Structural Analysis of Five Historical Minarets in Bitlis (Turkey)

Bitlis has hosted many civilizations and is located in Turkey’s significant strategic transit corridor. Many historical structures belong to different cultures in the city. The structural analysis of five minarets mentioned in folk songs and the brand value of Bitlis city in terms of historical buildings is the subject of this study. These minarets are precious because they witness important events in Bitlis city. Non-destructive test methods determined the material properties of the Bitlis stone used in constructing minarets. Within the scope of the study, detailed information about each minaret was given, and on-site measurements determined its dimensions and current structural conditions. For each minaret, its seismic behavior has been selected by using the vertical and horizontal design spectrum in the recent earthquake code of Turkey. Historical masonry minarets were modeled using the finite element method. In addition to stress distribution in the minarets under different loading conditions, period and displacement results are also investigated.

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