Pushover and nonlinear time history analysis evaluation of a RC building collapsed during the Van (Turkey) earthquake on October 23, 2011

The nonlinear seismic behavior of a collapsed reinforced concrete (RC) residential building in the city of Van in Turkey is investigated by the static pushover and nonlinear time history analyses. The selected RC structure was designed according to the 1975 version of Turkish Earthquake Code (TEC-1975). The building had experienced heavy damage, and it was demolished in the Van earthquake on October 23, 2011. The 2007 version of Turkish Earthquake Code (TEC-2007) is considered for the assessing seismic performance evaluation of the selected RC building. The RC structure presents collapse performance level under the earthquake loads. Besides, the analytical solutions show that different performance levels for the sections are obtained from the pushover and nonlinear time history methods.     

Morphological analysis of active Mount Nemrut stratovolcano, eastern Turkey: evidences and possible impact areas of future eruption

Mount Nemrut, an active stratovolcano in eastern Turkey, is a great danger for its vicinity. The volcano possesses a summit caldera which cuts the volcano into two stages, i.e. pre- and post-caldera. Wisps of smoke and hot springs are to be found within the caldera. Although the last recorded volcanic activity is known to have been in 1441, we consider here that the last eruption of Nemrut occurred more recently, probably just before 1597. The present active tectonic regime, historical eruptions, occurrence of mantle-derived magmatic gases and the fumarole and hot spring activities on the caldera floor make Nemrut Volcano a real danger for its vicinity. According to the volcanological past of Nemrut, the styles of expected eruptions are well-focused on two types: (1) occurrence of water within the caldera leads to phreatomagmatic (highly energetic) eruptions, subsequently followed by lava extrusions, and (2) effusions–extrusions (non-explosive or weakly energetic eruptions) on the flanks from fissures. To predict the impact area of future eruptions, a series of morphological analyses based on field observations, Digital Elevation Model and satellite images were realized. Twenty-two valleys (main transport pathways) were classified according to their importance, and the physical parameters related to the valleys were determined. The slope values in each point of the flanks and the Heim parameters H/L were calculated. In the light of morphological analysis the possible impact areas around the volcano and danger zones were proposed. The possible transport pathways of the products of expected volcanic events are unified in three main directions: Bitlis, Guroymak, Tatvan and Ahlat cities, the about 135 000 inhabitants of which could be threatened by future eruptions of this poorly known and unsurveyed volcano.     

Late Oligocene–Early Miocene palaeoecology based on pollen data from the Kalkım-Gönen Basin (Northwest Turkey)

Radiometric and palynological data of the Upper Oligocene–Lower Miocene Soma Formation from the Kalk?m-Gönen Basin yield new results related to age and palynological contents. In this study, Upper Oligocene strata from the Dani?ment and Linfa areas and Lower Miocene strata from the Bengiler area were sampled palynologically and for radiometric dating. The Dani?ment assemblage, which is older than the Linfa assemblages, mainly contains coniferous and evergreen to deciduous mixed mesophytic forest elements. Relatively high quantities of the altitudinal plants Picea and Abies, indicate a cooler palaeoclimate. The Linfa associations mainly include coniferous and riparian elements. Pollen of the riparian plant Alnus and Taxodiaceae indicative for the swamp forest community was predominant, probably as a result of a high lake level. There is a hiatus during the Oligocene–Miocene transition, probably showing a non-depositional phase and sea-level fall indicating the Mi-1 glaciation event. Higher in the sequence, the Aquitanian Bengiler sediments include high amounts of coniferous forest elements as well as components indicative for the evergreen and deciduous mesophytic forest and also riparian forest and swamp forest. Due to presence of thermophilous taxa Reveesia, Mastixiaceae and Arecaceae, a warm and humid palaeoclimate is inferred according to quantitative analyses using the Coexistence Approach.     

Influence of Seawater on the Suction and Swelling Behavior of Clayey Soils

The present study examines the suction characteristics and swelling behavior of clayey soils when exposed to natural seawater with respect to distilled water. The effects of saline waters on the engineering behavior of soils need to be determined since the salinity of the pore fluid of soils near coastal areas increases continuously. Six clayey soil samples with different mineralogy and characteristics were gathered and tested to determine the suction and swelling characteristics in the presence of natural seawater and distilled water. The results show that the total suction values of the samples are higher in the presence of seawater than in distilled water. The samples with high swelling potential have lower matric suction values than nonswelling soils. Moreover, in contrast to swelling-type soils, the matric suction values of the nonswelling soils remain similar in the presence both distilled water and seawater. The modified free swell index (MFSI) of the samples is well correlated with the liquid limit (LL), plasticity index (PI), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) in distilled water. However, coefficients of determination decreased in the presence of seawater. Also, there is no significant correlation existing between total and matric suction values and the MFSI values of the samples.     

