Finite Element Analysis and Seismic Rehabilitation

THE STRUCTURAL DESIGN OF TALL AND SPECIAL BUILDINGS
Struct. Design Tall Spec. Build. 21, 334353 (2012)

Published online 1 June 2010 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI: 10.1002/tal.599
Finite element analysis and seismic rehabilitation of

a 1000-year-old heritage listed tall masonry mosque
A. Mortezaei1, A. Kheyroddin1 and H. R. Ronagh2*,

1
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
2
School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
SUMMARY
Architectural heritage is not only culturally important but also economically vital as it is a great support
for tourism and leisure industries bringing in billions of dollars to otherwise ailing economies of many
older regions of the world. Protecting these often very heavy masonry structures in high seismic zones is
a challenge that is of great concern for authorities, researchers and engineers alike. Post-Islamic monumen-
tal buildings of Persia are among the worlds most beautiful heritage listed architecture. Every large city
in Iran has a mosque called Masjed-e-Jame meaning the great mosque. This is the mosque in which the
Friday prayer (a social must for Muslims) is often held. These mosques are large, always with tall minarets
and often with a huge gathering area called Ivan that are identifiable by their huge walls and dome or
semi-dome shaped roofs. The structure of the building and minarets is often made of bricks laid with lime
mortar; and as such they are heavy elements most susceptible to earthquakes ground acceleration.
This paper presents the results of an analysis of the structural behaviour and seismic vulnerability of the
Masjed-e-Jame of Semnan, a heritage listed building dating back to 11th century AD. The analytical tool
used here is a nonlinear static/dynamic finite element method. Using this tool and comparing demand versus
capacity confirms the susceptibility of the building to extensive damage and possibility of collapse, as is
frequently observed in this type of buildings. Another aspect of the study presented here has been the
evaluation of the actual efficiency of current techniques of repair and strengthening of these structures. It
is shown that usual structural reinforcement techniques are effective in providing increased seismic capac-
ity. The paper advocates that significant information can be obtained from advanced numerical analysis,
with respect to the understanding of existing damage and design of strengthening system. Copyright
2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
1. INTRODUCTION
Despite 5000 years of history, Semnan, located in the east of Iran, has been forgotten beneath desert
sand dunes, whilst it is one of the most ancient urban metropolises in the Iranian plateau and hides
many secrets covered by sands. During the Islamic era, Semnan was part of the historical region of
Gomess or Komesh, and the Silk Road paved its way from the midst of this region. Currently, Semnan
is situated at the southern slopes of the Alborz Mountain and is located 205 km to the east of Tehran
(Figure 1). The architectural heritage of Semnan is not only culturally important for people, but also
economically vital because it promotes tourism, which is a great source of income for the region. One
great building of paramount importance in Semann is the Jame mosque, a structure built with bricks
and mortar, with a 35-m tall minaret.
Irans historical buildings, Jame mosque of Semnan being one of them, have been particularly
susceptible to earthquake damage, and prone to partial or total collapse, sometimes due to non-expert
restoration (Ramos and Loureno, 2004). Masonry buildings are generally able to carry the vertical
loads in a very safe and stable way, while they are rather sensitive, from a structural point of view,
to horizontal loads (Hart and Ekwueme, 2004). The high seismic vulnerability of these building is
due to both the particular configuration (often characterized by open space, slender walls and lack of
* Correspondence to: Hamid Reza Ronagh, School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane,
QLD 4072, Australia
E-mail: h.ronagh@uq.edu.au
Copyright 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

REHABILITATION OF 1000-YEAR-OLD MOSQUE 335
Figure 1. Location of Semnan province in Iran map.
effective connections among the structural elements) and the mechanical properties of the masonry
material (low tensile strength). Prediction of the structural response of monumental buildings while
in principal is not different from that of other constructed facilities is a more challenging task for
several reasons as mentioned in Carpinteri et al. (2005).
Each monumental building is, by definition, a unique building characterized by its own history,
often resulting in a composite mixture of added or substituted structural elements, interacting strongly.
The dynamic (and static, for that matter) behaviour of ancient buildings is normally too complicated
to be interpreted by simple mechanical models. In particular, trying to extrapolate analytical proce-
dures specifically developed for modern buildings is, in most cases, inadequate, since the static
diagram is substantially different from the one of modern structures made of trusses and frames.
Moreover, it is quite difficult to perform reliable quantitative strength evaluations due to the difficulty
of gathering experimental data on the resistance of the structural elements and even on the mechanical
properties of the materials on site (Corradi et al., 2002a, 2002b). Restrictions on access to inspect the
building structurally, or difficulties on the removal of specimens in buildings of historical value, as
well as the high costs involved in inspection and diagnosis, often result in limited information about
the internal structural system or the properties of existing materials.
In brief, monumental historical buildings can neither be analyzed in a manner similar to the every-
day standard buildings nor strengthened by the standard structural schemes because of the uncertain-
ties that affect their structural behaviour and mechanical properties. The above considerations explain
the need for specific modelling and analysis strategies for these buildings.
In this paper, a contribution is made to the issue of modelling and seismic analysis of the minaret,
dome and the semi-dome shaped roof of the Ivan (Figure 2) of the Semnans Jame mosque. This
study demonstrates the possibility of utilizing and the practicality of employing available numerical
tools in investigating issues related to the structural behaviour and strengthening of historical build-
ings. An evaluation of the capacity of the mosque to withstand lateral loads together with the expected
demands from seismic actions is also provided. The effects of the current techniques of repair and
strengthening on the behaviour are then investigated in order to evaluate the effectiveness of these
techniques in retrofitting historical buildings.
2. THE AIM OF THE STUDY
2.1. Architectural features and description of the structure

