Posted by Albert Berenguel - 23 May, 2023
It is possible to strengthen existing buildings with carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) without relocating its occupants during the execution of the works. Substandard, weak structures can be upgraded and strengthened to become earthquake resistant.
On 6 February 2023, 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes, centred on Pazarcık and Elbistan in Turkey, caused great destruction in 11 provinces with thousands of citizens losing their lives. Hatay, where there is a high density of old building stock, was one of the most affected provinces. However, a building in Antakya retrofitted in 2008 with carbon fiber polymer survived, while another unreinforced block with the same architectural structure completely collapsed.
A refurbishment project that saved lives
Supported by NATO and Tübitak, a project to reinforce buildings with carbon fibre polymer started in Hatay in 2008 as a pilot research project. It was the first time anywhere in the world that this technique was used to rehabilitate an old multi-storey building. Carried out under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Güney Özcebe and Prof. Dr. Barış Binici, who were working at Middle East Technical University (METU) at that time, the MasterBrace carbon fiber polymer system was used as a part of a strengthening design. The nine-storey building was retrofitted over five months with the project completed in 2009.
Prof. Dr. Güney Özcebe made the following statements about the surviving building after the 2023 earthquakes:
"Our main goal was not to evict people from their homes, but to keep them in their homes as much as possible and to bring their buildings to a level of performance that could ensure their life safety. This was the most important goal. In Antakya, we repaired a building that was on the verge of collapse under normal conditions, without removing its inhabitants and even spending time with them. All the people inside the building survived the earthquake. The fact that every single person in the building is alive and healthy today is the greatest reward an academic can receive."
Revitalizing buildings for enhanced earthquake safety
Recent earthquakes in Turkey have shown that achieving earthquake-resistant design and construction for new buildings is only half of the solution. The biggest challenge is to ensure earthquake safety in the existing high-risk building stock, including buildings that have survived earthquakes with light and medium damage.
Demolition and reconstruction of high-risk buildings is often not possible due to the time available, the number of buildings and population affected, the economic scale and the resources available. New technologies are the only way to achieve safe, easy and quick retrofitting without having to evacuate people from their homes.
Repairing and retrofitting damaged buildings requires rigour and professionalism. Retrofitting that is poorly executed or that does not meet standards could even cause the collapse of a building that may have survived an earthquake in a damaged condition. A design by expert engineers, using certified products installed by expert teams helps ensure the reinforcement is correctly applied.
- To learn more about this project, you can watch a video here.
New developments using MasterBrace, fiber-reinforced polymers.
Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) systems have been used in the construction industry for more than 25 years, supplied by Master Builders Solutions under the MasterBrace® brand. MasterBrace® systems include fibres such as carbon, glass and aramid fibre fabrics, pre-manufactured plates and rods, and special chemical adhesives that enable these materials to form a composite structure with the building elements to which it is added.
MasterBrace® FRP systems can be easily and professionally applied by expert applicators, they do not require evacuation of the structure during the installation, and they do not affect the comfort of a building’s occupants by being applied with partial limitations.
AIt is very important that the reinforcements made with Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) systems are designed in accordance with the relevant regulations for each country and that designs are executed by engineers who are experts in their field in order to show the predicted behaviour of the building under loads and seismic actions.
Master Builders Solutions complete offer for structural refurbishment
The materials used in the repair and strengthening process should also have superior properties. Repair mortars for damaged concrete should have equivalent or superior mechanical properties (compressive strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, etc.) to the existing concrete. In addition, the mortar’s durability should be much higher than the existing concrete. Based on these main principles, Master Builders Solutions R&D centres have been developing MasterEmaco® repair mortars for nearly 50 years.
Although earthquake is a phenomenon that several regions in the world must live with, our knowledge, experience and technology allow us to take control and to produce scientifically proven solutions.
As Master Builders Solutions Construction Chemicals, we work continuously to create products and services, designed to international standards, that improve people’s quality of life.
