Civil Engineering / İnşaat Mühendisliği

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  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 3
    Citation - Scopus: 2
    Assessing the Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Meteorological Drought in Afghanistan
    (Birkhauser, 2025) Tayfur, G.; Hayat, E.; Safari, M.J.S.
    Afghanistan is suffering from periodic events of drought, which has exacerbated in recent years due to extreme climate events in the region. Having an arid to semi-arid climate, the country faces significant challenges of water resources management, especially for irrigation as reliance on agriculture is cumbersome. This study is undertaken to characterize historical meteorological drought in Afghanistan to provide an insight on where and when meteorological drought events happened in different River Basins (RBs). The study mainly employs the gamma-Standardized Precipitation Index (gamma-SPI) to analyze historical meteorological droughts across Afghanistan from 1979 to 2019. Monthly precipitation data is obtained from the Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW) of Afghanistan, which is a combination of observed data from ground stations and gap-filled data by the MEW for the study period. Gridded gamma-SPI values are interpolated and mapped to visualize patterns of spatial drought across the entire country. The results indicate that countrywide extreme drought events occurred in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2010, 2016, 2017, and 2019, particularly affecting southern, western, and southwestern regions. Decreasing rainfall occurred in all five RBs, with the most considerable decline observed in the 1999–2008 period. The study reveals the increasing frequency and severity of meteorological droughts in Afghanistan. It also emphasizes on the vulnerability of agriculture and water sectors due to the drought events. The findings of the study suggest the need for better drought monitoring, preparedness, awareness, and adaptation of strategies to ensure water security and agricultural sustainability in the face of climate change. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.
  • Article
    Art and Construction Related Qualities of 14th‒15th Century Monuments in a Rural Landscape on the Western Coast of Türkiye
    (KeAi Communications Co., 2024) Hamamcıoğlu Turan, Mine; Aktaş, Engin; Toköz, Özge Deniz
    This study aims to contribute to the understanding of the evolution of art and construction in the early settlements established by Turkish communities on the far west Asian coast by focusing on two developed examples in Urla Peninsula. Conventional surveying and evaluation techniques of architectural restoration and civil engineering were utilized. Key findings include the understanding of the hierarchy of rural settlements in the studied landscape: old Çesme the most developed village of peninsula in the 16th century. It was positioned along a valley in distance to coast, but in control of harbor that played significant role in commerce between Europe and Asia. Its mosque and tomb, dated to late 14th – early 15th centuries, used to crown it. Cylindrical minaret tower of mosque, domed tomb tower on a cubical base and squinch in the transition zone of mosque are evidences for Central Asian roots. Usage of local lime stone, re-usage of andesite blocks, framing of the stone blocks with bricks, and pendentive in tomb refer to Roman-Byzantine constructions. The study presents the development of Turkish art and construction on the far west Asian coast in the 14th‒15th centuries. Findings will be a guide for related conservation management in similar contexts. © 2024 The Author(s)
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 3
    Citation - Scopus: 4
    Effects of Steel Fiber Type and Ratio on the One-Way Bending Behavior of Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Concrete Thin Panels
    (Elsevier Sci Ltd, 2024) Saatci, Selcuk; Cetin, Fatma Sirin; Aloui, Sarra; Naseri, Jamalullah
    Performance of hybrid fiber reinforced concrete (HyFRC) determined through standardized material tests usually correlates well with the structural performance. However, for thin panels, this correlation may be disturbed due to the fiber orientation and small crack surfaces, and more detailed investigations are required. In this study, effects of steel fiber type and ratio on the one-way bending behavior of HyFRC thin panels was investigated through concrete mixes obtained by using three different steel fiber types and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers. 45 dog bone shaped, notched specimens were cast and tested under direct tension to investigate the direct tension behavior of used HyFRC. Nine panels of 2500 x 500 x 50 mm in dimension were tested under three-point bending, and nine panels of 1240 x 500 x 50 mm in dimension were tested under four-point bending. An in-verse analysis to obtain crack width-stress variation in three-and four-point bending specimens was also per-formed and behavior of steel fiber reinforced concrete specimens with and without PVA addition were compared. It was found that steel fiber type and ratio was consistently the dominant factor for all types of tests on HyFRC specimens. Addition of PVA fibers in HyFRC specimens either resulted in a similar or worse behavior for direct tension and three-point bending compared to their steel fiber only counterparts. Adverse effect of PVA fibers was more pronounced in three-point bending tests. On the other hand, PVA addition had a more positive effect in four-point bending tests. Inverse analyses performed on three-point bending tests revealed that stress levels develop between crack surfaces in these thin panels were significantly lower compared to direct tension stress levels. However, under four-point bending, these tensile stresses were closer to direct tension stresses, especially for specimens with shorter steel fibers. Loading conditions were found to be an effective factor in the behavior of HyFRC thin panels.
