Investigation of Earthquake Behaviour of Construction System and Materials in Traditional Turkish Architecture

Abstract

In this study, it is aimed to present a point of view regarding the behaviour of construction systems implemented in traditional Turkish architecture against earthquakes. In the scope of the study, examples of civil architecture were considered and their structures were evaluated as building elements such as foundation, wall and flooring. Traditional Turkish architecture construction systems can be evaluated in two parts. One of them is the wooden carcass system and the other is the unreinforced masonry system. In the wooden carcass system, the carrier is the load bearing elements used in horizontal and vertical directions. Intermediate parts (strut, diagonal etc.) are placed between these elements to form triangles. The triangles (strut, diagonal) used in the wooden skeleton system comprise highly resistant forms against earthquakes. Moreover, due to the internal structure and physical properties of the wood, which is the skeleton material, the flexibility that it maintains can meet the lateral loads of earthquakes. The second construction system which is the system addressed in this application, is the unreinforced masonry system. In this system, the loadbearing system itself is the walls, which are not resistant to lateral loads. In order to provide this flexibility beams (hatıllar) are installed at certain intervals. After the wall is built to a certain height, a different material is laid allowing a plane of movement on the wall. Thus, when the wall is exposed to a lateral load, it escapes from the planes where the beams (hatıllar) are present, and is protected against large damages by absorbing the earthquake load. In order to establish that the foundation of the structure can withstand earthquakes by movement, wood is placed at the lower part of the foundation above a layer of sand ensuring lateral movement and flexibility of the building. In traditional buildings the slabs are connected to the building walls with beams (hatıllar). Through the agency of the beams (hatıllar) formed at the connection points, the slabs can act as a mass so that they can meet the earthquake load. Allowing the structure to move makes it resistant to earthquakes, seismic isolators are used for this purpose by absorbing the earthquake load and moving the foundation of the structure.