ELAZIG GUNISIGI NEWSPAPER – January 2012
TURKEY CONCRETE INSTITUTE
- Are there ready-mix concrete plants in Van? Yes.
- Are there ready-mix concrete plants in Erciş? Yes.
- Are these ready-mix concrete plants being inspected? Partially. (I can’t even explain the meaning of "partially.")
- Are there any heavily damaged buildings built in the last five years in the earthquake region? Yes.
- Why did the ready-mix concrete buildings sustain heavy damage? It seems that, despite its name, the concrete itself was not ready for the earthquake.
- Are cement factories in our country inspected? They self-inspect for product quality.
- Is concrete, which has serious inspection shortcomings, such an insignificant building material? Definitely not. The quality of concrete is a very important parameter for the seismic resistance of buildings.
- Is it enough to only produce quality concrete? Along with the production quality of concrete, the rules regarding its transportation, pouring, and maintenance must also be followed.
- What are the rules that must be followed? For example, after the concrete is poured and it sets, it must be cured (hydrated).
- How much attention is given to this rule? Very little, in fact, less than very little!
- How can we overcome all these issues? By establishing an institution responsible for supervising the concrete sector.
- Is there a proposal in this regard? Yes, the Fırat Construction Engineers Association (FİMDER) proposes the creation of an institution called TÜRKİYE BETON ENSTİTÜSÜ (Turkey Concrete Institute).
- How is this process managed worldwide? In countries like the U.S., Japan, India, and across Europe, there are research and supervision centers under the name of Concrete Institutes.
- How do these institutions operate in their respective countries? These institutions conduct scientific research on concrete and its components and strive to address shortcomings in applications.
- Are the concrete institutes abroad newly established? The American Concrete Institute was established in 1904, the Indian Concrete Institute in 1982, and the Japanese Concrete Institute in 1965.
As can be seen, the global recognition of concrete as a crucial building material occurred far earlier than in our country. The Turkey Concrete Institute should not be an agency or a branch within a ministry but an independent, science-based organization.
Concrete quality is influenced by many factors, from the materials used to the ambient temperature at the time of pouring. If production is done with this awareness, concrete of the desired quality can be obtained.
When it comes to earthquake-resistant structures, concrete quality is not the only parameter, but it is certainly one of the most important ones. I hope that in these times of institutional restructuring, there will be those who hear our voices.