Seismic engineering at Canterbury University
A visitor to the seismic engineering laboratories and test centres at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, is likely to meet researchers and students of many nationalities. They are attracted by its worldwide reputation for innovative thinking in the field of seismic engineering.
World leader in seismic engineering
Dr Stefano Pampanin from the University of Canterbury is originally from Italy. After a period of research at University of California San Diego, he came to New Zealand because of its worldwide reputation for seismic engineering. He talks about why New Zealand is a leader in this field.
Smarter, not stronger
The testing equipment at Canterbury is impressive, but it would be dwarfed by the huge laboratories in some other countries where whole buildings can be tested to see how they perform in an earthquake. New Zealand may not have testing equipment on this scale, but it does have very creative scientists who are carrying out world-leading research.
Damaged building
In many concrete buildings, the structural columns and beams are cast in one piece. This means the frame of the building is rigid. When this frame is forced to move by an earthquake, there is no flexibility, so it breaks.
Nature of science
Running a full-scale structural test is very expensive, so there is a lot of preparation. Scale models are made and tested, and hundreds of tests are done using computer models. Only when a full prediction has been made is a full-scale test carried out. The results are used to refine computer models so that pre-test development is improved.
These scientists aim to think smarter rather than stronger. It is tempting to create buildings that are rigid and strong, but one day, an earthquake will come along that is stronger than the building, and it will break.
Ductile articulated structures
Dr Stefano Pampanin from the University of Canterbury explains how the ‘smarter’ idea of ductile design originated at the University in the 1960s and is currently under further developments and refinements. Making buildings stronger is not the answer for earthquake protection.
A ‘smarter’ approach is to allow the building to deform in an earthquake in a way we want it to. This idea – called ductile design – was pioneered at Canterbury University from the 1970s by Bob Park, Tom Paulay and Nigel Priestley. The concept of ductile design has since spread around the world, and research is constantly expanding its usefulness.
Ductile design was tested in action by the September 2010 and February 2011 Canterbury earthquakes. The endoscopy building at the Southern Cross Hospital in Christchurch was built using concrete pillars with steel cables providing flexible joints. This building did not suffer structural damage during these earthquakes.
More recently, major buildings constructed using timber frames with flexible joints include the Arts and Media Building at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (opened in 2011, also using seismic energy dampers) and the Massey University creative arts building Te Ara Hihiko in Wellington (opened in 2012). The Alan MacDiarmid Building at Victoria University of Wellington (opened in 2010) has a concrete frame with flexible steel joints.
The weakest link
One approach of ductile design is to restrict damage to places where it can be controlled. This is at the weakest parts of large buildings – the joints between columns and beams. In many modern concrete buildings, columns and beams are cast on site in one piece. This means the frame of the building is rigid. When this frame is forced to move by an earthquake, there is no flexibility so something breaks – it may be the beams, the columns or where they meet.
Rigid building
This shows the impact of an earthquake on a rigid building – in the shaking something has to give.
A new approach is to create a flexible joint where a beam meets a column. Steel cables tie the parts together – in an earthquake, the cables stretch, which lets the joint open slightly rather than break.
Ductile building
Ductile buildings have a flexible joint where a beam meets a column. Steel cables tie the parts together – in an earthquake the cables stretch, which lets the joint open slightly, rather than break.
This is just one way that is being investigated to tackle the problem. Base isolation, also developed in New Zealand, has been used in buildings around the world, but it is expensive and best suited to large structures. At Canterbury University, research is being carried out on cheaper alternatives.
Fuses
The beam-column joints include parts that are made of materials that are designed to break or plasticise in a controlled way, rather than the beams and columns breaking. These parts are then replaced after an earthquake. This is something like an electrical fuse, which is designed to blow and be replaced, rather than allowing electrical equipment to get damaged.
Is base isolation always appropriate?
Dr Stefano Pampanin from the University of Canterbury believes buildings can be protected from earthquakes by a combination of different available technologies, such as ductile design, base isolation, bracing or rocking systems.
UPDATE
This video was recorded prior to the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes. In it Stefano mentions the Christchurch Women's Hospital. This building performed well during these earthquakes with staff reporting that the base-isolated building did not shake wildly but instead moved gently from side to side. It was operational immediately after the large quakes, unlike neighbouring hospital buildings that sustained significant damage.
Dampers
Dampers are incorporated at beam-column joins. They are made of materials that disperse an earthquake’s energy, reducing the chance of breakage. Learn more about dampers here.
Experimental dampers
Dampers are incorporated at beam-column joins. They are made of materials that disperse an earthquake’s energy, reducing the chance of breakage.
This is an example of experimental dampers on a wooden building column.
In 2017, Associate Professor Geoff Rodgers from the University of Canterbury was recognised in the KiwiNet Awards emerging innovator category for his innovative work with dampers.
A mechanical engineer, Geoff developed a seismic damper that dissipates the kinetic (moving) energy of seismic waves that can damage building structures during an earthquake. These are in use in a Christchurch healthcare complex. In 2018, Geoff developed seismic dampers for the new central city Christchurch library.
The preparation for a full-scale earthquake test
In this test rig, the blue hydraulic rams on the right simulate an earthquake, and the concrete test frame can be seen on the left. The results are used to refine computer models so that pre-test development is improved.
New materials
A lot of research goes into finding ways of using new materials – often those developed in other fields:
Carbon fibre polymers from the aeronautical industry are very strong and light and do not need the constant maintenance that steel needs as it corrodes. Experiments are being carried out on how to retrofit carbon fibre ‘bandages’ around the joints of existing buildings to make them stronger.
Shape-memory alloys can be made to go back to their original shape after being deformed in an earthquake.
New types of concrete contain thousands of short steel or PVA fibres rather than the steel bars used at the moment. The fibres stretch and heat, using up an earthquake’s energy. This results in fewer cracks and less damage.
Using advanced concrete technology
Dr Stefano Pampanin of the University of Canterbury explains how new materials consisting of small metallic or composite fibres can be added to concrete to help dissipate the energy of an earthquake, and so reduce damage.
These are just some current approaches being investigated. In many cases, a combination of techniques will be best for new buildings.
Useful link
To learn more about present developments and thinking around seismic engineering, listen to Dr Geoff Rodgers in this RNZ podcast.
