ABSTRACT
Turkey is a nation with active faults spanning the land from east to west and north to south. Between 1999 and 2014, 287 recorded earthquakes caused damage in Turkey, resulting in 100,000 deaths, 170,000 injuries, and 700,000 structural failures. The economic consequences of these earthquakes have impacted Turkey’s GDP at a rate higher than any other country: 66 percent of Turkey’ land lies in first-and seconddegree earthquake risk zones. 1 The country’s total population is 70 million, and 11 of its largest cities are situated in high-risk earthquake zones: 70 percent of the population is at risk of being impacted by future earthquakes and 75 percent of its largest industries are situated in high-risk areas. Therefore, the challenge for Turkey is to be prepared for these earthquakes and to minimize potential losses with proper engineering design, insurance, code enforcement, and construction. Proper enforcement of seismic design codes is critical, as well as having knowledgeable and professional practicing engineers. There are lessons to be learned from the recent devastating earthquakes that have occurred in Turkey, specifically the 1999 Kocaeli (M s 7.4) and Duzce (M s 7.2) earthquakes.