  • Conference Object
    The Challenges and Advantages of Macro Modeling in Ansys Software for Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Historic Masonry Structures
    (National Technical University of Athens, 2023) Demir, Hatice Ayşegül; Yücetürk, Kutay; Aktaş, Engin; Hamamcıoğlu Turan, Mine
    This study aims at creating an advancement guideline for a software which can be used for seismic vulnerability assessment of historic masonry structures by revealing the results of an experience related to the macro modeling of a historic masonry building. The case study structure is Bergama Bedesten (15th-16th centuries) located in Bergama, Izmir, Turkey. ANSYS software is used for the Finite Element Modeling of the structure. The seismicity at its location is determined and the structural response under lateral loads is obtained together with the dynamic characteristics. Mesh design, component creation according to the used material change in structural elements, contact surface identification, the arrangement of the stress scales, and result interpretation are realized. For these stages, the challenges are discussed with the solutions. The advantageous aspects of the software are explained. For the challenges, in mesh design, the ineffectiveness of cartesian method for some elements was detected and tetrahedrons method was chosen. In contact surface identification, the overlapping portions of structural components could not be detected by the software exactly, so the manual surface separation was realized. In the stress level interpretation, the lack of assignment for material limit strength values to the analysis scale was experienced and the addition of limit values was carried out. The scale also needs manual arrangement for the increase of interval numbers of stress values to emphasize vulnerable zones. This flexibility of scale to be arranged can be seen as an advantage, as well. The 3d section and axonometric view creation provide the presentation of stress changes at inner and outer surfaces of the structure which is another positive side. © 2023 COMPDYN Proceedings. All rights reserved
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 61
    Citation - Scopus: 60
    Performance of Structures in İzmir After the Samos Island Earthquake
    (Springer, 2022) Yakut, A.; Sucuoǧlu, H.; Binici, B.; Canbay, E.; Dönmez, C.; Ilki, A.; Ay, B.Ö.
    The October 30, 2020 Earthquake caused unexpectedly significant damage in İzmir considering its distance to the city. This paper evaluates the recorded ground motions, summarizes the performance of structures affected from the earthquake with emphasis on the reasons of damage. A detailed damage assessment was carried out by the Earthquake Engineering Research Center of Middle East Technical University to compile data on the damage of RC and masonry buildings. It was observed that majority of the damage was concentrated in the Bayraklı district due to its peculiar soil properties where many 7–10 story mid-rise RC buildings suffered heavy damage and collapse. The level of amplified ground motions combined with deficiencies of apparently non-code compliant buildings exacerbated the damage. The main reasons of damage were mainly attributed to the presence of soft stories, lack of proper detailing, poor construction quality, presence of heavy overhangs, and hence significant lack of code-compliance in essence. The influence of infill walls on seismic performance of deficient and inadequate buildings was clearly seen in this earthquake. This paper also discusses seismic code requirements in effect and their influence on the observed building performance. The recorded ground motions were compared with the code spectra to evaluate the performance of the buildings. The code response spectra were found to be well above the recorded ground motion spectra at the sites where significant damage was observed. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.
