Abstract:
The Canterbury Earthquakes have provided many lessons related to concrete buildings, and continue to influence codes and standards internationally, but perhaps the most striking lesson is the potential for widespread demolition of generally good-performing buildings. With a transformation of the urban environment resulting from demolition of approximately 60% of concrete buildings in the CBD, questions have been raised about the acceptability of this outcome and the reasons for demolition. While the assessed level of damage generally controlled the demolition/repair decision, there is strong evidence that, in the absence of reparability guidelines, other variables, such as insurance and changes to building regulations, have significantly influenced the decision on a number of buildings. This paper summarises factors influencing demolition/repair decisions on concrete buildings, challenges faced by engineers engaged in detailed post-earthquake assessments, and offers suggestions for future research toward the development of reparability guidelines aligned with insurance policies.