The Jame mosque of Semnan is the most remarkable building in Semnan in terms of its beauty and
architectural features, with its tall minaret in the north-eastern corner of the mosque and its Kuffic
inscription engraved in the brick surfaces dating back to the 12th century AD. Its high Ivan (large
gathering hall), built in the 15th century AD, contains an attractive carved stucco Mihrab (i.e., a niche
Copyright 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Struct. Design Tall Spec. Build. 21, 334353 (2012)
DOI: 10.1002/tal
336 A. MORTEZAEI, A. KHEYRODDIN AND H. R. RONAGH
Figure 2. Aerial view of the Jame mosque of Semnan and its vicinity.
in the wall of a mosque or a room in the mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca), and bears
an inscription dated 1425 AD in the name of the Timurid sovereign Shahrokh, son of Tamerlane.
The main dimensions are a maximum length of about 24 m, a maximum width of 21.5 m and a
wall height of about 11 m. The masonry walls thicknesses vary between approximately 0.70 m and
0.9 m.
The minaret is equipped with 91 spiral steps leading to the top, and several window holes in its
body to bring light to the inside of the minaret. In three corners of its courtyard, impressive prayer
halls have been constructed, which seem to defy the passage of time on account of their strong colum-
niation. Several historic firmans (royal decrees) can be seen in the Ivan of the mosque, which has
been carved into the stones and which bears the dates 155416121629 and 1694 AD (Figure 3).
Minaret is an Arabic design but the building material and architecture is Sassanid. This leads us to
believe that originally, it had been a fire temple during the Sassanid period, and the minaret was later
built over its ruins. The decorative effects achieved by the use of recessed bricks, forming highly
original rhythms and geometric patterns, is characteristic of this 11th century Persian art. The minaret
has a height of 35 m.
Several types of masonry weaving are present along the wall of the minaret. They are different
both for material (stone, brick, etc.) and for shape (opus incertum, opus mixtum, opus quadratum,
etc.). This variegate picture reflects the modifications endured over the centuries by the building.
However, despite these differences on the masonry texture, the construction is mostly made of irregu-
lar brick masonry with thick lime mortar joints (Figure 4). Different masonry types are: (a) irregular
brick masonry; (b) regular brick with thin lime mortar joints used on the areas after the eighteenth-
century restoration; and (c) brick masonry for the column of Shabistan (i.e., an underground space
that can be usually found in traditional architecture of mosques and used for prayers use in the summer,
Figure 5). In order to have a mechanical characterization of these masonry types, several different
techniques can be used, both static and dynamic (Chiostrini et al., 1992, 1998). In the following
analyses, the mechanical properties of the Jame mosque materials were collected from available test
results on similar masonry and in situ testing (Chiostrini et al., 1997).
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(a) (b)
Figure 3. Apse view of Minar-e Masjid-e Jame.
Figure 4. Masonry texture on the minaret.
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Figure 5. Masonry texture on the column of Shabistan.
Figure 6. Cracking pattern on the roof of Ivan.
2.2. Actual state of conservation

