Advancing earthquake knowledge and preparedness: IPRED annual meeting in Türkiye

The International Platform for Reducing Earthquake Disaster is the first concerted effort within UNESCO to address earthquake knowledge development, preparedness, and risk reduction with a multi-stakeholder and holistic approach. It brings together government agencies, universities, institutes, scientists, engineers, and experts from eleven earthquake prone countries.  

IPRED's unique position provides an ideal forum for the Global North and South to participate in meaningful discussions, foster integration, promote collaboration, and exchange of ideas and knowledge on the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake Sequence, under the guidance of the Istanbul Technical University.  

The recent earthquakes in Morocco, Türkiye, and Syria have once again demonstrated the profound and devastating impact that earthquakes can have on people and their possessions. As the only scientific platform within UNESCO focused on enhancing the safety of buildings and housing, IPRED is dedicated to supporting earthquake-prone countries in developing the knowledge and capabilities necessary to implement earthquake hazard protection. The Platform recognizes earthquake safety as a fundamental priority for global disaster risk reduction efforts. 

Information Session on the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake Sequence and earthquake engineering practices in Türkiye

First Session: 9:00 – 12:20 

Opening:  

• Dr. Ercan Yüksel, Professor, Istanbul Technical University  

• Shoichi Tabushi, Disaster Risk Reduction Programme Specialist, UNESCO 

• Dr. Faruk Karadoğan, Emeritus Professor, Istanbul Technical University 

• Dr. Vedat Uyak, Professor, Dean of the Civil Engineering Faculty, Istanbul Technical University 

Panelists: 

• Evaluation of the 20 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake Sequence 

  • Dr. Ercan Yüksel, Professor, Istanbul Technical University 

• Field and damage observations in the disaster area 

  • Dr. Gülseren Erol Soyöz, Istanbul Technical University 

• Development of experimental earthquake engineering in Türkiye: Example from the Structural and Earthquake Engineering Laboratory

  • M.Sc. Hakan Saruhan, Istanbul Technical University 

• Development and current seismic codes in Japan

  • Dr. Yuji Ishiyama, Professor Emeritus, Hokkaido University 

• Comparing past damaging earthquakes in Japan with the 2023 earthquake in Türkiye

  • Dr. Yuri Otsuka, Research Engineer, International Institution of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering 

Progress, challenges, and future directions for IPRED's Action Plan 

Second Session: 13:30 – 17:20 

Presenters:  

• Shoichi Tabushi, Disaster Risk Reduction Programme Specialist, UNESCO 

  • Report on UNESCO IPRED activities 

• Dr. Tatsuya Azuhata, Director, Department of Structural Engineering, Building Research Institute, National Research and Development Agency of Japan

  • Report on Action I, III, IV 

• Dr. Oscar López Bátiz, Investigator, Mexican National Center for Disaster Prevention 

  • Report on Action IV  

• Dr. Gad M.El-Qad, Professor, President, Egyptian National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics 

  • Report on Action VI 

• Dr. Miguel Diaz, Senior Professor, Peruvian-Japanese Center for Seismic Research and Disaster Mitigation 

  • Report on Action VIII 

• Dr. Edgar Armando Peña Figueroa, Professor, El Salvador University 

  • Report on Action IX and XVI 

• Dr. Raúl Alvarez Medel, Professor, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile 

  • Report on Action X 

• Dr. Mehdi Boukri, Senior Researcher, Algerian National Center for Applied Research in Earthquake Engineering 

  • Report on Algeria IPRED activities 

• Dr. Cristian Arion, Associate Professor, Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest 

  • Report on Action VII and XIII 

• Dr. Natalya Silacheva, Chief Researcher, Kazakhstan Institute of Seismology 

  • Report on Action XI 

• Dr. Hasan Özkaynak, Associate Professor, Istanbul Technical University 

  • Report on Action XII 

• Dr. Danny Hilman, Professor, Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency 

  • Report on Action XV 

Closing remarks: Yasuo Katsumi, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism of Japan 

Symposium on the Impact of the Kahramanmaraş Earthquake Sequence: Lessons from Past Earthquakes for Reducing Future Risks in the Built Environment 

First Session: 09:30 – 13:30 

Opening: 

• Dr. Ercan Yüksel, Professor, Istanbul University 

• Lidia Arthur Brito, Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences ad interim, UNESCO 

• Takahiko Katsumata, Ambassador of Japan to Ankara 

• Dr. Bekir Sami Yılbaş, Professor, Rector of Turkish-Japanese Science and Technology University 

• Dr. İsmail Koyuncu, Professor, Rector of Istanbul Technical University 

Presenters: 

• A Giant Jigsaw Puzzle Mobilized by the 2023 Kahramanmaraş (Türkiye) Earthquake Doublet: Cascading Multi-Segmented Ruptures on the East Anatolian and the Sürgü-Çardak Faults

  • Dr. Tuncay Taymaz, Professor, Istanbul Technical University 

• Rupture Kinematics of the 20 February 2023, Mw 6.4 Hatay (Türkiye) Earthquake at the Triple Junction where East Anatolian and Dead Sea Faults and Cyprus Arc Converge 

  • Dr. Seda Yolsal Çevikbilen, Professor, Istanbul Technical University 

• The Hellenic Reconnaissance Mission after the 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake Sequence in Türkiye: Lessons Learnt and Opportunities for International Collaboration

  • Dr. Anastasios Sextos, Professor, Bristol University  

• The Hidden Reason Behind the Massive Destruction Caused by the 6 February 2023 Earthquakes 

  • Dr. Patrik Kristof Meyer, Haliç University 

• Using the Federal Emergency Management Agency Strategy of the Project ATC-43 to Assess Seismic Damage to Walls from the Türkiye-Syria February 2023 Earthquakes 

  • Dr. Moaid Subh, Professor, Damascus University 

• Observations of Japanese Academic Organizations About the 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaras Earthquakes

  • Dr. Koichi Kusunoki, Professor, Tokyo University 

• Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering Issues in the 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaras Earthquakes Based on Field Surveys 

  • Dr. Gürkan Özden, Professor, Dokuz Eylül University 

Second Session: 14:15 – 18:30 

Presenters: 

• Damage/Collapse Modes of Buildings Observed in the 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaras Earthquake Doublets (Mw7.9 and Mw7.7) 

  • Dr. Oğuz Cem Çelik, Professor, Istanbul Technical University 

• Performance of Lifeline Utility Systems during the 6 February 2023 Earthquakes 

  • Dr. Selçuk Toprak, Professor, Gebze Technical University 

• The State of Historic Buildings due to the 6 February 2023 Earthquakes in Türkiye 

  • Dr. Umut Almaç, Associate Professor, Istanbul Technical University 

• Re-thinking Our Seismic Design Approaches and Design Acceleration Demands Following the 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaras Earthquakes 

  • Dr. Ufuk Yazgan, Professor, Istanbul Technical University 

• Evaluation of Türkiye Building Earthquake Code Based on Field Survey after the 6 February 2023 Earthquakes 

  • Dr. Barış Erkuş, Istanbul Technical University 

• Development and Current Seismic Codes in Japan 

  • Dr. Yuji Ishiyama, Professor, Hokkaido University 

• Lessons from Earthquakes and Evolution of Chilean Seismic Design Code 

  • Dr. Raúl Alvarez Medel, Professor, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile 

• Earthquake Risk Management of Industrial Buildings in the Light of the 6 February 2023 Earthquakes 

  • Dr. Ceyhun Eren, Turkish-German University