Tuwhera Research Repository

The Tuwhera Research Repository provides sustainable open access and archiving to a broad range of AUT produced research - theses, research outputs and datasets.

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Access status: Open Access ,
Seismic Assessment of a Full-scale Perimeter-fixed Ceiling With Hook-and-loop-secured Lay-in Tiles Using Shake Table Tests
(Informa UK Limited, 2026-09-09) Tiwari, A; Bhatta, J; Dhakal, RP; Sullivan, TJ; Shrestha, RK; Rashid, M; Yan, Z; MacRae, GA; Yu, J; Xiang, P; Zhang, Y; Jia, L; Ramhormozian, S; Clifton, GC; Quenneville, P; Rodgers, G; Zhao, X
Grid-and-tile ceiling systems are widely installed in commercial buildings but have frequently experienced damage in past earthquakes, resulting in safety risks, costly repairs, and operational interruptions. The present study examines the seismic performance of a perimeter-fixed ceiling incorporating hook-and-loop-secured lay-in tiles, an improved version of a conventional perimeter-fixed ceiling where tiles are not mechanically fastened to the Tees. Hook-and-loop tape at the tile–Tee interface offers an effective means to prevent tile dislodgement and collapse during shaking. The ceiling was installed over half of the third-floor span of a full-scale, three-storey steel-framed building and subjected to unidirectional and bidirectional excitation as part of the non-structural elements testing program of the New Zealand–China collaborative RObust BUilding SysTem (ROBUST) project. The ceiling was subjected to peak floor accelerations of 1.21 g (vector resultant). The observed median fundamental modal periods and median damping ratios lay in the ranges 0.07–0.08 s and 0.93–2.07%, respectively. The median horizontal acceleration amplification factor was 1.07, and the maximum peak component ceiling acceleration in the vertical direction reached 0.38 g. The maximum displacement recorded in the ceiling was 1.89 mm. Lay-in tiles did not experience any pounding with sprinkler heads, and no ceiling components sustained any damage. The hook-and-loop-secured perimeter-fixed ceiling exhibited improved seismic performance compared with conventional perimeter-fixed ceilings. The use of hook-and-loop tape to mechanically connect lay-in tiles to the Tees was shown to be simple and practical for both new installations and retrofit applications. Overall, the system can be regarded as a low-damage, seismically resilient ceiling solution.
Access status: Open Access ,
“Nan had it, Dad had it, so you're going to get it”: Intergenerational Indigenous Heart Health in Aotearoa New Zealand
(Elsevier, 2026-09-02) Thorpe, Holly; Sanerivi, Oka; Pomana, Hadyn; McHugh, Patrick; Lowe, Andrew; McBryde, Fiona
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. To date, very little qualitative research has focused on understanding how those most ‘at risk’ of cardiovascular disease, and those most impacted by systemic inequities and insufficiently resourced health systems, are experiencing heart health. In this paper, we centre the lived experiences of elderly Māori (Kaumātua) and Pacific people living in Te Tairāwhiti, a remote region on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand with the country's highest heart health mortality rates. Drawing upon focus groups with 54 patients and 24 staff (predominantly Māori and Pacific) in an Iwi [tribal] health provider, we reveal how intergenerational trauma associated with heart health and negative experiences with the medical system continue to prevent many patients and whānau [extended family] from seeking early support from their general practitioners. With such insight, we identify the need for local health services to better recognize intergenerational heart health knowledge and practices (including silencing and fear), and the need for more culturally responsive systems that will not only prevent premature cardiovascular disease and death but also improve the quality of life for current and future generations. Ultimately, this paper encourages a shifting of attention beyond individual disease management and towards intergenerational knowledge, historical trauma, family relationships, trust, and Indigenous understandings of heart health.
Access status: Open Access ,
Causes and Mitigation of Delay and Cost Overrun in Deep Excavations Supported by Soil Nailing and Ground Anchoring: A Mixed-methods Study From Iran
(Emerald, 2026-09-17) Bayandor, Sara; Kalatehjari, Roohollah; Kasebzadeh, Jalal
Purpose Deep excavation projects supported by soil nailing and ground anchoring systems are increasingly prevalent in densely urbanized metropolitan areas, yet remain understudied in construction management research. This study investigates the primary causes of delay and cost overrun in such projects, drawing on empirical data from Iran. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining a PRISMA-guided systematic review of 431 international publications with expert interviews and consultations involving 25 industry professionals and structured questionnaires administered to contractors, consultants and owners. Delay factors were evaluated using impact indices, likelihood of occurrence, and overall significance, with root cause analysis pursued to the fourth causal level in key cases. Findings Constraints related to neighboring structures and underground facilities emerged as the most critical drivers, followed by inadequacies in geotechnical investigation. Stakeholder responsibility analysis attributed approximately 38.0% of factors to owners, 37.7% to contractors and 15.9% to consultants. A practical mitigation framework was developed, integrating insights from the systematic review, prior case studies and expert judgement. Regional conditions and sample size constraints may limit transferability. Originality/value This is the first study to apply a PRISMA-guided systematic review of 431 publications specifically to soil nailing and ground anchoring systems, combined with multi-level root cause analysis and structured stakeholder attribution, offering targeted guidance for Iranian urban deep excavation projects and transferable implications for similarly urbanizing economies.