  • Book Part
    Citation - Scopus: 3
    High Radiogenic Granites of Western Anatolia for Egs: a Review
    (CRC Press, 2023) Chandrasekharam, Dornadula; Baba, Alper; Ayzit, Tolga
    Turkey has made remarkable progress in the hydrothermal sector by promoting both electricity generation and direct application. In terms of power generation, this country is the fourth top country in the world. Nearly 1 billion kWh of energy is being utilized to keep 150,000 homes warm in the winter. In addition, Turkey has huge amounts of uptapped energy in its high radiogenic granites in western Anatolia, spread over a cumulative area of 6,910 km2. The radioactive heat generated by these granites varies from 5 to 13 µW/m3. These granite plutons are located over a region with high heat flow values (120 mW/m2) and the Curie temperature isotherm in this region is located at a depth varying from 6 to 12 km. The heat flow values here are 50% higher than the world average. This thermal regime concurs well with the wet granite melting curve at a heat flow of 85 mW/m2. The entire thermal regime indicates a visco-elastic lower crustal layer in this region. Thus, these granites provide excellent sites for initiating Enhanced Geothermal Systems projects in Turkey. Earlier EGS projects in France and Australia gave power estimates of 79×106 kWh of electricity from 1km3 of such granite. With ongoing development in drilling technology, the classical concept of creating a fracture network is being replaced with loop technology that reduces minor seismic risks and also the cost of power. The most important additional advantage Turkey has is the high-temperature regime at shallow depth, unlike other countries where the granites are located at depths >5km. These factors cause the cost of power to fall below 6 euro cents per kWh. Besides the power and heat, the greatest advantage is the reduction in emissions and achieving UN sustainable development goals. A conservative estimate shows that these radiogenic granites of western Anatolia are capable of generating a minimum of 546×109 kWh of power. Energy from these granites can be utilized to generate freshwater using the desalination method. Earlier studies indicate that to produce 1 m3 of desalinated water, ~16 kWh of electrical energy are needed. The cost of fresh water generated using geothermal energy sources will be <1.5 euros per 1m3. Turkey can utilize the energy from granite for water and food security in the future. © 2024 selection and editorial matter, Dornadula Chandrasekharam and Alper Baba.
  • Book
    Enhanced Geothermal Systems (egs): the Future Energy-Road Ahead
    (CRC Press, 2023) Chandrasekharam, Dornadula; Baba, Alper
    Peter Meisen, Past President, Global Energy Network Institute, asked in 1997, “What if there was an existing, viable technology, that when developed to its highest potential could increase everyone’s standard of living, cut fossil fuel demand and the resultant pollution?" After 23 years of sustained effort by the global scientific community, this is becoming a reality. The technology to extract heat from granite has been revolutionized in the last few years. The classical method of creating fracture networks by hydrofracturing is being replaced by a closed-loop method where fluids are not in contact with the hot granite. Supercritical CO2 is replacing water as a circulating fluid. Certainly, the future energy road is going to be led by highly radiogenic granites. While hydrothermal sources are site-specific and have their limitations, EGS can be initiated anywhere on earth. EGS is removing all such obstacles and, in the future, will provide uninterrupted electricity for all. Energy-deficient countries can have surplus electricity; water-stressed countries can have a perennial freshwater supply; and countries can become food-secure and rise above poverty levels. Countries need not depend on energy imports and can independently evolve into carbon neutral or low carbon societies. The contributions made by experts will help researchers and investors to close the energy demand and supply gap in the very near future by tapping the unlimited energy of the Earth. Opportunities available for investors in Turkey are well documented with field, geophysical, and geochemical data and information on the energy generating capacity of the granite intrusive spread over a cumulative area of 6,910 km2 in western Anatolia. With the signing of the Global Geothermal Alliance (GGA) by several countries during the December 2015 CoP 21 (Conference of Parties) summit in Paris, countries are obliged to reduce CO2 emissions by increasing the footprint of renewable energy in the primary source mix. Information provided in this book will lead the way to establishing a clean energy future for millions of people for sustainable development and help to mitigate crises arising due to food, water, and energy shortage issues. Academic and research institutes will benefit to a large extent from the expertise of the top contributors in this book. This information provided in this book will help to lay the foundation for super-hot EGS research in future. © 2024 selection and editorial matter, Dornadula Chandrasekharam and Alper Baba.
