EQC-funded research and data projects underway
Here are all the EQC-funded research and data projects underway.
Biennial Grants 2022
| Project | Researcher |
| Improving school-based hazards education outreach programmes: towards enhancing alignment with schools and communities | Dr Marion Tan - Massey University |
| Long-term communication of volcanic risk for effective decision-making | Dr Julia Becker - Massey University |
| Changing societal expectations and risk appetite: exploring influences on building earthquake resilience in lower seismic hazard zones | Dr Lauren Vinnell - Massey University |
| Dynamic community engagement on disaster risk reduction | Dr Charlotte Brown - Resilient Organisations |
| MĪMIRŪ: The application of an endangered indigenous construction practice onto a prototype timber portal frame to assess seismic resilience and impact for use on future wharenui | Prof Anthony Hoete - University of Auckland |
| Embodied carbon: A driver for change towards seismically resilient high density housing | Dr Charlotte Toma - University of Auckland |
| Risk-targeted design for functionality | Dr Anne Hulsey - University of Auckland |
| More resilient wall building structures | Prof Santiago Pujol - University of Canterbury |
| Low-cycle fatigue, strain-aging, and residual-capacity testing of reinforcing steels to guide repair strategies and support functional recovery. | Prof Geoffrey Rodgers - University of Canterbury |
| Papa Wiri: Te Ao Māori disaster risk reduction through participatory co-design of educational tools | Ms Kristie-Lee Thomas and Brandy Alger - University of Canterbury |
| Climate risk and the insurance sector: The law, policy, and economics of climate-related financial disclosures |
Prof Ilan Noy - Victoria University of Wellington |
| Seismic hazards from earthquakes in the locked zone offshore Wellington | Prof Martha Savage - Victoria University of Wellington |
| Sensing unrest in New Zealand’s largest city: detailed mapping of seismicity in Auckland | Dr Calum Chamberlain - Victoria University of Wellington |
Biennial Grants 2020
| Project | Researcher |
| A fuzzy approach to understanding multi-fault earthquakes | Dr Tim Stahl—University of Canterbury |
| Application of AI to advance structural performance and resiliency quantification | Dr Max Stephens—University of Auckland |
| Community led low-cost micro-seismic (MS) sensor network applications for Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) | Dr Raj Prasanna—Massey University |
| Determining ability for ground improvement to improve seismic foundation performance through full scale field testing | Dr Lucas Hogan—University of Auckland |
| Frictional strength and stability of greywacke fault zones | Dr Carolyn Boulton—Victoria University of Wellington |
| Geodetic and hydrological controls on seismic velocity changes after large earthquakes | Professor Martha Savage—Victoria University of Wellington |
| High resolution basement mapping beneath Wellington City based on gravity anomaly and borehole data | Professor Tim Stern—Victoria University of Wellington |
| Improved constraint on past Hikurangi subduction earthquake rupture dimensions using a locally derived marine reservoir correction | Dr Kate Clark—GNS Science |
| Paleoseismology of the newly discovered Te Puninga Fault, Hauraki Plains | Dr Pilar Villamor—GNS Science |
| Physics-based ground motion modelling for the urban Wellington region: Basin-edge effects and implications for seismic design | Professor Brendon Bradley—University of Canterbury |
| Seismic performance of multi-storey cross- laminated timber shear wall structures with high- capacity anchoring systems | Dr Minghao Li—University of Canterbury |
| Seismic strengthening of reinforced concrete walls in existing buildings with fibre-reinforced polymer materials | Dr Enrique Del Rey Castillo—University of Auckland |
| Towards near-real-time volcano monitoring with next-generation ambient noise techniques | Dr Chris van Houtte—GNS Science |
| Towards real-time probabilistic ash deposition forecasting for New Zealand | Dr Yannik Behr—GNS Science |
Recently completed
| Project | Researcher |
| Understanding organisations’ perceptions of obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 in relation to seismic hazards | Dr Tracy Hatton—Resilient Organisations |
| Understanding the seismic performance of structural insulated panels for use in New Zealand | Dr David Carradine—BRANZ |
University Research Programmes 2020 - 2023
| Programme | Programme Director |
| Engineering for Stronger Homes and Better Land in Aotearoa New Zealand | Prof Liam Wotherspoon—University of Auckland |
| Programme in Earthquake Seismology and Tectonic Geodesy | Prof John Townend—Victoria University of Wellington |
| The Economics of Financial Natural Hazards Risks and Changing Insurance Markets | Prof Ilan Noy, Chair in Economics of Diaster—Victoria University of Wellington |
| Mātauranga Māori Disaster Risk Reduction Research Centre | A/Prof Christine Kenney, Associate Professor of Disaster Research—Massey University |
| Assessment and Mitigation of Liquefaction Hazards | Prof Misko Cubrinovski—University of Canterbury |
| Building Resilience through Earthquake and Landslide Multi-Hazard Research in New Zealand | Dr Tim Stahl—University of Canterbury |
| Next-Generation Seismic Hazard Analysis for New Zealand | Prof Brendon Bradley, Professor of Earthquake Engineering—University of Canterbury |
| Understanding and Managing Seismic Risk in Low Seismic Hazard Zones | Prof Mark Stirling, Chair of Earthquake Science—University of Otago |
