Some three years ago the New Zealand National Society for Earthquake Engineering initiated a series of group discussions
with the aim of examining seismic design philosophies and methodology, relevant to different types of engineering structures. The results of the first of these discussions, on the seismic design of ductile moment resisting reinforced concrete frames, were subsequently published in a series of papers in the Bulletin of the Society. 
The publication was followed by workshop meetings, held in the main centres of New Zealand and attended mainly by practising structural engineers. During these meetings the recommendations of the group were disseminated and applied to prototype structures.