ELAZIG GUNISIGI NEWSPAPER – July 2011
A SUGGESTION FROM "ELAZIĞ": TURKEY EARTHQUAKE STRATEGY
We are all aware that our country is located on an active earthquake zone, and that 90% of our population is at risk of destructive earthquakes. The important thing is not to forget about this threat by shifting our focus to other issues. The 1992 Erzincan, 1999 Kocaeli, and 2003 Bingöl earthquakes should not be erased from our memory. Is it just a coincidence that many of Turkey's economic crises occurred after these earthquakes?
In our country, there are many institutions working on earthquake-related issues, and they are, of course, trying to fulfill their respective roles. However, the need for coordination between these institutions cannot be overlooked. While ensuring this coordination, all institutions related to earthquakes must be involved in the system, and a name should be given to this system. The system I am about to explain is what the Fırat Construction Engineers Association (FİMDER) refers to as "TÜDES: TÜrkiye DEprem Stratejisi" (Turkey Earthquake Strategy). The proposed earthquake strategy plan can be outlined as follows:
It is not possible to predict earthquakes in advance with today's technology. Ongoing scientific studies have not yet yielded positive results in this area. Therefore, the efforts are divided into two main categories: pre-earthquake and post-earthquake activities. It is not possible to distinguish the importance of these two categories from one another; thus, both must proceed in parallel. The goal of pre-earthquake work is to develop a high-performance building stock and to train professional teams for rescue operations after an earthquake.
The first part of pre-earthquake activities focuses on buildings. Our country has a large number of buildings with low or insufficient earthquake resistance. Furthermore, thousands of new buildings are constructed each year. The first step in building-related work should be in the area of building inspection, and deficiencies must be continuously updated. The main objectives of building inspection can be summarized as follows:
- Reducing economic and social losses by ensuring the safety of life and property in buildings, thus benefiting both individuals and the country.
- Improving the quality of buildings to extend their economic lifespan and reduce maintenance and repair costs.
- Introducing the concept of specialization in engineering to raise the quality of engineering and architectural services.
- Raising awareness among producers and consumers in the construction sector and ensuring the production of earthquake-resistant buildings in accordance with global standards.
- Enhancing the effectiveness of legal supervision in the construction process.
- Granting authority and responsibility to all technical personnel involved in the construction and inspection process.
- Effectively applying sanctions against those who commit faults during building design and construction, thus increasing trust in the state's legal system.
Turkey's 2007 Earthquake Code, when followed in terms of international standards and design-implementation rules, provides a framework for obtaining high-performance buildings. The important thing is to ensure that the rules in the code are implemented through an adequate building inspection system. Starting from 2011, building inspections should be under continuous supervision nationwide.
The low-performance existing building stock should be divided into two categories: urban transformation projects for city and town centers and rural area transformation projects for villages. These projects should be implemented as soon as possible. It is important to note that each province in Turkey has different structural characteristics. Therefore, separate transformation projects should be developed for each of the 81 provinces (For example, Elazığ should have ELDES: Elazığ Earthquake Strategy), and this information should be stored in shared knowledge pools. Transformation projects for each province should be prepared by local teams familiar with the area's structural and geological features to ensure more accurate results.
Urban transformation efforts should begin with the creation of microseismic earthquake maps. Knowing the earthquake-resistant characteristics of each neighborhood, and even each block, is crucial for determining the earthquake performance of buildings. Zoning efforts should be carried out in light of these maps.
The next step is to assess the earthquake performance of every building in neighborhoods and create earthquake risk maps. Based on these maps, decisions will be made regarding where urban transformation should start. New housing projects are generally being constructed in newly developed areas or in distant parts of cities. Doesn’t this create the potential for old neighborhoods to become breeding grounds for crime, drug use, and social problems over time? Old neighborhoods should be an important part of urban transformation. Moving to new residential areas does not mean that the old structures will no longer be used. In the case of a strong earthquake, buildings in these old neighborhoods will also suffer damage and loss of life. Eliminating the low-performance or insufficient earthquake-resistant buildings in these areas seems to be the most appropriate solution.
Rural areas also contain significant building stocks. This building stock must be quickly identified and assessed for earthquake resistance. For villages in suitable geographical locations, common living spaces can be created, bringing villages together. This approach could restore the social, cultural, and economic vitality of villages, helping solve many related issues. The "Republic Village Plan," which we previously discussed in the Günışığı newspaper, is an important proposed solution.
While these efforts are underway regarding buildings, it is important to remember that earthquakes can happen at any moment. Educational activities, as in any other area, are an indispensable part of the earthquake strategy. In particular, the number of rescue teams should be determined with the expectation of a major earthquake. Volunteers from all institutions should receive disaster rescue training, and everyone should be taught how to organize in the event of a disaster. Along with these efforts, education on earthquake prevention and providing psychological support during an earthquake will help people act more calmly and consciously.
Pre-earthquake efforts will be long-term, complex, and bureaucratically challenging. However, after an earthquake, everything becomes urgent and chaotic. The first task will be to identify all affected settlements as quickly as possible. After that, help will be provided to those in heavily damaged or collapsed buildings. In the meantime, the needs for food, shelter, healthcare, and security for the survivors must be met. To ensure these processes proceed smoothly, disaster simulation drills must be conducted at disaster centers before earthquakes, with "disaster scenarios" created. If these scenarios are designed with consideration of large earthquakes, significant gaps can be identified in advance, preventing many problems in the aftermath.
The system I have outlined here, which could easily be expanded into hundreds of pages, is urgently needed by Turkey. On the issue of earthquakes, all institutions, including ministries, provincial governors, municipalities, universities, professional chambers, associations, and the media, must come together on the TÜDES platform and take the necessary steps for the future of our country.
Since a life without earthquakes is impossible, I wish for a healthy life in earthquake-resistant buildings.