Investigation of Stone Masonry Construction Techniques and Material Properties in Hatay and Osmaniye After the 2023 Turkey Earthquake Sequence

Abstract

The eleven Turkish provinces affected by the 2023 Turkey earthquake sequence featured historic cities which are home to numerous stone masonry structures. Scientific evaluations of the earthquake response of these structures requires knowledge of the construction techniques as well as the mechanical properties of the constituent masonry materials (stone and mortar). However, limited research has been conducted on these aspects to date. To address this research gap, a post-earthquake field study was conducted on monumental structures located in two of the affected provinces (Hatay and Osmaniye). The paper first provides a survey of damage observations from the field; these highlight the significant role of masonry disaggregation in collapse mechanisms. To understand the reasons for disaggregation failures, construction techniques are investigated systematically using the Masonry Quality Index (MQI). The use of Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity, Schmidt Rebound Hammer and Mortar Penetrometer devices to quantify mechanical properties of stone and mortar is then presented. Examples are provided to demonstrate how the construction technique and material property data informs our understanding of damage mechanisms. © 2024, International Association for Earthquake Engineering. All rights reserved.