The earthquake of 27 March 1830 caused many damages to the wall of Shabistan, which were repaired
after the earthquake. The top of the minaret was ruined by the earthquake of 22 July 1927 and re-built
after the event. The last restoration on the mosque was performed in 1964, when a new masonry
foundation with lime mortar was built in the area around the apse. At the same time, the roof of
Shabistan was cleaned of the hash mud mixture which was rubbed on year after year (for decades)
to waterproof the roof. After this restoration work along the northern wall of the Ivan, the mosque
exhibited a variegated cracking pattern. Figures 6 and 7 show these variegated cracks around the Ivan,
which is the result, in the authors hypothesis, of two different mechanisms: the first being the move-
ment and outside rotation of the Ivan area (confirmed by the presence of a full crack along the wall)
as a result of ground settlement and consolidation following the work around the external area of the
Ivan and the second being the movement of northern and southern walls; which is certainly due to
the presence of the thrust of the main arch of the Ivan. The understanding and correct interpretation
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Figure 7. Cracking pattern, northern section of Ivan.
(a) (b)
Figure 8. Global and regional view of Semnan city.
of the actual cracking path, and knowledge of the state of conservation of the monument, is a crucial
undertaking for the assessment of the mosques vulnerability under future earthquake loads.
3. SEISMICITY OF SEMNAN REGION
The portion of Alpide belt from Iran in the west to Burma in the east, seismically, is one of the most
active intercontinental regions of the world. The Semnan region is part of the Iranian plateau that is
subjected to many tectonic activities, including active folding and faulting, as well as volcanic erup-
tions (Figure 8). It is also known for its long history of disastrous earthquakes. Not only have these
earthquakes killed thousands, but they have also led to wastage of valuable natural resources. Since
1900, over 120 000 fatalities have been resulted from earthquakes in Iran.
Semnan is located in the north of Great Kavir. The gravity survey by Dehghani and Makris (1983)
indicates that the crust beneath the Great Kavir is in isostatic equilibrium; it is thus unlikely to be
undergoing broad uplift or downwrap at present, apart from the northern fringe adjoining the actively
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rising Alburz Mountains. However, the Kavir basin, with the associated Garmsar, Semnan and
Damghan basins, is an area of considerable active faulting and fault-related seismicity, particularly
along the faulted basin margins (Figure 9). The historical context of earthquakes in this region has
been compiled by Ambraseys and Melville (2005). First-motion data indicate that almost all these
earthquakes are generated by reverse slip and subsidiary strike-slip movements (Dehghani and Makris,
1983). The strike-slip component of deformation probably has a complex origin. Earthquakes are
characteristically shallow, of large magnitude but are discontinuous, with long recurrence periods
(Berberian, 1977). For the central Kavir, the mean return periods of about 22, 170 and 1150 year have
been determined for earthquakes of magnitude 5.5, 6.5 and 7.5, respectively. The northern Kavir is
more active, with return periods of 5, 30 and 250 years, respectively (Nowroozi and Ahmadi, 1986).
Historical records show that nearly every larger town near the Kavir border, including Semnan, has
been severely damaged by the earthquakes in the past. In 1927, an area of 280 000 km2 was shaken
by an earthquake centred at the western side of the Kavir (Ambraseys, 2005). Qumes (Ghoomes) city
hill is located 35 km to the south-east of Semnan. In the old Islamic literature, Semnan, Damghan,
Bastam and Gorgan have been named as being part of Ghoomes (Haghighat, 1990). Many historians
mentioned a high-magnitude earthquake (Io = X, Ms 7.9) on 22 December 856 in this region that
wiped off the Qumes civilization from the face of the earth. At least 200 000 fatalities were reported
(Haghighat, 1990).
Figure 10 shows a recent seismicity map for Iran which includes Semnan region. Figure 11, then
shows, the return period of the seismic events with a magnitude more than Ms = 4 in the region.
Mapped fault in general Magnitude < 6 or unknown Historical (pre-1900)

