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Rockfall in the Port Hills of Christchurch: Seismic and non-seismic fatali…

Research papers, Lincoln University

Numerous rockfalls released during the 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence affected vital road sections for local commuters. We quantified rockfall fatality risk on two main routes by adapting a risk approach for roads originally developed for snow avalanche risk. We present results of the collective and individual fatality risks for traffic flow and waiting traffic. Waiting traffic scenarios particularly address the critical spatial-temporal dynamics of risk, which should be acknowledged in operational risk management. Comparing our results with other risks commonly experienced in New Zealand indicates that local rockfall risk is close to tolerability thresholds and likely exceeds acceptable risk.

The Effects of a Major Disaster on the Musical Life of a City

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

A paper submitted by Andrew Moore in partial fulfilment of the degree of Bachelor of Music with Honours, covering the effects of the Canterbury earthquakes on the musical life of Christchurch. Dissertation supervised by Dr Elaine Dobson, University of Canterbury School of Music. All photographs from The Press are copyright Fairfax Media and are used with permission.

Experimental investigation of the seismic residual capacity of earthquake-…

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

This poster presents preliminary results of ongoing experimental campaigns at the Universities of Auckland and Canterbury, aiming at investigating the seismic residual capacity of damaged reinforced concrete plastic hinges, as well as the effectiveness of epoxy injection techniques for restoring their stiffness, energy dissipation, and deformation capacity characteristics. This work is part of wider research project which started in 2012 at the University of Canterbury entitled “Residual Capacity and Repairing Options for Reinforced Concrete Buildings”, funded by the Natural Hazards Research Platform (NHRP). This research project aims at gaining a better understanding and providing the main end-users and stakeholders (practitioner engineers, owners, local and government authorities, insurers, and regulatory agencies) with comprehensive evidence-based information and practical guidelines to assess the residual capacity of damaged reinforced concrete buildings, as well as to evaluate the feasibility of repairing and thus support their delicate decision-making process of repair vs. demolition or replacement.

Greendale Land Survey Photograph 17

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of University of Canterbury Geology staff and students using ground penetrating radar (GPR) to survey land on the Greendale faultline. From left: Thomas Wilson, Dewiyani Bealing, Zach Whitman and Matt Cockcroft.

Liquefaction Performance & Characterisation of 55 Chrictchurch Sites

Research papers, University of Canterbury Library

To identify key ground characteristics that led to different liquefaction manifestations during the Canterbury earthquakes

ELM Offices Level 7 Library - Photograph 26

Images, UC QuakeStudies

University of Canterbury staff members are escorted by Civil Defence members in order to retrieve essential items from their offices. The photographer comments, "ICT network admins, Craig Miller and Aaron Eivers".

ELM Offices Level 7 Library - Photograph 31

Images, UC QuakeStudies

University of Canterbury staff members are escorted by Civil Defence members in order to retrieve essential items from their offices. The photographer comments, "E-learning team vacate their floor. (Blurry, sorry.)

Transformations for resilient rural futures: The case of Kaikōura, Aotearo…

Research papers, Lincoln University

On 14 November 2016, a magnitude (Mw) 7.8 earthquake struck the small coastal settlement of Kaikōura, Aotearoa-New Zealand. With an economy based on tourism, agriculture, and fishing, Kaikōura was immediately faced with significant logistical, economic, and social challenges caused by damage to critical infrastructure and lifelines, essential to its main industries. Massive landslips cut offroad and rail access, stranding hundreds of tourists, and halting the collection, processing and distribution of agricultural products. At the coast, the seabed rose two metres, limiting harbour-access to high tide, with implications for whale watching tours and commercial fisheries. Throughout the region there was significant damage to homes, businesses, and farmland, leaving owners and residents facing an uncertain future. This paper uses qualitative case study analysis to explore post-quake transformations in a rural context. The aim is to gain insight into the distinctive dynamics of disaster response mechanisms, focusing on two initiatives that have emerged in direct response to the disaster. The first examines the ways in which agriculture, food harvesting, production and distribution are being reimagined with the potential to enhance regional food security. The second examines the rescaling of power in decision-making processes following the disaster, specifically examining the ways in which rural actors are leveraging networks to meet their needs and the consequences of that repositioning on rural (and national) governance arrangements. In these and other ways, the local economy is being revitalised, and regional resilience enhanced through diversification, capitalising not on the disaster but the region's natural, social, and cultural capital. Drawing on insights and experience of local stakeholders, policy- and decision-makers, and community representatives we highlight the diverse ways in which these endeavours are an attempt to create something new, revealing also the barriers which needed to be overcome to reshape local livelihoods. Results reveal that the process of transformation as part of rural recovery must be grounded in the lived reality of local residents and their understanding of place, incorporating and building on regional social, environmental, and economic characteristics. In this, the need to respond rapidly to realise opportunities must be balanced with the community-centric approach, with greater recognition given to the contested nature of the decisions to be made. Insights from the case examples can inform preparedness and recovery planning elsewhere, and provide a rich, real-time example of the ways in which disasters can create opportunities for reimagining resilient futures.

