Seismic Assessment of a Historic Masonry Mosque on Problematic Soil: Effects of Jet-Grout Soil Improvement Within a Soil–Structure Interaction Framework

Özmen A., Sarıcı T., Özcan M.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE : CONSERVATION, ANALYSIS, AND RESTORATION, cilt.1, ss.1-2, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, AHCI, Scopus)

Özet

This study presents a geotechnically informed seismic assessment of the earthquake-damaged Çınarlı Mosque in Malatya, Türkiye, which was affected by the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake sequence. The study focuses not only on the structural response of the historic masonry monument but also on the role of foundation soil conditions and the possible influence of a field-applicable soil improvement strategy. Post-earthquake damage observations, non-destructive material characterization, borehole investigations, laboratory tests, and geophysical measurements were used to define the structural and geotechnical properties of the case-study system. A three-dimensional finite element model incorporating soil-structure interaction was developed and validated by comparing the simulated tensile damage zones with the observed crack patterns. The geotechnical assessment indicated inadequate bearing capacity, settlement concerns, and liquefaction susceptibility beneath the structure. Accordingly, a jet-grout column system was introduced numerically beneath the main load-bearing lines of the mosque. Nonlinear time-history analyses were performed for both unimproved and improved soil conditions using selected earthquake records. The results show that jet-grout improvement enhances foundation safety and reduces seismic deformation demands. However, the limited change in global dynamic characteristics indicates that soil improvement should be considered as a complementary measure within an integrated seismic rehabilitation strategy for historic masonry structures.