- The Avon-Ōtākaro Redzone is an 11 kilometer stretch of land along the Avon-Ōtākaro River in Christchurch. - This project focused on the creation of a publicly available biodiversity map of the AvonŌtākaro River Corridor, a project undertaken as part of the ecological restoration of the Christchurch redzone. - This project originated from the Christchurch 2010-2011 earthquake sequence which saw liquefaction damage along 11km of the Avon River. Under guidance from The Nature Lab & Ōtākaro Living Laboratory, and various other experts, the primary research objective was to map historical biodiversity, identify hotspots, and assess areas for potential revegetation. - The data collected came from historical black maps, current iNaturalist data, and soil classification information. - The findings show that, pre-colonialism, the area was composed of herbaceous areas, wetlands, native shrubland, and tussock land, with key plants such as river, fern, tutu, and cabbage trees. - The post-earthquake analysis shows a transition from a residential area to patchy grasslands and swampy areas. - The findings also showed a strong relationship between historic sites and soil classifications, providing knowledge for past and future vegetation patterns and spread. - This map will be a valuable resource for conservation efforts and public engagement as the area transitions into a blue-green corridor.
Natural disasters are often unpredictable and are happening frequently. Some natural disasters cause damage to communities, resulting in displaced individuals. Due to this there is a need for shelter, however, there are many unknown factors. These include unknown demographics, a strain on time, cost, and resources, and the unknown location. This study begins by identifying a lack of identity and personality in existing post-disaster shelter designs, including the example of Linwood Park from the Christchurch 2011 earthquake. Further research shows the lack of personalisation within shelters, along with addressing key requirements needed for shelters. While providing the basic needs is essential, this thesis also addresses how personalisation can impact a space. Taking bach architecture as a driver for a basic, yet unique approach to temporary accommodation, Lake Clearwater Settlement was used as a case study. Through surveys, interviews, and a reflective design process, the importance of embracing identity emerges as a key element in fostering dignity, livelihood, and a sense of self in displaced individuals. This thesis explores innovative approaches to post-disaster shelter design with a focus on accommodating the unique needs and individuality of displaced individuals. From challenging conventional shelter concepts to embracing self-design and community involvement, the research addresses the question of how interior and exterior features can cater to the diverse requirements of those affected by natural disasters.
This thesis focuses on the role of legal preparedness for managing large-scale urban disasters in Aotearoa New Zealand. It uses the Auckland Volcanic Field as a case study to answer the question: ‘is New Zealand’s current legal framework prepared to respond to and recover from a large-scale urban disaster?’. The Auckland Volcanic Field was chosen as the main case study because a future eruption is a low likelihood, high-impact event that New Zealand is going to have to manage in the future. Case studies are a key feature of this thesis as both New Zealand based and overseas examples are used to explore the role of legal preparedness by identifying and investigating a range of legal issues that need to be addressed in advance of a future Auckland Volcanic Field eruption. Of particular interest is the impact of legal preparedness for the recovery phase. The New Zealand case studies include; Canterbury earthquake sequence 2010-2011, the Kaikōura earthquake 2016, the Auckland flooding 2018, and the North Island Severe Weather event 2023, which encompasses both the Auckland Anniversary weekend flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle. As New Zealand has not experienced a large-scale urban volcanic eruption, overseas examples are explored to provide insights into the legal issues that are volcano specific. The overseas volcanic case studies cover eruptions in Heimaey (Iceland), the Soufrière Hills (Montserrat and the Grenadines), La Soufrière (St Vincent) and Tungurahua (Ecuador). New Zealand’s past experiences highlight a trend for introducing post-event legal frameworks to manage recovery. Consequently, the current disaster management system is not prioritising legal preparedness and instead is choosing to rely on exceptional powers. Unsurprisingly, the introduction of new post-event recovery frameworks has repercussions. In New Zealand, new post-event legal frameworks are introduced swiftly under urgency, they contain broad unstructured decision-making powers, and are often flawed. As these exceptional new frameworks sit outside the ‘normal’ legal frameworks, they in effect create a parallel “shadow system”. Based on the evidence explored in this thesis it does not appear that Auckland’s current disaster management framework is prepared to deal with a large-scale urban event caused by an Auckland Volcanic Field eruption. Following this conclusion, it is the submission of this thesis that New Zealand’s current legal framework is not prepared to respond to and recover from a large-scale urban disaster. To become legally prepared, New Zealand needs to consider the legal tools required to manage large-scale urban disasters in advance. This will prevent the creation of a legal vacuum in the aftermath of disasters and the need for new recovery frameworks. Adopting a new attitude will require a change in approach towards legal preparedness which prioritises it, rather than sidelining it. This may also require changes within New Zealand’s disaster management system including the introduction of a formal monitoring mechanism, which will support and prioritise legal preparedness. This thesis has shown that not legally preparing for future disasters is a choice which carries significant consequences. None of these consequences are inevitable when managing large-scale disasters, however they are inevitable when frameworks are not legally prepared in advance. To not legally prepare, is to prepare to fail and thus create a disaster by choice.