19001976 destructive earthquake
Documented active fault Magnitude 6 or more
Figure 9. Map of major fault traces and earthquake epicentres in northern and central Iran.
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45 50 55 60 65
40 40
0
33
70
35 35 150
300 D
E
P
T
30 30 H
k
500 m
25 25
800
45 50 55 60 65
Figure 10. Seismicity of Iran, 19902006.
Figure 11. Return period versus earthquake magnitude for Semnan.
4. MATERIAL MODELLING OF MASONRY
Analysis of the seismic behaviour of historical masonry buildings is quite a difficult task due to the
difficulty in numerical modelling of the nonlinear behaviour of masonry material, with almost no
tensile strength, and the complexity of the geometrical configuration (Augusti et al., 2001).
Refined mechanical models, which accurately predict the behaviour of masonry material and ele-
ments, have been proposed in the literature (Mele and De Luca 1999). Such models adopt different
strategies to take into account the highly nonlinear behaviour of the material both in tension (low
tensile capacity and consequent cracking phenomena) and in compression, and some of those are also
able to provide the structural response even for large cyclic deformations, which occur under seismic
actions. Unfortunately, they are hardly applicable to the complete 3D analysis of complex structural
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systems, due to the very many parameters involved in the definition and updating of the mechanical
model and the large number of degrees of freedom required for structural meshing. Nevertheless, a
preliminary linear elastic static and dynamic analysis of the 3D structural model provides valuable
information about the global behaviour and the interaction among the single elementary parts that
constitute the structure.
The nonlinear behaviour of masonry is due to two major effects: progressive failure and nonlinear
material characteristics of the masonry constituents. For a material model to be representative of
masonry behaviour, both effects must be included. If 3D effects are ignored, three types of failure
are possible:
(1) Bond failure at the interface of the bricks and the mortar: this often occurs when the stress
normal to the interface is tensile.
(2) Tensile cracking of brick or mortar: this occurs when the stress state within the material is one
of biaxial tension or tensioncompression.
(3) Crushing of brick or mortar: this type of failure occurs under compressive stresses (either
uniaxial or biaxial compression).
Masonry can be modelled by many different approaches, with each approach having its own merits
and drawbacks. One approach is to model each brick, mortar face and interface independently and
separately. A large number of micro-models of this type and formulation have been developed for
simulating monotonic as well as cyclic loading in the past (Mistler et al., 2006; Ewing, 1993; Hart
and Jaw, 1993). Normally, each component is defined with its own nonlinear behaviour, and the bond
between the brick and mortar is considered by special joint or contact elements that are able to simulate
the gaps. A modelling prerequisite is the exact knowledge of the actual geometry of the whole wall.
In another approach, the bricks and the interface are modelled jointly. Since the real brickmortar
joint behaviour is often not known, discrete joint elements of zero thickness with smeared character-
istics may be used, so that grout elements do not need to be generated. The dimensions of the bricks
have to be changed accordingly and this may have some bearing on their stiffness; as such the accuracy
of the model is lower. Brick failure due to transverse tensile stresses cannot be simulated in a 2-D
model, but the global behaviour is often described satisfactorily (Mistler et al., 2006). A third approach
is using a smeared model with homogenized properties. Here, the masonry is modelled as an aniso-
tropic continuum. This approach is computationally less expensive and allows the structural behaviour
of large substructures subject to dynamic loading to be investigated. In order to use this method, the
effective stiffness of the masonry and the smeared nonlinear characteristics has to be known, requiring
the definition of stressstrain relationships for monotonic and cyclic loading. In addition, the global
failure criterion has to be defined. As already mentioned, the problems in using smeared material
models lie not only in the inherent complexity of their nonlinear behaviour, but also in the necessity
of their calibration, meaning the determination of some material parameters by testing. The experi-
mental costs can be reduced if the effective, nonlinear material properties can be derived from the
characteristic values of the constituents (which are known for a wide variety of brick and mortar
types) in order to use them as input variables of the smeared model.
There are several homogenization techniques available, which may be broadly classified in two
different groups, namely two-step and single-step methods. In the first type, the procedure for
estimating the effective elastic stiffness is divided into two steps: First, brick units and head joints
are homogenized horizontally, and then this layer and the continuous bed joints are homogenized
vertically or vice versa. The drawback of the two-step homogenization is that the results depend on
the order of the steps and sometimes differ markedly. A single-step approach was used e.g. by
Anthoine (1995) for deriving numerically the overall elastic constants by applying the homogenization
theory of periodic media to masonry.
Even though the accuracy of the former two approaches mentioned above is much higher than that
of the latter, they are much more expensive in terms of computational costs. The corresponding high
number of degrees of freedom also limits their applicability.
In general, it can be said that only for small structures, an accurate model may be used with con-
fidence. Large structures are almost impossible to be simulated by means of such micro-models.
Smeared models, as well as macro-element based models, are less accurate but better suited for this
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purpose, although they still require additional efforts for calibration which is mostly based on (expen-
sive) experimental results. In the following, a nonlinear smeared macro-model for masonry is pre-
sented, which can be used for the numerical simulations of historic masonry buildings.
5. NONLINEAR FINITE ELEMENT PROGRAM
A nonlinear finite element analysis program, NONLAMS (NONLinear Analysis of Masonry Struc-
tures), from the earlier version of NONLACS2 program developed by Kheyroddin (1996), is used to
perform the analysis here. The program employs a layered finite element approach and can be used
to predict the nonlinear behaviour of any masonry structure that is composed of thin plate members.
This includes shells, shear walls or any combination of these structural elements.
5.1. Masonry properties

In this program, a hypo-elastic model using the principle of equivalent uniaxial strains is used. This
nonlinear model is based on the biaxial orthotropic hypo-elastic concrete model of Darwin and Pec-
knold (1977), and has been modified for application to masonry according to Vratsanou (1992). It
uses the principle of equivalent uniaxial strains as a simplification of the complex biaxial material
behaviour.
The constitutive relation is described for each principal stress direction by means of the uniaxial
stressstrain relation, and the equivalent uniaxial strains are fictitious strains in the principal stress
directions. The principal stresses correspond to the stresses of a fictitious uniaxial state. An important
advantage is that the uniaxial stressstrain relationships and other required material characteristics
can be derived by means of uniaxial tests. The failure criterion used is based on the assumption that
the angle between the bed joints and the first principal stress direction is 45, since the cracks in shear
walls subjected to in-plane seismic loading usually arise under this angle.
The monotonic stressstrain relationship (Figure 12a) consists of three regions. The tension
region is defined by a straight line OE ending at the point of the maximum tensile strength E (cr).
The compression region consists of the increasing range OC, defined by the compression strength C
(max,fm), and the decreasing range CD describes the softening effect by a linear behaviour up to point
D (cu).
For analysis of most plane stress problems, masonry is assumed to behave as a stress-induced
orthotropic material. In this study, the orthotropic constitutive relationship developed by Bazant et al.
Figure 12. Stressstrain relationships for: (a) monotonic; and (b) cyclic loading.
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(1986) model is used for modelling the masonry using the smeared cracking idealization. The con-
stitutive matrix, D, is given by:
0
E1 E 1E 2
1
D= E E E2 0 (1)
(1 2 )
1 2
0 0 1