The regional consequence of a disaster: Assessing employment transition du…

Research papers, Lincoln University

Orientation: Large-scale events such as disasters, wars and pandemics disrupt the economy by diverging resource allocation, which could alter employment growth within the economy during recovery. Research purpose: The literature on the disaster–economic nexus predominantly considers the aggregate performance of the economy, including the stimulus injection. This research assesses the employment transition following a disaster by removing this stimulus injection and evaluating the economy’s performance during recovery. Motivation for the study: The underlying economy’s performance without the stimulus’ benefit remains primarily unanswered. A single disaster event is used to assess the employment transition to guide future stimulus response for disasters. Research approach/design and method: Canterbury, New Zealand, was affected by a series of earthquakes in 2010–2011 and is used as a single case study. Applying the historical construction–economic relationship, a counterfactual level of economic activity is quantified and compared with official results. Using an input–output model to remove the economy-wide impact from the elevated activity reveals the performance of the underlying economy and employment transition during recovery. Main findings: The results indicate a return to a demand-driven level of building activity 10 years after the disaster. Employment transition is characterised by two distinct periods. The first 5 years are stimulus-driven, while the 5 years that follow are demand-driven from the underlying economy. After the initial period of elevated building activity, construction repositioned to its long-term level near 5% of value add. Practical/managerial implications: The level of building activity could be used to confidently assess the performance of regional economies following a destructive disaster. The study results argue for an incentive to redevelop the affected area as quickly as possible to mitigate the negative effect of the destruction and provide a stimulus for the economy. Contribution/value-add: This study contributes to a growing stream of regional disaster economics research that assesses the economic effect using a single case study.

Photograph of Gap Filler Project 30 (8)

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A photograph of a sofa made out of car tyres and a pallet at Rock on Eastside on the corner of Aldwins Road and Linwood Avenue. Rock on Eastside was a outdoor lounge and art space facilitated by Gap Filler and Youthtown. The sofa was made by students from the University of Canterbury Student Volunteer Army. Painted rocks have been placed in front of the sofa as decoration.

NZi3 - Temporary HQ - Photograph 20

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Members of the University of Canterbury's E-Learning team in their temporary office in the NZi3 building. The photographer comments, "E-learning group had one bay of desks to work from for 3 weeks".

Photograph by Neil Macbeth 398

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Students from the University of Canterbury enjoying a barbeque lunch break in Burwood Park amongst their wheelbarrows and shovels. The students have volunteered to dig up liquefaction as part of the Student Volunteer Army.

Photograph by Neil Macbeth 397

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Students from the University of Canterbury enjoying a barbeque lunch break in Burwood Park amongst their wheelbarrows and shovels. The students have volunteered to dig up liquefaction as part of the Student Volunteer Army.

Photograph by Neil Macbeth 391

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Shovels and wheelbarrows sitting in Burwood Park near students from the University of Canterbury who are enjoying a barbeque. The students have volunteered to dig up liquefaction as part of the Student Volunteer Army.

NZi3 - Temporary HQ - Photograph 06

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Temporary office space set up in the NZi3 building. The photographer comments, "University of Canterbury administration all fits into one building! Well, sort of. Looking east from our bay - library and IT people".

UC Restarts - Photograph 21

Images, UC QuakeStudies

One of the tents set up in the Fine Arts car park at the University of Canterbury, used for teaching while lecture theatres were closed for structural testing. The photographer comments, "Temporary lecture tents".

NZi3 - Temporary HQ - Photograph 02

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Members of the University of Canterbury's E-Learning team meet at a staff member's home on Wairakei Road to plan their return to work. The photographer comments, "E-Learning team: Susan Tull, Jess Hollis".

We’re all in this together? Community resilience and recovery in Kaikōura …

Research papers, Lincoln University

The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck North Canterbury, on the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island on 14 November 2016 had significant impacts and implications for the community of Kaikōura and surrounding settlements. The magnitude and scope of this event has resulted in extensive and ongoing geological and geophysical research into the event. The current paper complements this research by providing a review of existing social science research and offering new analysis of the impact of the earthquake and its aftermath on community resilience in Kaikōura over the past five years. Results demonstrate the significant economic implications for tourism, and primary industries. Recovery has been slow, and largely dependent on restoring transportation networks, which helped catalyse cooperation among local hospitality providers. Challenges remain, however, and not all sectors or households have benefited equally from post-quake opportunities, and long-term recovery trajectories continue to be hampered by COVID-19 pandemic. The multiple ongoing and future stressors faced by Kaikōura require integrated and equitable approaches in order to build capability and capacity for locally based development pathways to ensure long-term community resilience.

The Move to KB02 - Photograph 04

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Members of the University of Canterbury's Digital Media Group in their temporary office in KB02 in Kirkwood Village, the complex of prefabs set up after the earthquakes to provide temporary office and classroom space for the university. The photographer comments, "The e-learning group and the video conferencing team are now located in the Kirkwood Village at the University of Canterbury. It's a very impressive project, about 60 buildings arranged in various configurations with some used for teaching or computer labs, and others as staff offices. We will probably stay here for several years now. Looking up the centre of the room towards the front doors. The video conferencing team and Nikki Saunders, the course reader publisher, sit here. (The pizzas are for a moving-in celebration held just after I took these photos.)

The Move to KB02 - Photograph 01

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Paul Nicholls, a member of the University of Canterbury's E-Learning team, in their temporary office in KB02 in Kirkwood Village, the complex of prefabs set up after the earthquakes to provide temporary office and classroom space for the university. The photographer comments, "The e-learning group and the video conferencing team are now located in the Kirkwood Village at the University of Canterbury. It's a very impressive project, about 60 buildings arranged in various configurations with some used for teaching or computer labs, and others as staff offices. We will probably stay here for several years now. Our "techy corner", with Paul waiting for the desk-assembler to come back and put his desk together. My desk is in the corner, and Jess is on the right of the window".

Photograph by Neil Macbeth 372

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Former Labour Party leader, Phil Goff, talking to students assembling wheelbarrows for the Student Volunteer Army at the University of Canterbury. The wheelbarrows will be used to clear silt from Christchurch properties.