Research reveals why Wellington was badly damaged in Kaikoura earthquake

The parking lot building in Reading Cinema was decorated after the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. Photo/Mark Mitchell

New research sheds light on why Wellington was so badly damaged in the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake.

The earthquake was by no means ‘massive’ in Wellington as its epicenter was more than 200 km from the city.

But more than 120 seconds of ground shaking was recorded, with up to 30 seconds of what is considered a “strong motion duration” felt throughout the capital.

In the aftermath, many buildings were demolished, with a cluster block in Thorndon and the port.

Research by MSc student Alistair Stronach and Professor Tim Stern from the University of Victoria’s School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences has revealed more about why some buildings in Wellington are not performing well.

They discovered that the thickness of the soft sediments in the basin below Wellington is twice as large as previously thought.

“When earthquake waves pass through layers of sediment, unlike basement rocks, they increase in intensity and lead to more vibration. This can have a devastating effect on cities, even when earthquakes are located several hundreds of kilometers away,” Stern said.

Centreport was badly damaged by the 2016 earthquake. Photo/Mark Mitchell

An infamous example of this effect was the devastation and loss of life in Mexico City in 1985 when seismic waves from an earthquake 400 km away trapped the basin on which the city was built.

Stern said the Kaikoura earthquake produced strong waves that were “trapped” in the sediment basin under Wellington causing unexpected damage in the city’s Pipitea and CentrePort area.

Other buildings damaged by the earthquake on CentrePort grounds include the Statistics House, the Customhouse, Shed 39 and the BNZ Building. Its container berth was also severely damaged.

Buildings that had to be demolished on the road at Thorndon included 61 Molesworth Street and the Defense House.

The research, which was funded by the Seismological Commission, used high-resolution measurements of Earth’s gravitational field to map the sedimentary thicknesses under the city of Wellington.

Measurements were taken throughout the central business district and along the outer ridge.

A nine-story building at 61 Molesworth St. Photography: Mark Mitchell

A maximum thickness of about 540 meters was recorded near Wellington Regional Stadium, which is double previous estimates.

Stronach said the data from the research will be used in future computer simulations to predict the expected shaking in different areas of the city.

“This simulation is vital in planning building design and identifying which parts of the city are most susceptible to intense shaking from local and distant earthquakes.”

The research also found that the recently discovered Aotea fault extends beyond Clyde Quay Wharf into Waitangi Park, before turning south, roughly along the Kent Terrace Line.

“Based on our modeling, this rift has several fissures – or edges – across the lower slopes of Mount Victoria and appears as a steep step in basement rock below the Te Aro portion of downtown Wellington,” said Stronach.

This fault, he said, along with the Wellington Fault running along Tinakuri Road, form the edges of what could be described as the earthquake bathtub effect.

“So it’s like water that flows from side to side and bounces back and then solidifies in some places and cancels out in other places.”

Both edges were steep, Stern said, providing the conditions under which resonances can occur, such as in sound waves.

“Where they can get stuck back and forth and you get localized amplification areas.”

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