Browsing by Author "Harirchian, Ehsan"

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Comparison of Seismic and Structural Parameters of Settlements in the East Anatolian Fault Zone in Light of the 6 February Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes
(Mdpi, 2024) Isik, Ercan; Hadzima Nyarko, Marijana; Avcil, Fatih; Buyuksarac, Aydin; Arkan, Enes; Alkan, Hamdi; Harirchian, Ehsan
On 6 February 2023, two very large destructive earthquakes occurred in the East Anatolian Fault Zone (EAFZ), one of T & uuml;rkiye's primary tectonic members. The fact that these earthquakes occurred on the same day and in the same region increased the extent of the destruction. Within the scope of this study, twenty different settlements affected by earthquakes and located directly on the EAFZ were taken into consideration. Significant destruction and structural failure at different levels were induced in reinforced concrete (RC) structures, the dominant urban building stock in these regions. To determine whether the earthquake hazard is adequately represented, the PGA values predicted in the last two earthquake hazard maps used in T & uuml;rkiye for these settlements were compared with the measured PGAs from actual earthquakes. Subsequently, the damage to reinforced concrete structures in these settlements was evaluated within the scope of construction and earthquake engineering. In the final part of the study, static pushover analyses were performed on a selected example of a reinforced concrete building model, and target displacement values for different performance levels were determined separately for each earthquake. For the 20 different settlements considered, the displacements were also derived based on the values predicted in the last two earthquake hazard maps, and comparisons were made. While the target displacements were exceeded in some settlements, there was no exceedance in the other settlements. The realistic presentation of earthquake hazards will enable the mentioned displacements predicted for different performance levels of structures to be determined in a much more realistic manner. As a result, the performance grades predicted for the structures will be estimated more accurately.
Seismic Hazard Implications of the 2025 Balıkesir Earthquake of Mw 6.1 for Western Türkiye
(MDPI, 2025) Buyuksarac, Aydin; Avcil, Fatih; Alkan, Hamdi; Isik, Ercan; Harirchian, Ehsan; Ozcelik, Abdullah
On 10 August 2025, a powerful earthquake (Mw = 6.1) occurred in Bal & imath;kesir, located within the Aegean Graben System, one of T & uuml;rkiye's major tectonic elements, and was felt across a very wide region. This study presents a comprehensive assessment of the seismotectonic characteristics, recorded ground motions, and observed structural performance during this earthquake, focusing specifically on implications for regional seismic hazard assessment. Peak ground acceleration values obtained from local accelerometer stations were compared with predicted peak ground accelerations. The study also conducted comparisons for Bal & imath;kesir districts using the two most recent earthquake hazard maps used in T & uuml;rkiye. Comparative hazard analyses revealed whether existing seismic hazard maps adequately represent Bal & imath;kesir. The findings highlight the need for region-specific hazard model updates, improved implementation of earthquake-resistant design rules, and targeted retrofit strategies to mitigate future earthquake risk. The methodology adopted in this study involved comparative hazard analysis using the last two seismic hazard maps, evaluation of PGA's across 20 districts of Bal & imath;kesir Province, and a field-based survey of structural damage. This integrative approach ensured that both seismological and engineering perspectives were comprehensively addressed.