Façade damage assessment of concrete buildings in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake

The magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck Christchurch on 22 February 2011 caused widespread damage throughout Christchurch's central business district (CBD), where a large proportion of the building stock consists of reinforced concrete (RC) buildings. Damage to the façades of these buildings was a clear contributor to overall building damage. This paper presents the damage assessment of the façade systems of these RC buildings. A survey of 173 RC buildings in the Christchurch CBD is conducted here, focusing on the damage to the façade systems of the buildings. The survey covers only buildings greater than three storeys in height, excluding the majority of unreinforced masonry façades, the damage to which has been well documented. The façade type and modularity is classified for each system, as well as the connection type where possible. The level of damage to each façade is determined in terms of the following performance levels: Operational, Immediate Occupancy, Life Safety and High Hazard. Further investigation is also made into three precast concrete panel systems. These case studies examine the damage, detailing and construction practice of each particular system.