I was born in 1982 in Ankara. I graduated from Süleyman Demirel University Civil Engineering Department in 2005. I have been living in İstanbul for 12 years.
Emrah Öztürk İnşaat Mühendisi / Civil Engineer / Kalyon Kolin Cengiz Construction Work Partnership
“Big projects help to train engineers, broaden vision, take our employees, contractors and administrations to an international level. They urge people to read and learn. They push them going beyond their borders. It creates competition both on company and employee basis. Competition, in turn, leads to better quality, more sustainable and new businesses of continuous nature, new employees and new companies.”
You are putting your signature under efforts that create a difference with the infrastructure and superstructure projects you contribute to in Turkey. Can you tell us about the major projects you have been involved in so far?
I was involved in a number of project overseas and at home following my graduation. Some of them were small and medium sized projects. First of all, I got to sniff the construction site dust, so to speak, and started to gain experience in superstructure, shopping mall, industrial plant and housing projects. After these, I had the chance to work in larger projects. For instance, I was involved in Yapı Merkezi & SK joint venture for the Ankara Eskişehir high-speed train project which is Turkey’s first high speed train project by a Spanish contractor, and the Eurasia Tunnel project which is Turkey’s first highway Bosphorus tunnel crossing project. Taking office in this project was a second school for me. It was in this project that I realized exactly what education is for. I realized that Yapı Merkezi is not only focused on doing its own job, but also has a vision to bring out well trained engineers for our country and the world. I became aware that dozens of engineers working on this project would achieve the best and I did my best too. It was lucky to participate at every stage of this big project, from driving of the first piles, to the two-way passage of vehicles and the construction of the tunnel exit on the European side. I tried to make the most of it by working hard. I tried to adopt and understand the experience, sincerity and very broad visionary approach of the company executives although we did not have the opportunity to get to know them that closely. I can say that Yapı Merkezi and the Eurasia Tunnel project was a turning point for me.
I started to work on the Gayrettepe 3rd Airport Metro Project after the completion of that project. To be the first of its kind constructed in Turkey and having a total tunnel length of approximately 75 km, assuming responsibility in the construction of this line was both exciting and scary for me at first. I took office for 5.5 years as the Section Manager of this project. In this project, we completed the entire project from the first pile driving to the train crossing. I left 2 months before commissioning of the project and handed over the entire responsibility to our other colleagues. Last but not least currently, there is a Chinese company whose main contractor is abroad. I work as a Division Manager.
You are taking part in the Gayrettepe 3rd Airport Metro Project which is one of the biggest and most important projects carried out recently. Can you tell us about the details of this project?
This project consists of approximately 75 km of tunnels in both directions. It will comprise of 9 station structures. Apart from the Gayrettepe connection, it consists of 3 stations at the airport, 1 station each in residential areas of Göktürk and Kemerburgaz, Kağıthane, 1 station in Hasdal witin the İstanbul University Hospital project, which is also carried out under contract acted with Kolin Construction Company, and 1 station in İhsaniye, which is close to the airport and planned to be a very large settlement in the future. The project includes cut and cover structures, TBM tunnels and NATM tunnels. Drilling and Blasting excavation was also carried out in a short section of the tunnel. In the project with a budget of 1.2 billion Euros, more than 5 thousand personnel were employed at the summit. This is a great deal of employment. Being a project tendered by the Ministry of Transportation General Directorate of Infrastructure Investments, just like the Eurasia Tunnel, our Gayrettepe 3rd Airport project was also completed in a short time. Being a joint venture of Kalyon Kolin Cengiz İnşaat, the project will be launched in a very short time, especially with the size of the partners and the support of General Directorate of Infrastructure Investments. Metro is the primary means of transportation sought at airports all over the world. Everyone, especially those who travel business and tourism purposes primarily consider the means of transportation at their destination. A metro project worthy of the class of our airport will be completed with the partnership of the Ministry of Transportation General Directorate of Infrastructure Investments and Kalyon Kolin Cengiz İnşaat partnership which can technically and financially undertake this project.
A multitude of efficiency increases and savings have been achieved in many different areas with the works carried out within the scope of the project. What are these details?
As I mentioned, it is at a level that can meet the major transportation needs of the airport. It can be said that this is the fastest metro project in Turkey. Having a design speed of 130 kph, the project will actually operate at 120 km/h. The length of the distance between stations allows for this acceleration and the purpose here is not only to carry passengers. It is to carry passengers quickly. It is very important for a metro line to complete trip of this length within 30 minutes. The vehicle load will decrease and our carbon emissions will decrease at the first stage when the project is introduced to service. It will minimize traffic density issue of İstanbul as the most important matter. This will contribute to both the environment and our economy greatly. We are not an oil country. We have the opportunity to attain our energy potential from the sources of sun, wind and sea movements. We need to increase our railroad networks and infrastructure and we also need to use energy generated through more sustainable sources. Sustainability is the recent trend of the world and this trend will be the main issue that will increase the competition of all countries in the future. In this context, our project will take on the traffic load at the first stage. Also, upon completion of the hospital project built in Hasdal, it will also take on the traffic and transportation problem in the city. The speed of the project, the choice of connection points and locations of the station are make it a bull’s eye.
I consider that tourism will also increase when it functions in combination with our Airport-Halkalı Metro project, which is the continuation of the Gayrettepe Metro project and to be opened in 1-2 years. Going to give way to both sustainability and an increase in tourism, our projects contribute greatly to the country’s economy.
