The research was undertaken at the University of Melbourne under the supervision of Professor Emad Gad. Full details of the NASH Specification, loading regimes and protocols were discussed and agreed with representatives of BRANZ and the Department of Building and Housing.

A test house was constructed and subjected to earthquake motions based on the El Centro 1940 North-South record, scaled to generate levels of earthquake loading ranging from serviceability to maximum considered (MCE) determined according to the New Zealand earthquake Standard NZS 1170.5.

The performance of the test specimen exceeded target expectations at all levels of loading, and was subjected to nine shakes up to 1.57 x MCE before the testing was terminated due to the capacity of the shaking table being reached.