Planning the Shaking Table Tests of a Historical Brick Minaret Representing Mid-Height Early Ottoman Period Architecture

Historical minarets, which are among invaluable cultural heritage in Turkey, are prone to a significant loss of functionality due to seismic actions. This study introduces the main planning stages of shaking table testing campaign of a typical historical minaret representing mid-height early Ottoman period architecture, typically built-in 15th century in Bursa, Turkey. First, the ¼ scaled minaret specimen was designed to represent both geometric and material characteristics of the historical minaret. Selected two different strong ground motion records were scaled considering the ¼ geometrical factor of the test minarets according to the dynamic modelling theory. A 3D finite element model then was developed using the nonlinear material model, and a time history analysis was carried out to obtain the behavior of the minaret subjected to the scaled strong ground motions. According to analysis results, the effects of the ground motion characteristics on the minaret behavior were observed and compared. In addition to the collapse mechanism of the minaret exposed to strong ground motion, dynamic displacements and stresses were obtained at the critical sections of the minarets. The instrumentation system was determined to obtain the variation of displacement and acceleration along the height of the minaret specimen.