This study investigated the impact of soil-structure interaction on the seismic performance of masonry ancient pagodas. For this purpose, shaking table tests were conducted using a pagoda model to simulate the seismic damage patterns and damage evolution of the pagoda under conditions considering soil-structure interaction. Additionally, numerical models were established for both rigid foundation conditions and soil-structure interaction conditions, validated through dynamic characteristic testing and shaking table experiments. The results indicated that under soil-structure interaction conditions, the top of the pagoda cracked first, with severe damage occurring on the second floor. The damage characteristics of the pagoda differ significantly from those observed under rigid foundation conditions. The numerical simulations effectively predicted the dynamic response of the structure. Compared to the results obtained under rigid foundation conditions, the acceleration of the upper structure decreased by 34 %-79 % after considering soil-structure interaction, while the horizontal displacement at the top of the pagoda increased by 1.4 mm-7.8 mm. The inter-story displacement angle of the first floor was amplified by 3-10 times, with significant degradation of stiffness, while the impact on the stiffness of the top floor was relatively minor. The tensile damage to the pagoda was more pronounced, and the damage area shifted from the first floor to the second floor. The findings provide important references for the seismic assessment of masonry ancient pagodas.

This study evaluates the impact of varying bedrock depths on local site amplification factors and their consequent influence on the vulnerability of buildings under seismic actions. An index-based methodology is implemented to analyze the seismic vulnerability of old masonry buildings in the historic center of Galata, & Idot;stanbul. As part of a site-specific analysis, soil models are developed to replicate a dipping bedrock at six different depths varying between 5 and 30 m beneath the ground surface. Consequently, potential damage scenarios are generated employing a seismic attenuation relation and damage distributions are compared for the cases with/without amplification effects. The findings point out that, the structural response undergoes the greatest amplification at a bedrock depth of 20 m, exceeding 1.6 and attaining its maximum value of 2.89 at the structural period of 0.22 s. The maximum shift in damage grades occurs for buildings with natural periods between 0.16 and 0.20 s on 15 m bedrock depth, whereas, for longer periods, the greatest increase occurs at 20 m bedrock depth compared to the scenarios without site amplification. As a result, this study emphasizes the significance of site-specific conditions that might amplify structural response and consequently, increase the seismic damage level in assessing the vulnerability of built heritage. By integrating geo-hazard-based evaluation into the large-scale seismic assessments, this study offers a framework for more accurate damage forecasting and highlights the need to include local site amplification effects in seismic risk mitigation plans, enhancing strategies for preserving built heritage.

Historic bridges are invaluable cultural landmarks that embody the architectural and engineering achievements of past civilizations. Preserving these structures, which are often vulnerable to seismic activity, is essential to safeguarding cultural heritage for future generations. This study examines the Bat & imath;ayaz Bridge, which sustained significant damage in the February 8, 2023, Kahramanmaras,earthquakes. Originally, iron connectors were used between stones in the arch of the bridge. This research investigates the potential of using FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) connectors as an alternative to iron for enhancing the seismic resilience of the arch. The bridge was reinforced with both FRP-metal clamps and dowel connectors, enabling a comparison of its seismic performance under each configuration. The connectors were carefully installed between stones with specialized adhesives and Khorasan mortar. Reinforced stone elements then underwent compressive and tensile testing, yielding essential data on the connectors' normal and shear stiffness, as well as the mechanical properties of the Khorasan mortar. A three-dimensional model of the bridge was created in FLAC3D software using the finite difference method. Individual stone elements were modeled with brick and wedge components, incorporating experimentally derived stiffness values. The Mohr-Coulomb material model was applied to both the stone elements and the foundation soil, with non-reflecting boundary conditions set at the model's edges. Ten different ground motion simulations were conducted to assess seismic behavior. The seismic analyses for the two models, with FRP and metal connectors in the arch, indicated that both types significantly improved the bridge's seismic resistance. Results revealed that the use of FRP and iron mechanical connectors in the arch substantially modified the bridge's seismic response compared to the configuration without connectors. Besides, no major differences were observed between FRP and iron connectors in terms of enhancing seismic resilience of the bridge. The findings suggest that corrosion-resistant FRP connectors provide a durable alternative to metal connectors, which are prone to degradation over time. Thus, FRP connectors represent a promising option for the long-term seismic strengthening and restoration of historic bridges.

