Trabzon retaining wall collapse triggers call to inspect all large structures

On 21 June, a roughly 12‑metre high stone retaining wall in the Karşıyaka neighbourhood of Ortahisar, Trabzon, collapsed. No deaths or injuries were reported. The TMMOB Construction Engineers Chamber (İMO) Trabzon branch conducted a technical assessment and identified a combination of engineering defects that led to the failure.

The report cites inadequate material quality, noting that “Kullanılan çimento harcı yetersiz” – the cement mortar used to bind the stone blocks lacked sufficient strength and lost durability over time. Poor drainage was also highlighted: the “barbakan” drain openings were clogged by inappropriate back‑fill material, causing hydrostatic pressure to build behind the wall. Geotechnical design shortcomings were found as well; the wall’s cross‑section did not meet minimum criteria for a structure of its height, lacking a sufficiently wide base and a tapering profile. Additional dynamic loads from traffic on a road adjacent to the wall further compromised stability.

Based on these findings, İMO’s Trabzon branch chairman Mustafa Tiryaki urged that all large‑scale retaining walls across the province be inspected to prevent similar incidents.