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 3
    Citation - Scopus: 3
    Ensemble and Optimized Hybrid Algorithms Through Runge Kutta Optimizer for Sewer Sediment Transport Modeling Using a Data Pre-Processing Approach
    (Elsevier, 2023) Safari, Mir Jafar Sadegh; Gül, Enes; Dursun, Ömer Faruk; Tayfur, Gökmen
    Uncontrolled sediment deposition in drainage and sewer systems raises unexpected maintenance expenditures. To this end, implementation of an accurate model relying on effective parameters involved is a reliable benchmark. In this study, three machine learning techniques, namely extreme learning machine (ELM), multilayer perceptron neural network (MLPNN), and M5P model tree (M5PMT); and three optimization approaches of Runge Kutta (RUN), genetic algorithm (GA), and particle swarm optimization (PSO) are applied for modeling. The optimization and ensemble hybridization approaches are applied in the modeling procedure. For the case of hybrid optimized models, the ELM and MLPNN models are hybridized with RUN, GA, and PSO algorithms to develop six hybrid models of ELM-RUN, ELM-GA, ELM-PSO, MLPNN-RUN, MLPNN-GA, and MLPNN-PSO. Ensemble hybrid models are developed through coupling the ELM and MLPNN models with the M5PMT algorithm. The data pre-processing approach is applied to find the best randomness characteristic of the utilized data. Results illustrate that the RUN-based hybrid models outperform the GA- and PSO-based counterparts. Although the MLPNN-RUN and MLPNN-M5PMT hybrid models generate better results than their alternatives, MLPNN-M5PMT slightly outperforms MLPNN-RUN model with a coefficient of determination of 0.84 and a root mean square error of 0.88. The current study shows the superiority of the ensemble-based approach to the optimization techniques. Further investigation is needed by considering alternative optimization techniques to enhance sediment transport modeling. © 2023 International Research and Training Centre on Erosion and Sedimentation/the World Association for Sedimentation and Erosion Research
  • Article
    Citation - WoS: 7
    Citation - Scopus: 5
    Meteorological Drought and Trend Effects on Transboundary River Basins in Afghanistan
    (Springer, 2023) Hayat, Ehsanullah; Tayfur, Gökmen
    Afghanistan, as a landlocked country located within central and southwestern Asia, has an arid to semi-arid climate. Most of the people are involved in agricultural activities, and a major part of the country's gross domestic product depends on agriculture, but the country has the lowest water storage capacity. Consecutive periods of drought and rapid snowmelt due to climate change have made it more challenging for suitable water resource management practices. This study investigates the historical meteorological drought characteristics across the whole country by employing the Reconnaissance Drought Index for the period 1979-2019 using data from 55 meteorological stations. Trends in precipitation and temperature are also investigated using the Mann-Kendall's and the Sen's slope statistical tests. A four-decadal countrywide drought map is generated. Extreme and severe droughts were observed in 1999 and 2000 across the whole country. Moderate drought events have started to occur with a frequency of 3 to 5 years since 1999. The decadal annual rainfall values in each river basin indicate that rainfall has decreased in the last two decades with a significant decline in 1999-2008. The trends of increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation are indications of rapid climate change in the country, especially in the south, west, and southwest regions. Due to the intensity and frequency of the droughts, river flow rates have decreased; and therefore, there is a need for the upstream and downstream neighboring countries to come to terms with the phenomenon of a new normal in the hydrological cycle and accordingly revise new water sharing treaties.
  • Article
    Modeling Plasticity and Damage in Fiber Reinforced Composites by a Crystal Plasticity Based Approach
    (Elsevier, 2023) Dizman, E. Aybars; Özdemir, Izzet
    In very thin ply laminates, delamination failure initiation occurs at much higher stress levels as compared to conventional ply laminates. This results in significant plastic deformation in the matrix accompanied by large fiber rotations. A closer look reveals that microstructure of fiber reinforced composites at large strains do not rotate with the plastic spin induced by the total deformation gradient and therefore inelasticity of such materials requires dedicated constitutive models. This paper focuses on inelastic response of such composites by using a recently proposed crystal plasticity based modeling framework and extents it by a non-local continuum damage mechanics formulation. As opposed to existing works related to composites, adapted crystal plasticity model is formulated and implemented in an implicit manner. To address the initiation and evolution of damage observed at large strains, localizing implicit gradient damage (LIGD) framework is used to degrade the slip resistance and hardening mechanisms on longitudinal and transverse slip systems by means of two separate damage variables. A user element (UEL) subroutine encapsulating all the components of the model is developed and integrated within the commercial finite element solver Abaqus. Capabilities of the model are assessed at material point, ply, and component levels by comparisons with analytical solutions and selected experimental results from the literature.