A detailed analysis of microseismicity in Samos and Kusadasi (Eastern Aegean Sea) areas

A detailed investigation of microseismicity and fault plane solutions are used to determine the current tectonic activity of the prominent zone of seismicity near Samos Island and Kusadasi Bay. The activation of fault populations in this complex strike-slip and normal faulting system was investigated by using several thousand accurate earthquake locations obtained by applying a double-difference location method and waveform cross-correlation, appropriate for areas with relatively small seismogenic structures. The fault plane solutions, determined by both moment tensor waveform inversions and P-wave first motion polarities, reveal a clear NS trending extension direction, for strike slip, oblique normal and normal faults. The geometry of each segment is quite simple and indicates planar dislocations gently dipping with an average dip of 40–45°, maintaining a constant dip through the entire seismogenic layer, down to 15 km depth.     

Derivation of energy-based base shear force coefficient considering hysteretic behavior and P-delta effects

A modified energy-balance equation accounting for P-delta effects and hysteretic behavior of reinforced concrete members is derived. Reduced hysteretic properties of structural components due to combined stiffness and strength degradation and pinching effects, and hysteretic damping are taken into account in a simple manner by utilizing plastic energy and seismic input energy modification factors. Having a pre-selected yield mechanism, energy balance of structure in inelastic range is considered. P-delta effects are included in derived equation by adding the external work of gravity loads to the work of equivalent inertia forces and equating the total external work to the modified plastic energy. Earthquake energy input to multi degree of freedom (MDOF) system is approximated by using the modal energy-decomposition. Energy-based base shear coefficients are verified by means of both pushover analysis and nonlinear time history (NLTH) analysis of several RC frames having different number of stories. NLTH analyses of frames are performed by using the time histories of ten scaled ground motions compatible with elastic design acceleration spectrum and fulfilling duration/amplitude related requirements of Turkish Seismic Design Code. The observed correlation between energy-based base shear force coefficients and the average base shear force coefficients of NLTH analyses provides a reasonable confidence in estimation of nonlinear base shear force capacity of frames by using the derived equation.     

Seasonal variations in soil radon emanation: long-term continuous monitoring in light of seismicity

Soil gas radon release patterns have been monitored continuously for more than 3 years in the Eastern Mediterranean Province (EMP) (Southern Turkey), alongside regional seismic events, providing a multidisciplinary approach. In the period from January 2008 to January 2011, 14 earthquakes M _L ≥4 occurred in the study area. By monitoring the sites for more than 3 years, the site-characteristic patterns of soil radon emanation of each site have become evident. Radon emanation data show seasonal (semi-annual) variation characteristics; high soil radon values are between May and October and low soil radon values are between November and April. With available rainfall data, the soil gas radon data can be more reliably evaluated. It is shown in this paper that if radon emanation data are available over sufficiently long periods of time and baseline data (and their seasonal variations) are known with certainty for each monitoring site, then the observation of positive anomalies might provide a correlation or connection to seismic activity.     

The climate and bioclimate of Bursa (Turkey) from the perspective of tourism

Climate is an important resource for tourism and an equally important element that needs to be included in tourism promotions. This study reveals Bursa’s bioclimatological conditions. These conditions were identified by using physiologically equivalent temperature and a Climate–Tourism–Information–Scheme over 10-day periods and analyzing the mean thermal perception values that emerged. Evaluating bioclimatic conditions and meteorological parameters such as air temperature, duration of sunshine, number of wet days, amount of precipitation, and wind from the perspective of tourism will help people choose the best holiday times depending on their individual needs and circumstances.     

Gravimetric examination of Hagia Sophia's subsurface structure

The subsurface structure of Hagia Sophia, one of the oldest sacred monuments in the world built between 532–537 under the reign of Justinian in today's Istanbul, has been investigated by using two relative LaCoste-Romberg gravimeters in order to detect hidden cavities which have also served as earthquake dampers in similar constructions. On the building's ground floor a grid of 100 points with a grid size of about 4.m was measured. The mean gravimetric point error was ± 3.10^–8 ms^–2. The result of the examination is that cavities were not detected in the inner central part of Hagia Sophia with a larger diameter than 8.m down to a depth of about 20.m, and Hagia Sophia's foundation was found to be a slope of natural rock with a downward inclination to the East that has a small crest symmetrical to the building's East-West axis.     

Attenuation characteristics of peak ground acceleration from fault trace of the 1999 Kocaeli (Turkey) earthquake and comparison of spectral acceleration with seismic design code

The 17 August 1999 Kocaeli earthquake in Turkey produced a majorsurface rupture. We traced this surface rupture from Gölcük toDüzce and located it accurately by using GPS. The closest distancefrom the surface rupture to the strong motion observation sites weredetermined. Then the attenuation characteristics of the observed peakground acceleration were compared with the attenuation relation given byFukushima and Tanaka (1992), which is suitable for the near-fault zone inJapan and gives results that closely match data recorded during the 1995Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake in Japan. Although this attenuation relationwas developed for Japan, we found that it agreed well with the KOCAELIearthquake. Furthermore, the observed spectral acceleration of 5%damping was compared with the building design code of Turkey and theobserved level was lower than the code.     

Development of a GIS-based monitoring and management system for underground coal mining safety

Coal mine safety is of paramount concern to mining industry. Mine accidents have various causes and consequences including catastrophic failure of mine, substantial economic losses and most notably loss of lives. Therefore, any initiative in mine monitoring is of vital importance for progressing safety surveillance and maintenance.This paper presents the development of a geographic information system (GIS)-based monitoring and management system for underground mine safety in three levels as constructive safety, surveillance and maintenance, and emergency. The developed model integrates the database design and management to the monitoring system implementation which encompasses query and analysis operations with the help of web and desktop applications. Interactive object-oriented graphical user interfaces (GUIs) were developed to visualize information about the entities gathered from the model and also to provide analysis operations based on the graphical representations and demonstrations using data tables and map objects.The research methodology essentially encompasses five main stages: (i) designing a conceptual database model; (ii) development of a logical model in terms of entity-relationship (ER) diagrams; (iii) development of a physical model based on physical constraints and requirements; (iv) development of GUIs and implementation of the developed model, analysis and queries; (v) verification and validation of the created model for Ömerler underground coal mine in Turkey. The proposed system is expected to be an efficient tool for improving and maintaining healthy standards in underground coal mines which can possibly be extended to a national GIS infrastructure.