Geotechnical and Structural Investigations in Malatya Province after Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes on February 6, 2023

Abstract

Two earthquakes with moment magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6 occurred on February 6, 2023, at 04:17 a.m. (with local time, GMT+3) in Kahramanmaraş-Ekinözü Pazarcık and at 13:24 p.m. (with local time, GMT+3) in Kahramanmaraş-Elbistan, respectively, in Türkiye. The earthquake was felt in a wide area within Türkiye and caused structural destruction and heavy damage to buildings, especially in eleven cities, including Adana, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, Şanlıurfa and Elazığ. The aim of this study was to present a detailed field investigation in Malatya province, which was one of the most affected cities in the region. The strong ground motion records have been analyzed, and PGA distribution maps were presented. Structural, design, and manufacturing defects in damaged and collapsed buildings were examined. The performance of soil structures was examined, and the defects demonstrated were evaluated in the context of the geological environment. The study is essential in terms of evaluating the damage and possible causes of the building stock in Malatya city center and its districts after the earthquake. In this sense, a holistic evaluation has been carried out, which can be a useful resource for Anatolian cities with typical building characteristics.