The real science behind the unreal predictions of major earthquakes in 2018

Rescuers dig through the rubble during a search for two missing children in Casamicciola Terme, Italy, after a magnitude-4.0 earthquake struck in August.

There is no way to predict an individual earthquake. Earthquakes occur when potential energy stored along cracks in the planet's crust gets released, sending seismic waves through the Earth.

Since scientists know where those cracks exist, and how they are likely to convulse, they can develop forecasts of the general threat for an area. But the forces that contribute to this energy buildup and trigger its release are global and complex, and we still cannot sort out exactly how it might unfold.

For the full article click the link below.

Buildings failing to meet earthquake standards

Photo credit: 123RF

The team at TRACKLOK® have seen a number of articles written recently, on the lack of consideration given to securing non-structural elements within NZ buildings. Building inspections show most Auckland and Wellington high-rises failed to meet earthquake standards to stop people being hit by falling objects. With help from our distributors and industry partners we are seeing the walls and ceilings industry leading the way with proprietary solutions to these serious issues.

TRACKLOK® secures partition walls and with the TRACKLOK® plan mark-up team continuing to provide set out clarity. This FREE plan mark-up service really makes a difference.

Meanwhile, GRIDLOK® is providing clarity, consistency and real performance in ceiling bracing. From designers looking for consistency and installers looking to produce excellent results, quickly – GRIDLOK® is proving its worth. We believe the use of proprietary TRACKLOK® and GRIDLOK® solutions will improve the future performance of NZ’s building stock.

Please note that our manufacturing team have been hard at work and are demanding time off over the Christmas break – please order stock early as they will be offline from the 22nd of December 2017 – 8th January 2018.

High-rises in Auckland, Wellington fail quake standards

Wellington. Photo credit: 123RF

Building inspections show most Auckland and Wellington high-rises failed to meet earthquake standards to stop people being hit by falling objects.

The 2016 survey released to RNZ by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) - after it previously refused media requests - is the first official confirmation of industry warnings of massive non-compliance to the standards for securing non-structural elements.

For the full article click the link below.

Staff safety in quake on building owners, employers - law firm

Pipes, fittings and ducting that are not properly restrained could prove deadly in an earthquake. Photo credit: 123rf

If people are killed or injured when non-structural parts of a building fall in an earthquake, building owners and employers will be liable, a lawyer says.

A survey of randomly selected high-rises in Auckland and Wellington, released to RNZ last week, showed most failed to meet standards to stop the people inside being hit by falling objects.

It showed that between half and 90 percent of the restraints holding in place non-structural elements - suspended ceilings, partition walls, fire sprinkler systems, air-conditioning, lights and plumbing - were substandard.

Garth Gallaway from Chapman Tripp in Christchurch said the obligation was on the building owner or occupier to take steps to stop people from being harmed in a quake.

For the full article click the link below.

October 2017 news

It's nearly Labour weekend here in New Zealand and the team at TRACKLOK® are looking forward to catching our breath! Our travels to Australia have been well worthwhile, as designers, contractors and our Australian distributors see the value in the TRACKLOK® and GRIDLOK® solutions. A big thanks to the AWCI ANZ for hosting us at the 72nd annual conference in Hamilton Island - what a venue!

We were very touched by the Troake family and the inaugural Peter Troake Memorial Apprentice of the Year award, which was won by NZ’s very own Keegan Milburn. Also, congratulations to John Seddon and the Hush Interiors team who won the commercial award for excellence for their ceilings at the ANZ building in Christchurch (pictured above) – a project that also utilises TRACKLOK®!

Meanwhile the good news for our friends in the USA is that our patent application has been accepted by the US patent office and we’ve started our ICC accreditation – a great reason to celebrate!

The TRACKLOK® plan mark-up team continue to provide clarity and we encourage you to use this FREE plan mark-up service.

Finally, the Bracing Guide for NZ and Australia continues to fly off the shelves. Remember to get your copy – download here, or order a hard copy here.

