Wellington earthquake warning designs may become more challenging

The engineering firm whose report prompted workers to leave a multi-storey building in Wellington warns that designing for earthquakes may become more difficult.

The Department of Education building in central Wellington was emptied of staff a month ago due to a much lower new building standards rating. (Source: rnz.co.nz)

Written by Phil Pennington of RUNZ

The Department of Education moved its main office on Bowen Street a month ago, saying its Oricon engineers rated it 25% of the New Building Standard (NBS) because of the concrete floors.

Aurecon said in its Detailed Targeted Seismic Assessment (DSA) that the latest science, including how the harbor basin inflated medium-rise structures during the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake, could eventually lead to the upgrading of many buildings.

“A future increase in the risk factor may increase the design level for new buildings in Wellington and possibly increase the level required for existing buildings,” she said.

On top of the shifts in seismic target sites in recent years.

Just seven years ago, engineers rated Mātauranga’s 12-storey house – where about 1,000 ministry employees used to work before Covid-19 – as 90-100 percent of NBS after work boost.

The new “Target” DSA, performed in March for the ministry, focused on the decks due to weaknesses in some designs revealed by the Kaikōura vibration.

“The methodology for evaluating and enhancing existing buildings has changed significantly,” the new assessment said.

An Aurecon evaluation recommended owners get a full DSA, check the soil conditions under the building and then harden it to at least 67% NBS.

Wellington Investment Group, the owner of the building, said it expects to complete the full appraisal by Beca engineers by August.

Aurecon’s reference to a “risk factor” is likely high, in relation to a new national seismic hazard model due to be released later this year from GNS Science, and the subduction zone around the Wellington region.

The model is expected to raise the risk level in some areas.

The earthquake procedure design code – called NZS1170.5, which was drawn up in 2004 and then revised after the Kaikoura earthquake – does not take into account the upcoming hazard model.

Oricon said the code may also need to be updated to take into account how “basin edge effects” on soft soils in the Port of Wellington’s sedimentary basin were accelerated in the 2016 earthquake.

Both the risk factor and trough effects are still considered ‘without a specific time frame’.

The assessment used an updated methodology “providing a clear and concise methodology for evaluating prefabricated flooring systems” to assess the floors at Bowen St.

However, it was the previous methodology that counted, legally speaking, in determining whether a building was at risk of earthquakes.

Engineers have protested to the government that having two assessment methods is confusing and risky.

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