ELAZIG GUNISIGI NEWSPAPER - October 2010
OH, JAPAN, OH!
An interesting comparison is on everyone’s lips: "In Japan, during earthquakes, people hold onto their belongings so they don’t break, while in our country, why do hundreds of people lose their lives even in moderately sized earthquakes?" I’ve been looking for an excuse to address this topic for a long time. I will try to explain it with the opinion of an expert professor.
On Saturday, October 16th, the Elazig branch of the Chamber of Civil Engineers organized the third seminar of 2010 at the Elazig Teachers' House meeting hall. The seminar titled "Behavior of Structural Elements in Earthquakes" was presented by Prof. Dr. Adem Doğangün, a faculty member of the Department of Civil Engineering at Uludağ University in Bursa. It was unfortunate that the participation of our colleagues was low, but it was very beneficial for the students of the Civil Engineering Department. I would like to thank the Board of Directors of the Elazig branch of the Chamber of Civil Engineers, headed by Mr. Hıdır Kaya, for organizing this seminar, and Prof. Dr. Adem Doğangün for the rich content of the seminar.
During the seminar, it was emphasized that earthquakes are directly related not only to their magnitude but also to parameters such as depth, distance from populated areas, and soil conditions. I would like to draw attention to an important issue we face in Elazig. New buildings are generally constructed without basements, except for underground floors. The basement of a building is quite important in an earthquake. At least 75% of the basement should be buried in the ground, which will prevent the building from tipping over in a strong earthquake. No matter how strong the buildings are, if there is a risk of soil liquefaction, the building can tip over due to insufficient depth in the event of an earthquake. There are hundreds of examples of this after the Düzce Earthquake. Unfortunately, I must point out that even radially placed foundations, which are believed to address all kinds of negative issues, will not solve this problem. Sufficient building depth is required to counteract the massive turning forces (bending moments) applied to the foundation during an earthquake.
Prof. Adem prepared a very insightful presentation, staying away from technical details and focusing on practical examples. Now, let’s get to Japan. Prof. Adem told us about an interview with a Japanese scientist that was aired on a TV program. The Turkish host asked the Japanese scientist: "Why is there less damage in earthquakes in Japan, but much more in Turkey?" The Japanese scientist’s response was interesting (at least for us): "You can’t compare apples and oranges!" As the host looked on in surprise, the scientist continued: "In Japan, earthquakes occur far from populated areas and at much deeper levels. Even if the earthquakes are very strong, they are not felt in populated areas. But in Turkey, earthquakes are very close to the surface and to populated areas, so their effects are much more intense."
For those wondering how the depth of earthquakes and their distance from populated areas affects their impact, Prof. Adem gave a great example during the presentation. When a bomb explodes in your hand, does it cause more damage, or when it explodes 5 kilometers away from you? Yes, in Turkey, earthquakes occurring close to the surface and to populated areas are one of the main reasons for the high loss of life. Of course, the damage is directly related to the characteristics of the building, but the characteristics of the building are not the only reason. Earthquakes causing casualties do not only happen in Turkey. The correct approach is not to constantly criticize ourselves but to learn from our mistakes and look confidently toward the future.
A sentence I wanted to hear from Prof. Adem came soon after: "If buildings are not constructed according to regulations, all types of buildings will suffer damage. Whether the structure is reinforced concrete, steel, masonry, or wood, it is not the type of load-bearing system that matters, but the correct construction that determines earthquake performance."
For the sake of our colleagues, it is worth mentioning that reinforced concrete shear walls are not the only load-bearing elements to trust during earthquakes. If the entire building system is not designed properly, relying on just a few elements to protect the system from earthquakes is unrealistic. The soil conditions, building system, and application conditions form a whole in terms of the building’s earthquake safety.
FİMDER IS 1 YEAR OLD...
The Fırat Civil Engineers Association (FİMDER) celebrated its first anniversary on October 16, 2010. Thanks to the efforts of the 44 colleagues who started this journey, the number of members has exceeded 100 and continues to grow rapidly. Through joint projects with the Department of Civil Engineering at Fırat University’s Faculty of Engineering, hundreds of civil engineering candidates have learned important computer programs for their professional careers and earned success certificates after completing their courses.
The Department of Civil Engineering at Fırat University has trained more than three thousand professionals. The bond these colleagues have with the department continues. Currently, our graduates, working in both the public and private sectors, continue to contribute to the department. I would like to thank all of our graduates and members for their contributions to the department and the association.
We have obtained the names of all the civil engineers who graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering at Fırat University and are trying to reach out to them for their contact information. We are planning to meet one weekend next month. We would like to see all of our graduates at FİMDER’s 1st Patila Day. Please send your contact details to www.firat.org.tr or firatinsaatmuhder@gmail.com.
Here’s to many more years for FİMDER…