Post-Earthquake Functioning of Cities
2003 - 2010
Funder: Foundation for Research, Science and Technology
Contact: Jim Cousins
The programme aims to minimise post-earthquake trauma and economic impact for people in urban areas by minimising damage to buildings, contents, and infrastructure.
Programme Objectives
1. Performance Based Earthquake Engineering
2. New Applications of Seismic Isolation
3. Seismic Impacts on Underground Services
Programme Aims
1. to establish and verify levels of performance, design methods and regulations that will minimise earthquake damage to building components, contents, and services.
2. to develop and verify new low-cost seismic-isolation technologies that will deliver the required levels of performance for buildings, their contents, and equipment.
3. to model the functioning of infrastructure networks damaged by earthquakes and use the model to reduce the restoration times.
Our concern is that the urban Wellington region is uniquely vulnerable to large earthquakes. Loss of services, especially water and food (damage to pipelines and roads), could make large areas uninhabitable for weeks to months. Damage to apartments and houses could create a refugee crisis, and damage to commercial and industrial buildings could put large numbers of people out of work for weeks.
Our research will lead to improved economic performance of the built environment through improvements to regulations, construction methods, protective technologies, and infrastructure management. Our primary focus is design for reduced damage in large earthquakes, leading to economic benefits (minimised losses) and reduced social disruption. Increased trade and exports will be achieved by commercialization of our new isolation technologies.
Collaborators