4
( E1 + E 2 2 E1E 2 )
in which, E1 and E2 are the tangent moduli in the directions of the material orthotropy, and is the
Poissons ratio. The orthotropic material directions coincide with the principal stress directions for
the uncracked masonry, and these directions are parallel and normal to the cracks for the cracked
masonry. The concept of the equivalent uniaxial strain developed by Darwin and Pecknold (1977)
is utilized to relate the increments of stress and strain in the principal directions. Therefore, stress
strain curves similar to the uniaxial stressstrain curves can be used to formulate the required stress
strain curves in each principal direction.
The strength of masonry, c, and the values of E1, E2 and are functions of the level of stress, and
the stress combinations. The masonry strength when subjected to biaxial stresses is determined using
the failure envelope developed by Kupfer et al. (1969). For the descending branches of both compres-
sion and tension stressstrain curves, Ei is set equal to a very small number, 0.0001, to avoid com-
putational problems associated with a negative and zero values for Ei. The masonry is considered to
be crushed, when the equivalent compressive strain in the principal directions exceeds the ultimate
compressive strain of the masonry, cu.
For elimination of the numerical difficulties after crushing ( > cu) and cracking of the masonry
( > tu), a small amount of compressive and tensile stress as a fraction of masonry strength, cfc and
tft, is assigned at a high level of stress, where parameters c and t define the remaining compressive
and tensile strength factors, respectively.
Regarding the stressstrain relationships for cyclic loading, it is important to distinguish between
the unloading paths before and after exceeding the compression strength (Figure 12b). In the first
case, the unloading path is a straight line defined by the elastic modulus E0 and tensile stresses are
still possible. In the second case the unloading path doesnt reach the tensile region. After exceeding
the maximum tensile strength, cracks occur perpendicular to the principal stress direction. Based on
a smeared crack model, a smeared crack width is then calculated.
5.2. Crack modelling techni ques

Cracking of the masonry is one of the important aspects of material nonlinear behaviour of the
masonry. In this program, for crack modelling, smeared elasto-plastic continuum model was used.
This smeared elasto-plastic continuum model is based on the non-smooth multi-surface plasticity
theory and includes anisotropic elastic and inelastic behaviour and is assumed to occur when the
principal tensile stress at a point (usually a Gauss integration point) exceeds the tensile strength of
the masonry. After cracking, the axes of orthotropy are aligned parallel and orthogonal to the crack.
The elastic modulus perpendicular to the crack direction is reduced to a very small value close to zero
and the Poisson effect is ignored. The effect of the crack is smeared within the element by modifying
the [D] matrix. If 1 exceeds the tensile strength of masonry, ft, the material stiffness matrix is defined
as (one crack is opened):
0 0 0
[D] = 0 E2 0 where 0 < 1.0 (2)
0 0 G
Once one crack is formed, the principal directions are not allowed to rotate and a second crack can
form only when 2 > ft, in a direction perpendicular to the first crack. Then,
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0 0 0
[D] = 0 0 0 where 0 < 1.0 (3)
0 0 G
A shear transfer coefficient, , has been introduced representing a shear strength reduction factor for
those subsequent loads inducing sliding (shear) across the crack face. In order to reduce the number
of parameters employed to represent the nonlinear behaviour of masonry, a DruckerPrager perfectly
plastic criterion has been employed in the model, avoiding the need for definition of a hardening rule.
In this way, the cohesion c and the angle of internal friction have been assumed as the only two
material parameters required to define the yield surface.
5.3. Finite element formulation

The element library includes plane membrane, plate bending, spring boundary elements, as well as a
facet shell element, which is a combination of the plane membrane and the plate bending elements.
Figure 13 shows some of these elements and the associated degrees of freedom. The two node, three
degrees of freedom per node one dimensional bar element is used to model uniaxial truss members.
The program employs a layered finite element approach. The structure is idealized as an assemblage
of thin constant thickness plate elements with each element subdivided into a number of imaginary
layers as shown in Figure 13(c). The number of layers depends on the behaviour of the structure being
analysed.
Figure 13. Some typical finite elements in NONLAMS Program.
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5.4. Nonlinear analysis method

Nonlinear analysis is performed using an incrementaliterative tangent stiffness approach, and the
element stiffness is obtained by adding the stiffness contributions of all layers at each Gauss quadra-
ture point. The change in the material stiffness matrix during loading necessitates an incremental
solution procedure with a tangent stiffness scheme. A piece-wise linearization has been adopted in
the NONLAMS program.
6. STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
The analysis performed here covers the Ivan, in which significant cracks are visible, and the
minaret, which is the most sensitive part of the system due to its slenderness. The analysis is
based on a nonlinear 3D finite element model in which the modelling is performed on the basis of
the concepts of homogenized material and smeared cracking constitutive law (Luciano and Sacco,
1997).
6.1. Structural aspects and methods

