Observations on the building damages after 19 May 2011 Simav (Turkey) earthquake

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 $(text{ M}_{mathrm{L}})$ has struck Simav, Kutahya located in the western part of Turkey on May 19, 2011. The ground motion caused observable damage within 25 km radius from the epicenter. Although the earthquake is moderate, its effects on the structures are serious. This paper presents the observations on seismic damages of reinforced concrete (RC) and masonry structures. Common reasons of damage in RC buildings are: low quality of concrete, detailing mistakes of reinforcement, short column, pounding, overhangs and misconstructed gable and outer infill wall parts. Interesting cases related to these deficiencies are reported. Damages in the masonry buildings are due to lack of connection between orthogonal walls and unsuitable location and dimension of openings. The damages at structures are more noticeable at regions with unfavorable soil conditions like plain regions or foothills. However, on stiffer soils at hilly sides, the damages seem to be more limited and masonry structures are observed to be less affected compared to the RC ones. The damages in RC buildings found to be increasing with story number for light damage states. However, for heavier damage states, 4–5 story buildings are observed to be the most damaged.