Melbourne buildings subject to ‘significant damage’ even with small earthquakes | earthquakes

While Melbourne escaped heavy damage in last month’s 5.9-magnitude earthquake, experts say thorough inspections of buildings are needed to check for any undetected problems.

Buildings in Melbourne – especially structures with masonry and reinforced concrete – may be subject to “significant damage” even with reduced seismic activity, according to scientists who assessed the effects of the September 22 earthquake.

“Parts of Melbourne are very vulnerable to relatively low earthquakes,” says Mark Quigley, associate professor of seismology at the University of Melbourne.

After the 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck near Mansfield in September, scientists “raced to the scene” to monitor seismic activity around the epicenter.

The team observed shallow landslides, shed trees, cracks in roads and several collapsed chimneys at Woods Point, 15 kilometers from the epicenter.

Quigley said the earthquake’s depth – estimated at 12.7 km – and the way the fault ruptured meant it was not felt as strongly near the epicenter as would be expected for an earthquake as strong.

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“On the surface in the central region, you are still several kilometers from the fault of the seismic source,” he said. “The top of the rift that ruptured is probably 4 km deep.”

Mansfield likely avoided serious damage because the fault rupture sent more seismic energy outward rather than upward. The earthquakes were felt hundreds of kilometers away, as far away as Sydney and Launceston.

“The strength of the Australian crust means that the earthquake is felt in much larger areas than it would be in New Zealand [for example]Quigley said.

Much of the southeastern and southern parts of Melbourne’s CBD were built on soft sediments, which are potentially concerning for the structural integrity of the buildings after the earthquake. “The soft sediments in Melbourne amplify seismic waves and thus increase the potential for damage,” Quigley said.

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“It highlights the vulnerability of some buildings in those areas to … significant damage under relatively low ground movements.”

Building codes introduced in 1979 require all buildings to be designed to withstand earthquakes.

But Quigley said much of Melbourne has old buildings that have not been assessed for their ability to withstand earthquakes.

“Old buildings that have not been developed according to the code are particularly at risk,” he said, adding that although it is less likely, damage is still possible in structures built to comply with the requirements.

A spokesperson for a major construction and engineering firm said the company has implemented an earthquake inspection procedure, visually examining currently ongoing projects for stress and cracking in their structures.

He said more detailed inspections of ground conditions would not take place until construction activities resumed in Victoria next week.

Quigley said there was a misconception that a major earthquake “reset the clock” before another major tremor occurred. “The statistically likely time to experience future earthquakes is immediately after previous earthquakes.”

As of last Saturday, more than 150 aftershocks with a magnitude greater than 1.0 on the Richter scale have been recorded, the largest of which was a 4.2-magnitude aftershock that occurred 15 minutes after the initial quake.

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