scholarly journals Geotechnical aspects of the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake on the South Island of New Zealand

2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark E. Stringer ◽  
Sarah Bastin ◽  
Christopher R. McGann ◽  
Claudio Cappellaro ◽  
Maya El Kortbawi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Structural Damage ◽  
Lateral Spreading ◽  
The South ◽  
Alluvial Deposits ◽  
Ground Shaking ◽  
Lateral Displacements ◽  
Oxidation Ponds ◽  
Kaikoura Earthquake ◽  
The Impact

The magnitude Mw7.8 ‘Kaikōura’ earthquake occurred shortly after midnight on 14 November 2016. This paper presents an overview of the geotechnical impacts on the South Island of New Zealand recorded during the post-event reconnaissance. Despite the large moment magnitude of this earthquake, relatively little liquefaction was observed across the South Island, with the only severe manifestation occurring in the young, loose alluvial deposits in the floodplains of the Wairau and Opaoa Rivers near Blenheim. The spatial extent and volume of liquefaction ejecta across South Island is significantly less than that observed in Christchurch during the 2010-2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence, and the impact of its occurrence to the built environment was largely negligible on account of the severe manifestations occurring away from the areas of major development. Large localised lateral displacements occurred in Kaikōura around Lyell Creek. The soft fine-grained material in the upper portions of the soil profile and the free face at the creek channel were responsible for the accumulation of displacement during the ground shaking. These movements had severely impacted the houses which were built close (within the zone of large displacement) to Lyell Creek. The wastewater treatment facility located just north of Kaikōura also suffered tears in the liners of the oxidation ponds and distortions in the aeration system due to ground movements. Ground failures on the Amuri and Emu Plains (within the Waiau Valley) were small considering the large peak accelerations (in excess of 1g) experienced in the area. Minor to moderate lateral spreading and ejecta was observed at some bridge crossings in the area. However, most of the structural damage sustained by the bridges was a result of the inertial loading, and the damage resulting from geotechnical issues were secondary.

scholarly journals Empirical models for predicting lateral spreading and evaluation using New Zealand data

2008 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Zhang ◽  
Dick Beetham ◽  
Grant Dellow ◽  
John X. Zhao ◽  
Graeme H. McVerry
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Strong Motion ◽  
Lateral Spreading ◽  
Attenuation Relations ◽  
Geotechnical Parameters ◽  
Ground Shaking ◽  
Aerial Photos ◽  
New Model ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Lateral Displacements

A New empirical model has been developed for predicting liquefaction-induced lateral spreading displacement and is a function of response spectral displacements and geotechnical parameters. Different from the earlier model of Zhang and Zhao (2005), the application of which was limited to Japan and California, the new model can potentially be applied anywhere if ground shaking can be estimated (by using local strong-motion attenuation relations). The new model is applied in New Zealand where the response spectral displacement is estimated using New Zealand strong-motion attenuation relations (McVerry et al. 2006). The accuracy of the new model is evaluated by comparing predicted lateral displacements with those which have been measured from aerial photos or the width of ground cracks at the Landing Road bridge, the James Street loop, the Whakatane Pony Club and the Edgecumbe road and rail bridges sites after the 1987 Edgecumbe earthquake. Results show that most predicted errors (defined as the ratio of the difference between the measured and predicted lateral displacements to the measured one) from the new model are less than 40%. When compared with earlier models (Youd et al. 2002, Zhang and Zhao 2005), the new model provides the lowest mean errors.

scholarly journals The impact of the Canterbury Earthquakes on the temporal and spatial patterning of crime in Christchurch, New Zealand

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory D Breetzke ◽  
Marcus King ◽  
Inger Fabris-Rotelli
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Structural Damage ◽  
Spatial Patterning ◽  
The South ◽  
Exploratory Approach ◽  
Temporal And Spatial ◽  
Crime Types ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Main City

The Canterbury Earthquakes struck the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand between September 2010 and February 2011. The Earthquakes resulted in widespread structural damage to Christchurch, the main city of the region, and greatly impacted other aspects of society including crime. In this study, we adopt an exploratory approach to investigate the impact that these earthquakes have had on the temporal and spatial patterning of four types of crime in Christchurch: assault, domestic violence, burglary and arson. Overall crime has decreased in post-quake Christchurch with the notable exception of domestic violence. We found remarkably similar temporal signatures of crime for all crime types occurring across both the pre- and post-earthquake periods. Spatially, crime has increased in the majority of neighbourhoods in Christchurch post-quake despite overall crime levels being down. Explanations for this paradoxical and other finding are outlined in the context of a rebuilding and recovering city.