On February 6, 2023, two major earthquakes with magnitudes Mw = 7.7 and Mw = 7.6 struck southeastern Turkiye, causing catastrophic damage and loss of life across 11 provinces, including Malatya. This study focuses on documenting the geotechnical observations and structural damage in Dogansehir, one of the hardest-hit districts not only in Malatya but in the entire affected region. An overview of the-region's tectonic and geological background is presented, followed by an analysis of ground motion data specific to Malatya. A detailed examination of seismic data from stations near Dogansehir was provided to better understand the seismic demands during the earthquakes. The paper then provides insights into the geotechnical conditions, building characteristics, and a damage ratio map of Dogansehir. The influence of local tectonics and geology on the observed damage is analyzed, alongside an evaluation of the seismic performance of masonry and reinforced concrete structures. Dogansehir, located near the epicenters of the Kahramanmaras earthquakes, suffered major structural damage. This was due to the surface rupture occurring near the settlement areas, the establishment of the district centre on the alluvial soil layer and the deficiencies/errors in the building systems. Building settlements on or near active fault zones, as well as on soft soil, leads to serious consequences and should be avoided or require special precautions.

The dynamic response of historical masonry structures involves multiple sources of nonlinearity, arising from the materials used, the ageing, the complex geometries and boundary conditions involved. As a result, modelling the seismic response of these buildings requires detailed instrumentation beforehand. Crossed by active faults and frequently shaken by moderate earthquakes (Mw3-4), the Cusco region (Peru) has many stone and earth masonry buildings that turn out to be particularly vulnerable to the seismic hazard. We therefore conducted an ambient vibration-based survey in the 17th-century church of San Cristobal in Cusco, seriously damaged by the 1950 earthquake. By combining an Operational Modal Analysis, single-sensor monitoring for over a year and free-field microtremor measurements, our work highlights the existence of strong soil-structure interaction and topographic effects resulting in the excitation of a rigid-body-like mode. Continuous instrumentation also made it possible to study the structure's response to earthquakes, revealing an unexpected frequency drop during a Mw4.2 earthquake, followed by a slow recovery process that lasted more than two months. These results shed new light on the seismic vulnerability of the church, and call for further investigation into the processes behind the site effects and nonlinear dynamics that characterise the response of Andean built heritage.

On 6 February 2023, two major earthquakes struck southeastern T & uuml;rkiye along the East Anatolian Fault, causing widespread structural damage, including the partial collapse of the historic Habibi Neccar Mosque in Antakya. This study presents a simulation-based approach to rapidly assess the seismic vulnerability of this partially damaged historic masonry structure. Due to the complexity and urgent condition of such heritage buildings, a simplified finite element (FE) modeling methodology is employed to evaluate structural behavior and support immediate stabilization decisions. Response spectrum analysis is applied to simulate and interpret stress distribution and deformation patterns in both undamaged and damaged states. The simulation results highlight significant tensile stress concentrations exceeding 0.2 MPa at dome-arch joints and vaults-primary indicators of localized failures. Additionally, the analysis reveals increased out-of-plane deformations and the influence of soil amplification in the remaining walls, both of which further compromise the structural integrity of the building. The findings demonstrate that simplified FE simulations can serve as practical and efficient tools for early seismic assessment of historic structures, contributing to rapid decision making, risk mitigation, and cultural heritage preservation in earthquake-prone areas.

