Research Article

Expert Reports on Building Collapses in the February 6 Earthquakes: An Examination of Local Government Dynamics

Volume: 13 Number: 1 October 5, 2026
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Expert Reports on Building Collapses in the February 6 Earthquakes: An Examination of Local Government Dynamics

Abstract

The earthquakes that struck south-eastern Turkey on 6 February 2023 caused severe damage and led to the launch of comprehensive criminal investigations into the collapsed buildings. Expert reports play a critical role in determining technical and legal liabilities in these investigations. This study systematically analyses expert reports prepared in post-disaster contexts with the aim of identifying their methodological and institutional shortcomings. Using a qualitative research design based on structured content analysis, the study examined expert reports contained in 20 investigation files accessed through 20 lawyers. Communication with the lawyers served solely to facilitate access to the files; the content of these exchanges was not included in the analysis. The analysis focused on the completeness of the documents, the depth of the technical assessment, and the attribution of institutional responsibility. The findings reveal that, whilst fundamental technical documents were missing in most reports, technical conclusions were included in many despite the lack of data. Furthermore, institutional responsibilities, particularly those of local authorities, were largely excluded. These results highlight not only technical shortcomings but also the structural incompatibility between planning processes and judicial assessment frameworks. Based on these findings, the study proposes a standard expert report template to enhance transparency, consistency and institutional accountability in post-disaster judicial processes

Keywords

6 February Earthquake, Expert Reports, Judiciary, Local Government, Collapse Responsibility

References

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APA
Özdemir, S. A. (2026). Expert Reports on Building Collapses in the February 6 Earthquakes: An Examination of Local Government Dynamics. Adıyaman Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi, 13(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.54365/adyumbd.1861782
AMA
1.Özdemir SA. Expert Reports on Building Collapses in the February 6 Earthquakes: An Examination of Local Government Dynamics. Adıyaman Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi. 2026;13(1):1-17. doi:10.54365/adyumbd.1861782
Chicago
Özdemir, Sıtkı Alper. 2026. “Expert Reports on Building Collapses in the February 6 Earthquakes: An Examination of Local Government Dynamics”. Adıyaman Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi 13 (1): 1-17. https://doi.org/10.54365/adyumbd.1861782.
EndNote
Özdemir SA (October 1, 2026) Expert Reports on Building Collapses in the February 6 Earthquakes: An Examination of Local Government Dynamics. Adıyaman Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi 13 1 1–17.
IEEE
[1]S. A. Özdemir, “Expert Reports on Building Collapses in the February 6 Earthquakes: An Examination of Local Government Dynamics”, Adıyaman Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 1–17, Oct. 2026, doi: 10.54365/adyumbd.1861782.
ISNAD
Özdemir, Sıtkı Alper. “Expert Reports on Building Collapses in the February 6 Earthquakes: An Examination of Local Government Dynamics”. Adıyaman Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi 13/1 (October 1, 2026): 1-17. https://doi.org/10.54365/adyumbd.1861782.
JAMA
1.Özdemir SA. Expert Reports on Building Collapses in the February 6 Earthquakes: An Examination of Local Government Dynamics. Adıyaman Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi. 2026;13:1–17.
MLA
Özdemir, Sıtkı Alper. “Expert Reports on Building Collapses in the February 6 Earthquakes: An Examination of Local Government Dynamics”. Adıyaman Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 13, no. 1, Oct. 2026, pp. 1-17, doi:10.54365/adyumbd.1861782.
Vancouver
1.Sıtkı Alper Özdemir. Expert Reports on Building Collapses in the February 6 Earthquakes: An Examination of Local Government Dynamics. Adıyaman Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi. 2026 Oct. 1;13(1):1-17. doi:10.54365/adyumbd.1861782