Seismic performance of RC staircases in the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes: Field observation, damage patterns and evacuation risk

Seismic performance of RC staircases in the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes: Field observation, damage patterns and evacuation risk | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Seismic performance of RC staircases in the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes: Field observation, damage patterns and evacuation risk Abdullah Türer This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7467139/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 08 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering → Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study investigates the damage patterns, failure mechanisms, and evacuation risks of reinforced-concrete staircases during the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Türkiye. Despite being crucial for safe evacuation and rescue operations, staircases are frequently overlooked in post-earthquake assessments. Field data from 91 buildings were collected and analyzed to understand staircase response to severe shaking and the risks posed to occupants. The results show that staircases with rigid connections acted as unintended diagonal braces, attracting seismic forces that caused shear failures, cracking, and sometimes collapse. These failures delayed evacuation and made escape routes hazardous. The Evacuation Difficulty Score (EDS), a novel logistic score that combines building height and staircase damage severity, is introduced in the study to quantify this risk. Analysis indicates that 25.3% of buildings reached critical EDS levels. Staircase vulnerabilities proved systemic rather than confined to obsolete design codes, with failures observed in both older and newer buildings. Three recurring patterns were identified: cracking in tall modern buildings, functionally risky medium damage in post-2000 mid-rises, and brittle failures in older stock. Code comparisons highlighted a regulatory gap, as TBEC 2018 and Eurocode 8 lack drift-compatible stair provisions, unlike ASCE 7–16. Overall, staircase safety is not only a structural problem but also a life-safety priority. It requires a proactive approach that includes needing drift-accommodating designs in new construction, retrofitting high-risk structures, and implementing EDS for screening. Post-earthquake assessment staircase damage evacuation safety RC structures damage classification Kahramanmaraş earthquakes Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 08 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering → Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 08 Sep, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 08 Sep, 2025 Editor invited by journal 06 Sep, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 30 Aug, 2025 First submitted to journal 28 Aug, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7467139","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":512060451,"identity":"e16775be-f66d-4a67-b1be-d06e90e72a25","order_by":0,"name":"Abdullah Türer","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABA0lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCQYDhgcFDAkQXgUDkAsEPIS0JAARRNEZhBYJ4rQwthGhhX928zaJBAO7PHuJ3IePK+fZJW6XSGB88LaNoc68AYcld46VAbUkF/NIpBsbnt2WnLhzRgKz4dw2BgmZAzisuZFjBtTCnNgjkcYm2biNOXHDjQQ2aV6gFlwuk4doqQdpYf/ZOKcepIX9Nz4tBhAth8G2MDY2HAbbwoxPi+GdY8UWCQbHE3vOPGOWbDh23Hhnz8NmyTnnJCRn4NAid7t5440PFdWJ7e1pjB8baqplt7MnH/zwpsyGH3fEoAHHBgbGBgZ8MYkB7IlXOgpGwSgYBSMFAAB3fVfA4v/UfQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4378-301X","institution":"Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt Üniversitesi: Ankara Yildirim Beyazit Universitesi","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Abdullah","middleName":"","lastName":"Türer","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-08-27 02:49:01","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7467139/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7467139/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-025-02359-8","type":"published","date":"2026-01-08T15:57:22+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":100069277,"identity":"06719c8f-a9a3-4c2c-8d2c-f2b744114981","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-12 16:12:33","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1346357,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"SeismicperformanceofRCstaircases.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7467139/v1_covered_9b250ef6-fb55-454e-a0c0-c9eef5f1a4a8.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"Seismic performance of RC staircases in the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes: Field observation, damage patterns and evacuation risk","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":true,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bulletin-of-earthquake-engineering","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"beee","sideBox":"Learn more about [Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering](https://www.springer.com/journal/10518)","snPcode":"10518","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10518/3","title":"Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Post-earthquake assessment, staircase damage, evacuation safety, RC structures, damage classification, Kahramanmaraş earthquakes","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7467139/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7467139/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study investigates the damage patterns, failure mechanisms, and evacuation risks of reinforced-concrete staircases during the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in T\u0026uuml;rkiye. 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Three recurring patterns were identified: cracking in tall modern buildings, functionally risky medium damage in post-2000 mid-rises, and brittle failures in older stock. Code comparisons highlighted a regulatory gap, as TBEC 2018 and Eurocode 8 lack drift-compatible stair provisions, unlike ASCE 7\u0026ndash;16. Overall, staircase safety is not only a structural problem but also a life-safety priority. 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