New draft SESOC guidance on Grouted connections/Drossbach, GD1 & GD2 released

Draft copies of GD#1 (Existing building investigation and remediation) and GD#2 (new building specification and construction) are available for download at the links below.

GD#1 - Existing building investigation and remediation GD#2 - New Buildings - Specification/Construction/Assurance

These complement the previously published

GD#0 (Introduction, SESOC Journal v34n2p66), and
Draft GD#3 – Design Basis and Worked example

The Drossbach working group would welcome feedback on these draft papers over the next 6 months prior to finalisation of the papers.

The Management Committee would like to take this opportunity to thank the drossbach working group for their efforts in producing this valuable resource for structural engineers.

 

Advisory document on newly released National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM)

Today GNS Science has released the revised National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM). The Structural Engineering Society of New Zealand (SESOC), the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering (NZSEE) and the New Zealand Geotechnical Society (NZGS) have collaborated to publish an advisory document giving interim guidance to design professionals and their clients until such time as any future updates are made to the New Zealand Building Code.

SESOC, NZSEE and NZGS understand that the NSHM is the latest science that will be used to inform design requirements within the Building Code. It will take time for the new science to be evaluated and for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to consider how to incorporate the model into the Building Code. In the meantime, we want to provide our members advice on how to proceed in the time between the model being released and any future Building Code update. The National Seismic Hazard Model will inform design Standards and design actions, however it is not a design document and should not be treated as such.

The Interim Advice on the 2022 National Seismic Hazard Model Release advisory document we have published will assist building designers in their discussions around hazard information with their clients and help them to engage in conversations regarding structural options which may buffer against hazard uncertainty.

Earlier this year, the technical societies published the Earthquake Design for Uncertainty guidance providing good design principles that should be referred to alongside the new advice.

SESOC, NZSEE and NZGS are currently planning a seminar for members on both the Earthquake Design for Uncertainty and the Interim Advice for National Seismic Hazard Model. The seminar will be held in late October in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, with an online option available. Invitations will be sent by email to our members in the near future.   

You can read the Interim Advice on the 2022 National Seismic Hazard Model document here.

2022 NSHM Website (National Seismic Hazard Model – GNS Science | Te Pῡ Ao)

New guidance released: Earthquake Design for Uncertainty

Managing uncertainty in earthquake engineering has always been a key challenge for New Zealand engineers and the theme of the recent NZSEE conference.  The uncertainty of earthquake demands has recently been given increased prominence due to the anticipated release of the new National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM) for New Zealand, later in 2022.

To assist engineers designing new buildings during this time of change, the collaborating technical societies of NZSEE, SESOC and NZGS have developed advice for engineers on recommended approaches an engineer can take to help ensure reliable performance from a building – regardless of the minimum design actions adopted.

This can be found on the NZSEE website [Rev. 1 August 2022].

Preliminary issue of SESOC Guidance on Grouted Connections/Drossbachs – ‘GD3 – Design Basis and Worked Examples’

The Drossbachs working group led by Barry Brown has produced a preliminary issue of the peer-reviewed Guidance Document 3 (GD3). This document is released to solicit SESOC membership feedback. You can download a copy of draft issue #9 HERE.

This document builds on the observation article:
Freeman, J. (2021) “Observed defects in Grouted Duct Precast Panel connections in NZ and the Potential performance implications” SESOC Journal, 34(2)p66
previously published in the SESOC journal.

Further GDs are currently under and will be released when appropriate. Please send written feedback via email to the executive officer.