group of shops on the corner of Barbadoes Street and Edgeware Road. The second storey of the shops has collapsed, and the bricks have fallen to the footpath, taking the awnings with them. Police tape and road cones have been placed around the buildings as a cordon.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the earthquake damage to a group of shops on the corner of Barbadoes Street and Edgeware Road. The second storey of the shops has collapsed, and the bricks have fallen to the footpath, taking the awnings with them. Police tape and road cones have been placed around the buildings as a cordon.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of staff from the Department of Physics and Astronomy from the University of Canterbury recovering parts of the Townsend Telescope from the rubble of the Observatory tower. The telescope was housed in the tower at the Christchurch Arts Centre. It was severely damaged when the tower collapsed during the 22 February 2011 earthquake.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of staff from the Department of Physics and Astronomy from the University of Canterbury recovering parts of the Townsend Telescope from the rubble of the Observatory tower. The telescope was housed in the tower at the Christchurch Arts Centre. It was severely damaged when the tower collapsed during the 22 February 2011 earthquake.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the earthquake damage to Stonehurst Accommodation on Gloucester Street. The bottom storey of the closest building has collapsed and the top two storeys are sitting on a pile of rubble. More rubble has also spilled into the driveway to the right. Wire fencing has been placed around the buildings as a cordon.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the site of a demolished house on the corner of Springfield Road and Bealey Avenue. "No go" has been spray-painted on the earthquake-damaged fence. Wire fencing and police tape has been placed across the entrance as a cordon. In the background, rubble from the demolished building can be seen.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of Anderson and Hill Sports Power on the corner of St Asaph and Colombo Streets. Wire fences have been placed across the street as a cordon. In the background, rubble from earthquake-damaged buildings and crushed cars line the left side of the road. There is also foliage from a fallen tree.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of a house on Glenarm Terrace in Dallington. The chimney fell off the roof during the September earthquake and the bricks are still lying on the ground. A tarpaulin has been placed over the top of the hole to prevent water damage inside the house. Ironically, it has been weighed down with bricks.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of a house on Glenarm Terrace in Dallington. The chimney fell off the roof during the September earthquake and the bricks are still lying on the ground. A tarpaulin has been placed over the top of the hole to prevent water damage inside the house. Ironically, it has been weighed down with bricks.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of a house on Glenarm Terrace in Dallington. The chimney fell off the roof during the September earthquake and the bricks are still lying on the ground. A tarpaulin has been placed over the top of the hole to prevent water damage inside the house. Ironically, it has been weighed down with bricks.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of earthquake damage to the Cranmer Centre on the corner of Armagh and Montreal Streets. Large sections of the wall have collapsed, the bricks spilling onto the footpath below. Wire fencing has been placed around the building as a cordon. Scaffolding has been erected up the side of the building to the left.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the earthquake damage to The Burrito Company on Armagh Street. The front window has smashed, the glass spilling onto the floor and footpath outside. USAR codes have been spray-painted on the door and window to the side. A red sticker on the door indicates that the building is unsafe to enter.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the earthquake damage to The Burrito Company on Armagh Street. The front window has smashed, the glass spilling onto the floor and footpath outside. USAR codes have been spray-painted on the door and window to the side. A red sticker on the door indicates that the building is unsafe to enter.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the earthquake damage to St Paul's-Trinity-Pacific Church on the corner of Madras Street and Cashel Street. Large sections of the church have collapsed and the bricks and other rubble have spilled onto the footpaths and streets below. Scaffolding erected around the church has also collapsed and twisted out of shape.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the earthquake damage to St Paul's-Trinity-Pacific Church on the corner of Madras Street and Cashel Street. Large sections of the church have collapsed and the bricks and other rubble have spilled onto the footpaths and streets below. Scaffolding erected around the church has also collapsed and twisted out of shape.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the earthquake damage to a group of shops on the corner of Barbadoes Street and Edgeware Road. The second storey of the shops has collapsed, and the bricks have fallen to the footpath, taking the awnings with them. Police tape and road cones have been placed around the buildings as a cordon.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the earthquake damage to the Kenton Chambers Building on Hereford Street. Large cracks have formed in the columns between the building's windows. A section on the bottom storey has collapsed and the bricks have spilled onto the footpath in front. Steel fences have been placed across the street as a cordon.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of a house on Glenarm Terrace in Dallington. The chimney fell off the roof during the September earthquake and the bricks are still lying on the ground. A tarpaulin has been placed over the top of the hole to prevent water damage inside the house. Ironically, it has been weighed down with bricks.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the earthquake damage to the Asko Design building on Victoria Street. The top of the facade has crumbled and fallen into the street, taking the awning with it. The side wall has also collapsed, exposing the inside of the building. Wire fencing and tape have been used to cordon the buildings off.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the earthquake damage to a building in Lyttelton. The brick wall has crumbled and the bricks have spilt onto the pavement below. The pink batts are now exposed and the remaining wall is severely cracked. Wire fencing and tape reading "danger keep out" has been placed around the building as a cordon.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of the earthquake damage to a group of shops on the corner of Barbadoes Street and Edgeware Road. The second storey of the shops has collapsed, and the bricks have fallen to the footpath, taking the awnings with them. Police tape and road cones have been placed around the buildings as a cordon.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of earthquake damage to the Kenton Chambers Building on Hereford Street. Cracks have formed between the windows of the building. A section of the bottom storey has collapsed, the bricks spilling onto the footpath. Steel fencing and road cones have been placed on the street in front of the building as a cordon.

