Comparative Analysis of the 2023 Pazarcık and Elbistan Earthquakes in Diyarbakır

Abstract

Türkiye is prone to earthquakes due to its location on various tectonic plates, which can lead to a loss of lives and property. Recently, on 6 February 2023, two major earthquakes hit Pazarcık and Elbistan in Türkiye, causing widespread destruction on the East Anatolian Fault (EAF) zone. Even Diyarbakır, a distant province from the epicentre, was severely affected, highlighting the need to evaluate Turkish earthquake codes. As part of this evaluation, a structural analysis was conducted on earthquake-damaged and collapsed buildings in Diyarbakır. The study analysed three buildings with different levels of damage and six collapsed buildings as case studies. The seismic parameters of the earthquakes were compared to the values in the two recent earthquake hazard maps used in Türkiye’s codes, as well as the Eurocode 8 damage limit values obtained from pushover analysis. The results revealed significant differences between the current seismic values of earthquakes and the current peak ground acceleration (PGA) values specified in the Turkish Earthquake Design Regulations. Additionally, the selected buildings showed inadequate structural behaviours, with significant differences between the expected and actual seismic performances with respect to the PGA values as one of the most important earthquake characteristics.