Seismic Performance Assessment and Restoration Proposal for the 19th-Century Karacakaya Mosque

Abstract

Preserving historical buildings, as a shared heritage reflecting human civilization from the past to the present, is of vital importance. This study investigates the seismic behavior of the Karacakaya Village Mosque, constructed in 1879 with stone masonry walls and a hipped wooden roof, prior to its architectural restoration. The primary building and single minaret were modeled, and linear, nonlinear pushover, and kinematic analyses were performed in accordance with seismic guidelines. The response spectrum and the pushover analysis results indicated that both the main building and minaret met the local performance requirements. However, the kinematic limit analysis of the masonry walls revealed occurrences of overturning, lateral bending, and vertical bending failures. The seismic assessment concluded that restoring the mosque in its original form poses no structural harm. As part of the restoration project, a comprehensive survey study was conducted, followed by a restoration proposal informed by the architectural characteristics of Ottoman mosques in the region. The proposal involves removing non-original elements added to the mosque to restore its historical authenticity. This study presents a multi-stage reference methodology for the seismic analysis of historic masonry-wood structures, exemplified by an existing building with adequate seismic performance based on response spectrum analysis and nonlinear pushover analysis but exhibiting potential collapse mechanisms according to kinematic analysis. The findings underscore the necessity of including kinematic analyses in seismic codes and regulations for historic buildings. The proposed seismic assessment and restoration plan for this unique mosque will contribute significantly to preserving the historical value and sustainability of this heritage site. By considering the local collapse behavior in the analysis of the global behavior, a comparative assessment was made, which yielded more realistic conclusions regarding the structural performance of the mosque. The presented methodology also offers a comprehensive framework for engineers, by presenting practical guidelines for post-collapse interventions and contribute to the long-term preservation of monumental structures.