Aotearoa New Zealand is one of the most seismically active countries on Earth. The performance of steel structures during an earthquake depends, in large part, on the weld. So how confident are we in the science behind how those welds are designed and sized?

In this episode, HERA's lead research engineer Hafez Taheri walks through the Seismic Research Programme; what 30 years of testing has shown about NZS 3404 weld sizing criteria, why replacing complete penetration welds with fillet or partial penetration alternatives could reduce fabrication costs by up to five times, and what a proposed update to NZS 3404 means for design engineers and fabricators. He also covers the three active research workstreams currently being tested at AUT's structural test hall, in collaboration with the University of Waikato, University of Auckland, AUT, and the University of Michigan, and where robotic welding fits into the future of NZ steel construction.

Resources and links

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