Observation of behavior of the Ahlat Gravestones (TURKEY) at seismic risk and their recognition by QR code

Abstract

Protection of cultural heritage and carrying it to the future are at the top of the significant topics of research and implementation in engineering in the 21st century. There are several historical structures in the district of Ahlat located in the east of Turkey on the Lake Van Basin that has harbored many civilizations. Some of such works are the gravestones that are found in the Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery, which is the oldest and largest cemetery in the district. This study firstly provides information about the Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery and the gravestones found in it. Observation-based structural analyses were carried out on these gravestones that are found in this area that are known to have belonged to different civilizations based on their physical and constructional characteristics. These stones were built out of Ahlat stone as single pieces. Information is provided on the damages that have occurred on the gravestones in time and their causes. In general, losses of mass, abrasions, separations, collapses and calcifications due to natural conditions, as well as vegetative formations, were observed in the gravestones. To provide an example of other gravestones within the context of the study, the gravestone that is known to belong to the person named Nureddin Ebu Hasan was selected. As a result of the modeling that was carried out for this gravestone by using the finite elements method, modal analyses were carried out. With these analyses, for the gravestone, period, effective mass participation rates and stress values were calculated. The stress values that were obtained in this study were compared to the material safety stress values that were obtained in previous studies. Additionally, QR code application was created for the gravestone that was selected as an example in the study, and information on this gravestone was transferred to an electronic environment. The QR code application includes different language options, visuals of the gravestone and information on the gravestone. The QR application was also supported with a video of the cemetery where the gravestone is located. With this application, access to information about gravestones will be possible by using tablets and smartphones. With a QR code to be created for each gravestone, these gravestones will obtain identity cards.