SYNOPSIS

“An Introduction to Earthquake Engineering Based on AS/NZS 1170 Part : Earthquake Actions – New Zealand”

The earth’s crust is made up of tectonic plates which constantly shifts.  Previously unknown or dormant fault lines are either being discovered or reactivated.  Recent such cases are the 2004 Boxing Day Earthquake, Christchurch Earthquakes, and Kota Kinabalu Earthquake.

The 2004 Boxing Day Earthquake was a global wake up call.  Countries such as United Arab Emirates and Vietnam quickly adopted requirements for Seismic Design.  The Christchurch Earthquakes increased the region’s Seismic design load by approximately 30%.  Malaysia awaits the result of the recent Kota Kinabalu Earthquake event.

This presentation is based on the Australia/New Zealand Earthquake Actions Code.  With particular reference to the New Zealand Earthquake Design requirements.  Some correlation with Eurocode 8 will be made.

The topics covered include spectral shape, ductility, importance factor, subsoil class, natural period, modal response spectrum, and the Equivalent Static Method.


BIODATA OF SPEAKER

Mr. Eric Lee Choo Yeong graduated from the University of Auckland, New Zealand in 2002 and obtained his Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) with the Institute of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) in 2005.  He is also an International Professional Engineer New Zealand (IntPE).

He is currently a Technical Director of NAL Engineers in their Kuala Lumpur branch.  He has over 14 years of engineering consultancy experience.  Having spent more than 8 years in New Zealand and more than 6 in Malaysia, Eric has been exposed to projects in countries such as New Zealand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Nicaragua, and Kenya.

In Malaysia, he has worked on KVMRT Line One, Northern Elevated Section, where he was the structural coordinator for the Sungai Buloh Depot and Elevated Stations.  He has also worked on high rise projects such as Plaza Damas 3 and Shaftsbury Square.

His experience with seismic design includes a 13 storey hospital in Vietnam, several warehouses up to 55,000 square feet in size, geothermal power stations, educational facilities, and water retaining structures storing up to 300,000 cubic feet of water.