Investigating of the Reasons for the Collapse on the Entrance Arches of the Harran Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami) During the Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes (Mw 7.7 and Mw 7.6)

Abstract

Although historical masonry structures are highly aesthetic, they harbor numerous structural uncertainties. These structures encompass information such as the date of construction, construction methods, material properties, design details and more. They possess diverse identities in various aspects, making the structural assessment of historical buildings a challenging task. Consequently, all historical buildings should be treated with special consideration, and suitable solutions must be devised. In this study, the structural damage causes of the entrance gate of the Harran Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami), which had undergone recent restoration but suffered damage once again during the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes on 6 February 2023 have been investigated. A three-dimensional finite element model of the structure was developed using Abaqus software. In the numerical studies the static as well as non-linear dynamic earthquake analyses were conducted to evaluate the reasons of the collapse of the structure. The structure was subjected to earthquakes from different directions and its compatibility with actual damage scenarios was observed. The study results are presented with contour diagrams of displacement, stress and damage situations. Upon reviewing the numerical findings obtained from the study, it is evident that the actual damage condition of the structure can be reasonably simulated. As a result, it is thought that the earthquake hit the entrance arches from out of plane which caused the collapse. To sum up, by evaluating the damage conditions resulting from such numerical studies, restoration applications can be handled more effectively, ensuring that correct interventions are carried out.