The Insight: The Changing Seismic Landscape within the Australian Construction Industry!

Mother nature has a habit of forcing us to action and the recent earthquake in Mansfield, Victoria is a timely reminder that we cannot afford to be complacent about how we build. Events like these are further reasons why the construction industry needs to be vigilant and comply with specifications and standards when it comes to not only seismic design but the National Construction Code (NCC) as a whole.

Most commercial and residential construction today requires a level of seismic assessment and design depending on the building type, location, and application parameters in accordance with AS 1170.4 (Structural design actions Part 4: Earthquake actions in Australia). With the recent update of AS 5216:2021 (Design of post-installed and cast-in fastenings in concrete) which now also covers the design of fastenings under seismic actions, the Australian construction industry has never had better guidance or clarity in designing with the latest state of the art fastening seismic design standards - helping build a safer Australia!

AS 5216:2021 will become a primary reference in the upcoming update of NCC 2022 (National Construction Code 2022). However, not all structures are covered under the NCC. With so many infrastructure projects currently under construction throughout Australia including rail tunnels, road tunnels, level crossing upgrades, bridges, hospitals, and more, these all require seismic design and seismic post-installed fastening solutions. This is not an area where cheap, compromised fasteners should be used as we strive to build a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.

ICCONS takes pride in leading this space with the broadest range of seismic approved fastening solutions that meet the demands of AS 5216, AS 1170.4, and the National Construction Code. ICCONS urges all designers, builders, and suppliers to be alert and aware of seismic design of post-installed fasteners and seismic solutions. Specifying and using seismic compliant fastening systems will mitigate and avert human and economic loss, protecting Australia and minimizing the consequences of future earthquakes.