Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Session 4 Session 5 Session 6 Posters 

Selling earthquake engineering services to clients

P. Butcher and K.J. Cooper

Research into earthquakes is providing substantially more information about future earthquakes, their likelihood and intensity. Also, it is providing more information about the performance of buildings in earthquakes built to differing levels of structural soundness. As a result of this research, earthquake engineers are beginning to realise that they are creating a market for their services to strengthen existing structures by retrofitting features that will improve the performance of those buildings in an earthquake. (For example, by installing base isolation to a building or engineering structure such as a bridge.) For this market to develop fully, earthquake engineers would do well to devise a simple rating system for existing structures so that individual structures can be assessed for their safety in a quake. If this process is developed to a high standard, it would then be possible for these safety indicators to become adopted by local government and, in turn, start to be reflected in the prices paid for existing properties.

The intention of this paper is to consider the area of property risk in the property market and the steps that could be taken to expand the market for earthquake engineering services. In summary, the intention will be to show how the market values of non-conforming properties could be lowered by the market if certain things were done, which in turn would then make it economic for owners to initiate strengthening programmes.

(In effect the aim would be to lower the value of some of the stock of existing property by highlighting technical obsolescence if that existed.)

Given the importance to governments of public safety, to lenders on the security of property and building owners of protecting the value of their assets, and building occupiers the safety of their environment, earthquake engineers have a potentially unique and profitable role in informing and influencing an increasingly sophisticated property market.

In my view, therefore, the Earthquake Engineering Cluster would be wise to develop a strategy to maximise these opportunities both in New Zealand and overseas. (In other words, make economics a more important component of shaping the market into which you sell your services.)

Paper P2: [Read]

Educational requirements to support growth in New Zealand earthquake engineering industries

P. Butcher

In an earthquake prone country such as New Zealand, earthquake risks can be addressed through the knowledge of earthquake hazards, design of structures, planning and design of urban development and associated infrastructure to minimise earthquake impacts, civil defence preparedness and responsiveness, and through insurance of assets
Underpinning all of these earthquake risk management measures are academic and practical training programmes to ensure skilled practitioners in these areas both now and in the future.
This paper, which has been developed in consultation with the Earthquake Engineering Cluster, addresses elements of the "Earthquake Industry" in New Zealand in terms of the educational needs to meet these requirements. It identifies strengths and weaknesses in current practices and makes recommendations towards ensuring New Zealand maintains and develops its pre-eminent position in earthquake engineering.

The NZTE-funded study of the earthquake engineering industry follows a study by the author into the development of the New Zealand Optics industry. The Optics study identified that the industry is highly vulnerable to skill shortages and operating well below the level needed to contribute significantly to economic growth.

The paper suggests how educational underpinning may assist in further developing New Zealand's export potential in earthquake engineering, a topic of special interest to members of the Earthquake Engineering Cluster.

Paper P3: [Read]

Strengthening the link between earthquake engineering and architecture

A.W. Charleson

With reference mainly to the New Zealand scene, this paper reports on current initiatives to strengthen architects’ understanding and engagement with issues of earthquake engineering. The situation at the three schools of architecture in New Zealand is reviewed with mention made of some recent developments, including the introduction of earthquake structural design software and progress in integrating architectural and seismic design in studio projects. The paper notes a current earthquake engineering course organized and run by NZSEE and reviews the profile of earthquake engineering as represented in Architecture New Zealand. Overseas initiatives are also reported on. The paper concludes with recommendations for further strengthening the links between the professions.

Paper P4: [Read]

Working Party on Integrated Planning for Earthquake Response – 2003 Report

D.R. Brunsdon

The activity focus of the Working Party during 2003 was on assisting IPENZ with the development of the post-earthquake register of engineers and continuing to promote the need for critical facility operators to establish priority response agreements with earthquake engineering professionals.

In looking at the inter-relationships associated with the register and priority response agreements, the need to define the relationship between the Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) sector and earthquake engineering professionals has come into sharper focus. The CDEM Act 2002 and the formation of regional CDEM groups provide both the platform and the requirement for this issue to be addressed. The Working Party has therefore been placing an emphasis on putting its initiatives into an appropriate CDEM context. In December 2003 the Working Party and IPENZ established a new strategic working group with the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (MCDEM) and the Association of Consulting Engineers NZ (ACENZ) to progress this.

Paper P7: [Read]

Comparison of response spectra from Australian earthquakes and North American attenuation models

T. Dhu, T. Allen, P. Cummins, M. Leonard, D. Robinson and J. Schneider

Five percent damped response spectral acceleration have been calculated from the strong motion records of two moderate magnitude earthquakes from the 2001-02 Burakin, WA, earthquake sequence. The spectral shapes from these events are broadly consistent with eastern North American (ENA) attenuation relations. Moreover, the Australian RSA’s tend to have more short-period content than the RSA’s predicted by western North American (WNA) attenuation models. These comparisons provide a qualitative indication that ENA attenuation relations are more suitable for Western Australian conditions than WNA relations.

Paper P47: [Read]

Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Session 4 Session 5 Session 6 Posters