LPG explosion damage of a reinforced concrete building: A case study in Sanliurfa, Turkey

Around the morning EET of 17 June 2011, at Karakopru town of Sanliurfa in Turkey, a LPG explosion at a petrol station took place and as a result of this explosion 1 person was died and 21 people were seriously wounded. The in situ investigation revealed that the explosion was originated by the ignition of an explosive atmosphere that had formed at the basement space of the building due to the LPG leakage. Although it is considered the risk of LPG release to be low, the potential consequences of such a leak is devastating. In the present study, the interesting damages of RC members and their mechanisms in the building exposed to the explosion were explained in conjunction with photos and drawings. Damages observed were so interesting that, they were far beyond the imagination of anyone. It is considered that the presented damages and their mechanisms will give a new insight to the people interested in explosion damages.