Vulnerability of Haydarpap Port, Turkey

Abstract

Damage to ports can have a severe economic effect on a region. In this paper we present an assessment of human-caused hazards and potential natural hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis to the Haydarpasa Port in Istanbul, which is identified as Turkey's economic capital, and raise issues for better characterization and quantification of their effects and consequences, resulting administrating and economic losses. Being a gateway to the world this port is highly prone to ground failure and landsliding since the earthquake hazard in the Marmara region is very high. Additional risks are exerted by the loose backfill material behind. the quay walls. A local tsunami, generally caused by co-seismic underwater failures in the Sea of Marmara, is another risk factor as its waves can arrive at nearby coastlines in minutes, producing significantly higher run-up, causing extensive damage and loss of life. The financial cost due to probable physical damages, contamination problems and administrating losses during the following years would be more than. a few billion US dollars. These facts make the management of industrial risks imperative for the reduction of socioeconomic losses and make necessary an evacuation planning of the port area with the help of new monitoring systems for seismic signal and water level displacement.