What are the specifications of earthquake-resistant buildings in Turkey?

Earthquake-resistant buildings in Turkey are constructed based on prior research and studies conducted on the soil on which the building will be constructed and the materials used in the foundation. The foundation is designed appropriately to withstand maximum vibrations and shocks.

The components of the building, including doors and windows, are ensured to be suitable for such disasters. They are designed in a way that contributes to reducing the effects of earthquakes on the occupants of the building. During the construction phase, these types of buildings adhere to standards that ensure the protection of walls from cracking or collapsing and other details or elements that improve the safety of the building against disasters and natural hazards, especially earthquakes.

An earthquake-resistant building is designed using a system that ensures its support through connecting walls to the ceiling with a fixed and rigid square. This increases the building’s defense strength against the side effects of an earthquake. To maintain the building’s safety, the height of the building is limited to 50 meters. If the height exceeds this limit, earthquake-resistant buildings resort to using expansion joints and seismic isolators in the upper floors.

The loads and self-weights that the floors will bear are calculated with extreme precision. The task of carrying the ceilings is assigned to the concrete columns, giving the building greater resistance to earthquakes.

Specifications of earthquake-resistant buildings include:

– The building should be designed in a way that maintains its balance from the inside and outside, often relying on horizontal urban planning to achieve this goal.

– The selection of building soil should be based on a soil study report that indicates its suitability or unsuitability for construction and suggests solutions to soil-related building problems. For an earthquake-resistant construction, the soil type should be solid, and fragile or sandy soils should be avoided. The solidity of the ground significantly contributes to reducing the building’s vibrations during earthquakes.

– What distinguishes earthquake-resistant buildings is their ability to remain intact and not disintegrate during earthquakes. This is attributed to the strength of the building’s joints and their ability to absorb seismic pressure, ultimately reducing the damages caused by seismic shocks.