Abstract:
A large number of the heritage buildings in New Zealand are constructed from unreinforced
masonry (URM). These buildings were not designed to resist seismic loads and now pose
the highest earthquake risk of any building type due to the inherent weakness of the material
and several key structural deficiencies. Many of these buildings will require seismic
retrofit in order to meet the requirements of The Building Act 2004. URM buildings are a
salient part of the culture and landscape of New Zealand, and it is vital that their important
aspects are identified prior to any strengthening work. This identification process will
inform the selection and design of an appropriate seismic retrofit intervention and ensure
that a solution which is sympathetic to the heritage and aesthetics of the building is
achieved. The primary aim of this article is to reconcile the engineering goal of seismic
strengthening of at-risk heritage buildings with the architectural goal of ensuring that their
historic and aesthetic qualities are retained. This article is intended to assist structural
engineers in recognising the important heritage aspects of URM buildings, but it is
emphasised that this is not a substitute for the engagement of a professional heritage
consultant.