Characterisation of acrylic copolymer treated concretes and concretes of reinforced concrete buildings collapsed in the 6 February 2023 Mw = 7.8 Kahramanmaraş (Türkiye) earthquake

Abstract

Türkiye was devastated by two major earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş on 6 February 2023, namely Pazarcık (Mw = 7.8) and Elbistan (Mw = 7.6). The magnitude of the earthquakes caused more than 50,000 casualties due to the weak structural properties of the buildings. In this study, the mechanical properties and chemical characterisation of the concrete (EQC) of the collapsed reinforced concrete building were investigated. For this, a series of characterisation methods such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), it was characterised using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) were used. The analyses results showed that EQC had low cement dosage, time-dependent carbonation and inadequate curing. It was also compared to specimens with acrylic copolymer (ABCP) applied to the surface. The polymer concrete reached approximately 80 % of its target strength without curing at ambient temperature.