Nonlinear Behaviour of Cappadocia Tuff Stone Masonry Shear Walls

Abstract

Anatolia has been home to various long-standing civilizations, many of which have left historical monuments for future generations. The Cappadocia area, which covers over 5000 km² in Central Anatolia, Turkey, is home to several rock-cut constructions and masonry buildings built of tuff stone. Preserving these monuments, listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites, is critical for the region. This study focuses on the in-plane behavior of walls constructed of tuff stone and alkali-activated waste earth mortar, which is typical in the Cappadocia region. First, an experimental investigation is described. Second, a simplified block-based modeling technique is used to perform 3D nonlinear finite element analysis, which replicates the experimental results. The findings of the numerical modeling approach were then compared to experimental data, emphasizing the lateral load-displacement response of masonry tuff stone walls. There was good agreement between the experimental and numerical results.