Earthquake-Resilient Housing Setback Distances and Open Road Networks for Sustainable Urbanization: A Case Study in Elbistan (Türkiye)

Urban roads must remain open after an earthquake, requiring the urban transportation network and surrounding buildings to meet earthquake-resilient standards. The 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş (Türkiye) earthquakes showed that Türkiye’s cities fail to meet these standards, making debris-blocked roads a significant challenge. Currently, there are no global normative standards for earthquake-resilient transportation and buildings. In countries like Türkiye, the main issues are zoning standards for earthquake-resilient urbanization and ensuring that roads stay open post-earthquake. This study investigates the earthquake suitability of residential setback distances using a quantitative methodology based on field data. This study recommends standards for earthquake-resilient setback distances to maintain open roads after an earthquake. Elbistan (Kahramanmaraş), impacted by the 2023 earthquakes, was selected as the research area. The goal is for this research to serve as a reference in the global literature and guide the development of earthquake-resilient zoning regulations for Türkiye’s cities. Research findings show that residential setback distances in Türkiye are inadequate for earthquake resilience. In the context of sustainable urbanization, the study emphasizes the need to integrate resilience into city planning. Earthquake-resilient zoning standards and setback distances can help to ensure that cities are better prepared for natural disasters and more sustainable communities for the future.