This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on the rocking behavior of rigid blocks. Two types of test specimens have been tested, namely M and C types. Nine blocks of the M type and two blocks of the C type with different aspect ratios were tested with varying initial rotational amplitudes and with different materials at the contact interface, namely concrete, timber, steel, and rubber. The results showed that the interface material has significant influence on the free rocking performance of the blocks. Blocks tested on rubber had the fastest energy dissipation followed by concrete and timber bases, respectively. Analysis of the test results has shown that the energy dissipation in the case of tests on a rubber base is a continuous mechanism whereas in the case of tests on rigid bases, i.e. timber and concrete, energy dissipation is a discrete function. Finally, the rocking characteristics of the blocks were calculated using piecewise equations of motion and numerical analysis. It was possible to predict the correct free rocking amplitude response when a reliable value for the coefficient of restitution was used.the piecewise equations of motions [3]. Pena et al. [6] used complex coupled rocking rotations and discrete element methods to predict the rocking response of four specimens. Both methods are extremely sensitive to the rocking parameters. Finally, it was found that repeatability of the rocking tests under random vibration does not exist.Shenton and Jones [7] showed that under horizontal ground excitation a rigid block has five modes of response namely rest, rocking, sliding, rocking-sliding, and free-flight. Shenton [8] analytically derived the criteria that govern the initiation of these modes in the static frictionpeak ground acceleration parameter space. Oliveto et al. [9] derived analytical expressions for the minimum acceleration impulses for uplift and overturning. They showed that the minimum overturning impulse of a flexible system is always smaller than the corresponding impulse for the rigid system. Taniguchi [10] showed that the effect of the vertical ground acceleration component on the response criteria is extremely important and went on to derive the criteria for initiation of rocking, sliding, and rocking-sliding.The rocking problem is stiff and highly nonlinear in nature, resulting in a variety of rocking responses even for relatively simple harmonic excitation. For an undamped rocking system, Jeong et al. [11] found that quasi periodic and chaotic motions dominated the response. For a damped rocking system, Wong and Tso [12] showed that out-of-phase harmonic and sub-harmonic responses can be stable, and that all in-phase steady-state rocking responses were unstable. When in-phase periodic vertical acceleration was added to a horizontal periodic excitation, the response changed to quasi periodic and chaotic [11]. The stability regions of harmonic/sub-harmonic responses as well as possible chaotic responses were determined using a discrete mapping technique by Hogan ...

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While the efficacy of salvaging underutilised historical buildings to promote sustainable and resilient provincial urban areas in New Zealand has been identified from past studies, there is still an absence of a performancebased framework to rank optimal historical building alternatives for adaptive reuse interventions. This paper focuses on evaluating a performance-based Multiple Criteria Decision Assessment (MCDA) methodology to prioritise underutilised historical buildings for adaptive reuse intervention in a major provincial area in New Zealand, towards achieving a resilient town-centre regeneration for the area.A focus group workshop was conducted with relevant stakeholders involved in an existing town centre regeneration agenda for Whanganui, to explore and balance their opinions for optimal selection of a vacant historical building for adaptive reuse intervention from a group of proposed buildings. The participant mix comprised a combination of building professionals, historical building owners/developers/users, legal, heritage, and council/community representatives.The findings establish the usefulness of the validated framework in balancing the diverse interests of all stakeholders in the adaptive reuse decision-making process. Hence, this paper provides a significant contribution to the development of a methodology that integrates adaptive reuse stakeholders' diversified interests, for the selection of optimal case study building alternatives. The consensus of the multidisciplinary stakeholder group was found to be consistent and insensitive to reasonable changes in weighting. Also, the validated framework enabled the decision-makers to achieve a logical result, and support the visualisation of the impact of different priority aspects and criteria on adaptive reuse interventions in New Zealand.

Purpose Most provincial town centres in New Zealand typically feature old and vacant historical buildings, the majority of which possess heritage values. The growing perception that it is cheaper to repurpose vacant historical buildings rather than demolishing and rebuilding them is one of the factors that have made the adaptive reuse approach so popular. However, will this also be the case for provincial town centres in New Zealand? The purpose of this paper is to identify and explore the key factors that could influence the efficacy of adaptive reuse, and check for significant differences in the effect that each perceived factor would have on the adaptive reuse efficacy as a justifiable resilient and sustainable approach towards the regeneration of a major provincial town centre in New Zealand that is currently experiencing inner-city shrinkage. Design/methodology/approach A focus group workshop was conducted with 22 stakeholders involved in an existing town centre regeneration agenda for Whanganui. Closed-ended questionnaires were administered to the workshop participants to measure their opinions regarding the efficacy of the adaptive reuse approach for the regeneration of Whanganui’s town centre. The participant mix comprised a combination of structural engineers, quantity surveyors, architects, estate valuers, building owners/developers, legal representatives, heritage representatives and local government council representatives. Findings The study reported a high proportion of respondents that strongly agreed to the positive impacts of adaptive reuse with regards to the discussed priority aspects, hence, justifying the efficacy of the approach, towards delivering a vibrant town centre for Whanganui. Also, the Friedman’s analysis suggests that no significant differences existed among all perceived adaptive reuse efficacy criteria by the workshop participants, therefore justifying the approach. Originality/value This paper’s originality pertains to the practicality of changing the use of vacant historical buildings in Whanganui, which is one of New Zealand’s major provincial town centres, to renegotiate resilience and sustainable urban regeneration for the area.

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