Jeff Matthews - PhD Research

Investigating the Loadpaths for Floor Diaphragm Forces Following Severe Damaging Earthquakes

Project Brief:

This project would not be possible without the sponsorship from the following organisations. University of Canterbury, Firth Industries Limited, Stresscrete, Stahlton, Precast Components, Technology New Zealand, Cement & Concrete Association of New Zealand, BRANZ, Earthquake Commission, and Pacific Steel.

Background:

Previous studies, carried out here in the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Canterbury, focused on individual buiding components. This project focuses on the global performance of a typical building.

By building a portion of a building it is possible to create boundary conditions similar to a real building since the same construction has been used. This allows a comparison of results between previous research undertaken and this research project.

AIMS:

Evaluate

• Effect of beam elongation to the system
  • Is there a possibility that the hollowcore units loose their seating?
• Performance of existing buildings
  • There are 20 years of building stock in New Zealand designed in this manner.
  • To act as a benchmark for the second test
• Performance of buildings with modified connections details
  • Will these new details perform better than existing connections during an earthquake?

Determine

• Whether the Diaphragm enhances the beams flexural strength?
  • This could greatly effect whether a weak beam-strong column forms during a major earthquake

Supervisors

Des Bull
Adjunct Professor in Concrete Design, Univ of Canterbury
ME(Civil), Reg. Engineer, F.IPENZ,
Technical Director, Holmes Consulting Group

Prof. John Mander
Professor of Civil Engineering
University of Canterbury