Structural Performance Evaluation of Reconstructed Masonry Structure: A Case of Ephesus Celsus Library in Turkey

Abstract

Protection of cultural heritage (CH) with correct and appropriate techniques has become an increasingly important issue all over the world. A common practice in protection work is the reconstruction of partially or fully destroyed structures. This study focuses on the reconstructed Celsus Library in Ephesus ancient city in Turkey, listed as United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage. The primary purpose of the study is to examine the structural performance of the library, which was reconstructed by its original plan and materials in the 1970s, during the earthquake (Mw = 6.9) of October 30, 2020, at the Eastern Aegean Sea. The physical and mechanical tests were performed on samples of materials taken from the ancient city of Ephesus, and then non-linear dynamic analyses were conducted to determine how the structure performed during the Aegean Sea earthquake. According to the results obtained from the study, it is seen that the performance of the reconstructed library is well in terms of seismic behavior. Moreover, the results showed that the performance of the reconstructed library is well in terms of seismic behavior and the interaction between the adjacent walls and façade plays a vital role.