Field Investigation on the Performance of Mosques and Minarets during the Elazig-Sivrice Earthquake

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present the field investigation and performance assessment of the mosques and minarets constructed around the cities of Elaziğ and Malatya and their surrounding districts shortly after the earthquake (magnitude of MW=6.5–6.8 according to different institutions) that occurred at 8:55 p.m. local time on Friday January 24, 2020, in the Sivrice township of Elazığ, located in the southwest of the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. Mosques and minarets are special structures affected by earthquakes as other buildings too. Two types of mosques and minarets constructed using masonry and reinforced concrete constructional materials and technologies were investigated. A total of 20 mosques with minarets having either a masonry or reinforced concrete carrier system were extensively examined. It is concluded that a significant part of the collapsed and damaged mosques and minarets did not receive adequate engineering services and/or were constructed without following national guidelines. Also, it is thought that the absence of any codes or guidelines for these special structures is a major deficiency and leaves engineers in a difficult position during the design phase.