Critical Review of Design Practices and Observed Damages in Precast Industrial Buildings: Evidence from the February 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes

This study evaluates the seismic performance of prefabricated reinforced concrete industrial structures following the February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. A total of 595 industrial structures located in Organized Industrial Zones in Kahramanmaraş province were evaluated in terms of post-earthquake damage data officially obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. The results indicate that approximately 20% of the industrial structure was severely damaged or collapsed. In the assessments conducted by local municipalities on 96 incomplete prefabricated industrial structures, approximately 13% were found to have sustained heavy damage. The field observations showed that the damage was largely due to inadequacies in the design and manufacturing processes, incompatibilities between project design and field applications, and deficiencies in critical joint details. Especially, the hinged connections at the column-to-rafter beam and column-to-foundation joints are one of the most sensitive points against earthquakes and have played a decisive role in structural damage. The changes in natural vibration periods of ten moderately damaged buildings, which were examined under 3 different scenarios as undamaged, damaged, and retrofitting conditions, were investigated. Findings strongly advocate for revisions in seismic code provisions, strengthened quality control in construction practices, and the adoption of performance-based design approaches for prefabricated systems. This study provides critical empirical evidence to inform future seismic design guidelines and enhance the resilience of industrial facilities against large-magnitude earthquakes.