1998 Adana-Ceyhan (Turkey) Earthquake and a Preliminary Microzonation Based on Liquefaction Potential for Ceyhan Town

A moderate earthquake (M_s = 6.2) occurred in the Cukurova region in the southern part of Turkey, on 27 June 1998. It resulted in loss of 145 lives and significant damage particularly in the settlements close to the epicenter at the south of Ceyhan town. Widespread liquefaction and associated sand boils, ground fissures and ground deformations due to lateral spreading occurred during this earthquake. In this study, main characteristics of the earthquake are presented and liquefaction throughout the site was assessed. An attempt was also made to establish preliminary microzonation maps for Ceyhan using the data from liquefaction susceptibility analyses. The results of the analyses indicated that the data from the liquefied sites were within the empirical bounds suggested by the field-performance evaluation method. Fortunately, most of the riversides were used for agricultural purposes alone, damage to structures from liquefaction and associated ground failures were rather limited. Preliminary assessments indicated that at depths of about 5 m the liquefaction potential of thin sand layers tends to diminish.