• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.893-910
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• 2015

Earthquake safety of existing buildings has gained considerable importance after earthquakes which have occurred in our country especially in the last 30 years. Performance based assessment methods have been widely used for existing reinforced concrete structures. This study aims to investigate the earthquake performances of the building stock located in Van Lake basin in Eastern Anatolia of Turkey. The case study of buildings has been modeled on and the structural performances have been determined by employing the non-linear methods described in the latest Turkish Earthquake Code published in 2007. The Van lake basin is located on the very seismically active in a region. On October 23, 2011, a magnitude of Mw 7.2 earthquake struck the Van province in eastern Turkey. The earthquake ground motion was recorded as about 0.1g in Bitlis province. Performance evaluations have been performed by taking samples from each district consisting urban building stocks of Bitlis. A total of 16 reinforced concrete buildings have been evaluated. Among them, 53% of those buildings were determined in the Fully Operational performance level; 13% of them in the Life Safety performance and 34% of them could not be evaluated because of the ratio of the effective mass of first mode to the total mass of the buildings was smaller than 0.70. Therefore, incremental equivalent seismic load methods, which are a part of Turkish Earthquake Code -2007, cannot be used.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.445-455
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• 2021

Lake Van Basin, located in Eastern Turkey, is worth examining in terms of seismicity due to large-scale losses of property and life during the historical and instrumental period. The most important and largest province in this basin is Van. Recent indicators of the high seismicity risk in the province are damage occurring after devastating earthquakes in 2011 (Mw=7.2 and Mw=5.6) and lastly in 2020 Khoy (Mw=5.9). The seismic hazard analysis for Van and its districts in Eastern Turkey was performed in probabilistic manner. Analyses were made for thirteen different districts in Van. In this study, information is given about the tectonic setting and seismicity of Van. The probabilistic seismic hazard curves were obtained for a probability of exceedance of 2%, 10% and 50% in 50-year periods. The PGA values in the Van province vary from 0.24 g - 0.43 g for earthquakes with repetition period of 475 years. Risk priorities were determined for all districts. The highest risk was calculated for Çaldıran and the lowest risk was found for Gürpınar. Risk priorities for buildings in all districts were also determined via rapid seismic assessment for reinforced-concrete and masonry buildings in this study.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.122-131
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• 1999

This study examined the relationship between the sediment pollution and the occurrence of polychaetes in a heavily polluted saltwater lake, Lake Shihwa on the west coast of Korea, separated from the sea by a dike in 1994. The species composition of polychaete assemblage was compared with that found off the lake in Kyeonggi Bay. Environmental variables investigated both in and off the lake were the grain size distribution, chemical oxygen demand(COD) and metal concentrations (Al, Fe, Mn, V, Co, As, Pb, Cr and Cu) in the sediment. We sampled sediments at 10 stations in the lake and 25 stations in Kyeonggi Bay using a modified van Veen grab. The levels of COD, chromium, and copper in sediments were much higher in Lake Shihwa than in Kyeonggi Bay. Differences in the species composition were found along the pollution gradient. An azoic zone was observed in the most heavily polluted area at the upper reach of the lake and the Polydora ligni zone in the center of the lake. Bottom fauna were diverse in Kyeonggi Bay; however, Heteromastus filiformis predominated in the organically enriched sediment. The density of dominant species differed along the pollution gradient. The highest density or H. filiformis was round at the COD level or around 5.8 mg/g. The COD level in the sediment where P. ligni predominated was tow-fold higher than that where H. filiformis occurred in large numbers. The chromium and copper contents at which P. ligni showed a maximum abundance were 120 mg/kg and 127 mg/kg, respectively. The density of H. filiformis was highest at concentrations of 56 mg/kg chromium and 13 mg/kg copper.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.188-191
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• 2008

