Damage Observation of Reinforced Concrete Buildings after 2020 Sivrice (Elazığ) Earthquake, Turkey
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 35, Issue 5
Abstract
An earthquake with a magnitude of and a depth of approximately 8.06 km occurred on January 24, 2020, with the epicenter near the town of Sivrice in Elazığ province, Turkey. The earthquake resulted in numerous collapses and severe structural damage to the buildings located in the downtowns and villages of Elazığ and Malatya provinces. A technical team investigated the earthquake-affected areas, and this study presents their observations and findings with respect to reinforced concrete buildings. It was concluded that almost all of the collapsed or severely-damaged reinforced concrete buildings were constructed between 1975 and 1998. The design and construction of these buildings did not comply with the specifications of the Turkish earthquake codes valid at that time. The failures and severe damage of the buildings are associated with poor material quality, inadequate reinforcement configuration, and framing problems related to their lateral load-carrying systems. Therefore, it is recommended that buildings constructed between 1975 and 1998 in the region be structurally re-evaluated to avoid additional loss of life and property in future earthquakes.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge Atilim University’s support of the technical team. We also thank Assistant Professor Dr. Ceren Demirci Kına and Mr. Tolga Kına for their guidance in Malatya, and Mr. Hıdır Kaya, the Elazığ Representative of the Turkish Chamber of Civil Engineers, for his guidance in Elazığ.
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Published In
Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 35 • Issue 5 • October 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 21, 2020
Accepted: Apr 9, 2021
Published online: Jul 15, 2021
Published in print: Oct 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Dec 15, 2021
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