Dynamic Analyses and Seismic Behavior of Masonry Minarets with single Balcony

Minarets are built adjacent to mosques and used for calling Muslims to mosques for pray. Almost all masonry minarets in Turkey and similar Muslim countries have been damaged due to medium intensity seismic actions or at least moderate winds. One of the reasons for this is that these structures are thin and long. Another reason is that the minarets built without any engineering knowledge today. In this study, 7 masonry minarets with single balcony, located in the city center of Aksaray (middle Anatolia), are investigated in terms of seismic behaviors. The mentioned minarets were geometrically measured using photogrammetric devices and techniques. Measured minarets were modeled using Finite Element Method with LUSAS Software, and seismic analyses were performed. Structural analyzes are compared with each other and the results obtained are interpreted.