Examination of the Seismic Behavior of the Historical Yeşildere Bridge

Abstract

Historical buildings serve as a connection between the present and the past. Historical arch bridges, which are widespread in Turkey, hold significant cultural value. To preserve these structures, it is essential to understand their structural behavior. This study discusses the seismic behavior of historical masonry arch bridges, focusing on the Yeşildere Bridge located in Yeşildere Village on the Ulaş-Kangal-Hekimhan highway route in Sivas province. The historical bridge was modelled using the finite element method (FEM) with SAP2000 software. Modal analysis, response spectrum analysis, and linear time history analysis were conducted on the model using earthquake ground motion levels defined in TBDY 2018. The acceleration records of the Elbistan Earthquake and Pazarcık Earthquake that occurred in Turkey on February 6, 2023 were used for the time history analysis. The results of the modal analysis provided the mode shapes and period values of the bridge. The stress and displacement values on the bridge and the regions where they reached the highest values were determined as a result of the time history and response spectrum analysis.