Reconstructing Christchurch: Quantitative Findings on Shift in Building Structural Systems

Abstract

After the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes, much of the Christchurch Central Business District (CBD) was demolished and a new city has emerged in its place. A series of interviews conducted with key professionals involved with the reconstruction, together with data collected from various sources has made it possible to identify some of the drivers that have influenced decisions about the selection of structural material and specific structural systems used. Here, quantitative results obtained from this study are presented, in terms of structural systems, size of building in terms of square foot, as a function of time since the earthquake. The Christchurch rebuilding experience is most significant, providing a unique insight into some of the mechanisms that can dictate structural engineering decisions during the post-earthquake reconstruction of a modern city.