Diyarbakir City Research Articles

Dating Quaternary volcanism and incision by the River Tigris at Diyarbakır, southeast Turkey

AbstractNew high‐precision Ar‐Ar dating of basalt underlying the city of Diyarbakır, southeast Turkey, constrains the Quaternary incision history of the River Tigris, strengthening the pre‐existing chronology based on magnetostratigraphy and K‐Ar dates. The basalt, which overlies Tigris terrace gravel 70 m above the river, is part of the Karacadağ shield volcano complex centred ca. 60 km to the southwest. The reverse‐magnetised Diyarbakır basalt, one of relatively few flow units to reach the Tigris valley axis, has been dated to 1196 ± 19 ka (±2σ). Two lower terraces have been recognised in the Diyarbakır area, 46 and 32 m above the present river, with at least one other further downstream. From this evidence the rate of Middle‐Late Pleistocene incision by the Tigris can be estimated; it probably reached ca. 0.07 mm a−1, reflecting the characteristic global increase in uplift rates observed at that time. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Engineering geological assessment of the Diyarbakir solid waste landfill site (SE Turkey)

The paper reports a study to investigate the geological, hydrogeological and geotechnical properties of a proposed solid waste landfill site for Diyarbakir city, southeastern Anatolia. The study area is located in the vicinity of the Diyarbakir–Mardin highway and 6 km away from the city. The paper describes the topography, geology and hydrogeological characteristics of the bedrock and based on water absoprtion (Packer) and laboratory measures, gives permeability values for the firm to stiff clays on which the landfill will be placed as well as the secondary permeabilities of the basalts and the intergranular permeabilities of the sand and gravel layers within the claystone–mudrock sequence. Recommendations are made for the construction of the landfill.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE ACTUAL AND ESTIMATED SEISMIC RESPONSE OF KIRALKIZI DAM IN TURKEY

Kiralkizi Dam, a 120 m high earthfill dam located in Diyarbakir city, Turkey, was shaken by a moment magnitude, M w =4.6 earthquake at an epicentral distance of 8 km, on December 24, 2000, at 13:31 local time. The seismic response of the dam was assessed by using spectral ratios between (i) available crest and foundation records (C/F), (ii) horizontal and vertical components of the recorded motions (H/V), (iii) by performing 2 dimensional finite difference-based seismic response analyses (Flac-2D), and (iv) ID elastic shear beam solutions. First mode of vibration of the dam in the transverse direction by all four methods were estimated in the range of 0.55 to 0.62 second. Similar close agreement was not observed in higher modal periods estimated by H/V technique as compared to the predictions by C/F, Flac-2D, shear beam analysis techniques. Thus, H/V technique was concluded to be useful for the estimation of the fundamental resonance frequency of a soil structure, but not for its higher harmonics as consistent with available limited literature. In the longitudinal direction, natural period of the dam was estimated as 0.28 and 0. 82 second by H/V and C/F techniques, respectively. Such disagreement was explained by (i) differences in the definitions of the estimated periods, (ii) internal impedance contrast of the dam, (iii) contributions of 3D valley effects. Single seismometer record obtained from crest level was found to be inadequate for reliably assessing the response of a dam in the longitudinal direction, and it is recommended to install multiple seismometers both within dambody and the abutments. Last but not least, the results of these analyses were further compared by available accelograms recorded at three earthfill and rocknll dams from Japan. In general, it was concluded that the seismic response of Kiralkizi Dam is comparable and within the prediction ranges of available analyses methods and is consistent with the expected response of a dam this height.

Acute poisoning cases admitted to a university hospital emergency department in Diyarbakir, Turkey

This study was conducted to determine the biological effects of acute poisoning, the nature of agents involved and the pattern of poisoning in Diyarbakir City, in the Southeast Anatolian region of Turkey, during 2000. Hospital records of all admissions to the Emergency Department (ED) of Dicle University Hospital following acute poisoning were revised and all data from January to December 2000 were analysed. The present study included 44 (25.9%) male (M) and 126 (74.1%) female (F), a total of 170 patients. The M/F ratio was 1.0/3.5. The mean age of patients was 23.3+/-6.3 years; 63 (37.1%) of them were under 20 years of age and 147 (86.5%) were under 30 years of age. Most intoxication cases occurred during the summer season (93 of 170 patients). On a monthly basis, admissions during April, May and July were most common (24, 26 and 30 patients, respectively). Sixty-two (36.5%) cases involved accidental poisoning while 108 (63.5%) involved deliberate poisoning. In suicide attempts, intoxications were more common in females (77 cases, 71.3%, P < 0.05), and in unmarried persons (74 cases, 68.5%, P < 0.05). There were only two deaths (1.2%) among the 170 admissions of acute poisonings. One of the deaths was due to pesticide poisoning and the other was due to medical drug abuse. Tachycardia (59, 34.7%), vomiting (55, 32.4%) and loss of consciousness (42, 24.7%) were frequently observed, whereas hypersecretion (15, 8.8%), bradycardia (5, 2.9%), convulsion (8, 4.7%) and hypertension (2, 1.2%) were less frequent. Among pesticide poisoning cases the incidence of convulsion (6, 10.2%), miosis (6, 10.2%), and hypersecretion (12, 20.3%) were significantly higher when compared to other cases (P=0.018, P <0.0001 and P <0.0001, respectively). In the Southeast Anatolian region of Turkey, pesticide intoxication is common especially among young, unmarried females and most of these intoxications are intentional self-poisonings. The annual rate of poisoning-related ED visits and mortality were found to be within expected ranges; psychoactive agents being the most common cause.

Lower and upper limb length of urban and rural 7-11 years old Turkish school children.

This study was carried out on 779 male and 755 female 7-11 years old children, who are students of the primary schools in Diyarbakir city center and center connected areas. The average values of lower and upper extremity lengths of children in center and rural primary schools have been compared, and the results have been analyzed with the Student t-test. The relation between lower and upper extremity length averages and height is shown by correlation coefficients. It is observed that in the 11 years old boy's group and in the 9 years old girl's group of the center primary schools the total arm lengths are longer (p < 0.01). Upper and lower extremity lengths are increasing parallel to height. Iliospinal heights are obviously longer in the 11 year old group of boys and the 7, 9 and 11 year group of girls in the center primary school.