Dixon
PRODUCTIONS LTD
Awards Won
Contact
105D Carder
160 Hobsonville Point Road
Hobsonville Point
Auckland
Mobile: 027 300 3143
ITVA Silver Monitor Award 1999 (It was Just a Tramp in the Bush – corporate video)
ITVA Craft Excellence Plaque 1999 (It was Just a Tramp in the Bush – corporate video)
Award of Distinction, Creativity 29 1999 (It was Just a Tramp in the Bush – corporate video)
ITVA Gold Monitor Award 1996 (Earth Storms-Sitting on a Time Bomb - TV3 documentary)
ITVA Silver Monitor Award 1996 (Earth Storms-Sitting on a Time Bomb -TV3 documentary)
ITVA Silver Monitor Award 1994 (In Fear of Invasion – TV One documentary - TVNZ)
Diploma Za SODELOUANJE 1989 (The Lake that Exploded – National Film Unit documentary)
Diplom Za UCAST 1989 (The Lake that Exploded – National Film Unit documentary).
Grant is an independent film and documentary maker. He produces, writes, and directs research based broadcast quality documentaries that pick up on current social issues of public interest.
Previously Grant worked as a Producer/Director for the National Film Unit and TVNZ. He then worked for his own production company, Dixon Productions Limited, and produced television programmes and documentaries for both TVNZ and TV3.
Grant's work includes the 1996 'Earthquakes!' TV3 documentary that accurately predicted the destructive outcomes of the 22nd February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. A short video recut has received over 125,000 YouTube views. To view, copy and paste this link: http://youtu.be/NkTy6ogLDX8
Grant Dixon - film maker
experts interviewed ...
(roll over for names & titles)
Masoud Moghaddasi of University of Canterbury says that design codes don’t show the possibility of structural acceleration amplification and that it can’t simply be neglected. He considers the excluding of soil-structure interaction effects within geotechnical reports to be ‘non-conservative’. He believes this needs to be urgently addressed.
A recent NZSEE Geotechnical update noted that; ‘the ignoring of resonance effect is something that could lead to the underestimation of soil-foundation effects’.
Stuart Oliver of Holmes Consulting holds that it’s common practice for New Zealand engineers to derive values of bearing capacity for shallow foundations using rudimentary ground investigation tools in often complex ground conditions. Calculations are based on questionable concepts and crude, dated correlations from overseas, to arrive at bearing capacity values that are reported with undue accuracy and certainty.
Many engineers have confirmed that these issues are real and on-going. The question remains; “are these simply in-house technical matters that only the industry can understand and resolve, or are they of such concern that they urgently need to be brought into the pubic arena, - especially when considering that more hugely distructive quakes are likely?”
Thousand of lives are at risk ...
Experts are concerned
Consulting Engineer Christchurch City Council
Professor Emeritus Civil & Natural Resources Engineering University of Canterbury
John Scarry Engineering
Civil & Natural Resources Engineering University of Canterbury
Civil & Natural Resources Engineering University of Canterbury
Seismologist GNS Science Lower Hutt
School of Geography Victoria University of Wellington
Seismologist GNS Science Lower Hutt
Chief Engineer Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
NewZealand Society for Earthquake Engineers Inc. & the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand Inc.
Research Engineer UC Quake Centre University of Canterbury
Civil & Natural Resources Engineering University of Canterbury
synopsis
You don’t know
what you don’t know
Why did Christchurch buildings collapse?
This documentary is an investigative review of key soil and building engineering concerns, that were exposed in the 2011 Christchurch, New Zealand earthquake.
Christchurch city is unique, as it is built on half a kilometre of alluvial soft soils and river gravels. Following the devastating 2011 earthquake, most of the city’s central business district was condemned for demolition, a process still continuing today five years later.
While the recorded earthquake forces were immense, this quake still just had a small 6.3 magnitude. How could such an insignificant quake cause so much widespread damage? What will happen if massive magnitude 8, and even magnitude 9, earthquakes attack tall buildings in the future?
Two buildings collapsed during the 2011 earthquake; the CTV building and the PGC building. These caused 133 deaths, - most of Christchurch's 185 deaths. The Royal Commission enquiry blamed poor and inadequate design for these failures, - but is there more to this story?
This documentary looks at the soils on which the city stands, and asks whether extreme resonant shaking effects, similar to what occurred in the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, could have also occurred here. Seismologists, scientists, engineers and officials are interviewed in a search for answers. How extensive are geotechnical soil investigations today? How seriously do engineers consider foundational soils when designing new tall buildings? What is being done to address on-going issues of training, specialisation and retrofitting of still standing but dangerous old buildings?
This documentary overviews the key issues and reveals concerning short-comings, in a profession that struggles with tightening budgets and a “I don’t what to know” attitude.
This documentary can now be viewed here FREE of charge: https://youtu.be/lnarVAoiZ7A
Review of Commission transcripts revealed significant geotechnical and structural engineering issues:
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The Commission warned: “In Mexico City, seismic waves created resonance in buildings. Designers should be aware of this possibility in Christchurch”.
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Commissioner Fenwick pointed out the danger of 'long duration' shaking and the chance for resonance effects to build.
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The Commission conceded that vertical seismic forces may have influenced CTV’s collapse.
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The Commission acknowledged dire Alpine quake 'long period' shaking effects on buildings.
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Important design factors aren't covered in building codes.
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Commissioner Fenwick was "alarmed" to learn that structural vertical excitation isn't considered by engineers.
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1,000s of unreinforced masonry buildings have little or no seismic retrofitting.
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The Commission saw an urgent need to repair CTV design fault buildings.
Canterbury Earthquakes
Royal Commission
At the Commission it was stated that there’s nothing to prevent engineers moving outside of their expertise area.
As well it was pointed out that to design a building it’s not in fact necessary to be a Chartered Engineer (member of the Institution of Professional Engineers of New Zealand) or even to hold an engineering degree!
The problem of applying 'new findings' was also highlighted when it was asked; “When breakthrough or new research is accepted should engineers troll through the past 40 years of their jobs, asking was the practice I used then a good practice now?”
Professional standards and training crisis?
how it came about ...
Following the 22 February 2011 Christchurch earthquake and the YouTube release of my 1996 Earthquake documentary recut, I was asked by a reporter; ”Why didn’t you do more to warn authorities back then?” I replied, “Maybe I should have camped outside the Mayor’s office until something was done”.
Due to ongoing concerns, this documentary is in effect 'me camping outside the Mayor’s office'.
Also in 1996 a scientist told me that the then Christchurch Nurses Home, in a certain earthquake could shake 20 times more than another building somewhere else in Christchurch.
This buidling has since been demolished, but what other Christchurch buildings could this warning apply to as well?
1996 TV3 Documentary 'Earthquakes!'
133
6.3
2011
185
22nd February
earthquake
richter magnitude
Christchurch
fatalities
CTV & PGC building deaths