Development of New Zealand seismic bridge standards

2013 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 201-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. S. Hogan ◽  
L. M. Wotherspoon ◽  
J. M. Ingham
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Lateral Spreading ◽  
Base Shear ◽  
Design Standards ◽  
Foundation Design ◽  
Ground Shaking ◽  
Lower Base ◽  
Current Design ◽  
Shear Demand ◽  
Structural Detailing

During seismic assessments of bridges where there is a lack of construction documentation, one method of determining likely structural detailing is to use historic design standards. An overview of the New Zealand bridge seismic standards and the agencies that have historically controlled bridge design and construction is presented. Standards are grouped into design era based upon similar design and loading characteristics. Major changes in base shear demand, ductility, foundation design, and linkage systems are discussed for each design era, and loadings and detailing requirements from different eras were compared to current design practices. Bridges constructed using early seismic standards were designed to a significantly lower base shear than is currently used but the majority of these bridges are unlikely to collapse due to their geometry and a preference for monolithic construction. Bridges constructed after the late 1970s are expected to perform well if subjected to ground shaking, but unless bridges were constructed recently their performance when subjected to liquefaction and liquefaction-induced lateral spreading is expected to be poor.

Why amending building codes? An investigation of the benefits of regular building code amendment in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amarachukwu Nnadozie Nwadike ◽  
Suzanne Wilkinson
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Building Code ◽  
Ground Shaking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Building Collapse ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe New Zealand building code has played a vital role in reducing the impact of disasters in the built environment. Following the nature of earthquake occurrences, the associated impacts such as building collapse and the increase in technological innovation in the building sector, the New Zealand building code has been frequently amended. The building code amendment ensures that buildings and other related infrastructures can withstand the impact of ground shaking without substantial damages to buildings. The purpose of this paper is to identify and explore the benefits of building code amendments in New Zealand.Design/methodology/approachDocument analysis and closed-ended questionnaire were adopted as data collection instruments for this study. The relevant stakeholders comprise structural engineer, geotechnical engineer, architect, building services consulting engineer, licensed building practitioner, project manager, building contractor, local authority, academic/researcher and quantity surveyor.FindingsA significant proportion of the survey participants that agreed to the importance of building code amendments in New Zealand justify the benefits of the amendments. The study serves as a useful guide to policy regulators and researchers who are exploring other aspects of regular building code amendments in New Zealand. The findings from this study suggest that amending the New Zealand building code needs a proactive approach to promote local technology, enhance low-cost construction materials, training of code users and reducing bureaucracy in design approval and construction inspection. The study concludes that improving on the 28 factors identified in this study would contribute intensively to disaster risk reduction in the built environment and an increase in compliance level in New Zealand.Originality/valueThis paper originality comes from its practical approach towards identifying the benefits of building code amendments

scholarly journals Phylogeography of southern New Zealand: Implications of Pliocene and Pleistocene Processes and Evolutionary Concordance Across Independent  Loci

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Shay B. O'Neill
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Genetic Data ◽  
Phylogeographic Structure ◽  
The South ◽  
The North ◽  
Genealogical Concordance ◽  
Cook Strait ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Genetic Break

