A case study on performance of structures during Turkey-Syria multiple earthquakes occurred on February 6, 2023

Abstract

Buildings are an important components of both urban and rural infrastructure, and it is crucial that they perform well during a seismic event. The earthquakes occurred on February 6, 2023 in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, which also had an impact on eleven other locations surrounding it. Turkey has suffered significantly from fatalities as well as damage to structures and other facilities. The area was severely damaged by two earthquakes, Mw7.7 and Mw7.6, which occurred within a time window of roughly 9 hours on February 6, 2023 in Turkey. Seismic regulations only take into account the design of structures during a single earthquake; multiple earthquake occurrences are not taken into account. The performance of reinforced concrete buildings, masonry buildings, and precast buildings damaged during seismic sequences are discussed in this case study. From this study it is observed that, buildings that are subject to multiple earthquakes often collapse because of damage by previous earthquake, weak foundations, detailing errors at site, the use of poor materials, and inadequate craftsmanship. Multiple earthquakes should be considered during the analysis and design phase of structures, and seismic code regulations should be adjusted to allow for multiple earthquakes.