'Megathrust earthquake' could kill thousands

Scientists have warned a "megathrust" earthquake could release 2000 times more energy than the 2011 Christchurch earthquake that killed 185 people.

The risk comes from the Hikurangi subduction zone, a fault that runs along East Coast where the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates collide.

Scientists are discussing the risks it poses at a summit in Napier this week. They say it could trigger a massive 8.4 magnitude quake, that would cripple the lower North Island.

For the full article click the link below.

State of Play

This year is flying past and the team at TRACKLOK® have been working hard to provide quality, fit for purpose bracing products and guidance. Our manufacturing team has been working hard building stocks of TRACKLOK® and GRIDLOK® to ensure supply to the market remains constant. Meanwhile, all our great distributors have been holding decent stock levels to keep hard working installers supplied.
 
The plan markup team has been turning plans around very quickly for designers and installers. This helps to provide clarity for all around TRACKLOK® set out positions. We encourage you to use this FREE plan markup service.
 
Finally, the Bracing Guide for NZ and Australia has been so well received that we have authorized a second print run. Remember to get your copy of the NZ Bracing Guide – download here, or order a hard copy here.

Earthquake Prone Building regime (EPB)

The team at TRACKLOK® have been analyzing the recently released Earthquake Prone Building regime (EPB). How it interacts with the Health and Safety Act and its impact on non-structural elements. Released on 1st July 2017 the EPB sets out how to identify earthquake prone buildings, both in terms of structure, but also in terms of non-structural elements. Further commentary here.

Essentially, this guidance states that building occupiers and building owners need to take steps to identify and manage any parts of buildings which can cause harm in the event of an earthquake. Assessments of earthquake prone buildings will consider non-structural elements where life safety is compromised.

What we see here is a sharper focus on compliance to the building code as insurance companies, building owners and government demand better outcomes.

We are pleased to offer TRACKLOK® and GRIDLOK® - proprietary, off the shelf, compliant solutions to bracing walls and ceilings. Remember to get your copy of the NZ Bracing Guide – download here, or order a hard copy here.

The New Zealand interiors industry is leading the way by “building it better”!

The Tracklok® Bracing Guide is proving its worth

The TRACKLOK® Bracing Guide is proving its worth on the design table and on-site. After years of hard work, testing and analysis we have completed the definitive guide to bracing non-structural partitions and ceilings in commercial fit out.

We have been working tirelessly on the TRACKLOK® Bracing Guide to ensure clarity and it is now ready to share with you. It provides designers, engineers, regulators and industry professionals with guidance for the bracing of non-structural partitions and ceilings. Importantly, it also provides contractors with a single point of reference, for easy to install and easy to build solutions to on-site bracing issues.

Using our pre-engineered, off the shelf TRACKLOK® and GRIDLOK® products in conjunction with this bracing guide will save time, save money and save cost to projects. This is a great step forward to “building it better”.

Take a tour through the TRACKLOK® Bracing Guide or download your digital copy from our website today. Printed copies will be available next week– if you haven't already and would like a copy, register your interest here.

The TRACKLOK® Bracing Guide has arrived!

The TRACKLOK® Bracing Guide for New Zealand and Australia has arrived! After years of hard work, testing, and analysis we have completed the definitive guide to bracing non-structural partitions and ceilings in commercial fit out.

We have been working tirelessly on the TRACKLOK® Bracing Guide to ensure clarity and it is now ready to share with you. It provides designers, engineers, regulators and industry professionals with guidance for the bracing of non-structural partitions and ceilings. Importantly, it also provides contractors with a single point of reference, for easy to install and easy to build solutions to on-site bracing issues.

Using our pre-engineered, off the shelf TRACKLOK® and GRIDLOK® products in conjunction with this bracing guide will save time, save money and save cost to projects. This is a great step forward to “building it better”.

Take a tour through the TRACKLOK® Bracing Guide or download your digital copy from our website today. Printed copies will be available shortly – if you'd like a copy register your interest here.

