Retaining wall safety concerns rise in Turkey's Eastern Black Sea

Recent collapses of retaining walls in Turkey's eastern Black Sea region, most notably the July 10 failure in Rize, have renewed focus on the safety of these structures. The area's steep terrain and year‑round heavy rainfall make walls critical for protecting homes, roads and infrastructure, but also increase the risk of failure.

Prof. Dr. Osman Sivrikaya of Karadeniz Technical University attributes most incidents to three factors: design errors, poor construction, and inadequate performance of the finished wall. He stresses that drainage and filtration systems are essential to prevent water pressure behind walls, especially for the commonly used weight‑type stone walls. Sivrikaya recommends limiting such walls to a maximum height of about five metres and employing reinforced concrete or buttressed designs for higher sections, as well as ensuring that only engineers with specialised geotechnical expertise supervise design and construction.

The expert calls for stricter oversight and professional involvement to reduce future collapses and protect lives and property in the region.