R-D Projects

Marmara Earthquake Emergency and Reconstruction Project (Loan No: 4517-TU)
Feasibility Study for Seismic Retrofitting of 369 Residential Apartment Buildings in İstanbul

Client: Prime Ministry Project Implementation Unit
This project, funded by a World Bank loan as part of the Marmara Earthquake Emergency Reconstruction Project, has undertaken the seismic assessment of 369 mainly 5-storey apartment buildings in the Municipality of Bakırköy, İstanbul. The building materials have been sampled and each building measured so that it can be analysed to determine its performance in a M 7.2 scenario event some 12 km away. A retrofit solution has been designed and estimated for cost of each building, the cost-benefit ascertained, and the residents have been consulted as to the suitability/acceptability of the retrofit scheme proposed. This is an innovative project internationally which is likely to be replicated by cities worldwide facing a similar risk to İstanbul.
As result, retrofit designs of approximately 560,000 m2 of residential buildings have been prepared and works completed at the end of 2005. Project has been performed together with BECA International Consultants from New Zealand.

TUBITAK, Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Institution–
Middle East Technical University (METU) Civil Engineering Department
Earthquake Safety Assessment Study

A research study in Duzce for seismic assessment and development of alternative retrofitting assessment methods has been done on 477 buildings which has an area of 700,000 m2.

LESSLOSS: Earthquake and Landslide Hazard Mitigation Project (Integrated Project)

The LESSLOSS project will have a permanent effect in reshaping the way earthquake and landslide risk mitigation research is carried out in Europe, creating bridges between different fields of knowledge and the coordinated remote use of facilities, resources and data, in view of the technology transfer to the stakeholders for effective risk reduction. A European research area able to compete, in particular, with US and Japanese centers in all fields related to earthquake and landslide risk mitigation will result and may progressively lead to the creation of permanent, geographically distributed centers.

Marmara Earthquake Emergency and Reconstruction Project (Loan No: 4517-TU)
Building Code Enforcement Analysis

Client: Prime Ministry Project Implementation Unit
The project named as “Building Code Enforcement Analysis” has been defined under A.3.3. subcomponent of the Marmara Earthquake Emergency Reconstruction (MEER) Project executed under the responsibility of the Prime Minister Project Implementation Unit (PIU). Consultancy Services requested for “Building Code Enforcement Analysis” describes the activities that are required to analyze and put forward the weakness of the related legislation about development with the building codes and make recommendations for an effective implementation and enforcement of these aforementioned legislation to achieve safe settlements with its necessary standards. The major aim of the “Building Code Enforcement Analysis” study are outlined in ToR as follows;

• With the help of relevant inputs from related disciplines, multi-dimensional (legal, institutional, socio-economic, cultural, etc.) analysis and diagnosis of violations and illegal developments despite existing legislation in force along with disaster threats, and,
• Proposition of effective and realistic recommendations for setting up better land use and zoning plans and enhance the enforcement of building codes in Turkey towards safer living environments through the achievement of more reliable building stocks and also developing natural hazard resistance in our cities.
• The objectives of the “Building Code Enforcement Analysis” study, are as follows;
• Analyze the legal, institutional, economic, cultural, local and social reasons for lack of enforcement of development legislation and building codes and disobedience to urban land use and zoning plans, and
• Prepare an action plan to be implemented by national and municipal level institutions to increase the compliance with building code and land use and zoning plans.