Suitable Storage Areas for Estimated Demolished Waste Using InSAR and GIS-Based AHP For Kahramanmaraş Earthquake, Türkiye

Year 2025, Volume: 12 Issue: 3, 292 - 309, 29.09.2025

Ahmet Yilmaz Genc , Levent Genç , Nilgün Ayman Öz , R. Cüneyt Erenoğlu

Abstract

This study aims to determine the heights of buildings that collapsed during the February 6, 2023, earthquakes in Kahramanmaras, specifically in the Dulkadiroğlu and Onikişubat districts. Using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) techniques based on free Sentinel-1 SAR images provided by the European Space Agency (ESA), pre- and post-earthquake Digital Elevation Model (DEM) were generated. Among 121 randomly selected collapsed buildings, the heights of 103 were successfully estimated using the InSAR approach in combination with Google Earth data. The study highlights the critical role of remote sensing technologies and spatial analysis for post-disaster damage assessment. In particular, the expertise in data processing, spatial modeling, and geodetic methods was essential for deriving accurate height estimations and assessing urban change. Additionally, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was employed to identify suitable storage locations for demolition waste after determining the demolition volumes. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of Sentinel-1 SAR images and InSAR techniques in accurately identifying collapsed building heights. Moreover, the integration of historical Google Earth imagery with the InSAR technique provides critical insights into urban destruction, facilitating efficient post-disaster demolition and waste management planning.

Keywords

Building height estimation , GIS based AHP , Earthquake damage assessment , Demolition waste management , Kahramanmaras Earthquake 2023

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