Slow-moving landslides, characterized by sustained destructive potential, are widely distributed in northwest China. However, research on the damage mechanisms of masonry buildings caused by slow-moving landslide-induced surface deformation is significantly lacking, which severely restricts the physical vulnerability assessment of masonry structures and the quantitative risk evaluation of slow-moving landslides. Through field investigations, CDEM numerical simulations, and statistical analyses, this study reveals the cooperative deformation characteristics and progressive failure mechanisms of masonry buildings subjected to ground cracks in slow-moving landslides, and establishes physical vulnerability curves for four distinct ground crack scenarios. The key findings indicate that masonry buildings affected by slow-moving landslides primarily exhibit transverse wall cracking and longitudinal wall inclination due to ground crack propagation. As crack propagation continues, the first-floor walls exhibit significantly higher Mises stresses compared to those on the second floor. Wall inclination rates demonstrate a distinct threshold effect during crack propagation: below the threshold, inclination increases linearly with crack displacement, while above the threshold, it exhibits exponential growth. Under identical crack displacement conditions, wall inclination rates decrease in the following order: horizontal tension, combined tension, settlement, and combined uplift scenarios. The differential effects of these scenarios on wall inclination become more pronounced with increasing crack displacement. Weibull functions were employed to fit vulnerability curves for masonry structures under four ground crack scenarios, revealing displacement thresholds of 22 cm, 26 cm, 27 cm, and 37 cm for complete structural vulnerability (V = 1) in each respective scenario. These findings provide valuable insights for vulnerability prediction and emergency rapid assessment of buildings subjected to slow-moving landslides across various disaster scenarios.

In this study, 2D and 3D modelling strategies are used to represent the behaviour of historical masonry buildings on strip foundations undergoing settlements. The application focuses on a two-story building, typical of the Dutch architectural heritage. An improved 2D modelling is presented: It includes the effect of the lateral walls to replicate the response of the detailed 3D models. The masonry strip foundation is modelled and supported by a no-tension interface, which represents the soil-foundation interaction. Two settlement configurations, hogging and sagging, are applied to the models, and their intensity is characterized using their angular distortion. The improved 2D model that includes the stiffness and weight of the lateral walls agrees in terms of displacements, stress and damage with the detailed 3D models. Conversely, the simplified 2D facade models without lateral walls exhibit different cracking, and damage from 2 to 7 times lower at an applied angular distortion of 2 parts per thousand (1/500). The improved 2D model requires less computational and modelling burden, resulting in analyses from 9 to 40 times faster than the 3D models. The results prove the importance of identifying and including the 3D effects that affect the response of structures subjected to settlements.

Huaca de la Luna is a monumental earthen complex near Trujillo, Peru built by the Moche civilization from 200 to 850 C.E. Its principal structure, a stepped pyramid constructed with millions of adobe bricks on sloping bedrock and sandy soil, presents severe structural damage at the northwest corner. A sensitivity study of the static and dynamic response of the pyramid is conducted in Abaqus/CAE Explicit using 2D and 3D nonlinear finite element models derived from archaeological, material, and geotechnical data. Concrete damaged plasticity and Mohr-Coulomb formulations are adopted to represent adobe and sandy soil, respectively. Models undergo quasi-static gravitational loading followed by dynamic application of lateral ground accelerations. Lateral capacity is defined as the applied acceleration that produces collapse and is identified from the time-evolution of elastic strain and plastic dissipation energies. Initial 2D sensitivity analysis investigates the effect on lateral capacity of adobe tensile strength, bedrock/soil configuration, west fa & ccedil;ade profile, eastward architecture, and plastic dilation angle. Critical configurations identified from 2D analysis are expanded into 3D models. All results show stability under gravitational load. At dynamically induced failure, damage corresponds closely to the extant collapse of the northwest corner of the pyramid, suggesting that present damage is due to seismic activity.

Damage to a masonry building induced by tunneling greatly depends on the settlement of its foundation. Compared with pile foundations, group cemented soil column (GCSC) foundations have lower bearing capacity and stiffness. Tunneling through a GCSC foundation may have a significant influence on the settlement of the above masonry building. Field tests and numerical simulations were performed to investigate the settlement behavior of a single cemented soil column (CSC) and GCSC foundation during tunneling. Moreover, the stiffness of the GCSC foundation was investigated by using the concept of area replacement ratio. The reinforcement effect of the GCSC foundation was much greater than that of a single cemented soil column (CSC). From the test result, the settlement of a single CSC was four times that of GCSC. The GCSC foundation could be considered a large reinforcement area that could reduce settlement. The volume loss decreased from 0.2 to 0.02% as the tunnel passed through the reinforcement area, and the relationship describing the transition between the reinforcement area and the green field was linear. Compared with the in situ test results, the building stiffness yielded reasonable results, particularly for the interaction between the building and GCSC foundation at the final stage of tunneling. The results of this study could be used to evaluate the settlement of a building with a GCSC foundation during tunnel construction.