EARTHQUAKE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF YAZD MOSQUE

Antiquities, including historical monuments, are the cultural heritage of any country. These monuments are the most important features of cultural history of each country and they represent the history and the cultural identity of the past. Therefore, protection and preservation of these historical monuments can be very important to the foundation of national culture. Monuments of Iran are of great importance in terms of culture, art and aesthetics. Moreover, they are a considerable factor in attracting tourists and expanding the country tourism industry. According to documented evidence and historical contexts, many of Iran’s exquisite archaeological monuments had been destroyed or damaged by earthquakes. In order to prevent the destruction of these monuments, it is necessary to provide efficient and effective solutions. As a precious monument of Iran, the majestic structure of a central mosque in Yazd province can be mentioned which is analyzed by seismic analysis in this study. The central mosque of Yazd that is decorated in tile work, domes, minarets etc. is considered as one of the most brilliant buildings and the entrance to the mosque is crowned by a pair of minarets, the highest in Iran and measuring 48 m. Cooked brick and traditional materials are used in the construction and it dates back to the 8th century Hijri. Considering the location of Iran on the seismically active belt, the existence of numerous faults in the region and the importance of this monument due to tourism, historical and cultural significance probable earthquakes are of the important and significant issues.

Keywords:

Mosque of Yazd , Historical monuments , Seismic retrofit , Modeling , Seismic vulnerability