The analysis method proposed and adopted in this study is based on a three-step procedure. First, the
overall structure is analysed in the linear range using a complete 3D model, with the aim of character-
izing the static and dynamic behaviour, defining the internal force distribution among the single
elementary parts and identifying the weak points of potential failure in the building. Second, the
overall structure is analysed in the nonlinear range trying to understand the causes of the cracking
path and the origin of the cracking. Thirdly, the nonlinear model of the mosque previously identified
is used for assessment of the seismic behaviour of the building. The comparison between the results
delivers an estimate of the seismic safety level of the building, and gives an indication of the types
and locations of the required restoration interventions.
6.2. Linear static analysis

As stated previously, a preliminary linear analysis of the masonry building is performed in order to
obtain some basic information on the global behaviour of the building. Although the hypothesis of
elastic behaviour of masonry material is not strictly correct, this preliminary step is able, in the
authors opinion, to offer some basic results concerning the internal force distribution among the
single elementary parts and would identify the weak points representing potential failure locations in
the building. Static and dynamic analyses have been carried out on the 3D model of the mosque
structural assembly using the finite element program NONLAMS.
The chosen mechanical properties of wall elements are in agreement with the results of existing
tests (Corradi et al., 2002) on similar masonry and in situ testing and are conservative. Values assumed
in this study are: Youngs modulus, E, equal to 20 000 MPa, Poisson modulus, , equal to 0.25 and
self-weight, W, equal to 22 kN/m3. The structural elements have been analysed under constant vertical
loads, resulted from self-weight and from roof loads. In the analysis of the original state of the
mosque, no connections are assumed to be present between the roof and the confining walls due to
the inherent weakness of the connection. Masonry walls are assumed to be connected reasonably well
due to the good quality of the existing connections. The main information that can be derived from
the linear analyses of the mosque is the interaction, and in particular, the stress-resultant distribution
within the structural elements in the two principal directions. Furthermore, comparing the results
obtained from these different analyses allows identifying the effect of dynamic characteristics of the
building on the interaction among elements and on the distribution of internal forces. In Figure 14,
results of the static analyses on the 3D dome, semi-dome of the Ivan and the minaret model, under
constant self-weight vertical loads and the lateral loads are reported in terms of stress resultant dis-
tribution among the structural elements. This result confirms that mosques were designed by architects
who were skilled in attempting very slender schemes; these structural systems, though perfectly able
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(a) (b)
(c)
Figure 14. Vertical stresses of: (a) dome; (b) semi-dome; and (c) minaret.
to resist vertical (compressive) static loads, are not always adequate to withstand horizontal forces
derived from seismic actions. Also, the results of the static analyses on the 3D Ivan model show, the
maximum values of the displacements occur near the big arch of the Ivan.
6.3. Modal analysis

The periods and modal shapes of the 3D FE models are then calculated. Table 1 shows periods of
the minaret. Table 2 reports the effective masses of the main vibration modes in the transversal,
longitudinal and vertical directions of the Ivan as well. It can be argued from these tables that the
first two modes of the original building involve translation in the weakest transverse direction of the
main Ivan, with significant out-of-plane deformation of the orthogonal elements. The third modal
shape is a translational mode in the longitudinal direction. The fourth modal shape displays torsional
deformations, revealing certain collaboration between the transverse and the longitudinal structural
elements of the Ivan. The next two modal shapes (not represented here) correspond to, respectively,
the second torsional mode of the mosque (the fifth mode) and the third torsional mode (the sixth
mode). Higher modal shapes are a combination of transversal vibration modes and torsional modes.
The distribution of the modal shapes demonstrates that the original building, though characterized by
very stiff structural elements on the perimeter, displays low transversal and torsional stiffnesses, and
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Table 1. The first few modes of minaret and their participation

factors.
Mode number Period (s)

1 0.64
2 0.62
3 0.14
4 0.13
5 0.058
6 0.054
7 0.052
Table 2. Modal effective masses for transversal, longitudinal and vertical direction.
X direction Z direction
(transversal) Y direction (vertical) (longitudinal)
Mode Period (s) Meff (%) Meff (%) Meff (%) Meff (%) Meff (%) Meff (%)
1 0.31 20.0 24 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
2 0.3 5.7 29.7 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.05
3 0.27 0.00 29.7 0.04 0.04 12.7 12.7
4 0.23 2.1 31.8 0.00 0.04 0.00 12.7
5 0.18 9.5 41.3 0.00 0.04 0.31 13.0
6 0.17 0.2 41.5 0.00 0.04 0.38 13.5
7 0.16 2.2 43.7 0.00 0.04 0.04 13.5
8 0.158 0.00 43.7 0.04 0.08 7.84 21.3
9 0.155 8.1 51.8 0.00 0.08 0.00 21.3
10 0.15 0.2 52 0.01 0.09 32.7 54.0
significant out-of-plane deformations of the elements. Furthermore, the deformed plan configuration
of the structure confirms that seismic loads acting along either longitudinal or transversal directions
of the mosque involve remarkably high out-of-plane deformations of the orthogonal structural
elements.
6.4. Nonlinear static analysis

