Earthquake disaster in Turkey and Syria — There are fewer options for historic buildings
Civil engineer Božidar Stojadinović, professor of structural dynamics and earthquake engineering, explains the reasons why the recent strong earthquake in Turkey and Syria led to the collapse of many buildings: they were not built robustly enough for such events.
The damage has to do with both loose subsoil and poor construction of the buildings. Some of the older buildings, constructed of masonry or reinforced concrete, had poor connections between columns and beams or slabs.
Conventional methods to improve earthquake resistance include avoiding air pockets in reinforced concrete and strong connections between columns and beams.
Progressive methods to improve earthquake resistance include lightweight construction, such as wood buildings or wood-steel-concrete structures. Older buildings can also be made earthquake-resistant.
Original text: Download Tages-Anzeiger, 8 February 2023 (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Earthquake engineer Božidar Stojadinović in external page conversation with "20 Minuten".
To the Chair of Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering led by Prof. Božidar Stojadinović