Search Results

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 21
    Citation - Scopus: 28
    Damage in Reinforced-Concrete Buildings During the 2011 Van, Turkey, Earthquakes
    (Asce-amer Soc Civil Engineers, 2014) Baran, Eray; Mertol, Halit Cenan; Gunes, Burcu
    Two major earthquakes with magnitudes Mw=7.2 (ML=6.7) and ML=5.6 occurred in eastern Turkey on October 23 and November 19, 2011. The maximum measured peak ground accelerations for the two ground motions were 0.18g and 0.25g, respectively. The earthquakes resulted in various levels of damage to RC moment-resisting frame buildings ranging from minor cracking in brick partition walls to total collapse. This paper summarizes the field observations of the Atilim University Reconnaissance Team carried out in the region a few days after the two main shocks with an emphasis on the performance of RC buildings. A summary of the evolution of the Turkish seismic design code during the last 35 years is given, followed by an explanation of the behavior of RC buildings during the October 23 and November 9 earthquakes. The deformation types that were commonly observed in the heavily damaged or collapsed RC buildings include plastic hinging in columns attributable to stiffer beams, localization of damage in ground-story columns attributable to changes in the stiffness of the lateral load-resisting system caused by brick partition walls, and shear failure of columns caused by discontinuities in the partition walls adjacent to the columns. Poor concrete quality, inadequate development and lap splice length for reinforcement, and inadequate confinement in columns also contributed to the poor seismic behavior.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 3
    Citation - Scopus: 6
    Experimental Analysis of the Behavior of Composite Column-Reinforced Concrete Beam Joints
    (Springer Heidelberg, 2021) Tunc, Gokhan; Dakhil, Abdulrrahman; Mertol, Halit Cenan
    This study assesses the seismic performance of steel-reinforced concrete (SRC) composite columns connected to reinforced concrete (RC) beam joints, and their ability to dissipate seismic energy through inelastic deformations. In this article, experimental aspects regarding the seismic performance of high-ductility and low-ductility steel-concrete composite frame were investigated. The principle design parameter in this study was ductility, which is considered a conceptual framework in Efficiency-Based Seismic Engineering. Thus, attention was focused on assuring various ductility ranges of joints obtained through a detailed study of the Turkish Earthquake Code (TEC 18) [Ministry of Public Works and Housing.: Turkiye Bina Deprem Yonetmeligi (Turkey's Earthquake Code for Buildings). Official Gazette (2018) (in Turkish).]. After identifying deficiencies and the energy dissipation capacity in the newly proposed joints, two half-scaled frames with specific ductility-related designs were constructed, instrumented, tested, and analyzed. The specimens were tested under displacement-controlled lateral cyclic loading that incorporated constant axial loading to create cyclic tension and compression facets across the joint areas. The test results proved that the SRC column-RC beam frames employing an extra column reinforcement ratio exhibit slightly better seismic performance. Due to the presence of structural steel, the shear failure of the joint was effectively prevented, even after the formation of the plastic hinge on the interface of the beam. During the testing, the column rebars, to some extent, made a minor contribution to the joint strength of the specimen compared to the structural steel that absorbed almost all of the load applied to the frame.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 6
    Citation - Scopus: 7
    Finite Element Analysis of Frames With Reinforced Concrete Encased Steel Composite Columns
    (Mdpi, 2022) Tunc, Gokhan; Othman, Mohammed Moatasem; Mertol, Halit Cenan
    Structural frame systems that consists of concrete-encased-steel-embedded composite columns and reinforced concrete beams are typically used in mid-rise to tall buildings. In order to understand their overall structural behavior, a total of 12 frame models with high and low ductility features were constructed and analyzed using LS-DYNA software. Two of these models were validated using the results of previously tested frames. The remaining 10 models were studied to predict the behavior of frames with varying concrete strengths, reinforcement configurations, and structural steel sections under vertical and lateral loads. The results were investigated in terms of cracks and failure patterns, load-deflection relationships, energy dissipation, and stiffness degradation. The analytical results indicated that the high ductile frame models showed slightly better lateral load carrying performances compared to low ductility frame models. Moreover, the analytical studies demonstrated that the existence of structural steel in a column, regardless of its cross-sectional shape, was the most important parameter in improving the lateral load carrying capacity of a frame.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 6
    Citation - Scopus: 6
    Influence of the Proportion of Frp To Steel Reinforcement on the Strength and Ductility of Hybrid Reinforced Concrete Beams
    (Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2023) Kartal, Saruhan; Kalkan, Ilker; Mertol, Halit Cenan; Baran, Eray
    The present study pertains to the influence of variation of FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) proportion in tension reinforcement on the flexural behavior of RC beams with FRP and steel reinforcing bars. A total of 25 beams, including FRP-, steel- and hybrid FRP-steel reinforced ones, were tested to failure under four-point bending. Two types of FRP bars, GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer) and BFRP (Basalt Fiber Reinforced Polymer), were used and both over- and under-reinforced beams were tested. The beams in each group were designed to have close flexural capacities to fully reveal the effect of FRP proportion in the tension zone on beam ductility for a fixed bending capacity. A new analytical model was developed for estimating the bending capacities of beams. Different deformation and curvature ductility definitions were adopted and an energy-based definition, revealing the expected tendency in beam ductility, was determined. The test results revealed that the presence of even a single FRP bar in the tension zone results in reductions up to 40% in beam ductility as compared to the beam with full steel reinforcement. Each additional replacement of a steel bar with FRP was found to cause a further decrease up to 20% in beam ductility.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 54
    Citation - Scopus: 58
    Investigation of Rc Buildings After 6 February 2023, Kahramanmaras, Turkiye Earthquakes
    (Mdpi, 2023) Mertol, Halit Cenan; Tunc, Gokhan; Akis, Tolga; Kantekin, Yunus; Aydin, Ishak Can
    Two major earthquakes struck Pazarcik and Elbistan, towns in Kahramanmaras, Turkiye, on 6 February 2023, approximately 9 h apart. The first earthquake, recorded at 04:17 local time, had a M-w = 7.7, with a focal depth of 8.6 km. At 13:24 local time, a second earthquake occurred with M-w = 7.6 at a focal depth of 7 km, approximately 90 km north of the first one. A total of 11 provinces were severely affected by these earthquakes. As of 15 April 2023, they caused close to 51,000 deaths and almost 215,000 completely destroyed/severely damaged buildings. At some locations, the largest horizontal peak ground acceleration (PGA) values of the first and second earthquakes exceeded the code-generated PGAs by almost 3 and 1.75 times, respectively. A technical team visited these areas within 15 h of the first earthquake. The purpose of this article is to present their observations, findings, and the characteristics of the two earthquakes, with comprehensive site survey results supported by photographs. This study concludes that most of the collapsed and severely/moderately damaged buildings in the region were built between 1975 and 2000, when site inspections were rare or non-existent. In addition to the high PGAs recorded in these earthquakes, it was verified that the design and construction of these buildings did not fully comply with the earthquake codes valid at the time. The collapsed buildings and their damage patterns confirm inadequate development length, violation of bending stirrup ends at 135 & DEG;, deficiencies in construction materials and reinforcement configuration, noncompliance with confinement zones, violation of the strong beam-stronger column analogy, and issues related to building inspection. Based on the extent of the damage, it is strongly recommended that the structural performance inspection of all other buildings located near major fault lines, specifically those constructed between 1975 and 2000, should be completed. Since these earthquakes generated much higher PGAs, which is believed to be one of the main reasons for the extensive damage, a re-evaluation of all other PGAs along major fault lines is also recommended.