Abstract:

On February 6, 2023, at 04:17 and 13:24 local time, two devastating earthquakes occurred in Pazarcık and Elbistan (Kahramanmaraş, Turkey), respectively. The first earthquake was (Mw=7.7) at a depth of 8.6 kilometers, and the second earthquake was (Mw=7.6) at a depth of 7 kilometers. The earthquakes were felt in Hatay, Adıyaman, Gaziantep, Malatya, Kilis, Diyarbakır, Adana, Osmaniye, Şanlıurfa, and Elâzığ, with a total population of approximately 15 million. Also, 214577 buildings were destroyed or severely damaged. This study evaluates the damage mechanisms of existing masonry buildings in the province of Malatya. It also focuses on the earthquake-resistant masonry building design rules given in the Turkish Building Earthquake Code 2018.