1:45 PM - 3:15 PM
[HDS08-P06] MARTEST – Establishment of a Research and Education Complex for Developing Disaster-Resilient Societies Project and Structural Evaluation after February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş Earthquake, Turkey
Keywords:Disaster-resilient structures, resilient, Kahramanmaras earthquake, Seismic hazard
Turkey is in a very seismically active area as located in the complex structure of collision between the Eurasian Plate and both the African and Arabian Plates. The seismic hazard map of Turkey reveals that more than 70% of its population lives in regions with high earthquake risk.
In addition to that, as a developing country, the urban population and capacities in the cities are increasing day by day and turning into megacities in Turkey. There is a strong need for all kinds of civil engineering structures (high buildings, bridges, engineering structures, highways, dams, thermal and nuclear power plants, drinking water and sewerage lines, historical structures, etc.). It is essential to design, implement and review these constructions by considering the reality of hazards such as earthquakes, floods, winds, landslides, etc.
All disasters (earthquakes, floods, floods, landslides, storms, terrorism, etc.) experienced in Turkey, rapidly increasing population, migration to big cities and the creation of new settlements constantly, renewal of existing settlements and urban transformation projects, engineering structures, rapid developments in the application of new methods and technologies, increasing the building stock and number of tall buildings remarkably increase the need for the applied research and development laboratories. However, more importantly, industrial organizations and value-added manufacturers need earthquake simulation laboratories for product tests and resources that provide information to reduce earthquake risk for real estate investments. In addition to all these, Seismic Isolation and Vibration Control technologies, which are increasingly being used in countries with high earthquake hazards, are also becoming increasingly common in Turkey.
Marmara Research and Training Center for Disaster-Resilient Structures was established on December 21, 2022. The main purpose of the center is to provide the opportunity to research, examine, develop, implement, and collect data in order to predetermine the damages that earthquakes may cause to structures and reduce earthquake damages. In addition, it is among the objectives of the investment to support the academic staff and students who will conduct research and practice on earthquake engineering, to develop the existing research, application, and education infrastructure, to enable and support R&D and scientific research activities in line with the strategies and plans of the country.
The center has just initiated a SATREPS project with the cooperation of JST and JICA titled “MARTEST - Establishment of a Research and Education Complex for Developing Disaster-Resilient Societies” effective from April 1, 2023, to April 1, 2028. The aim of this project is to establish a national test center that will meet the strong need for the production/dissemination of new technologies during the design, implementation, and control of all kinds of civil engineering structures and all relevant elements/components.
While working on this project, the Kahramanmaras earthquake of February 6, 2023, hit the southern part of Turkey and caused more than 30,000 casualties and collapse and heavy damage to thousands of buildings. The economic losses of the earthquake are not known at the moment.
This paper discusses the importance of establishing disaster-resilient societies and the preliminary observation from a structural engineering perspective after the Kahramanmaraş earthquake of February 6, 2023.
In addition to that, as a developing country, the urban population and capacities in the cities are increasing day by day and turning into megacities in Turkey. There is a strong need for all kinds of civil engineering structures (high buildings, bridges, engineering structures, highways, dams, thermal and nuclear power plants, drinking water and sewerage lines, historical structures, etc.). It is essential to design, implement and review these constructions by considering the reality of hazards such as earthquakes, floods, winds, landslides, etc.
All disasters (earthquakes, floods, floods, landslides, storms, terrorism, etc.) experienced in Turkey, rapidly increasing population, migration to big cities and the creation of new settlements constantly, renewal of existing settlements and urban transformation projects, engineering structures, rapid developments in the application of new methods and technologies, increasing the building stock and number of tall buildings remarkably increase the need for the applied research and development laboratories. However, more importantly, industrial organizations and value-added manufacturers need earthquake simulation laboratories for product tests and resources that provide information to reduce earthquake risk for real estate investments. In addition to all these, Seismic Isolation and Vibration Control technologies, which are increasingly being used in countries with high earthquake hazards, are also becoming increasingly common in Turkey.
Marmara Research and Training Center for Disaster-Resilient Structures was established on December 21, 2022. The main purpose of the center is to provide the opportunity to research, examine, develop, implement, and collect data in order to predetermine the damages that earthquakes may cause to structures and reduce earthquake damages. In addition, it is among the objectives of the investment to support the academic staff and students who will conduct research and practice on earthquake engineering, to develop the existing research, application, and education infrastructure, to enable and support R&D and scientific research activities in line with the strategies and plans of the country.
The center has just initiated a SATREPS project with the cooperation of JST and JICA titled “MARTEST - Establishment of a Research and Education Complex for Developing Disaster-Resilient Societies” effective from April 1, 2023, to April 1, 2028. The aim of this project is to establish a national test center that will meet the strong need for the production/dissemination of new technologies during the design, implementation, and control of all kinds of civil engineering structures and all relevant elements/components.
While working on this project, the Kahramanmaras earthquake of February 6, 2023, hit the southern part of Turkey and caused more than 30,000 casualties and collapse and heavy damage to thousands of buildings. The economic losses of the earthquake are not known at the moment.
This paper discusses the importance of establishing disaster-resilient societies and the preliminary observation from a structural engineering perspective after the Kahramanmaraş earthquake of February 6, 2023.