Geotechnical aspects of the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake on the South Island of New Zealand

Authors

  • Mark E. Stringer University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0063-8309
  • Sarah Bastin University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0246-1375
  • Christopher R. McGann University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5464-8895
  • Claudio Cappellaro University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
  • Maya El Kortbawi Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA
  • Rebecca McMahon University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
  • Liam. M. Wotherspoon University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
  • Russell A. Green Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA
  • Jason Aricheta University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
  • Ross Davis Davidson Group, Blenheim, New Zealand
  • Leigh McGlynn Davidson Group, Blenheim, New Zealand
  • Sally Hargraves Terra Firma Engineering, Mapua, New Zealand
  • Sjoerd Van Ballegooy Tonkin & Taylor, Auckland, New Zealand
  • Misko Cubrinovski University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2843-8309
  • Brendon A. Bradley University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4450-314X
  • Xavier Bellagamba University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
  • Kevin Foster University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
  • Carlo Lai University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6651-8828
  • Dan Ashfield Tonkin + Taylor, Christchurch, NZ
  • Abdul Baki University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
  • Adda Zekkos University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
  • Robin Lee University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1033-5923
  • Nikolaos Ntritsos University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5459/bnzsee.50.2.117-141

Abstract

The magnitude Mw7.8 ‘Kaikōura’ earthquake occurred shortly after midnight on 14 November 2016. This paper presents an overview of the geotechnical impacts on the South Island of New Zealand recorded during the post-event reconnaissance.

Despite the large moment magnitude of this earthquake, relatively little liquefaction was observed across the South Island, with the only severe manifestation occurring in the young, loose alluvial deposits in the floodplains of the Wairau and Opaoa Rivers near Blenheim. The spatial extent and volume of liquefaction ejecta across South Island is significantly less than that observed in Christchurch during the 2010-2011 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence, and the impact of its occurrence to the built environment was largely negligible on account of the severe manifestations occurring away from the areas of major development.

Large localised lateral displacements occurred in Kaikōura around Lyell Creek. The soft fine-grained material in the upper portions of the soil profile and the free face at the creek channel were responsible for the accumulation of displacement during the ground shaking. These movements had severely impacted the houses which were built close (within the zone of large displacement) to Lyell Creek. The wastewater treatment facility located just north of Kaikōura also suffered tears in the liners of the oxidation ponds and distortions in the aeration system due to ground movements.

Ground failures on the Amuri and Emu Plains (within the Waiau Valley) were small considering the large peak accelerations (in excess of 1g) experienced in the area. Minor to moderate lateral spreading and ejecta was observed at some bridge crossings in the area. However, most of the structural damage sustained by the bridges was a result of the inertial loading, and the damage resulting from geotechnical issues were secondary.

References

Bradley BA, Razafindrakoto HNT and Nazer MA (2017). “Strong ground motion observations of engineering interest from the 14 November 2016 Mw7.8 Kaikōura, New Zealand earthquake”. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 50(2): 85-93. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5459/bnzsee.50.2.85-93

Dellow S, Massey C, Cox S, Archibald G, Begg J, Bruce Z, Carey J, Davidson J, Della Pasqua F, Glassey P, Hill M, Jones K, Lyndsell B, Lukovic B, McColl S, Rattenbury M, Read S, Rosser B, Singeisen C, Townsend D, Villamor P, Villeneuve M, Godt J, Jibson R, Allstadt K, Rengers F, Wartman J, Rathje E, Sitar N, Adda A-Z, Manousakis J and Little M (2017). “Landslides caused by the 14 November 2016 Mw7.8 Kaikōura earthquake and the immediate response”. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 50(2): 106-116. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5459/bnzsee.50.2.106-116

Stirling MW, Litchfield NJ, Villamor P, Van Dissen RJ, Nicol A, Pettinga J, Barnes P, Langridge RM, Little T, Barrell DJA, Mountjoy J, Ries WF, Rowland J, Fenton C, Hamling I, Asher C, Barrier A, Benson A, Bischoff A, Borella J, Carne R, Cochran UA, Cockroft M, Cox SC, Duke G, Fenton F, Gasston C, Grimshaw C, Hale D, Hall B, Hao KX, Hatem A, Hemphill-Haley M, Heron DW, Howarth J, Juniper Z, Kane T, Kearse J, Khajavi N, Lamarche G, Lawson S, Lukovic B, Madugo C, Manousakis I, McColl S, Noble D, Pedley K, Sauer K, Stahl T, Strong DT, Townsend DB, Toy V, Villeneuve M, Wandres A, Williams J, Woelz S and Zinke R (2017). “The Mw7.8 2016 Kaikōura earthquake: Surface fault rupture and seismic hazard context” Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 50(2): 73-84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5459/bnzsee.50.2.73-84

Cubrinovski M, Bray JD, de la Torre C, Olsen MJ, Bradley BA, Chiaro G, Stocks E and Wotherspoon L (2017). “Liquefaction effects and associated damages observed at the Wellington Centreport from the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake”. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 50(2): 152-173. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5459/bnzsee.50.2.152-173

Pettinga JR, Yetton MD, Van Dissen RJ, Downes G (2001). “Earthquake Source Identification and Characterisation for the Canterbury Region, South Island, New Zealand”. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering 34: 282-317.

Grapes RH, Little TA and Downes GL (1998). “Rupturing of the Awatere Fault during the 1848 October 16 Marlborough earthquake, New Zealand: historical and present day evidence”. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, 41: 387-399.

Mason DPM and Little TA (2006). “Refined slip distribution and moment magnitude of the 1848 Marlborough earthquake, Awatere Fault, New Zealand”. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, 49: 375-382.