Before proceeding to the assessment of the seismic resistance of the mosque, in order to investigate
the origin of the crack pattern of the Ivan, and in order to verify the numerical model, the Ivan is
analysed under constant vertical loads, resulted from self-weight and roof loads, and under increasing
linear vertical displacements. The presence of a crack at an integration point is represented through
modification of the stressstrain relations by introducing a plane of weakness in a direction normal
to the crack face. Results show that the collapse possibility increases after a maximum base displace-
ment of 0.32 cm; this means that a very small value could generate a sensible cracking pattern on the
mosque. This confirms that current cracks of the Ivan could be the results of past soil settlement.
There were reports of the walls of a well collapsing in near the base of the Ivan around the time of
last restorations.
6.5. Seismic analysis

Earthquake codes and regulations are not valid for the assessment of the seismic vulnerability of
historical buildings made of materials that have aged and have already suffered damage. To obtain
the dynamic response of the structure, four different types of earthquakes (El-Centro, Bam, Tabas and
Manjil) with a maximum input acceleration of 0.35 g are applied. The selected sets of earthquake
records are chosen in order to investigate the nonlinear structural response to an excitation with dif-
ferent frequency content and duration.
DOI: 10.1002/tal
In order to reduce the computational effort, the previously described FE model of the mosque has
been updated posing gap elements around the areas where cracks are present. Due to the crack pattern,
it is possible to observe an increase in the main periods and a reduction in the mass participation
factor of each mode (Figures 15). Table 3 reports the periods of the main vibration modes.
The seismic analyses carried out on the nonlinear 3D FE model have allowed evaluation of the
ultimate strength capacity of the mosque. Some load combinations that were used in transversal and
longitudinal seismic directions allowed a direct, though approximate, assessment of the seismic safety
level of the mosque. The square root of sum of squares (SRSS) technique has been used for the load
combination. The most severe load combination for the building turns out to be the seismic load acting
perpendicular to the along direction of the Ivan, which is due to the low integrity and stiffness of the
building in this direction. For this load combination, the demand versus capacity (about 11% of
seismic load) confirms the susceptibility of this type of buildings to extensive damage and possibly
to collapse, as has frequently been observed during earthquakes. As a matter of fact, building collapses
for a seismic load equal to about 7.5% of external load would be due to the failure of the Ivan of the
mosque in which the first mode (out-of-plane displacement) takes place. Comparing the effects of
different loads used in the seismic analyses (in the x and z directions), shows that the mosque is
especially vulnerable in the transversal direction, due to low integrity and stiffness and the presence
of cracks in the wall that are parallel to the seismic action.
0.4
0.45
Original building
0.4 Retrof itted building
0.35
0.3
Period (s)
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
M ode shape
Figure 15. Comparison of the main period for original building and retrofitted one.
Table 3. Comparison of the main period for different levels of original building and retrofitted one.
Jame mosque (original) Jame mosque (nonlinear analysis)