Research papers, The University of Auckland Library

Seismic retrofitting of unreinforced masonry buildings using posttensioning has been the topic of many recent experimental research projects. However, the performance of such retrofit designs in actual design level earthquakes has previously been poorly documented. In 1984 two stone masonry buildings within The Arts Centre of Christchurch received posttensioned seismic retrofits, which were subsequently subjected to design level seismic loads during the 2010/2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence. These 26 year old retrofits were part of a global scheme to strengthen and secure the historic building complex and were subject to considerable budgetary constraints. Given the limited resources available at the time of construction and the current degraded state of the steel posttension tendons, the posttensioned retrofits performed well in preventing major damage to the overall structure of the two buildings in the Canterbury earthquakes. When compared to other similar unretrofitted structures within The Arts Centre, it is demonstrated that the posttensioning significantly improved the in-plane and out-of-plane wall strength and the ability to limit residual wall displacements. The history of The Arts Centre buildings and the details of the Canterbury earthquakes is discussed, followed by examination of the performance of the posttension retrofits and the suitability of this technique for future retrofitting of other historic unreinforced masonry buildings. http://www.aees.org.au/downloads/conference-papers/2013-2/

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph looking east down Cashel Street towards the intersection of Colombo Street. A section of one of the buildings on the left has collapsed and the rubble has spilled onto the street. A van has been crushed by the fallen rubble. The message, 'clear', has been spray-painted on the windscreen of the van. In the foreground signs from several shops are still on the street. There is also earthquake damage to the building on the right. Sections of this building's facade have crumbled and the bricks have spilled onto the street below, damaging the awning.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A view across Worcester Street in Linwood to a block of shops showing severe damage after the 22 February 2011 earthquake. The businesses include Talon Arms and Wick's Fish. Masonry and structural components from the buildings has collapsed onto the footpath and road. A sign in front of Talon Arms has been spray painted with the words, "Guns gone".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A sign on the wire fencing in front of the Ground Culinary Centre on the corner of London and Canterbury Streets. The sign reads, "Ground has moved to Dublin Street at the Four Ships/Top Club & takeaway food in caravan outside Portico". The background, the original store can be seen, damaged severely after the 22 February 2011 earthquake.

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "A residential property on Waygreen Avenue in New Brighton. A note reads, 'Don't bother digging! Thanks anyway'. This family moved out after the February earthquakes, due to damage from liquefaction. The stone made the house heavy so it sank and suffered from silt and water creating mould and other problems inside the house".

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph looking south down Manchester Street from the intersection of Lichfield and High Streets. Rubble has been cleared from the street and stacked next to the earthquake-damaged stores to the right. A member of an emergency management team is standing on the street in the distance with a truck and an excavator behind them.