Improving the resistance of buildings in earthquake zones

Assist. Prof. Dr. Mohammad Reza B. Karimi from the Faculty of Engineering of Cyprus International University (CIU) carried out a research project in Iskenderun, Hatay to increase the seismic resistance of buildings in earthquake-prone areas.

Reza reminded that the earthquake in Kahramanmaraş in February 2023 caused significant loss of life and property, and he went to Hatay-Iskenderun with a group of researchers to carry out on-site investigations so as to evaluate the post-earthquake behavior of the selected buildings and also to make feasibility plans for retrofitting the existing buildings.

Reza explained that they worked on t buildings located in İskenderun province of Hatay which is close to the epicenter of the earthquake, and stated that this location was chosen to ensure that the buildings under investigation experienced severe ground shaking during the earthquake.

Sharing the knowledge that four high-precision accelerometers were strategically placed at different levels in each building to collect data on ambient vibrations, Reza said, “These accelerometers were chosen to record the structural response of buildings to ambient vibrations. The data collected from these structures provided a basis for evaluating the building behavior."

Reza also stated that the research project focused on four buildings namely,  “Three 13-storey buildings and one 7-storey building. These structures were chosen to represent the various building heights and architectural designs commonly found in the region.”

Reza stated that building condition assessment included determining the extent of damage and potential security vulnerabilities, and added, “This assessment was carried out by analyzing the recorded data, observing structural deformations and identifying any signs of deterioration that could compromise structural integrity.”

Stating that the findings highlight the importance of implementing effective structural reinforcement measures to increase the seismic resistance of buildings in earthquake-prone areas, Reza noted that with this research, they provide an environment for understanding building performance under seismic conditions, as well as gain insight into strategies to minimize damage and save lives in future seismic events.