Seismic performance of a post-tensioned LVL building subjected to the Canterbury earthquake sequence.

The following paper presents the seismic performance of a two storey post-tensioned Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) building during the aftershock sequence following the MW 6.3 Canterbury earthquake that occurred on 22nd February 2011. Composed of post-tensioned walls in one direction and post-tensioned frames in the other, the structure under analysis was originally tested quasi-statically in the structural laboratories of the University of Canterbury (UoC), Christchurch, New Zealand. Following testing the building was demounted and reassembled as the offices of the STIC (Structural Timber Innovation Company) research consortium on the UoC campus with several significant changes being made to convert the building from its initial use as a test specimen into a functioning office structure. Just prior to the start of construction, the MW 7.1, 4 Sept 2010 Darfield earthquake occurred in the Canterbury area, however construction went ahead as planned with the building being almost complete when the more devastating 22 February 2011 event occurred. An array of 3-dimensional acceleration sensors was installed on the building follow completion. Innovative techniques have been used in the study of the building seismic response allowing clear representation of the buildings dynamic performance. The damage free nature of the building even under its Ultimate Limit State excitation is also clear.