Examination of the damage limits and collapse mechanism of Adıyaman Ulu Mosque with finite element model

Historical masonry mosques are cultural heritage sites that are still actively used today and must be preserved for future generations. These structures, typically featuring load-bearing masonry systems, have been observed to sustain significant damage during various earthquakes. Numerous studies have been conducted to determine the seismic behavior of historical masonry mosques. However, the diverse material properties, damage mechanisms, uncertain geometries, and loading conditions make it challenging to accurately assess their seismic response . In this study, a finite element model of the Adıyaman Ulu Mosque was created, and time-history analyses were performed using four different ground motions. The mosque was completely destroyed during the earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 2023, in Kahramanmaraş (Mw 7.7 and Mw 7.6). The collapse mechanisms of the mosque were revealed through dynamic analyses. It was shown that the collapse mechanisms obtained from the numerical analysis closely resembled the actual damage observed in the mosque. The finite element models, modeling methods, and material assumptions used in this study were demonstrated to be reliable for determining the damage mechanisms of historical masonry mosques. Additionally, the displacement-based earthquake performance limits of the mosque were determined and compared with recommendations from regulations, guidelines, and literature. The damage limits derived from the dynamic analyses, in light of the observed damage, were found to be significantly lower than the limits recommended for historical masonry structures in the regulations.