Managing information over the whole-of-life of a building is a difficult process. However, this process is essential if we are to plan, design, construct, operate and dispose of a building
This paper identifies the inherent strengths/weaknesses of rigid timber-framed partitions and quantifies the onset drifts for different damage thresholds under a unidirectional quasi-static cyclic loading. It reports construction and testing
The Robust Building Systems (ROBUST) project is aimed at enhancing the seismic resilience of buildings by introducing and validating low-damage concepts for the structural and non-structural elements (NSEs). A three-story,
An automatic fire sprinkler piping system is an essential non-structural element which can have major impacts on both the fire safety and building functionality (e.g. flooding damage) if damaged during
Acceleration-sensitive non-structural elements not only constitute a significant portion of a building’s component inventory, but also comprise components and systems that are indispensable to the operational continuity of essential facilities.
Recent earthquake events in New Zealand have highlighted the need to improve the post-earthquake reparability of buildings. This paper describes a number of avenues for improving the post-earthquake reparability of
Several concrete cladding panels were damaged during the 2011 Christchurch Earthquakes in New Zealand. Damage included partial collapse of panels, rupture of joint sealants, cracking and corner crushing. Installation errors,
This paper presents the development (concept, design, detailing, and fabrication) and experimental validation of a novel low-damage precast concrete cladding panel system that can accommodate significant inter-story drift demand through
It is now widely recognized that the performance of non-structural elements is crucial to the performance of building systems during earthquakes. Field surveys and experimental studies have shown that light
Plasterboard partition walls typically used in commercial buildings are especially sensitive to earthquakes, with the onset of cosmetic damage initiating at small values of interstorey drift. The most common partition