STUDY ON MASONRY BUILDINGS DAMAGE DUE TO THE 2023 KAHRAMANMARAS EARTHQUAKES

On February 6, 2023, an M7.8 earthquake occurred at an epicenter in southern Turkey. Furthermore, on the same day, a large earthquake of M7.5 occurred. These earthquakes caused extensive building damage and human casualties. The authors obtained data on the degree of damage for 102 masonry buildings lower than three stories around eight strong motion observation sites where the earthquake was recorded. Additionally, another 35 historical masonry buildings in Gaziantep city were surveyed. In this study, we observed building damages and collected related information from neighbors attempting to explain the influential parameters for damages in each survey site. The survey also included the measurement of ambient vibration to elucidate the interaction between the earthquake characteristics and the natural frequency of buildings, which could enhance the vibration of the buildings. In conclusion, soil characteristics, material, wall openings, roof heaviness, and the resonance between buildings and seismic motion seem to be affected by the degree of damage besides the earthquake itself.