AIM OF THE PROJECT

The Government of Turkey and the World Bank are working together to prepare a proposed Istanbul Seismic Risk Mitigation and Emergency Preparedness (ISMEP) Project, with the objective of assisting the Government in mitigating seismic risks in the municipality of Istanbul and further strengthening the capacity for emergency preparedness in order to reduce the social, economic and financial impacts of potential future earthquakes.

This Feasibility Study will test approaches to the structural retro-fitting (strengthening) of residential buildings in order to reduce their vulnerability to seismic forces and the consequent risks to occupants.

The Bakırköy Municipality has undertaken preliminary surveys of its residential building stock, including soil condition and rapid structural performance assessments of each building individually. This survey has enabled the authorities to identify approximately 3500 buildings, or one third of its total stock, categorized on the basis of structural and soil conditions as at ‘high’or ‘very high’ earthquake risk. Three hundred and sixty-nine of these buildings, in which the majority of owners accepted to be part of a detailed assessment, will be the subject of this Study.

The consultants appointed for the study are Beca-Prota Joint Venture. The project team involves earthquake experts from Beca International Consultants of Wellington, New Zealand and Prota Engineering from Ankara, Turkey.