Other research projects under way
| Project | Researcher |
| An innovative self-centering slip-friction connection system for seismic damage avoidance design of braced timber frames | Dr. Pouyan Zarnani, Auckland University of Technology |
| GeoNet | Catherine Ross, GNS Science |
| Can concepts of the seismic cycle be used to forecast future large-magnitude earthquakes in New Zealand? | Professor Andy Nicol, University of Canterbury |
| Geophysical signatures of hydrothermal alteration for evaluating volcanic flank instability | Professor Jan Lindsay, University of Auckland |
| Hidden hazards: Revealing new insight into ashfall volcanic hazards in the Waikato region by detecting and analysing glass shards (cryptotephras) in sediments | Professor David J Lowe, University of Waikato |
| Catalysing the New Zealand Volcanic Hazard Risk Model (NZVHRM) framework – including probabilistic volcanic loss modelling pilot in Auckland | Dr. Graham Leonard, GNS Science and Professor Thomas Wilson, University of Canterbury |
| Countdown to eruption: Timescales of magmatic processes in the crust | Dr. Michael Rowe, University of Auckland |
| Earthquake hazard in Dunedin: paleoseismology of the Titri Fault | Dr. David Barrell, GNS Science |
| Site characterisation and liquefaction potential of Blenheim gravelly sandy deposits | Associate Professor Gabiele Chiaro, University of Canterbury |
| Deformation map of New Zealand | Professor Rupert Sutherland, Victoria University of Wellington |
| Developing pathways for improving the uptake of innovative seismic-proofing products in New Zealand | Associate Professor Pierre Quenneville, University of Auckland |
| Integrated intelligent structural control and health monitoring using innovative methodologies | Dr. Sherif Beskhyroun, Auckland University of Technology |
| Development of a population exposure model for New Zealand | Finn Scheele, GNS Science/University of Canterbury |
| It’s Our Fault | Dr. Nicola Litchfield, GNS Science |
| DEVORA | Professor Jan Lindsay, University of Auckland and Dr Graham Leonard, GNS Science |
| Multi-criteria spatial optimisation for guiding long-term land use planning for resilience and sustainability | Dr. Tom Logan, University of Canterbury |
| Earthquake risk mitigation for the 21st Century | Resilient Buildings, Helen Ferner, New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering |
| National Seismic Hazard Model – the revision programme | Project Lead: Dr Matt Gerstenberger, GNS Science, Project Manager: Rachel Kirkman, GNS Science |
| Economic impact of a more stringent design philosophy in New Zealand | Dr. Enrique del Rey Castillo, University of Auckland |
| New Zealand Geotechnical Database | Director: John Leeves, Tonkin + Taylor |
| Engaging South Asian and Chinese migrants in disaster risk reduction in New Zealand | Dr. Nadia Charania, Auckland University of Technology |
| Performance objectives for seismic design | Professor Kenneth Elwood, University of Auckland |
| Progressive failure of house foundations on slopes in earthquakes | Roger Shelton, BRANZ |
| Explicit incorporation of uncertainties in ground motion simulations and their use in NZ probabilistic seismic hazard analysis | Professor Brendon Bradley, University of Canterbury |
| Geometries and slip of historical surface-rupturing earthquakes in New Zealand and their application to seismic hazard analysis | Professor Andy Nicol, University of Canterbury |
| Quantitative hazard and risk modelling approaches for volcanic crisis management | Professor Jan Lindsay, University of Auckland |
| Seismic design of low-rise and mid-rise hybrid residential buildings | Angela Liu, BRANZ |
| Rauoterangi Fault trenching project | Manawatū District Council |
| Structural resilience and lifecycle cost implications of designing to various international standards | Dr. Max Stephens and Professor Ken Elwood, University of Auckland |
Recently completed
| Project | Researcher |
| Development of a cyber-based automated structural health monitoring (SHM) system for steel bridges |
Dr. Sherif Beskhyroun, Auckland University of Technology |
| Seismotectonic source characterisation in low seismicity regions of New Zealand: Otago case study | Professor Mark Stirling, University of Otago |
| Encoding earthquake ruptures into the stratigraphic record: Changes in near-surface structure of the Kekerengu Fault zone before vs. after the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake | Adjunct Professor Timothy Little, Victoria University of Wellington |
| The evolution of past and present magmatic systems in the north Taupō area: Implications for modern hazards, | Professor Colin Wilson, Victoria University of Wellington |
| Investigation of development history of 40/42 Beechwood Road, Browns Bay, Auckland site affected by a recent cliff failure | Murray Triggs, WSP |
| Stop disasters 2.0: Exploring disaster awareness through video games | Professor JC Gaillard, University of Auckland |
| Phase 1 – New Zealand Landslides Database |
Ross Roberts, Auckland Council and BECA |
| Towards the calibration of tsunami models in the Auckland region using paleotsunami deposits | Dr. Kate Clark, GNS Science |
| Post-seismic deformation following the 2009 Mw7.8 Dusky Sound earthquake | Dr. Sigrun Hreindottir, GNS Science |
| Volcanic loss modelling and impact forecasting in Auckland | Dr. Graham Leonard, GNS Science |
| Earthquake hazard in Dunedin: paleoseismology of the Titri Fault | Dr. David Barrell, GNS Science |