ICE President Professor Paul Jowitt has taken a particular interest in the Canterbury earthquake and insights that can be taken from the aftermath.
Prof. Jowitt was in Christchurch in August delivering a lecture at the University of Canterbury where in 1997 he was an Erskine Fellow.
Prof. Jowitt’s key outtakes from reports he has received from the earthquake zone are:
1. Comparing the damage in Christchurch with Haiti; adherence to building codes is crucial.
2. New Zealand was/is at the forefront of earthquake engineering - through the work of the 3 Ps - Professors Park, Paulay and Priestley.
3. Attention to simple things saves damage/injury/lives - screwing stuff to the wall! And having timber framed buildings with sloping "tin" roofs - rather than flat concrete slabs.
4. The interconnectivity of infrastructure lifelines.
We hope to bring you more of Professor Jowitt’s thoughts on the earthquake and the response to it in our December Trans-Tasman newsletter.