Marine Structure Field Reconnaissance Observations in Southeast Türkiye Impacted by the February 2023 Earthquakes

In February 2023, various waterfront structures along the Gulf of İskenderun coastline experienced ground motions from a magnitude 7.8 (Pazarcık) earthquake, a magnitude 7.6 (Elbistan) earthquake, and subsequent aftershocks. To assess the overall performance, ASCE/COPRI deployed a reconnaissance team in May 2023 to observe the impacts of the earthquake on marine infrastructure. The team focused on observing and documenting the impacts on port systems and harbor structures, specifically structural integrity and operational functionality. A total of 15 public and private facilities, including coastal structures, ferry terminals, bulk handling, and container terminals, were observed. Many facilities experienced moderate to low shaking equivalent to 475-year design events. This paper focuses on the post-event damage to marine structures based on observational inspection and conversations with facility operators and the extended community. This is one of the three papers; the other two are related to geotechnical and recovery observations. These documented field observations and lessons will serve as a tool for industry use.