A task committee comprised of local structural engineers and earthquake engineering experts from abroad was formed to assess the seismic performance of public schools in under auspices of this group; a guideline has been developed better assess the existing conditions and develop retrofit options for school and hospital buildings in Istanbul. The project is financed by World Bank (WB). The Istanbul Project Coordination Unit was responsible for implementing the project and has developed a retrofit Guideline is based on provisions of the ASCE 41 and Turkish earthquake code and is purposed to address the seismic design requirements for hospital and school facilities in Istanbul and recommends effective retrofit measures. Many such buildings were constructed prior to adoption of seismic codes and use non-ductile concrete moment frames and unreinforced masonry walls to resist earthquake loading. Recent earthquakes have shown that this type of construction is particularly sensitive to earthquake damage and even complete collapse due to the inadequate design and construction practices. The engineer is charged with condition assessment, followed by analysis and determination of deficiencies. Both conventional and state-of-the-art retrofit measures have been implemented. It is hoped that the implementation of this project will drastically reduce the level of damage and loss of life in the public buildings during the next earthquake.
