Earthquake engineering is a highly specialized area within structural engineering that requires specific skills and qualifications to assess post-earthquake damage levels accurately. At Cescon, we have engineers with design experience and qualifications in this area, ensuring that our clients receive advice from suitably qualified professionals.

Earthquakes are commonly classified by magnitude, Richter scale, PGA value, and intensity levels, all of which correspond to the extent of damage an earthquake may have caused. It is always prudent to have your home inspected by a structural engineer after an earthquake to ensure that no earthquake-related defects are left unaddressed.

Following the September 2022 earthquake in Melbourne, Cescon was engaged to inspect some of the most significant structures in Melbourne, including heritage buildings and residential properties. Our engineers meticulously checked all defects, including member deflections, settlements, localized defects to walls and columns, and the exacerbation of any existing defects, especially cracks.

In 2018, Standards Australia Committee BD-002 amended the existing concrete standard (AS/NZS 3600-2018) and added further clauses and more stringent earthquake detailing requirements. Similarly, in July 2018, the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) released a note emphasizing the importance of designing ceilings, walls, partitions, and other non-structural elements within a building to meet the requirements of the earthquake code (AS/NZS 1170.4-2007).

Furthermore, in November 2021, the VBA published an industry update encouraging building owners and facility managers to consider an out-of-cycle, post-earthquake ESM maintenance inspection to ensure that all safety systems required for the building are maintained and working at the required operational level.

At Cescon, we strive to keep our team up to date with the latest industry standards and regulations, enabling us to educate our clients about their properties and the necessary measures required to ensure the continued service life of their homes. In the past few years, we have conducted numerous inspections, and our reports always include the required actions in the long and short term. We assist our clients during all stages, from initial advice to the final completion of construction, renovations, and repair works.