Sigma was contracted to assist the United States Army Corps of Engineers Pacific Command with earthquake recovery efforts in Christchurch, New Zealand in March and April 2011.

Sigma’s primary tasks were to provide demolition engineering expertise and valuable advice to the team from the United States that advised New Zealand officials regarding the best policies for demolition and removal of earthquake-damaged structures.

A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the Christchurch area on February 22, 2011, damaging a substantial number of buildings in the Central Business District (CBD).  An emerging issue in downtown Christchurch was the need for business owners within the CBD to recover critical records and salvage merchandise from their offices and stores.  Sigma supported the team’s efforts to assess damaged structures and provide effective demolition strategies to assist New Zealand officials and local contractors in restoring access to the CBD.