Abstract
ABSTRACT Unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings in Australia and New Zealand share a similar construction history and have displayed similar failure mechanisms in earthquakes. The Canterbury earthquakes of 2010/2011 provide a unique opportunity to evaluate the true success of a retrofit after an earthquake in terms of seismic design, architectural appeal, heritage preservation, economic viability, and observed performance. Case studies are presented of two typical clay-brick masonry commercial buildings that were seismically retrofitted prior to the Canterbury earthquakes and performed well during these events in terms of the described criteria. Both seismic retrofit designs utilised conventional steel retrofitting techniques such as vertical steel trusses and moment resisting frames, and both retrofits won awards for architecture and heritage consideration. The buildings have increased in capital value and remained tenanted since their retrofits. The buildings had minimal to no damage following the Mw 7.1 September 2010 earthquake and the Mw 6.2 February 2011 earthquake.
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