ÇATIDER Issues Warnings on 17th Anniversary of 17 August Earthquake

Millions of Non-Standard Roofs Must Be Made Earthquake-Resistant

M. Nazım Yavuz, Chairman of the Board of the Roofing Manufacturers and Businessmen's Association (ÇATIDER), issued vital warnings in a statement marking the 17th anniversary of the 17 August 1999 earthquake. Noting that despite significant renewal of the building stock in recent years, Turkey—where much of the country faces first-degree earthquake risk—still has considerable ground to cover, Yavuz stated: "Approximately 7 million roofs in our country have been built using traditional methods. It is not possible to expect these roofs to be highly resistant to natural disasters such as earthquakes and storms. Sixty percent of the housing stock consists of buildings over 20 years old. Faced with this situation, we must rapidly make both our buildings and our roofs earthquake-resistant. Because of buildings that fall short of standards, we experience earthquake damage far more severely compared to developed countries. For us to be safe during an earthquake, every section of buildings from foundation to roof must be carefully designed and constructed. Roofs should be built and inspected by specialist organizations."

Roof Antennas and Water Tanks Create Life-Threatening Risks

Yavuz recalled that materials creating loads such as satellite dishes and water tanks are frequently used on roofs, and explained the risks they pose as follows: "Equipment and systems such as water tanks, satellite dishes, solar heating systems and base stations being placed on roofs must be based on calculation and design. When executed properly and inspected, they create no risk. However, unauthorized and poorly informed additions can cause serious injuries and deaths to the building they are on and its surroundings during events such as earthquakes and storms. When a roof is found to be incapable of supporting such systems, additional loads must not be placed on the roof without taking precautions. In Turkey, roofs can be built by non-specialist persons considering only vertical forces. The failure to install, or inadequate installation of, diagonal connections on roof, column and truss planes that resist horizontal loads during earthquakes can cause damage and collapse.

All Roof Details Must Be Designed

Yavuz emphasized that safe roof construction requires a design calculated by an architect or engineer according to the building type, with all details drawn and materials specified. He stated: "Building components within the roof as a whole, particularly gable walls, parapets and chimneys, must be designed so that they do not collapse during an earthquake or separate from the building and scatter into the surrounding area, and must be constructed in accordance with the design. To prevent problems during earthquakes, care must be taken to attach the roof to the building."

Yavuz concluded with the following remarks:

"Connections of roofs to reinforced concrete material must be applied to withstand loads coming from any direction. Connections made with nails alone experience reduced performance over time. Incorrect practices that do not use bolt and anchor systems, that is, are not fastened to reinforced concrete structures, create weakness at these points and serious earthquake risks. Workers on roofs must have training and certification in roof systems, roof construction and techniques, working at heights and occupational safety, and current legislation regarding social insurance must be observed. Work at every stage must be kept under control by a technical specialist with expertise in roofing. As ÇATIDER, we provide training to specialist application masters and technicians needed by the sector."