Recent seismic events, such as the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes and the 2016 Kaikōura earthquakes, have shed light on issues with the seismic performance of glazing systems. This is attributed to the limited amount of research and consideration of glazing systems in design and assessments. Previous research and evidence from post-earthquake reconnaissance have shown that glazing systems pose a hazard due to falling glass. As such, it is vital to ensure that glazing systems are designed with the necessary levels of seismic performance. Furthermore, the post-earthquake repair of glass facades can be costly and time-consuming. Some previous research has been conducted to highlight the seismic performance and fragility of glazing systems. However, most prior research only focussed on life-safety issues of glazing systems and rarely on the serviceability of glazing systems. The serviceability of glazing systems, such as water-tightness, is a vital aspect of glazing systems as a low serviceability capacity will increase the likelihood of further damage which will increase economic losses. This is the aim of this research, to provide insight towards the seismic performance of glazing systems considering both the serviceability and ultimate limit state by generating insight into the behaviour of glazing systems and developing tools for the consideration of glazing systems in design and assessment. This will allow a value proposition for seismic detailing of glazing to be evaluated. In order to provide insight into the behaviour of glazing systems and a means for evaluating their seismic performance, this research firstly develops an applicable experimental testing procedure that allows for serviceability limit state tests on glazing units. This experimental testing procedure is used to obtain data on the vulnerability of general New Zealand glazing systems’ performance, specifically unitised glazing systems that are commonly used as commercial shopfront glazing system types. These glazing systems typically realised using aluminium framing with gaskets connecting the frame to the glass. After the experimental testing, numerical analyses calibrated to the experimental testing results are conducted to enable robust analyses of glazing systems’ fragility. Finally, a value proposition for glazing systems with seismic detailing is made by comparing the performance of glazing systems with seismic detailing and conventional glazing systems. This comparison is done using the PEER-PBEE method and the economic implications of each glazing system is shown. Suggestions for designers and stakeholders aimed at reducing costs related to the seismic performance of glazing systems is also shown. Using the novel experimental method developed in this research, three different full-scale glazing systems were tested. A total of 10 unitised glazing specimens were tested; three with standard detailing, three with seismic detailing and four that were structurally glazed. These tests evaluated three damage states (DS): loss of water-tightness (DS1), gasket damage (DS2), and glass or framing failure (DS3). The experimental method that was adopted is considered to be more desirable than the optional procedures set out in New Zealand glazing standards. The method does not require high-speed testing equipment and is easy to replicate by the industry. The test results show that water-tightness was lost at low drift levels, with the first leakage occurring at just 0.15% drift for one specimen, while a standard glazing system had a median drift capacity of 0.35%. In contrast, seismic glazing systems detailed to better accommodate in-plane movements, demonstrated a significantly higher median drift capacity of 1.88%. The numerical approach proposed in this research has shown that it is possible to numerically model the glazing-gasket interaction to conservatively predict the water-leakage drift (damage state 1). The modelling approach still needs further development if it were to be used for damage states DS2 and DS3. The last part of the research considered the value proposition for seismic glazing systems. This was achieved by applying the FEMA P-58 performance assessment framework to a number of case study buldings that are typical of New Zealand design. The results suggest that it may not be economically worthwhile to use well-detailed seismic glazing systems despite the considerably larger drift capacity they possess relative to standard systems. However, as the cost of seismic glazing systems reduces, and more information on repair costs for different damage states is obtained, the value proposition may change.
