NZS 3404 Seismic Weld Design; What the Research Shows

NZS 3404 Seismic Weld Design; What the Research Shows

From Stirring The Pot by HERA

May 29, 2026 · 23 min · Season 8 · Episode 131

About this episode

This episode discusses the research on seismic weld design in New Zealand and the implications for steel structures during earthquakes.

Aotearoa New Zealand is one of the most seismically active countries on Earth. The performance of steel structures during an earthquake depends, in large part, on the weld. So how confident are we in the science behind how those welds are designed and sized? In this episode, HERA's lead research engineer Hafez Taheri walks through the Seismic Research Programme; what 30 years of testing has shown about NZS 3404 weld sizing criteria, why replacing complete penetration welds with fillet or part...

People in this episode

Host: HERA

Guest: Hafez Taheri

Topics covered

  • seismic design
  • weld performance
  • steel structures
  • earthquake engineering
  • research findings

Keywords

  • seismic activity
  • weld design
  • NZS 3404
  • earthquake performance
  • steel structures
  • research programme

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: HERA

Books & works: NZS 3404

Places: Aotearoa New Zealand

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