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Monumental structures are certainly the most common public buildings in Islamic architecture, being second only to mosques. Eight such structures were recorded during the survey of Bijar County of eastern Kurdistan province. These monumental buildings tend to share common plans and building materials. Given their position on the routes linking northwestern and western Iran as well as their proximity to the major political centres of Maragheh, Soltaniyeh and Takht-e Soleyman, these buildings, apart from a memorial function, perhaps beaconed caravans along the regional routes. Yet, these structures largely remain unaddressed by any systematic work. The main objective of the present study is to publish these buildings so as to give a more refined picture of the regional route networks in the Islamic period. The comparisons and discrepancies detected between these structures in the study area and the nearby regions, notably the Zanjan plain, characterized by environmental and cultural settings almost identical to the Garrus region, can be of great help in this regard. Accordingly, the questions considered here are: 1) What factors played a role in the emergence of these monuments in the region? 2) How did previous architectural traditions affect their formation? And, 3) To what extent are these buildings effective in reconstructing the ancient routes, and where in the region do they find comparisons in form and building materials? Social, religious and political factors have informed the development of towers in the region during the Seljuk and Ilkhanid rules. Adjacency to major coeval political centres, safety of the routes thanks to vigorous local rulers, and favorable environmental conditions (access to water and the presence of numerous villages along the routes) are the most remarkable of such factors. Previous traditions and modeling on earlier standing towers from the historical (Sassanian) and Islamic periods played a notable part in the construction of the regional guidance towers. Affinities to the standing structures in the neighboring regions, including the Khoein Tower, the mausoleum of the Prophet Qeydar, the tomb tower at Kahriz Siah Mansur (Ijrud) in Zanjan province, and their comparisons with the monumental structures of the Bijar region, apart from contributing to the reconstruction of the past route networks, attest to their original function as navigational aid. The study adapts a historical-descriptive approach and builds on field surveys, documentation in photo, and looking up related information in historical texts and library documents.

Monumental structures are certainly the most common public buildings in Islamic architecture, being second only to mosques. Eight such structures were recorded during the survey of Bijar County of eastern Kurdistan province. These monumental buildings tend to share common plans and building materials. Given their position on the routes linking northwestern and western Iran as well as their proximity to the major political centres of Maragheh, Soltaniyeh and Takht-e Soleyman, these buildings, apart from a memorial function, perhaps beaconed caravans along the regional routes. Yet, these structures largely remain unaddressed by any systematic work. The main objective of the present study is to publish these buildings so as to give a more refined picture of the regional route networks in the Islamic period. The comparisons and discrepancies detected between these structures in the study area and the nearby regions, notably the Zanjan plain, characterized by environmental and cultural settings almost identical to the Garrus region, can be of great help in this regard. Accordingly, the questions considered here are: 1) What factors played a role in the emergence of these monuments in the region? 2) How did previous architectural traditions affect their formation? And, 3) To what extent are these buildings effective in reconstructing the ancient routes, and where in the region do they find comparisons in form and building materials? Social, religious and political factors have informed the development of towers in the region during the Seljuk and Ilkhanid rules. Adjacency to major coeval political centres, safety of the routes thanks to vigorous local rulers, and favorable environmental conditions (access to water and the presence of numerous villages along the routes) are the most remarkable of such factors. Previous traditions and modeling on earlier standing towers from the historical (Sassanian) and Islamic periods played a notable part in the construction of the regional guidance towers. Affinities to the standing structures in the neighboring regions, including the Khoein Tower, the mausoleum of the Prophet Qeydar, the tomb tower at Kahriz Siah Mansur (Ijrud) in Zanjan province, and their comparisons with the monumental structures of the Bijar region, apart from contributing to the reconstruction of the past route networks, attest to their original function as navigational aid. The study adapts a historical-descriptive approach and builds on field surveys, documentation in photo, and looking up related information in historical texts and library documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify tourism usage strategies for the protection and socioeconomic sustainable development of monumental