Base Isolation and Damage-Resistant Technologies for Improved Seismic Performance of Buildings







2 BACKGROUND


Many people are asking ‚Why were so many modern buildings damaged beyond economic repair in the Christchurch earthquakes?”The simple answer is that the current design methods rely on some

damage to protect the buildings, and in addition, the ground shaking in Christchurch on 22 February was significantly more severe than the level of shaking used to design modern buildings. This report will focus on the causes of, and responses to, this damage caused by shaking. The other main reason for damage is the unprecedented soil liquefaction, lateral spreading, and foundation failure, which can only be managed in the future by careful site investigation and high quality geotechnical advice for the design of all buildings and foundations.


Download
*