GRIDLOK® capacity is up!

We have some great GRIDLOK® news to share with you! Capacity is up!

We’ve been working hard to understand the full potential of GRIDLOK® and what we have discovered is an increase in capacity from 210kg to 280kg per brace. This also means that seismic designs using GRIDLOK® reduces the number of braces required! Substitution with traditional methods will require a re-design!

If it’s designed with GRIDLOK® – build it with GRIDLOK®. For more information, the New TRACKLOK® and GRIDLOK® Design Guide is coming soon – register your interest here.

The recent code changes and the media point to an increased focus on correctly securing non-structural elements within the building envelope. At TRACKLOK® we believe this focus is important and we will continue to develop pre-engineered, real world solutions. With TRACKLOK® and GRIDLOK® the interior fit out industry is ahead of the curve.

NEW GRIDLOK® capacity tables coming soon

There is a lot going on at TRACKLOK® Ltd these days and we are excited about the future. Our work on the TRACKLOK® and GRIDLOK® design guide continues and in the coming weeks we will release this to the market – expect big things!

Our engineers have been analyzing the data from the testing of GRIDLOK® and will also announce new capacity tables shortly. These will allow for the increase in the ability for GRIDLOK® to secure high, heavy and large grid and plasterboard ceilings.

For now, the team at TRACKLOK® would like to wish you and your families a very happy Easter. We sincerely hope you have time to relax, reflect and to enjoy!

NEW GRIDLOK® C Channel

The GRIDLOK® range has grown over the last few months and we are proud to introduce GRIDLOK® C Channel (GRD-10C) to the range.

Providing 210kgs of capacity, GRIDLOK® C Channel provides screw fix plasterboard ceilings with a robust and elegant back bracing solution. GRIDLOK® C Channel is easy to install, reduces labour costs, minimizes clashes and performs consistently every time.

Remember, once you have a seismically designed ceiling it is important to ensure partition walls are not connected to the ceiling as this compromises the original design. Luckily, TRACKLOK® has been developed to secure those partition walls and allow walls and ceilings to act independently – easy!

New seismic bracing guide coming soon

From specific design through to standard fit out work, the TRACKLOK® and GRIDLOK® range of products are being well utilized.

At TRACKLOK® Ltd we’ve been speaking to engineers about using TRACKLOK® bracing units as the starting point for their specific designs. They agree, TRACKLOK® provides a quantifiable and robust base for Importance Level 2 (IL2) though to Importance Level 4 (IL4) designs.

In order to facilitate engineer’s designs, we are working hard in the background compiling a complete guide to seismic and structural bracing for walls and ceilings.

Utilising the work done developing TRACKLOK® and GRIDLOK® we will be releasing this bracing guide in the coming months – we’ll keep you updated with progress.

For now, we continue to develop new products, support designers with information and help to provide clarity on site by marking up plans with TRACKLOK® positions.

TRACKLOK® RETRO for existing commercial buildings

Events of 2016 have seen the focus on non-structural elements sharpen even further. Changes have been made to NZS 1170.5 to ensure parts’ loading reflects real world actions, while seismic events of 14th November 2016 highlighted the performance of correctly braced non-structural elements.

Our partners and clients in Wellington have been de-coupling partition walls from ceilings to ensure quality and safe tenancies. The use of TRACKLOK® RETRO makes this job particularly easy.

TRACKLOK® RETRO is fitted to the partition head and braced to the structure over allowing ceilings and walls to be de-coupled quickly and easily. It also means decisions can be made on whether to retain or replace ceiling elements to meet NZS 1170.5 – this is where GRIDLOK® can also assist.

Effects on Suspended Ceilings

NZS 1170.5 Amendment - Effects on Suspended Ceilings
Ceiling design has changed – the standards committee has made changes to NZS1170.5 the parts loading for ceilings. As a result more ceilings will now need to be designed to Ultimate Limit State (ULS). We asked for clarification from our engineer and here is the response.