structures that maintain their functional continuity. The results revealed that some strategies provide significant opportunities in socioeconomic terms if they maintain a structure's original function; however, some uses pose a significant threat in the case of functional continuity. The main contribution of this work is the definition of monumental structures in relation to adaptive reuse and strategic planning tools (SWOT). The spatial and functional change of the Hacı Ali Ağa Bath was examined chronologically in the first stage. An external expert group determined 41 factors consisting of functional, social, and economic return concepts revealed by the literature review in the second stage. These factors were then evaluated by internal experts using SWOT analyses. The structure's formation since 2006 was revealed through analysis. The cultural heritage significance of the hammam culture is the function determined as the strength, whereas the functional changes were determined as the weakness. The building became idle due to the pandemic, thus bringing this situation to light. The importance of the original function was placed on the agenda by the general administration, which is regarded as a prominent opportunity to conduct an assessment. The inability of all functions to establish a relationship with tourism has been recognized as a significant threat. Strong opportunities, strong threats, and usage strategies are provided for monumental structures that maintain their functional continuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This study aims to evaluate the reuse of monumental structures through sustainability components, with the aim of emphasizing the sustainability of re-functional monumental structures. Design/methodology/approach - In this study, which is based on situation analysis, urban inns in Samsun which is located in the Central Black Sea Region of Turkey, are discussed over the data obtained from archive and field studies in line with the environmental, social and economic sustainability criteria determined as a result of literature research. Findings - The sustainability of the sample in the environmental, social and economic context has been revealed and what should be done for the sustainability of monumental structures over environmental, social and economic components has been discussed. Social implications - It has increased awareness of the environmental, social and economic dimensions of adaptive reuse as well as increasing the awareness of the buildings. Originality/value - This study contributes to the literature in terms of evaluating monumental structures through the determined sustainability components. It is the first study on the sustainability of urban inns in the province of Samsun, the construction material of which is stone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we aim at giving a contribution to a problem that has been the subject of previous studies since some decades: the reason and period of formation of the meridional cracks that affect the dome of the Pantheon of Rome. This problem is investigated using a detailed three-dimensional finite-element simulation in which material nonlinearities, as well as a plausible sequence of the construction stages, are modeled. In particular, we show that concrete shrinkage, together with gravity may have been the main mechanical causes of the cracks in the early phases of the building's life. Unlike previous studies on the matter, that have largely inspired our research and where simplified 2D finite element models of the Pantheon were used, we make use of a detailed 3D model of the Pantheon's structure, that takes into account for both the particular geometry of the building, and namely the presence in the dome of a coffering and of caveas, and of the differences in the materials. The nonlinear numerical simulations, in addition, aim at reproducing, through different steps, the (probable) true constructing sequence of the dome, in order to obtain numerical results as much as possible close to reality. The results of our simulations show a rather surprising correspondence with the actual state of the dome: in fact, the overall pattern of the cracks so found is in a very good agreement with the real one, for both the number of the cracks and their extent, which shows that concrete shrinkage may have been the true reason for the presence of the meridional cracks. We have also investigated the role of the stepped rings that exist in the outer part of the dome; we show in this case that some previous studies are not necessarily contradictory, but rather complementary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of an emblematic monumental structure, the Pantheon in Rome, to an internal blast is addressed. The analysis is a coupled solid-fluid numerical simulation done using JWL equation for the simulation of the blast event and considering the pre-existent cracks in the dome as well as the material nonlinearities of low-tensile strength concrete aggregates. We identify two main phenomena; a focalization of shock waves inside dome-vaulted like structures due to their tendency to concentrate the blast energy and the role played by the pre-existent cracks in the evolution of the structural damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heritage buildings in Latin American countries possess high architectural