General Perspectives on Seismic Retrofitting of Historical Masonry Structures

Abstract

This chapter focuses on retroiting of historical masonry structures from the point of seismic resistance based on failure analysis. In historical structures, restoration applications have become necessary because their life cycle of structural and nonstructural members is completed due to natural result of material structure, environmental conditions, and/ or user errors. One of the most important intervention decisions in restoration stages carried out in historical buildings is known as retroited of the structure. The choice techniques of retroiting of the structural members are becoming a very important issue in the scope of restoration of historical masonry structures belonging to the cultural heritage. Additionally, it should be decided to optimally preserve such buildings' original forms and to make interventions to increase the building's service life; in this regard, it is important to preserve the structures' historical identity and constructional value. Therefore, retroiting applications have become essential to prevent the damage level and to have adequate level of structural strength in order to resist dynamic efects such as earthquakes. In this chapter, it is aimed to determine the main principles by using conventional and modern techniques within the scope of laboratory tests and numerical approaches in recovering the historical structures.