<p>The endemic fauna of the South Island has proven to be an ideal taxonomic group to examine the impact of climatic and geological processes on the evolution of New Zealand's biota since the Pliocene. This thesis examines the phylogeography of McCann's skink (Oligosoma maccanni) in order to provide insight into the relative contribution of Pliocene and Pleistocene processes on patterns of genetic structure in South Island biota. This thesis also investigates the phylogeography of the brown skink (O. zelandicum) to examine whether Cook Strait landbridges facilitated gene flow between the North and South Island in the late-Pleistocene. This thesis also investigates the presence of genealogical concordance across independent loci for the endemic alpine stick insect, Niveaphasma. I obtained mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence data (ND2 and ND4; 1284 bp) from across the range of both skink species and mtDNA (COI; 762 bp) and nuclear sequence data (EF1 ; 590 bp) from across the range of Niveaphasma. I used DGGE in order to resolve nuclear EF1 alleles and examined phylogeographic patterns in each species using Neighbour-Joining, Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian methods. Substantial phylogeographic structure was found within O. maccanni, with divergences among clades estimated to have occurred during the Pliocene. Populations in the Otago/Southland region formed a well-supported lineage within O. maccanni. A genetic break was evident between populations in east and west Otago, while north-south genetic breaks were evident within the Canterbury region. There was relatively minor phylogeographic structure within O. zelandicum. Our genetic data supports a single colonization of the North Island by O. zelandicum from the South Island, with the estimated timing of this event (0.46 Mya) consistent with the initial formation of Cook Strait. There was substantial genetic structuring identified within Niveaphasma, with a well-supported lineage present in the Otago/Southland region. There was also a genetic break between populations in Canterbury and eastern Otago with those in central Otago and Southland. The genetic data provided strong genealogical concordance between mtDNA haplotypes and nuclear alleles suggesting an accurate depiction of the historical isolation identified between the major clades of Niveaphasma. This finding offers compelling evidence for the use of nuclear gene  phylogeography alongside mtDNA for future evolutionary studies within New Zealand.</p>

The 2014 South Napa earthquake and its relevance for New Zealand

2015 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce Galloway ◽  
Jason M. Ingham
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Earthquake Engineering ◽  
Structural Damage ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Unreinforced Masonry ◽  
Seismic Retrofitting ◽  
The South ◽  
Wine Production ◽  
Loma Prieta Earthquake ◽  
The City

The South Napa earthquake occurred on Sunday, 24 August 2014 at 3.20 am local time at a depth of 10.7 km, having MW 6.0 and causing significant damage to unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings in the City of Napa and generating strong ground shaking in a region well known for its wine production. Parallels exist between the damage in past New Zealand earthquakes, particularly to unreinforced masonry buildings, and the disruption in the Marlborough region following the recent 2013 MW 6.5 Seddon earthquake. Furthermore, the event was the largest to have occurred in Northern California since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake 25 years earlier, and hence was an important event for the local community of earthquake researchers and professionals regarding the use of a physical and virtual clearinghouse for data archiving of damage observations. Because numerous URM buildings in the City of Napa had been retrofitted, there was significant interest regarding the observed performance of different retrofitting methods. Following a brief overview of the earthquake affected area and previous earthquakes to have caused damage in the Napa Valley region, details are provided regarding the characteristics of the 2014 South Napa earthquake, the response to the earthquake including placarding procedures and barricading, and more specific details of observed building and non-structural damage. Aspects of business continuity following the South Napa earthquake are also considered. One conclusion is that in general the seismic retrofitting of URM buildings in the Napa region proved to be very successful, and provides an important benchmark as New Zealand begins to more actively undertake seismic assessment and retrofitting of its earthquake prone building stock. It is also concluded that there are sufficient similarities between New Zealand and California, and a rich network of contacts that has developed following the hosting of many US visitors to New Zealand in conjunction with the 2010/2011 Canterbury earthquakes, that it is sensible for the New Zealand earthquake engineering community to maintain a close focus on ongoing earthquake preparedness and mitigation methods used and being developed in USA, and particularly in California.

Performance of engineered timber structures in the Canterbury earthquakes

2011 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 394-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Buchanan ◽  
David Carradine ◽  
Justin Jordan
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Structural Damage ◽  
Lateral Spreading ◽  
Life Safety ◽  
Timber Structures ◽  
Ground Acceleration ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Vertical Ground ◽  
Short Time ◽  
Water Tanks

The September 2010 and February 2011 earthquakes in Canterbury, New Zealand resulted in significant ground excitations that caused severe geotechnical effects and widespread structural damage. This paper outlines the various forms of damage to different types of engineered timber structures, including timber water tanks. Most of the damage resulted from lateral spreading and high levels of horizontal and vertical ground acceleration. The response of these building types is discussed. Engineered timber structures generally performed well both for life safety and serviceability, with most buildings ready for occupation within a short time following the events.

