Investigation of the Effects of Different Types of Traditional Timber Load-Bearing Systems Used in Turkey on Building Behaviour

Abstract

Recently historic timber structures in Turkey are unfortunately not given the value they deserve. Although timber structures are unique symbols of our cultural heritage, they are forgotten for natural and human reasons. On the other hand, when traditional timber structures standing today to repairs and / or reinforcements and restorations are examined, it is seen that timber elements according to the knowledge and skill of construction foreman are constructed with different types of structural systems. This matter reveals that choosing the right timber structural system is very important. This study the effects of their behaviour of traditional timber structural systems of different types widely used in the construction of timber structures in Turkey were comparatively examined. With this purpose, teen different structural system models with the Sta-stell program of the timber-framed (with Çatkı) Safran mansion which is widely used in Turkey were created and the findings were compared with each other by carried out structural analyses. The findings obtained reveal that buttresses are important in meeting, distributing and transferring the loads acting on the structural system, especially earthquake loads, to the foundation and the displacement distributions in the storey levels of the buttressed building models are less. In addition, the findings obtained show that buttresses that increase the lateral rigidity of timber structures increase the performance of the structure in question and reduce the internal forces of the structural elements. Turkey's widely used timber structural systems (in accordance with the Safran mansion architecture, which received the best restored mansion award) were modelled and analysed. The results presented are aimed to design recommendations and better understanding of the behaviour of different timber structural systems in today’s architectural practice.