Microzonation
for Earthquake Risk Mitigation
The
Kocaeli earthquake of August 17, 1999 had its epicentre near Izmit
at a depth of 17 km. The magnitude was 7.4 Mw. More than 17,000
people died and the damage exceeded 30 billion US Dollars.
In
order to reduce damage in a future earthquake, it is important that
the weak points that came to light in the damage pattern of the
earthquake be avoided in future de-velopment. The earthquake risk
can be reduced by means of various preventative measures. The most
effective measures are the reduction of the vulnerability of buildings
and other structures and the development and application of appropriate
land use plans (microzonation). Microzonation relates earthquake
hazard to corre-sponding utilization and building regulations.
The
purpose of this project is to advance the state-of-the-art of land
use management for earthquake safety in Turkey. Two pilot provinces
in the area affected by the 1999 Marmara earthquake will be the
object of detailed scientific study for the development of microzonation
maps which characterize the earthquake hazard in detail and relate
site-specific hazards to specific occupancy and construction recommendations.
The project will provide technical assistance to the scientific
evaluation of seismological, geotechnical and structural factors
related to microzonation. It will provide instru-mentation to enhance
laboratory and data collection capabilities at Sakarya Univer-sity
and at the Earthquake Research Department of the General Directorate
of Dis-aster Affairs. Specific microzonation maps will be prepared
for the pilot areas of the provinces of Sakarya and Kocaeli. Studies
will be carried out on the implementation of land use regulation
and the economic and social benefits and costs of land use management
for earthquake safety. Lessons learned from these two pilot cases
will be used to develop a basic manual for seismic microzonation
and land use manage-ment in Turkey. This manual will provide the
basis for the development of a curricu-lum and teaching materials
on seismic microzonation and land use management.
A team
of research institutions, and government agencies at the national
and local levels will carry out the project. The project team will
include leading Turkish and in-ternational institutions. Aside from
the direct benefit of the products produced for the pilot region
it is envisioned that this project will make a significant contribution
to earthquake safety throughout Turkey and advance the general understanding
and practice of land use management for safer communities around
the world.
The
following proposal updates a draft of November 1999. It represents
the results of close collaboration and cooperation with numerous
Turkish and international coun-terparts. Detailed consultation has
taken place during eight visits to Turkey by the project authors
over the past year.
|