Cowan HA (1991). “The North Canterbury earthquake of September 1, 1888”. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 21(1): 1-12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03036758.1991.10416105

Downes G and Yetton M (2012). “Pre-2010 historical seismicity near Christchurch, New Zealand: The 1869 Mw 4.7-4.9 Christchurch and 1870 Mw 5.6-5.8 Lake Ellesmere earthquakes”. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, 55(3): 199-205. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00288306.2012.690767

Van Dissen, R, McSaveney M, Townsend D, Hancox G, Little TA, Ries W, Perrin N, Archibald G, Dellow G, Massey C and Misra S (2013). “Landslides and Liquefaction generated by the Cook Strait and Lake Grassmere Earthquakes: A Reconnaissance Report”. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 46(4): 196-200. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5459/bnzsee.46.4.196-200

Statistics NZ (2013). “Number of Electorates and Electoral Populations: 2013 Census”. Statistics NZ. ISBN 978-0-478-40854-6.

Marlborough Catchment Board (1959). “Wairau Valley Scheme: scheme and economic reports”. Marlborough Catchment Board. Blenheim.

Brown LJ and Weeber JH (1992). “Geology of the Christchurch Urban Area”. Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences.

Standards New Zealand (2004). “NZS1170.5 Earthquake actions”. Wellington, NZ.

Bradley BA (2014) “Site-specific and spatially-distributed ground-motion intensity estimation in the 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquakes”. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, (61–62): 83-91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2014.01.025

Cubrinovski M, Green R, Allen J, Ashford S, Bowman E, Bradley BA, Cox B, Hutchinson T, Kavazanjian E, Orense R, Pender M, Quigley M and Wotherspoon L (2010). “Geotechnical reconnaissance of the 2010 Darfield (New Zealand) earthquake”. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society of Earthquake Engineering, 43(4): 243-321. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5459/bnzsee.43.4.243-320

Cubrinovski M, Bradley BA, Wotherspoon L, Green RA, Bray JD, Wood C, Pender M, Allen J, Bradshaw A, Rix G, Taylor M, Robinson K, Henderson D, Giorgini S, Ma K, Winkley A, Zupan J, O’Rourke T, DePascale G and Wells D (2011). “Geotechnical aspects of the 22 February 2011 Christchurch Earthquake”. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society of Earthquake Engineering, 44(4): 205-226. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5459/bnzsee.44.4.205-226

Arnold T (1847). “Letters from New Zealand and Tasmania”, 1847–50, p.83. ATL.

Thompson AS (1859). “The Story of New Zealand: Past and Present – Savage and Civilised”. Vol. 2. John Murray, London.

Marlborough District Council (2017). “Smart Maps”. https://maps.marlborough.govt.nz/smartmaps, Accessed January 2017.

ASTM (2007). “Standard Test Method for Particle-Size Analysis of Soils”. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2011.

Cook J (1895). “Map of Cloudy Bay Survey District”. Department of Lands and Survey.

Dizhur D, Simkin G, Giaretton M, Loporcaro G, Palermo A and Ingham J (2017). “Performance of winery facilities during the 14 November 2016 Kaikōura earthquake”. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 50(2): 206-224. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5459/bnzsee.50.2.206-224

Wotherspoon LM, Bradshaw A, Green R, Wood C, Palermo A, Cubrinovski M and Bradley, BA (2011). “Performance of bridges during the 2010 Darfield and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes”. Seismological Research Letters, 82(6): 950-964. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1785/gssrl.82.6.950

Rattenbury MS, Townsend DB and Johnston MR (Compilers) (2006). “Geology of the Kaikōura Area. Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences 1:250 000 Geological Map 13”. 1 sheet + 70p. Lower Hutt, New Zealand. GNS Science.

New Zealand Geotechnical Database (NZGD) (2017). “New Zealand Geotechnical Database”. https://www.nzgd.org.nz (Accessed January 2017).

ASTM (2011). “Standard Practice for Classification of Soils for Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System)”. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2011.

Haskell JJM, Madabhushi SPG, Cubrinovski M and Winkley A (2013) “Lateral spreading-induced abutment rotation in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake: Observations and analysis”. Geotechnique, 63(15): 1310-1327. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.12.P.174

Rother H (1996). “Late Pleistocene Glacial Geology of the Hope-Waiau Valley System in North Canterbury, New Zealand”. PhD Thesis, University of Canterbury. 330 pp.

Palermo A, Liu R, Rais A, McHaffie B, Andisheh K, Pampanin S, Gentile R, Nuzzo I, Granerio M, Loporcaro G, McGann C and Wotherspoon LM (2017). “Performance of road bridges during the 14 November 2016 Kaikōura earthquake”. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 50(2): 253-270. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5459/bnzsee.50.2.253-270

Cox S (2017). Personal Communication. April 2017.

Downloads

Published

30-06-2017

How to Cite

Stringer, M. E., Bastin, S., McGann, C. R., Cappellaro, C., Kortbawi, M. E., McMahon, R., Wotherspoon, L. M., Green, R. A., Aricheta , J., Davis, R., McGlynn, L., Hargraves, S., Ballegooy, S. V., Cubrinovski, M., Bradley, B. A., Bellagamba, X., Foster, K., Lai, C., Ashfield, D., Baki, A., Zekkos, A., Lee, R., & Ntritsos, N. (2017). Geotechnical aspects of the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake on the South Island of New Zealand. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 50(2), 117–141. https://doi.org/10.5459/bnzsee.50.2.117-141