Assessing Road Network’s Resilience and Recovery Post-Earthquakes in Turkey.

Abstract: Turkey faces significant seismic activity regularly, with major earthquakes inflicting severe damage on the country’s infrastructure and economy. This study investigates the extensive damage sustained by the road network due to a recent earthquake in the country’s Southeastern region, examining both the types of damage and disruptions to traffic flow and emergency operations. In particular, this research focuses on understanding the different categories of damage caused, as well as the various ways in which these impacts hindered critical transportation functions and services. In addition, we evaluated the network's redundancy and resilience in the impacted area by comparing the anticipated performance of the network to its actual performance after the damage from the event. Our objective was to systematically evaluate how the predicted performance of the road network aligns with its actual performance under large seismic stress. To accomplish the study goals, we leverages predicted regional hazard levels to identify targeted interventions and strategies that can support successful post-earthquake relief initiatives across the country. Ultimately, these findings contribute to earthquake preparedness, reinforce infrastructure resilience, and inform the development of strategic response measures essential for enhancing the seismic durability of Turkey’s road network, safeguarding public safety and economic stability during future seismic events.