Evaluation of ground motions and seismic performance of RC buildings after 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes: design and construction deficiencies

Two major earthquakes occurred on the East Anatolian Fault Zone in Türkiye on February 6, 2023. The epicenter of these earthquakes was Pazarcık and Elbistan, distinct from Kahramanmaraş province. These earthquakes occurred on the same day, 9 hours apart, and effected a very large area. This study evaluates the damage in reinforced concrete buildings during the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. Firstly, this study examined Türkiye’s seismicity, fault lines, and recent earthquakes in Türkiye. Then, the fault rupture of the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes and the affected regions from these earthquakes were exam-ined. Acceleration records of the Pazarcık and Elbistan earthquakes were evaluated by comparing them with the Türkiye Building Earthquake Code-2018 (TBEC-2018). These acceleration records were compared with the largest earthquake (DD1) and design earthquake (DD2) defined in TBEC-2018. Requirements for earthquake-resistant building design and the deficiencies in the current Türkiye building stock were discussed. Damages in RC buildings were evaluated in terms of design and construction perspectives. It has been observed that deficiencies are frequently made in the application of reinforcement details in RC buildings. Brittle shear damage has been commonly observed in reinforced concrete buildings, even though they are expected to behave ductile. Design and construction deficiencies have been observed to be widespread even in buildings still under construction. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2025.