Structural evaluation of traditional masonry buildings during the February 6 - 12, 2017 Ayvacık (Çanakkale) earthquakes in Turkey

Abstract

Throughout history, the town and environs of Ayvacık, a district of Çanakkale in western Turkey, has been home to a traditional style of architecture that represents the integration of cultures originating from different geographies. The medium-sized and major earthquakes that occur periodically in the region constitute a threat to the sustainability of this traditional residential architecture. Four moderate earthquakes having magnitudes of between 5.2 and 5.3 struck the epicenter of Gülpınar - Ayvacık (Çanakkale) over the period February 6 -12, 2017. These earthquakes were strongly felt in the region and in the rural areas, unreinforced stone masonry house structures suffered significant damages. In this study, seventy-two damaged traditional houses were investigated in Yukarıköy district of Ayvacık based on onsite observations, and the types of damage and their potential causes were evaluated according to the data gathered. The reasons for the eleven types of damages were the irregularities present in the formation of the stone blocks of external walls, the sizes of the stone blocks and the irregularities in masonry detailing, the use of weak mud mortar, the lack of tie beams at the floor and roof levels, and the weak connections between different internal wall systems and external walls.