Site Investigations in the Earthquake Zone: ITU Civil Engineering - JSCE Earthquake Engineering Committee Collaboration

by Ramazan Özgür İridere | Dec 13, 2023

Project Title: Investigation of the Effects of the 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes on Infrastructure Systems and Art Structures
Supporting Institutions: Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE) – University of Tokyo
Project Coordinators: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Beyza TAŞKIN (ITU) – Prof. Dr. Yusuke ONO (Tottori University)

Under the coordination of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Beyza Taşkın, one of the faculty members of the Reinforced Concrete Structures Working Group of ITU Civil Engineering Department and also the Secretary General of the Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE) - Turkey Section with Res. Asst. Muzaffer Yazar, 9 Japanese scientists working at 9 different universities and institutions who were appointed by the JSCE Earthquake Engineering Committee carried out a five-day field research covering Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep and Hatay provinces starting on 05.05.2023.

Within the scope of field research, public institutions and organizations were visited in the provinces where the survey was conducted and damage inspections were carried out in various public buildings, as well as drinking water, waste water lines, water and power stations, highway and railway bridges, viaducts and grade crossings. Opinions and impressions of the local citizens were interviewed. Soil samples were taken from areas where liquefaction was observed and experiments were carried out in the ITU Geotechnical Laboratory. Microtremor measurements were realized in various spots under the leadership of Dr. Yoshimi, who was in the research team representing the Japan Geological Survey and drone shots were taken under the leadership of Dr. Shiga from Nagaoka University.
Following the completion of the field research, a project proposal was submitted in cooperation with ITU and Tsukuba University within the scope of the TUBITAK Turkey-Japan joint research projects call.

İTÜ Faculty of Civil Engineering

It can be accepted that the history of ITU Civil Engineering Faculty was commenced in 1727 by the establishment of Humbarahane during the era of Damat İbrahim Paşa. However, this attempt was to no avail due to the martyrization of the studwents of this school by the Janissaries.

In 1734, during the grand viziership of Topal Osman Paşa, classes related to Civil Engineering was being taught in Hendesehane, which was founded in Üsküdar. Similarly, this school was also closed after three years due to the opposition of the Janissaries. The reasons of the tragedy that occured in Battle of Chesma, 1770 were inadequacy of the ships and the ignorance of the Ottoman Navy.

Although the Atlantic Map (1513) and the Map of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea (1523) by Piri Reis were the leading pieces of the era, Ottoman viziers were so ignorant that they claimed it was impossible for the Russian Baltic Fleet to reach the Mediterranean Sea assuming that there were no sea connection. With the proposal from Gazi Hasan Paşa and Baron de Tott, Mühendishane-i Bahri-i Humayun was established during the time of Sultan Mustafa III, aiming to train naval construction engineers. Since Ottoman Empire did not have any engineering schools at the time, military engineering classes were taught by French engineers beginning from 1784. French lecturers had to return to their country in 1788 with the increasing suppression from Austria and Russia, which were unwilling for the development and thriving of Ottoman Empire. In 1759, during the Grand Viziership of Koca Ragıp Paşa, Humbarahane was reopened in Karaağaç, Haliç (Golden Horn) and continued to teach even though it was incompetent. In 1792, Lağımcı Ocağı and Humbaracı Ocağı (Guild of Sappers) were established.