Dr Pilar Villamor

Pilar uses a range of techniques in her work, including excavating large trenches to expose the fault and the geological layers it has displaced to analyse large earthquake magnitude and frequency. Her main research area is the Taupō Rift, an extensional volcanic region in the North Island of New Zealand. Her research feeds into the big picture tectonic evolution of the Taupō Rift within the kinematic evolution of the North Island plate boundary and she has helped map and characterise the seismic parameters of many faults in this region. This knowledge is used for hazard modelling, including the National Seismic Hazard Model. It is also used for geothermal resource assessment.

Pilar also works on active faulting and paleo-liquefaction in strike-slip and contractional tectonic environments in regions ranging from very low (Spain, Vietnam) to high (New Zealand Plate Boundary) seismic activity.  She has co-lead the event response surface fault mapping in the 2010 Darfield and 2016 Kaikoura Earthquakes and undertook paleoliquefaction work in the Christchurch area after the 2010 event.

Pilar also studies the interaction between prehistoric eruptions and fault ruptures to help better predict the evolution of future volcanic unrest.  She has worked around the world, including Mexico, El Salvador and Japan. She has provided consultancy in active faulting, interactions between faults and volcanoes, and natural hazards associated with siting critical facilities in Australia, Japan, Spain, Vietnam and New Zealand.

Pilar has led large research programs on tectonics of New Zealand plate boundary, Taupō Volcanic Zone and Hazards and Risk Management. She is currently involved in two large  SSIF projects, Understanding Zealandia and Hazards and Risk Management, and leads a project on  fault activity in the Hauraki Plains and application of GPR to paleoseismology.