Integrated seismic risk analysis using simple weighting method: the case of residential Eskişehir, Turkey

Abstract

A large part of the residential areas in Turkey are at risk from earthquakes. The main factors that threaten residential areas during an earthquake are poor quality building stock and soil problems. Liquefaction, loss of bearing capacity, amplification, slope failure, and landslide hazards must be taken into account for residential areas that are close to fault zones and covered with younger sediments. Analyzing these hazards separately and then combining the analyses would ensure a more realistic risk evaluation according to population density than analyzing several risks based on a single parameter. In this study, an integrated seismic risk analysis of central Eskişehir was performed based on two earthquake related parameters, liquefaction and amplification. The analysis used a simple weighting method. Other earthquake-related problems such as loss of bearing capacity, landslides, and slope failures are not significant for Eskişehir because of the geological and the topographical conditions of the region. According to the integrated seismic risk analysis of the Eskişehir residential area, the populated area is found to be generally at medium to high risk during a potential earthquake.