Being carried out with the contribution and support of many different stakeholders, significant successes have been achieved with the project. What are the aspects which draw attention as having the first and most unique features in the construction sector?
While there are many elements in the project, I would specifically like to mention the areas that I am in charge of. This project has put signature under the firsts, from its design to its implementation. It is the fastest first metro project in Turkey with a speed rating of 120 kph. It is the first metro project in Turkey to establish and operate 4 concrete batching plants, 3 tunnel injection plants and 7 concrete plants in-house without employing subcontractor owned ready-mixed concrete plants. It is the first metro project to produce 1.5 million m3 of concrete and to complete its transportation and shipping procedures in accordance with legal requirements. It is also the first project in Turkey to produce its own aggregate and capable of producing 1.5 million tons of aggregate by operating a quarry to produce concrete aggregate. It is the first metro project in Turkey that has used slag in concrete in segment production and to apply concrete durability conditions by taking into account standards other than norms of the specifications. It is the first metro project to require the fulfillment of durability conditions for segment production using additional mineral admixtures as a precedent for other metro projects in İstanbul and complying with the criteria beyond the specifications in Eurasia Tunnel and Marmaray projects. The project was completed with 50 concrete designs. Durability conditions were fulfilled in each permanent structure concrete design. Chlorine migration, ion penetration, rapid Clor, water absorption, compressive strength, long-term compressive strength, alkaline silica reactions, and the other important tests and checks were carried out to ensure the continuity of fresh and hardened concrete, and transportation was carried out with 7-7.5 m3 concrete quantities in legal transport tonnages to distances of 30 km, and concrete pourings of 3500 m3 /day were realized in the tough traffic of Istanbul.
In total, shipments were made to 20 different points on a line with a length of 75 km on the same day with our own team and equipment, taking into account İstanbul traffic. 4 hours of life time was prescribed for the concrete exposed to various harsh environments and weather conditions in delivering the concrete to the desired location upon 1-1.5 hours of concrete transportation in traffic, vertical concrete transfers to shafts at a depth of 70 meters, in-tunnel concrete handling and more than 100 meters of in-tunnel pumping, and the design was made accordingly. Designs were confirmed in İTÜ laboratories.
The first 5 different classes in Turkey and the differentiation of these classes according to tunnel static load conditions were completed in compliance with the quality standards in TBM Segment production. It is the first metro project for which 2 segment plants were established and 55 thousand segments were produced at a time; uses its own concrete in its production. Designs that satisfy high durability conditions and exceed the requirements of the principal were created. It is the first project to operate 4 in-house laboratories to accommodate a volume of 3500 m3 of concrete per day.
All operations and quality control processes were completed with a total number of 300 personnel working for the department. A total of 2 vertical shaft and cone crusher belts were used in the quarry and the crusher dust washing facility was established in a separate area. A daily production capacity of 3000 tons was ensured in average.
Washing plant productions were stockpiled and washed crusher dust was protected from the effects of weather and ambient conditions. 45 mixers and 14 large-scale pumps were used at the maximum capacity of the project. All vehicle tracking operations was carried out with a special program for vehicle tracking systems. Diesel, location, working conditions, consumption etc. properties of the vehicles were monitored on TV screens for 24 hours. All records have been and cost-benefit evaluations were carried out. The project has increased the value of national wealth by carrying out its own productions and has realized millions of dollars of savings compared to foreign purchases.
Gayrettepe-Havalimanı is the first fastest metro project in Turkey with a speed rating of 120 kph. It is the metro project in Turkey to establish and operate 4 concrete batching plants, 3 tunnel injection plants and 7 concrete plants in-house without employing subcontractor owned ready-mixed concrete plants. It is the first metro project to produce 1.5 million m3 of concrete and to complete its transportation and shipping procedures in accordance with legal requirements.
Which aspects do create the difference in giant and mega projects in your opinion?
First of all, it creates awareness. Those who work on big projects become aware about what they are doing. Such projects make everyone from the administration to the consultant, from the contractor to the designer say, “OK, this is a big project, we must pay attention to every aspect.” Big projects help to train engineers, broaden vision, take our employees, contractors and administrations to an international level. They urge people to read and learn. They push them going beyond their borders. It creates competition both on company and employee basis. Competition, in turn, leads to better quality, more sustainable and new businesses of continuous nature, new employees and new companies. In short, big and rational projects are beneficial from every aspect.
What is the most challenging stage of designing a project in your opinion? What are the most challenging parts of creating projects?
In my opinion, the decision making process of the state and the confirmation to be provided by the urban planning department are the most challenging phases. The most challenging process is for the state to allocate a budget, to make the plan, to make the decision, to act in accordance with the needs to take the steps that will provide revenue and to make such decision.
The matter of deciding on “Who can perform this project?” is very important. Not everyone can do every task specified above. It is a clear fact. These are not everyone’s job. Not only financial aspects, but also the corporate vision plays a very important role. Deciding on the companies that claim to be capable of doing this, other than the companies that can do this job is as difficult and risky as the designing process.
Thirdly, the question about who can execute this project among the employees needs to be answered. Experience steps in at this point. The management of all the employees who complete our project and deciding on them is also a very important stage.
Giving the right answer to the above questions when making decisions leads to the timely completion of all the remaining works with high quality and in accordance with the norms and requirements of the principal. Providing the right answer to such questions will also overcome any technical difficulty.
