Investigation of structural performances of historical building elements made with local materials using the finite element method

Abstract

The structural performance of the materials used in historical buildings can be damaged, usually due to natural events or human-induced interference. Historical buildings in the Southeastern Anatolia Region were generally built with local materials such as stone and brick. This situation should be seen as a factor that may cause severe structural damage in buildings located on a regionally active fault line. Within the scope of the study, the materials used in the region were discussed, and a numerical model representing the behavior of the materials against an earthquake that could occur on the fault line was used. Stone, brick and concrete material definitions were made for the prototype of the arch form modeled with SAP2000, and time-history analyses were carried out separately for each material. Concrete material behaviors, frequently used in buildings constructed today, are also included in the analysis for comparison. As a result of the study, it has been observed that local materials do not have sufficient tensile strength against earthquakes compared to concrete material and that the structures may face the risk of collapse in case of seismic movements in the region. © 2024 by the Authors.