This study analyzes the Pazarcik and Elbistan earthquakes, which occurred on February 6, 2023 and are among the most destructive seismic events of the 21st century. Since the greatest damage was seen in Hatay in these earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaras, the study aims to contribute to the field of earthquake engineering by evaluating the seismic data obtained from these regions. In the first part of the analysis, peak ground accelerations (PGA) recorded at the stations in Kahramanmaras and Hatay were examined and these data were compared with the DD1 (maximum considered earthquake) and DD2 (design basis earthquake) design levels of the Turkish Building Earthquake Code (TBEC 2018). In addition, the effects of ground properties and proximity of faults on seismic records obtained from various stations were evaluated by examining the PGA distribution spatially. The impacts of factors such as the near-fault effect, directivity effect, ground amplification effect and impulse-like motions were determined by examining the peak ground accelations, peak ground velocities, peak ground displacements and spectral accelerations. The study uses NGA-West2 Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) to evaluate peak ground accelerations in stiff soil and to consider impulse and directivity effects. In addition, the applicability of USGS Vs30 maps in Turkiye is evaluated by comparing with AFAD data. These comprehensive analysis provide critical insights from a structural safety perspective on how seismic characteristics change with ground properties and proximity to earthquake sources.

A careful evaluation has been carried out to reveal advantages and disadvantages of linear and nonlinear modelling in dynamic analysis. 4- and 7- story building models representing characteristics of about 500 existing buildings models in Turkey was used in analyses. In the study, displacement demand parameters such as roof drift ratio and interstory drift ratio obtained from linear and nonlinear analyses were compared using a total of 24 ground motion records including forward directivity effects (Set 2) as well as records (Set 1) recorded in type B and C soils. Although the seismic demands for Set 2 are obtained extremely high in the nonlinear models, the demand differences between Set 1 and Set 2 are not excessive for the linear models. In the region where the T/Tp ratio is close to one, the linear analysis predicts unrealistically high demands compared to the nonlinear analysis. Linear analysis results mostly show an increase or decrease depending on dynamic amplification effects. The effects of ground motion intensity and damage mechanism cannot be observed in linear analysis method. For all these reasons, it is recommended not to prefer linear modeling method when using time- history analysis.