Power demands of structures from the Mw 7.8 earthquake of 6 February 2023 in Türkiye

Abstract

Near-fault pulse-like (PL) ground motions generally transmit huge amounts of energy into structures during a relatively short period compared with non-pulse-like (NPL) ground motions. Consequently, power demand has emerged as a direct and distinctive measure for evaluating the risk that PL ground motions pose on structures. This study examines the power demands of structures subjected to ground motions recorded at 10 seismic stations in six city (or town) centers during the Mw 7.8 earthquake that hit Türkiye on 6 February 2023. The six cities (or towns), Golbasi, Kahramanmaras, Nurdagi, Osmaniye, Iskenderun, and Antakya, were the locations where an international team conducted field reconnaissance 2 weeks after the earthquake. This study first evaluates the power histories and other seismic responses of single-degree-of-freedom structures exposed to both PL and NPL ground motions. Subsequently, the power spectra of 20 horizontal ground motions recorded at the 10 stations are constructed and examined. Through these investigations, we hope to gain a better understanding of and raise awareness regarding the threats that PL ground motions pose to structures in the six cities (or towns) during the earthquake.