Council building an earthquake risk

Council building an earthquake risk The greater Wellington Regional Council headquarters in Wellington is only at 30 per cent of the current building standard. Ceilings grids are not adequately braced. Why is it an earthquake risk?Built on soft sand and soil that is prone to liquefy in a major quake. Foundations and piles are not designed for this. Insufficient reinforcing in shear walls means they are liable to crack and lose their strength as the building flexes. New lightweight braced ceiling grids to minimise the danger that tiles will fall. New sprinkler, plumbing and gas services. Restrain all desks, shelves, storage units and computer terminals to reduce danger to staff. Hollow core concrete floor slabs are fragile and not well connected to shear walls. Low lateral strength means building likely to flex a lot. What is needed to bring it up to codeGrouting of soil under the building to reduce risk of liquefaction. Tension anchors for existing shear walls. New ground floor slab. Steel reinforcing under hollow core concrete floors. Carbon fibre reinforcing of upper concrete floors. Core drilling and carbon fibre wrapping of existing shear walls. It was designed in 1985 for Williams Property Holdings by architects Alun Wilkie Associates and consulting engineers D J Falloon of Christchurch and bought by council just before the 1987 stock market crash. New shear walls and columns supported by new piles, tension anchors and foundation beams. Precast concrete stairs are vulnerable. New lighter concrete or timber frame external cladding. Council building an earthquake risk Trade News selected by Local Linkup on 02/06/2012