Building safety guide
How to investigate the earthquake risk of a building?
The fact that a building is new, well-maintained or has no visible cracks does not prove earthquake safety; Just because it is old does not mean that it will collapse on its own. Credible research turns observation into accurate questions and leaves the final conclusion to authoritative engineering review.
One-minute summary
What to remember before deciding
- Do not use building age, exterior appearance or a single crack as a safe-risky outcome.
- Research the history of projects, licenses, ground information, renovations and intervention to the carrier system.
- Separate observational preliminary examination, earthquake performance analysis and 6306 risky structure identification.
- Evaluate official risky structure detection only through the authorized process and licensed organization.
- If there is no report, clearly include the uncertainty in the price, quote, usage and conversion scenario.
Use observation not to make a diagnosis, but to request the correct examination
Moisture, cracks, slopes, traces of corrosion, interference around columns and beams, or irregular ground floor use may raise important questions. However, a photo of the crack, a real estate ad or a short building tour does not calculate the earthquake performance of the structural system.
The opposite is also true: fresh paint, smooth facade, or lack of visible damage is not a structural safety report. Signs encountered during observation should be recorded with their location, size, history and possible cause; evaluation should be directed to the appropriate area of expertise.
- Cutting, drilling or closing marks around columns, beams and walls
- Water, corrosion and change of use in basement and ground floor
- Cracking, crushing or significant deformation in carrier elements
- Adjacent buildings, elevation difference and irregularities around the foundation
- Recording the date, location and photograph of the observation
Security limitThe image generates questions; engineering investigation produces results.The earthquake safety of a building cannot be determined by photographs or age information.
Make the building's project and intervention history as visible as possible
The year of construction helps to understand in which legislative period it was designed; But it does not alone explain how the project was implemented, material properties, ground and subsequent interventions. Static and architectural project, license, building inspection information, reinforcement record and past damage file should be investigated together.
Interventions such as apartment merging, wall removal, installation transition, opening of the shop front or change of use may have touched the load-bearing system. Management decisions, old photographs, municipal files and technical reports create a trace beyond verbal statements.
| Title | Record to search | Answered question |
|---|---|---|
| Project | Static and architectural project | How was the building designed? |
| Application | License and building inspection information | In what process was it made? |
| Intervention | Renovation, retrofit and management record | What changed later? |
| Damage | Technical report and repair documentation | How was the past incident handled? |
Separate preliminary review, performance analysis and risky structure detection
The engineer's preliminary site inspection may determine the scope of investigation; However, comprehensive building performance evaluation is based on information collection, testing, modeling and calculation methods prescribed by the Turkish Building Earthquake Regulation for existing buildings. It should be clearly stated which question the method used and the report answers.
Risky building detection within the scope of Law No. 6306 is a separate official process that produces legal consequences during the transformation process and is carried out in accordance with the Regulation's Principles on Identification of Risky Buildings. An initial interview, quick screening result, or performance report does not automatically replace a determination under 6306.
| Review | Main purpose | limit |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary site inspection | Determining questions and scope | Not a definitive performance result |
| Earthquake performance | Evaluating the existing building with the regulation method | Scope and assumptions should be read in the report |
| 6306 risky building detection | Carrying out the official risky building process in the law | Licensed establishment and governmental review required |
Know the application and results of the official determination under 6306
According to the Urban Transformation Presidency, risky building detection can be made by one of the owners or their legal representatives by institutions and organizations licensed by the Presidency. The request is executed through the electronic system; The prepared report is examined by the relevant Urban Transformation Directorate or the administration to which authority is delegated.
The determination of a suitable risky building is notified to the land registry and a legal process begins, including notification, objection, eviction and conversion steps. For this reason, instead of just the 'let's get a report and see the result' approach, the ownership, usage, financing and decision consequences of the process should be understood from the beginning.
- The owner or legal representative who can make the application
- Selecting the current licensed organization on the KDB list
- Carrying out the detection via the official electronic system
- Examination of the report by the relevant administration in terms of procedure and substance
- Legal and engineering support for notification, appeal and next steps
If there is no report, make uncertainty manageable, not invisible
The comprehensive report may not always be accessible prior to purchase. In this case, do not reset uncertainty based on building age or seller assurance. Record existing documentation, engineer preview, what management knows, planned review, and conversion likelihood with separate confidence levels.
The condition of technical review in the offer, the period for review, the method of withdrawal in case of serious findings or re-evaluation of the price can be planned with the support of a lawyer. Possible reinforcement, evacuation, reconstruction and financing effects, as well as the current use of the building, should be added to the total decision file.
- Technical documentation available and not available
- The next level of examination recommended by the expert is
- Effect of the report result on the proposal and financing
- Retrofit, conversion or continuation scenarios
- The equivalent of uncertainty in price and decision time
Frequently asked questions
Clear, concise answers
01Does building age indicate earthquake risk?
It doesn't show on its own. Age determines which legislation and construction period questions are asked; The project, application, material, ground, maintenance and intervention history should be evaluated together with the engineering review.
02If there is a crack in the column, is the building definitely at risk?
The location and cause of a crack cannot be determined without expert examination. The sign should be seriously recorded, the area should be used safely and appropriate civil engineer evaluation should be obtained.
03Who can detect risky buildings within the scope of 6306?
During the process announced by the Urban Transformation Presidency, one of the owners or their legal representatives can apply to institutions and organizations licensed by the Presidency. The organization's current license must be verified through KDB.