The Reality of Earthquakes and the Importance of Building Stock
The earthquakes that occurred on February 6, two years ago, have once again brought to the forefront the necessity to question the resilience of residential and industrial buildings in Turkey. A report prepared by Allianz Teknik, Turkey’s first accredited earthquake and fire testing and training center, in collaboration with TÜSİAD after field investigations in the earthquake zone, reveals the importance of non-structural impacts in reducing the destructive power of earthquakes and the damage they cause. Dr. Ceyhun Eren, Allianz Turkey’s Risk Engineering and Allianz Teknik Director, pointed out that significant material damages arising from non-structural elements, as well as issues like post-earthquake fires and business interruptions, are particularly prevalent in industrial buildings.
The Necessity to Face Earthquakes
The Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes serve as a reminder of the necessity for our country to face the reality of earthquakes, as a catastrophe affecting all of Turkey. Our country’s rich earthquake history is critical in reducing potential risks and being prepared for earthquakes. Allianz Turkey established Allianz Teknik in 2019 to increase societal awareness regarding earthquakes and fires. This center stands out as Turkey’s first accredited earthquake and fire testing and training center.
Lessons Learned and the Prepared Report
Immediately after the earthquakes, the Allianz Teknik team, conducting field investigations with the TÜSİAD Earthquake Task Force, made significant observations, especially concerning industrial buildings. These findings were shared with the public in a report titled “10 Actions to Make Industrial Buildings More Resilient Based on What We Learned from the Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes”.
Dr. Eren’s Statements
Dr. Ceyhun Eren, the director of Allianz Teknik who authored the report, expressed that they have gathered the lessons to be learned from the earthquake disaster under 10 headings. “Considering that we need to think multifaceted after the earthquake, we conducted detailed field investigations and analyses with our Allianz Teknik team. We focused on industrial buildings and saw that non-structural effects also play a significant role. We observed buildings that became unusable due to fires despite having no structural damage, leading to business interruptions. We once again confirmed the importance of fully compensating material losses and having security against business interruptions,” he said.
Highlighted 10 Action Points
- Check Whether a Soil Survey Has Been Conducted Before Building Construction: The acceleration of the earthquake that structures will be exposed to is directly related to the soil structure and location. Loose soils with liquefaction or high groundwater levels can reduce the strength of buildings, causing them to collapse. Therefore, a detailed soil survey must be conducted before construction.
- Conduct Earthquake Performance Analysis: Investigations show that the collapse of buildings often results from the inadequacy of the structural elements used to withstand sufficient deformation. According to the Turkish Earthquake Regulation, it is essential to conduct earthquake performance analysis for buildings and take necessary precautions against identified risks.
- Pay Attention to Labor and Material Quality in Earthquake Performance Analysis: During earthquake performance analysis, attention should be paid to the quality of materials, workmanship, and detailing. The analysis report must include measurements such as core assessments alongside labor and material quality.
- Conduct Risk Analysis for Non-structural Hazards: Non-structural risks include situations like the breaking of elevator cables, the breaking of sprinkler systems or natural gas pipes, and the toppling of shelves. It is essential to use materials that have accredited earthquake test reports to mitigate these risks.
- Pay Attention to Design Flaws: Earthquake damages in buildings can stem from architectural design flaws. Design errors, such as the shape of the floor areas and having larger areas above the ground floor, can lead to significant damages during an earthquake.
- Conduct Risk Analysis During Building Design: Performing a risk analysis during the design phase of buildings ensures that earthquake hazards are taken into account. Neglected designs can lead to unexpected damages.
- Conduct Both Static and Dynamic Analysis Before Installing Roof-type Solar Panels: Additional loads on buildings can cause roofs to collapse and columns to be damaged. Dynamic analysis must be conducted before the installation of roof-type solar panels.
- Take Precautions Against Secondary Risks That May Occur During an Earthquake: Secondary risks that occur during an earthquake can trigger events such as fires. Therefore, it is crucial to secure heat and gas sources according to standards and install fire detection systems.
- Obtain Comprehensive Earthquake Insurance: In addition to compensating for material damages after earthquakes, including additional coverages such as business interruption and profit loss in the insurance policy facilitates returning to normal life.
- Prepare a Detailed Business Continuity Plan: The scope of business continuity plans should be expanded, and preparations should be made especially against regional hazards like earthquakes. Topics such as determining the risk level of critical employees’ homes and meeting their accommodation needs should also be included in the plan.
You can access the full report here.
