Namık Kemal University begins earthquake resilience project for 40 schools

A 15-member team from Namık Kemal University (NKÜ) has launched an 18-month research and development project to assess and improve the earthquake resilience of school buildings. The initiative is part of a cooperation protocol signed between NKÜ and the Ministry of National Education.

The project focuses on 40 schools across four pilot provinces: Edirne, Tekirdağ, Kırklareli, and Çanakkale. Researchers are conducting tests including core sampling, reinforcement readings, and X-ray studies to determine the current earthquake performance of these structures.

Using the Professor Doctor Saadettin Ökten Earthquake Engineering and Building Technologies Laboratory, the team will use computer models to simulate various earthquake scenarios. The study aims to test reinforcement methods such as carbon fiber, fiber-reinforced polymers, and innovative hybrid methods involving buckling-restrained braces and other R&D-driven dampers.