Investigation of urban resilience in terms of earthquake: An example from Yıldırım district in Bursa

This study aimed to define the concepts of urban resilience, disaster-resistant cities, and earthquake-resistant cities. Urban resilience, cities resistant to disasters, and earthquake-resistant cities are critical concepts in ensuring the safety and preparedness of urban areas against changing conditions, disasters, and earthquakes. The main objective of the study is to evaluate a city's preparedness, structural integrity, and disaster response capabilities against seismic events using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. The study emphasizes the importance of creating cities that are not only resilient to earthquakes but also to potential disasters. Integrated urban planning studies with GIS are highlighted in the study to prepare and build resilient cities against earthquakes and other potential disasters and to prevent or minimize losses that may occur in potential disasters. To demonstrate the contributions of GIS-based systems, the Yıldırım district, one of the first settlements of Bursa, characterized by significant immigration, numerous fault lines, and unplanned urbanization, was chosen as the study area. This region serves as an ideal case study to showcase how GIS technology can effectively assess the resilience of urban areas. Different methods and analysis tools were employed in evaluating the earthquake resilience of the Yıldırım district. By analyzing earthquake resilience based on its geological, demographic, structural, and environmental characteristics, regions with varying resistance levels were identified. A multi-criteria decision-making method was employed to perform a comprehensive analysis, combining the challenging features of the region in a single analysis. The findings underscore the critical importance of earthquake-resistant urban planning and highlight the significant role of GIS in evaluating a city's resilience to unforeseen natural disasters. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the paramount importance of earthquake-resistant urban planning and underscores the role of GIS in evaluating a city's resilience to unforeseen natural disasters. Cities can become resilient, sustainable, and safer against earthquakes through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach. The integration of GIS into urban planning processes emerges as a crucial strategy to create cities that can resist and effectively respond to a wide range of potential disasters.