Understanding Roots of Failure of Historical Ottoman Monumental Buildings by Means of Advanced Finite Element Modelling: The Effect of the 1939 Erzincan Earthquake on Nafiz Pasha Bath-House and Izzet Pasha Mosque

Abstract

Turkiye has historically been a region prone to significant seismic activity, with over twenty major earthquakes occurring since 1900. Among these, the 1939 Erzincan earthquake was one of the most devastating, causing severe damage to historical masonry structures. This study investigates the failure mechanisms of two cultural heritage buildings affected by this earthquake: the Nafiz Pasha Bathhouse and the I(center dot)zzet Pasha Mosque. These structures, previously unexplored in civil engineering studies, were modeled using advanced finite element techniques, employing the SOLID65 element and the Willam-Warnke material model to simulate nonlinear masonry behavior. Since no acceleration records from the 1939 Erzincan earthquake are available, nonlinear time history analyses were conducted using 11 ground motion records selected from real earthquakes recorded by AFAD, which were scaled in accordance with the Turkish Building Earthquake (TBEC-2018) considering the local soil class (ZD) and site-specific design spectrum. The results revealed significant differences in seismic performance: while the symmetrical geometry and box effect protected the bathhouse, the mosque suffered complete collapse due to weak column-arch connections and poor load transfer mechanisms. Damage patterns were further validated by comparisons with mosques affected during the 2023 Kahramanmaras, earthquakes, underscoring the broader applicability of the findings for seismic assessment and retrofitting of historical masonry mosques. This study highlights the critical role of advanced numerical methods and failure analysis in preserving cultural heritage structures in seismically active regions.