Seismic studies accelerating

A University of Canterbury earthquake engineering professor has gained almost $1 million from Marsden Fund Te Pūtea Rangahau a Marsden to accelerate his research into the effects of ground-shaking caused by earthquakes.

Professor Brendon Bradley, an award-winning earthquake engineering expert and director of Te Hirangu Rū QuakeCoRE: The New Zealand Centre for Earthquake Resilience, received $916,000 from the 2021 Marsden Fund for his project.

Titled: Accelerating the advent of physics-based ground motion simulation for seismic hazard analysis, the project aim is to get to a point where scientists can provide the same sort of information as a weather forecaster.

“Just like a severe weather warning, we would provide you the same information about severe ground shaking, how it varies locally in your city and suburbs, and the likely consequence to buildings,” says Professor Bradley.

“The impact of this research will result from integrated modelling, and consequent holistic understanding, of the seismic rupture, crustal wave propagation and local site response dynamics that give rise to strong ground motions, leading to a ‘quiet revolution’ in this field, similar to what has occurred in weather prediction,” Professor Bradley says.