value. Studying these constructions under extreme loads, particularly earthquakes, requires representative models for simulating expected response. At present, the non-invasive Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) tests offer interesting possibilities for obtaining modal parameters to update and validate a structural model for this type of structure. In this context, this article focuses on the calibration and adjustment process for a finite element model of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago Chile, based on experimentally identified modal and mechanical material properties. Accordingly, an in situ experimental campaign, aimed at obtaining the response of the structure due to ambient vibrations is presented and discussed. Six high-sensitivity synchronous triaxial accelerometers were employed in this campaign. Enhanced Frequency Domain Decomposition (EFDD) and Stochastic Subspace Identification (SSI), system identification methods, were applied. Mechanical tests were performed on the Cathedral’s stone blocks. The experimental data and derived modal properties were used to generate and update a finite element model. Several considerations were made in the model updating process: the most relevant was the homogeneous treatment of the stone masonry with their mortar interface, and the boundary elements restraining effect caused by adjacent structures. A preliminary model updating process was applied to define the boundary conditions and initial material properties. This optimization was based on minimizing an error function given by the difference between the experimental and analytical frequencies. A second step was then applied, in which models with different material properties were evaluated within a physically possible range. The final model selection was based on the distance between the experimental and analytical frequencies, and the mode shapes. The updated model allows an assessment to be made of the structure behavior in its current condition and models to be prepared for a wide range of possible future research scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi endured stronger earthquakes for centuries before 1997 earthquake, which generated the collapse of the two vaults. Experts blame as possible reasons of collapse the damage cumulated from previous earthquakes and/or the retrofitting made to the structure over its lifetime. This article presents the history of the retrofit interventions of the Basilica through the centuries, focusing mainly on the roof, which has been subjected to three major restorations through its life. It is shown using simple analytical models that the cumulative effects of the changes made to the roof of the Basilica affected the structure’s dynamic behavior in a negative manner, increasing the seismic loads on the existing structural members. In particular, the numerical results show that the 1958 roof intervention has stiffened the structure, redistributing the seismic loads on the façade and the transept. This overload might explain the collapse of the two Gothic vaults during 1997 earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Recent earthquakes have demonstrated the high vulnerability of cultural heritage buildings, whose seismic assessment and rehabilitation constitute an important issue in seismic regions around the world. The high nonlinear behaviour of masonry material requires ad hoc refined finite element numerical models, whose complexity and computational cost are generally unsuitable for practical applications. For these reasons many authors proposed simplified numerical strategies to be used in engineering practice. However, most of these alternative methods are oversimplified since based on the assumption of in plane behaviour of masonry walls. In this paper a discrete-modelling approach for the simulation of both the in plane and out of-plane response of masonry structures is proposed. The method is applied to a basilica plan church, which has been partially investigated in the literature. The results show the capability of the proposed discrete element approach to simulate the nonlinear response of monumental structures also in those cases in which the ‘in’ and the ‘out’ of plane response cannot be decoupled, as it happens for many structural layouts typical of churches, ancient palaces and several other monumental structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research demonstrates an integrated non-invasive assessment method of monumental structures based on dynamic monitoring through ambient vibrations as well as non destructive and microdestructive testing. The investigation involves the analysis of a very complex and extraordinary case study, i.e., the Rialto Bridge in Venice. Dynamic monitoring based on natural vibration sources as inputs from pedestrian traffic, wind and the waves of the Canal Grande – was exploited by dynamic identification process to determine damping coefficient, frequency and modal shapes. The non-destructive and microdestructive tests included sonic and georadar methods and the extraction of very small samples of masonry for destructive tests in laboratory. The experimental investigation on the whole was conceived to avoid any type of invasive action on the prestigious monument. The aim of this research is to propose a new integrated protocol potentially suitable and