The Tonle Sap, Cambodia, is a huge lake and periodically flooded due to monsoon climate. The incoming water causes intensive flooding that expands the lake over vast floodplain and wetland consisting mainly of forests and shrubs. Monitoring the water-level change over the floodplain is essential for flood prediction and water resource management. A main objective of this study is flood monitoring over Tonle Sap area using ALOS PALSAR. To study double-bounce effects in the lake, backscattering effect using ALOS PALSAR dual-polarization (HH, HV) data was examined. InSAR technique was applied for detection of water-level change. HH-polarization interferometric pairs between wet and dry seasons were best to measure water level change around northwestern parts of Tonle Sap. The seasonal pattern of water-level variations in Tonle Sap studied by InSAR method is similar to the past and altimeter data. However, water level variation measured by SAR was much smaller than that by altimeter because the DInSAR measurement only represents water level change at a given region of floodplain while altimeter provides water level variation at the central parts of the lake.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.375-380
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• 2014

This study examined the incidence rates of cancer cases (averages for 2006-2010) and relationships with environmental radioactivity levels. Soil and water samples were collected from provincial and district centers of Van city and the outdoor gamma doses were determined using a portable gamma scintillation detector. Gross alpha and beta, (226)Ra, (232)Th, and (40)K activities were measured in both tap water and soil samples. Although high rates of stomach and esophagus cancers have been reported previously in Van the underlying reasons have not hitherto been defined. Incidences of cancers were highest in the Gurpmar (326.0) and Ozalp (377.1) counties (p<0.001). As to the results of the gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity measurements in the drinking water, these two counties also had high beta radionuclide levels: Gurpmar ($140mBq/dm^3$) and Ozalp ($206mBq/dm^3$). Even if within the normal range, a relation between the higher rate of the incidence of stomach and esophagus cancers with that of the higher rate of beta radionuclide activity was clear. On Spearman correlation analysis, the relation between higher beta radionuclide levels and cancer incidence was found to be statistically significant (p<0.01). According to the results of the analysis, Van residents receive an average 1.86 mSv/y annual dose from outdoor gamma radiation, ingestion of radionuclides in the drinking water, and indoor $^{222}Rn$ activity. Moreover, gross alpha and beta activities were found to be extremely high in all of the lakes around the city of Van, Turkey. Further investigations with long-term detailed environmental radiation measurements are needed regarding the relationship between cancer cases and environmental radioactivity in the city of Van.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.101-109
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• 1997

The present study was carried out to investigate the temporal and spatial changes in species composition and abundance of polychaetes in Lake Shihwa. Macrobenthic fauna were collected from eight sampling surveys performed in March, June, September and December of 1994, March and October of 1995, February and August of 1996, using a modified van Veen grab with 0.1 $m^2$ coverage area. Polychaete worms, the most abundant macrofaunal group, comprised of 1~22 species at each investigation; number of species continuously decreased during the survey period. The mean density of polychaete was $794{\pm}1,275\;indiv.{\cdot}m^{-2}$ and showed a large fluctuation over time. The variation in abundance was mainly coupled with the domination of Polydora ligni occupying 83% in total density. The next dominant species were Pseudopolydora kempi (mean density of 31 $indiv.{\cdot}m^{-2}$) and Capitella capitata (mean density of 23 $indiv.{\cdot}m^{-2}$). Abundant polychaetes in Lake Shihwa are known to be tolerant to sediment pollution. Ecological indices such as diversity (H') and dominance (D) also indicated that the number of species significantly decreased and a few species predominated in Lake Shihwa after the dike construction. The azoic zone were extended from the upper reach of Lake Shihwa to the vicinity of the dike over time. The reduced number of species, predominance of pollution indicator species and development of an azoic zone reflect severe deterioration of benthic environments in Lake Shihwa.