Quaternary evolution of the Gulf of İzmit (NW Turkey): a sedimentary basin under control of the North Anatolian Fault Zone

The Quaternary evolution of the Gulf of İzmit, situated on the tectonically active North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ), was investigated using seismic reflection, paleontologic, and sediment textural data. On the basis of seismic stratigraphic and sedimentologic-paleontologic interpretations, four depositional units were distinguished within the Plio-Quaternary sequence of the Gulf of İzmit. According to these data, Plio-Quaternary deposits supplied from the northern terrestrial area started to accumulate during a progradational phase, in a south-facing half-graben. A coarse-grained sedimentary unit prograding into the gulf from the south since 200 ka b.p. indicates a dramatic variation in the evolution of the gulf, with the initiation of a new strike-slip fault of the NAFZ and a corresponding uplift of the Armutlu Peninsula in the south of the gulf. During the evolution of this fault from a wide shear zone consisting of right-stepped strike-slip faults and pull-apart basins to a localized principal fault zone, sediments were deposited under the influence of northerly prograding terrestrial and shallow-marine conditions due to relative sea-level fluctuations in the Marmara Sea. During this period, the Gulf of İzmit was invaded mainly by Mediterranean and partly by Black Sea waters. In the latest glacial period, shallow areas in the gulf became subaerially exposed, whereas the central and western sub-basins of the gulf turned into lakes. The present evolution of the Gulf of İzmit is controlled by the after effects of the new rupture of the NAFZ and the estuarine nature of the gulf environment.     

What about reservoirs? Questioning anthropogenic and climatic interferences on water availability

Water resources in semi-arid regions like the Mediterranean Basin are highly vulnerable because of the high variability of weather systems. Additionally, climate change is altering the timing and pattern of water availability in a region where growing populations are placing extra demands on water supplies. Importantly, how reservoirs and dams have an influence on the amount of water resources available is poorly quantified. Therefore, we examine the impact of reservoirs on water resources together with the impact of climate change in a semi-arid Mediterranean catchment. We simulated the Susurluk basin (23.779-km²) using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. We generate results for with (RSV) and without reservoirs (WRSV) scenarios. We run simulations for current and future conditions using dynamically downscaled outputs of the MPI-ESM-MR general circulation model under two greenhouse gas relative concentration pathways (RCPs) in order to reveal the coupled effect of reservoir and climate impacts. Water resources were then converted to their usages – blue water (water in aquifers and rivers), green water storage (water in the soil) and green water flow (water losses by evaporation and transpiration). The results demonstrate that all water resources except green water flow are projected to decrease under all RCPs compared to the reference period, both long-term and at seasonal scales. However, while water scarcity is expected in the future, reservoir storage is shown to be adequate to overcome this problem. Nevertheless, reservoirs reduce the availability of water, particularly in soil moisture stores, which increases the potential for drought by reducing streamflow. Furthermore, reservoirs cause water losses through evaporation from their open surfaces. We conclude that pressures to protect society from economic damage by building reservoirs have a strong impact on the fluxes of watersheds. This is additional to the effect of climate change on water resources.     

Fluid inclusion and stable isotope characteristics of the Karalar (Gazipaşa,Antalya) barite-galena deposits,Southern Turkey

The Karalar galena-barite deposits are typical examples of the carbonate-hosted barite-galena deposits widely occurring in the Central Tauride Belt. These deposits are located in Permian limestones as ore veins along fault zones that are discordant to the bedding planes and as thin veinlets within hardly brecciated bottom zones of Permian limestones. The ore deposits contain mainly barite and galena and small amounts of sphalerite, pyrite, fahlore, limonite, quartz, and calcite. Barites occur during the earlier episode of mineralization and were mylonitized before the formation of galena. Galena and other minerals occur epigenetically with barite along porous zones between brecciated barite crystals and are especially abundant in the hardly mylonitized zones. Fluid inclusion studies indicate that the ore deposits of the area were developed by hydrothermal fluids with following characteristics: they contained NaCl, CaCl₂, and MgCl₂; the salinity of the fluids was relatively high and their temperature was low during the crystallization of barites in the earlier episode of mineralization; and the salinity of the fluids decreased and their temperature increased during the crystallization of sulfide minerals through the later episode of mineralization. δ₁₈O and the δD results indicate that the water in the mineralizing fluid was of meteoric origin. The deposits were formed by deep meteoric water circulating through marine sediments. Shallow circulating and slightly warmed fluids dissolved Ba and sulfate from marine sediments of the basement and transported them to the mineralization environment during the early episode, while deep circulating and more heated fluids dissolved Pb, Zn, and other elements from the basement and reached the environment during the later episode of mineralization. The text was submitted by the authors in English.