New Zealand researchers will study retrofits to make homes safer in earthquakes and floods and search for hidden faults in Auckland thanks to grants from the Natural Hazards Commission.

More than $NZ1.2 million ($1.03 million) has been awarded to 13 research projects that also include developing statistical methods to connect real quake records with long-term computer simulations. This will enable the first trial forecasts for where and when future quakes might occur.

A University of Canterbury project will develop methods to repair and retrofit multistorey reinforced concrete walls that can fail during quakes.

Another Canterbury team will create a high-resolution national map showing how different ground types affect shaking. By combining tens of thousands of new subsurface measurements with advanced modelling, the updated map will greatly improve the accuracy of seismic hazard assessments.

NHC head of research Natalie Balfour says investing in the studies provides insights for building resilience against natural hazards.

“We’re not just the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. We want to strengthen the cliff or, better yet, ensure people don’t build there in the first place,” she said.