Geological hazard monitoring Down Under: the New Zealand GeoNet

Abstract

GeoNet is funded by the New Zealand Government to provide national coverage for hazard detection, emergency response, and to increase the quality, applicability and confidence limits of hazards research. Five years into a ten year rollout, the core monitoring networks and data management are emplaced, and effort is now shifting to regional enhancements of monitoring for the actively-deforming plate boundary zone, offshore tsunami sources, and urban centres and structures. Strong ground motion is monitored by a national-scale network of wide dynamic-range accelerographs, supplemented by dense regional networks in special areas. The GeoNet building response programme will instrument a variety of structural types to develop enhanced structural health monitoring (SHM) techniques. Existing, efficient, real-time SHM methods will be validated with data from this programme, with a long-term goal of linking GeoNet and individual monitored structures to enable real-time, post-event assessment of damage and risk for broad regions. The socio-political environment in which GeoNet operates is evolving as central and local governments, and the business sector, focus on the mitigation of natural hazard risk. A strategic review has identified opportunities to develop an integrated approach to risk management within which to effectively situate the GeoNet investment.