• Water for future
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.95-100
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• 1977

The empirical area-reduction method by W.M. Borland and C.R. Miller and its revised procedure by W.T. Moody were made of fitting the area and storage curves to the Van't Hul distributions. It should be noted that the reservoir is classified into one of the four standard types on the basis of the topographical feature of the reservoir in application of the method. In other words, this method did not take into account several considerafble factors affecting the mode of sediment deposition, but only the shape of the reservoir as a governign factor. This is why the method occasionally creates ambiguity in classification and accordingly leads to unexpected mode of deposition. This paper describes a generating an formula to decide the standard classification of four types Van's Hul distributions, taking into consideration quantitatively sediment-loss percent and capacity-inflow ratio as well as the shape of the reservoirs by multiple regression analysis using the least square method to get a better fit to the design curves. The result is expressed as $Y=-1.95+55.8X_1+0.14X_2+0.12X_3$ in which the the values of Y locate the standard type I through type IV in the range from ten to forty with the interval of ten. The regression analysis was correlated well with the standard errors of estimate of around two except for the case of the type IV. This formula does not give big difference from the Borland's work in general sityation, but it demonstrates acceptable results, giving somewhat precise replys for the specific reservoirs. Its application to the Soyang Lake, one of the largest reservoirs in the country, defined clearly the type II, while the original method located it in the boundary of the type II and type III.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.33-42
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• 2005

Wetlands often function as a nutrient sink. It is well known that increased input of nutrient increases the primary productivity but it is not well understood what is the fate of produced biomass in wetland ecosystem. Water and sediment quality, decomposition rate of cellulose, and sediment accumulation rate in 11 montane marshes in northern Sierra Nevada, California were analyzed to trace the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus content in water on nutrient dynamics. Concentrations of ammonium, nitrate, soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) in water were in the range of 27 to 607, 8 to 73, and 6 to 109 ppb, respectively. Concentrations of ammonium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium in water were the highest in Markleeville, which has been impacted by animal farming. Nitrate and SRP concentrations in water were the highest in Snow Creek, which has been impacted by human residence and a golf course. Cellulose decomposition rates ranged from 4 to 75 % per 90 days and the highest values were measured in Snow Creek. Concentrations of total carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in sediment ranged from 8.0 to 42.8, 0.5 to 3.0, and 0.076 to 0.162 %, respectively. Accumulation rates of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus fluctuated between 32.7 to 97.1, 2.4 to 9.0, and 0.08 to $1.14gm^{-2}yr{-1}$, respectively. Accumulation rates of carbon and nitrogen were highest in Markleeville and that of phosphorus was highest in Lake Van Norden. Correlation analysis showed that decay rate is correlated with ammonium, nitrate, and SRP in water. There was no correlation between element content in sediment and water quality. Nitrogen accumulation rate was correlated with ammonium in water. These results showed that element accumulation rates in montane wetland ecosystems are determined by decomposition rate rather than nutrient input. This study stresses a need for eco-physiological researches on the response of microbial community to increased nutrient input and environmental change because the microbial community is responsible for the decomposition process.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.72 no.5
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• pp.643-652
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• 2019

Protection of cultural heritage and carrying it to the future are at the top of the significant topics of research and implementation in engineering in the 21st century. There are several historical structures in the district of Ahlat located in the east of Turkey on the Lake Van Basin that has harbored many civilizations. Some of such works are the gravestones that are found in the Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery, which is the oldest and largest cemetery in the district. This study firstly provides information about the Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery and the gravestones found in it. Observation-based structural analyses were carried out on these gravestones that are found in this area that are known to have belonged to different civilizations based on their physical and constructional characteristics. These stones were built out of Ahlat stone as single pieces. Information is provided on the damages that have occurred on the gravestones in time and their causes. In general, losses of mass, abrasions, separations, collapses and calcifications due to natural conditions, as well as vegetative formations, were observed in the gravestones. To provide an example of other gravestones within the context of the study, the gravestone that is known to belong to the person named Nureddin Ebu Hasan was selected. As a result of the modeling that was carried out for this gravestone by using the finite elements method, modal analyses were carried out. With these analyses, for the gravestone, period, effective mass participation rates and stress values were calculated. The stress values that were obtained in this study were compared to the material safety stress values that were obtained in previous studies. Additionally, QR code application was created for the gravestone that was selected as an example in the study, and information on this gravestone was transferred to an electronic environment. The QR code application includes different language options, visuals of the gravestone and information on the gravestone. The QR application was also supported with a video of the cemetery where the gravestone is located. With this application, access to information about gravestones will be possible by using tablets and smartphones. With a QR code to be created for each gravestone, these gravestones will obtain identity cards.