District-Scale Analysis of Istanbul's Historical Significance, Seismic Risks And Natural Gas Infrastructure:Challenges, Solutions and Recommendations
5th International Conference on Recycling and Reuse (R&R2024), İstanbul, Türkiye, 5 - 06 Temmuz 2024, cilt.1, sa.1, ss.122-129, (Tam Metin Bildiri)
- Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Tam Metin Bildiri
- Cilt numarası: 1
- Basıldığı Şehir: İstanbul
- Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.122-129
- İstanbul Üniversitesi-Cerrahpaşa Adresli: Evet
Özet
Istanbul served as the capital of the Eastern Roman and Ottoman Empires. The city's historical peninsula, recognized for its illustrious past, is known for its rich heritage and has been a hub of diverse cultures, religions, and communities. Recognized for its cultural significance, this area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985. Over time, Istanbul has expanded its commercial and residential areas, extending beyond the Fatih district into Beyoğlu and Üsküdar. Situated in a region prone to seismic activity, Istanbul has a history marked by earthquakes and fires. These events led to the widespread use of timber structures, valued for their flexibility, lightness, and affordability. However, this shift also resulted in significant fires in densely populated areas with many wooden buildings. Alongside entirely timber structures, buildings with wooden floors and roofs, combined with structural elements of concrete, brick, or stone, have endured through the ages. In addition to earthquakes, natural disasters like hurricanes such as Katrina, floods, and landslides, as seen in Japan's Saga region, pose significant challenges to infrastructure. These events cause extensive damage to wastewater, clean water, and electricity networks, as well as to facilities processing oil and natural gas. This disruption to the gas transmission network infrastructure worsens environmental pollution, negatively impacting sustainability and economic circularity. Natural gas is the preferred energy source in urban and industrial settings due to its economic advantages. Gas installations and appliances, installed with engineering expertise, have helped reduce fire risks for heating and cooking in buildings. This increased use of natural gas has also led to decreased emissions in urban areas. In areas where the gas network does not reach, LNG tanks are used for storage, while densely populated areas receive gas through pipe networks. Pressure reducing stations are located in neighbourhoods along the main network branches, with equipment at building entrances regulating gas pressure within installations. These units are equipped with safety mechanisms that automatically stop gas flow if pressure drops due to potential leaks. Additionally, seismic sensors in the field trigger the shutdown of the gas supply in the primary distribution network during disasters.
In the event of a ruptured pipe segment, released gas may ignite into a jet flame, potentially leading to explosions. Nearby individuals face risks of injury or fatalities, and the spread of fire to neighbouring structures can result in building fires. Efforts to prevent irreversible cultural losses are crucial, particularly in historical areas like Fatih, Beyoğlu, and Üsküdar, where timber buildings are abundant.
Literature includes scientific studies, such as simulations demonstrating the aftermath of burning historical neighbourhoods with wooden structures, similar to those found in Kyoto, renowned for its comparable building stock and ancient heritage. This study will use the EPA’s ALOHA program to simulate energy release from pipe rupture and gas fires, along with analysing the thermal radiation effects on buildings. The aim of the study is to contribute to the preservation of cultural values and historical heritage