Performance of residential houses in the Darfield (Canterbury) earthquake

2010 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 387-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew H. Buchanan ◽  
Michael P. Newcombe
Keyword(s):  
Structural Damage ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Lateral Spreading ◽  
Soil Liquefaction ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Ground Shaking ◽  
Timber Frame ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Residential Building Stock ◽  
Frame Construction

This paper focuses on the observed seismic performance of residential houses (mainly single-storey and two-storey houses) in the Darfield earthquake on 4 September 2010 and identifies potential research areas for remediation and resilience. Overall the residential building stock, consisting predominately of light timber frame construction, performed very well, with very little structural damage due to ground shaking. The most significant structural damage to houses was from differential settlement of foundations, induced by soil liquefaction and/or lateral spreading. Many older buildings (more than 20 years old) suffered damage due to falling chimneys. Close to the fault rupture, in areas such as West Melton and Rolleston, there was significant damage to building contents due to strong shaking, and a few broken windows. Away from the fault zone, very few windows were broken in any buildings, indicating limited inter-storey drift. Research needs were identified associated mainly with the design and repair of houses on liquefaction-prone soils.

scholarly journals Evaluating temporal stability of the New Zealand quasigeoid following the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake using satellite radar remote sensing

2019 ◽  
Vol 220 (3) ◽  
pp. 1917-1927
Author(s):  
J C McCubbine ◽  
V Stagpoole ◽  
F Caratori Tontini ◽  
W E Featherstone ◽  
M C Garthwaite ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Temporal Stability ◽  
Gravity Anomalies ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Land Uplift ◽  
Synthetic Aperture Radar Data ◽  
Gravity Observation ◽  
Kaikoura Earthquake ◽  
The Impact

SUMMARY Quasigeoid models can be determined from surface gravity anomalies, so are sensitive to changes in the shape of the topography as well as changes in gravity. Here we present results of forward modelling gravity/quasigeoid changes from synthetic aperture radar data following the 2016 Mw 7.8 Kaikōura earthquake with land uplift of up to 10 m. We assess the impact of the topographic deformation on the reference surface of the New Zealand vertical datum in lieu of costly field gravity field measurements. The most significant modelled gravity and quasigeoid changes are—2.9 mGal and 5–7 mm, respectively. We compare our forward modelled gravity signal to terrestrial gravity observation data and show that differences between the data sets have a standard deviation of ±0.1 mGal. The largest modelled change in the quasigeoid is an order of magnitude smaller than the 57.7 mm estimated precision of the most recently computed NZGeoid model over the Kaikōura region. Modelled quasigeoid changes implied by this particular deformation event are not statistically significant with respect to estimated precision of the New Zealand quasigeoid model.

scholarly journals The Impact of Earthquakes on Apartment Owners and Renters in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) Aotearoa New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 6818
Author(s):  
Denise Blake ◽  
Julia S. Becker ◽  
Darrin Hodgetts ◽  
Kenneth J. Elwood
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Disaster Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Structural Safety ◽  
Central Concern ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Evacuation Plans ◽  
Kaikoura Earthquake ◽  
The Impact

Apartment dwelling is on the increase in many cities in Aotearoa New Zealand, including those in earthquake-prone regions. Hence it is important that people working in disaster management and housing improve their understanding on how the living situations of apartment dwellers influence their disaster management practices. This knowledge is crucial for efforts to promote safety and preparedness. This paper explores what enables and constrains apartment dwellers in their ability to prepare for an earthquake. Eighteen people were interviewed who resided in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) two years after the 2016 7.8 magnitude (Mw) Kaikōura earthquake. Of central concern was people’s ability to prepare for disasters and access knowledge about building and structural safety and how this knowledge mattered to what apartment dwellers were able to prepare for. We found that the agency to prepare was dependent on whether people owned or rented their dwellings. We report on participant accounts of dealing with body corporations, landlords, emergency kits, other emergency items, and evacuation plans.

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