Access status: Open Access ,
Exploring Adult Providers' Perceptions of Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health Promotion Using Social Media in New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Nnabugwu, Adetoun; Conn, Cath; Cammock, Radilaite
Youth sexual and reproductive health (YSRH) is a significant public health concern in New Zealand, with the outcomes revealing persistent health inequities among young people, especially marginalised youth population groups who experience disproportionately high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unintended pregnancies, and related mental health challenges. These disparities are driven in part by structural barriers such as inadequate access to quality, culturally responsive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and persistent stigma associated with STIs and adolescent sexuality, predisposing them to risky behaviours and delayed care-seeking. Further, SRH providers working within traditional health promotion frameworks face significant challenges in engaging young people, who, as digital natives, are often difficult to reach through conventional health service delivery models. The rise of digital technologies has introduced new and emerging possibilities for YSRH promotion. Social media platforms have emerged as a powerful tool for disseminating health information and connecting with young people who naturally thrive within digital environments as producers and consumers; that is, as prosumers of content. This research therefore explored the perspectives of SRH providers in New Zealand on their use of social media to promote SRH among youth, examining the opportunities, barriers, and systemic and structural factors that shape digital health promotion practices in the New Zealand context. The study is grounded in a constructionist epistemology and uses critical theory as its theoretical framework to centre youth-adult power dynamics. As a practice-based qualitative research project, the study used semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to explore provider perspectives on using social media as a YSRH promotion tool. Data collection was conducted in two phases between August 2022 and August 2023. Phase one involved recruiting and collecting initial data from 13 SRH providers across 10 local organisations participating in the research. This resulted in eight one-on-one interviews and two group discussions (split as two- and three-group participants, respectively). Phase two involved the presentation of preliminary findings to the participants, providing them with the opportunity to validate the results and contribute to the final research artefact. Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis approach was applied for data analysis and employed a critical youth lens to illuminate youth-adult tensions in digital health promotion practices and highlight possibilities for change. Three themes were developed, each corresponding to one of the three research questions and collectively informing the development of the artefact (an output is a requirement of the doctoral pathway chosen), a ‘Youth-Adult co-design model for digital YSRH promotion’. This practical framework facilitates equitable partnerships between SRH providers and young people. The findings revealed three key dimensions of the power relations between SRH providers and young people in digital YSRH promotion. First, SRH providers, constrained by institutional ressures and professional norms, prioritise control through existing adult-led practice frameworks, with some expressing scepticism that social media-based SRH promotion can produce lasting behavioural change in youth. Second, the non-fluency in youth language and digital realities among adult providers creates critical barriers to authentic youth-adult relationships, affecting trust and community building. Providers demonstrated aversion to new technological possibilities due to privacy and confidentiality concerns, ethical standards, risks of misinformation, fragmented or dissenting feedback on posts and digital incompetence, all of which contrast with youth’s lived realities and agency. Additionally, cultural and religious factors fuel stigma and discrimination within SRH practices, challenging inclusivity and diversity for marginalised groups such as men who have sex with men and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex people. Third, the findings highlight promising prospects for institutionalising meaningful and authentic youth-adult partnerships as a pathway to navigate the barriers and complexities of digital disconnect and mistrust between adult providers and young people. This study aimed to place youth at the heart of SRH promotion, establishing young people as equal partners and co-creators of change rather than passive beneficiaries. It highlights the urgent need for a policy and regulatory framework that safeguards YSRH and rights while supporting partnerships between youth and SRH providers to better navigate social media spaces, free from epistemic exclusions and autonomy restrictions. Equally important is establishing coherent communication strategies to guide how SRH messaging is conceptualised, designed, and disseminated, ensuring resonance with the diverse realities of young people. Beyond message creation, this study calls for a genuine co-creation approach that goes beyond tokenistic consultation, positioning young people as experts and collaborators throughout the full design and evaluation cycle of interventions. Finally, it reflects on the importance of flexibility and adaptability, essential qualities for reimagining youth–adult partnerships and developing inclusive, future-ready digital health promotion ecosystems. This exegesis is complemented by a creative artefact, a ‘Youth-Adult co-design model for digital YSRH promotion’, which translates the research findings into a practical framework for adult providers and young people to engage collaboratively and build authentic connections. Located in Chapter 7, the artefact offers a five-step, iterative strategy (Reach, Engage, Referral, Uptake, Transformation) designed to foster a crucial mindset shift, leading to enhanced practices across social media and digital platforms that enable youth agency, particularly in New Zealand and, by extension, across international contexts.
Access status: Open Access ,
“The doctors will tell you things that they understand – Not what we understand.” Community Voices on Developing a Palliative Care Model for Cook Islands Māori in New Zealand
(Cambridge University Press (CUP), 2026-09-21) Henry, Amy Evelyn; Pokino, Mayor; Tautolo, El-Shadan; Dewar, Jan; Herman, Josephine; Mulipola, Ioana
Objectives This study aimed to identify the enablers and barriers to accessing primary and specialist palliative care services for Cook Islands Māori in New Zealand, and to collaborate with community members to explore the practical application of a tailored palliative care model Methods Three focus group interviews were held with Cook Islands Māori community members (n = 18). A culturally responsive research methodology, Tivaevae, was used to guide data collection and analysis. An advisory group was established to provide cultural and clinical oversight. Results This study presents the findings from the first phase of model validation, exploring Cook Islands Māori peoples' use of palliative care services in New Zealand. The study identified key moments when families needed clear and accessible health information, during prognostic disclosure and during moments of responsibility transfer. These key moments provide opportunities for families to develop the tools to care and plan. This, in turn, enables family members to choose their preferred place of care and to develop family or community-guided care pathways based on Cook Islands Māori culture and faith. Significance of results While improvements in cultural safety and cross-cultural communication have been made, there are still groups who experience barriers to accessing palliative care. Identifying key moments when care can be enhanced is key to developing systems that can deliver culturally responsive care for minority groups. Conceptual models show the beliefs, motivations, and values that guide care. However, models must be usable for both community members and clinicians, and critically, must support meaningful and positive outcomes.