generalizable for the assessment of monumental structures. The new features in the combined method include two types of results – qualitative and quantitative types – through a flow chart to explain the methodology and generalize the different phases of the approach for historical constructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work presents the inter-disciplinary multi-year project focused on the permanent seismic monitoring of a historical structure, the Basilica S. Maria di Collemaggio, by means of an advanced wireless sensor network. Considered among the architectural masterpieces of the Italian Romanesque, the structural behaviour of the monumental masonry church is strongly debated after the heavy damages and the partial collapse that occurred during the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake. From the perspective of information technology, critical issues in the wireless data acquisition and communication are analysed. The sensor network design, deployment and performance are discussed with respect to the high-demanding service requirements-as well as the non-negligible management costs-specifically related to the long-term monitoring of a monumental masonry structure in a seismic area. From the perspective of experimental signal analysis, the acceleration data collected during a 3-year period of seismic monitoring are analysed in the frequency and time domains. The results allow the clear detection of complex interactions between the masonry structures and some of the temporary protective installations. Stochastic subspace identification procedures are applied, with critical analysis of their effectiveness in the assessment of reliable modal models from the building response to real seismic events. Finally, the robustness of the modal identification obtained from the structural responses to different near- and far-field micro-earthquakes is discussed, with the aid of numerical models of the damaged and protected church configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ottoman State, having ruled the Balkans more than five centuries, left behind a large number of historical and cultural monuments. Located in the southwest of Macedonia, the Ohrid Lake and its surroundings, with their natural beauty, as well as with their historical and cultural richness, constitute one of the sites with the highest touristic potential in the Balkans. The cities of Ohrid and Struga contain a lot of monumental structures belonging to the Ottoman culture and civilization, such as mosques, mausoleums, dervish lodges, prayer rooms, inns, baths, bazaars and markets. Residences conserving the traces of civil Ottoman-Turkish architecture still exist today. In Ohrid, among the mosques survived until nowadays and frequently visited by the tourists are to be mentioned those of Ali Pasha, Zeynelabidin Pasha, Emin Mahmud, Hadji Turgut, Hadji Hamza, Haydar Pasha and Kuloğlu. In addition, at several churches and monasteries located in the center of Ohrid city can also be remarked the Ottoman traces. The Hagia Sophia Church and the Monastery of St. Clement constitute religious edifices that for a certain period were used by the Ottomans as mosques. The Mausoleum of Sinan Celebi and the Halveti Mehmet Hayati Lodge also belong to the Islamic edifices frequently visited in Ohrid, while a few kilometers away from Ohrid, near the St Naum Monastery, are to be found the remnants of Sarı Saltuk Mausoleum. During the Ottoman rule in the Balkans, the lodges built with the mediation of Sufi murshids were very widespread among the Muslim population. Among these, the Halveti Hayati Hasan Baba Lodge represents a typical example of the 18th century Ottoman architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: On Monday, the 6th of April, 2009, a devastating earthquake struck L’Aquila causing the partial collapse of the Basilica S. Maria di Collemaggio, an important symbol of the city. The mechanism of the transept structure’s failure, which left the external boundary walls almost undamaged, probably due to the sudden collapse of the large multi-lobed pillars at the end of the nave, is discussed in the paper by different points of view. A brief historical review of the monument restorations is followed by the analysis of the damage scenario recorded during the post-earthquake inspections. Finite element models of the Basilica, updated on the basis of available dynamic tests, have been used to perform a seismic assessment by response spectrum analysis according to the current Italian code, showing a high vulnerability, in the transversal direction larger than in the longitudinal one. The AQK earthquake accelerograms, recorded close to the site, have evidenced a prevailing component almost aligned with the longitudinal Basilica axis; the intensity is comparable with the one provided by the code, with exception in the vertical one greater than expected. Static nonlinear analyses have furnished the crack propagation in the masonry walls due to the increase of longitudinal horizontal loads. The presented failure description obtained by structural modeling is coherent with the direction of the registered polarized seismic action and it is compatible with the observed damage and with most of the debris positions coming from the collapse of the transept structures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]