Mode n Period (s) Period (s)
1 0.31 0.48
2 0.3 0.43
3 0.27 0.35
4 0.23 0.31
5 0.18 0.29
6 0.17 0.26
7 0.16 0.25
8 0.158 0.24
9 0.155 0.22
10 0.15 0.2
DOI: 10.1002/tal
7. STRENGTHENING PROPOSAL
The analysis of the static and seismic behaviour of the mosque has permitted us to point out the two
main weaknesses of the building. The first weakness is the lack of connection between orthogonal
masonry walls. The second one is the need for consolidation of the foundation area around the Ivan,
which is responsible for the opening crack. With respect to this weakness, it is then possible to suggest
a strengthening retrofitting technique respectful of the architectural aspects. Regarding the actual crack
pattern on masonry walls, three different techniques are proposed, depending on the crack size: (a)
injections of aerial mortar (grout); (b) injections of aerial mortar with steel or FRP anchor on both
faces of a wall connected using several transverse steel beams (Figure 16); and (c) local reconstruc-
tion of the wall around the crack. The aim of these techniques is to close the cracks, to improve the
connections of the wall and to increase the tensile and shear strength and ductility.
With respect to the strengthening techniques, different retrofitting restorations are taken into
account in order to assess their effects on the seismic reliability of the whole building. First is to place
horizontal steel beams close to the top and vertical steel beams inside the masonry walls along the
entire height of Ivan. Finally, a concrete ring of beams along the sides of the building to connect walls
to the roof is planned with the aim of helping the structure to work as a stiff box against the horizontal
seismic load. In order to evaluate the benefits of the strengthening proposals, three different models
have been used for evaluating different levels of strengthening:
Model [A]: (1) Local reconstruction of cracked area of masonry walls or injection of the existing
cracks with adequate mortar; realization of an effective connection between the roof and the
longitudinal walls; and (2) horizontal steel beams close to the top.
Model [B]: (1) Strengthening of model [A] and vertical steel beams inside the masonry walls along
the entire height in order to increase the shear and flexural strength of the masonry wall. This
strengthening hypothesis has been analyzed in order to assess its efficiency. Attention must be
given here to the current state of conservation of the masonry.
Model [C]: (1) Strengthening of model [A] and concrete ring beams along the sides of the Ivan.
For each of these retrofitting techniques, a new analysis has been performed, and the results (see
Figures 17 and 18) show a general modification of the modal shapes with a reduced first period and
an increased mass participation. Particularly, with specific reference to the strengthening method [C],
the first four modal shapes show a better harmony with the elementary walls of the building. The
presence of a concrete ring beam at the top level of the walls (connected with the roof) produces a
box behaviour. Moreover, with respect to models [A] and [C], it is possible to observe that the effec-
tiveness of the actual retrofitting technique is reflected on a change in the failure mode. Concerning
the low-cost restoration method [A] (which is mostly a repair scenario), the collapse mechanism is
due to the failure on the Ivan walls: a first mechanism mode. The increase of the ultimate load is
about 5.5%. On the contrary, for the high-cost restoration method [C], the collapse mechanism is due
Figure 16. Application of FRP sheets on the inner surface and steel ring on the outer surface
of dome.
DOI: 10.1002/tal
Original building
0.5 Strengthening A
0.45 Strengthening B
0.4 Strengthening C
0.35
Period (s)
0.3
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Mode Shape
Figure 17. Comparison of the main periods.
Original building
Strengthening A
Strengthening B
Strengthening C
70
60
50
Period (s)
40
30
20
10
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Mode Shape
Figure 18. Modal effective mass (longitudinal direction).
Table 4. Benefits of the strengthening retrofitting.
Retrofitting restorations Collapse loads (% of seismic load)

Original building 7.5
Strengthening [A] 13
Strengthening [B] 16.5
Strengthening [C] 26
to a crack pattern that develops on the front of the Ivan: the second mechanism mode with typical
fracture at 45. In this case, due to the presence of concrete ring beams along the sides of the building
(connected to the roof), the building is allowed to respond as a stiff box against the horizontal seismic
load with a higher ultimate load of about 16.5%. Table 4 presents a comparative benefit analysis
attributed to each of the strengthening techniques analysed in this paper. The most effective technique
turns out to be the third. This retrofitting assures a trustable improvement in the safety and doesnt
require extraordinary modifications.
DOI: 10.1002/tal
8. CONCLUSION
In order to assess the structural behaviour and evaluate the seismic vulnerability of the Jame mosque
of Semnan, which is a historical building dating back to the Sassanid dynasty period, a finite element
model of the mosque is analysed under earthquake loading. For this purpose a 3D numerical model
of the mosque has been constructed first. A preliminary linear elastic analysis has allowed obtaining
some basic information about the structural behaviour of the building. Next, several nonlinear analyses
have been performed in order to assess the seismic vulnerability. In order to gain an understanding
of the actual deteriorated state of the structure, an FE model of the structure has been built, taking
into account the actual cracking path. Using this procedure, it has been possible to obtain a proof
of the origination of the cracks, which was found to depend primarily on the ground settlement and
shows the sensitivity of the building to ground settlement. Then, the mosque is subjected to a seismic
analysis through the application of horizontal forces perpendicular to one another not acting
simultaneously.
By a comparison between the stresses and the strains due to the seismic shocks acting in the hori-
zontal x and z directions, it was observed that the mosque is especially vulnerable along the Ivan
longitudinal x direction, due to low stiffness and the presence of cracks in the wall that are located
parallel to the seismic action (the wall responsible for counteracting the seismic loads). Comparing
the demand (seismic loads) versus capacity (material and topology strength) confirms the susceptibil-
ity of this type of building to extensive damage and possibly to collapse, as is frequently observed.
Also, the efficiency of different techniques for repairing and strengthening has been evaluated. Three
different levels of restoration were investigated. The analysis of repair and strengthening techniques
shows the effectiveness of the usual structural reinforcements in terms of increased seismic capacity.
It is believed that the results and the conclusions obtained with respect to the seismic assessment of
this case study can be extrapolated to the wide variety of historical mosques, and generalized for other
masonry buildings.
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THE STRUCTURAL DESIGN OF TALL AND SPECIAL BUILDINGS

Struct. Design Tall Spec. Build. 21, 334353 (2012)

Finite element analysis and seismic rehabilitation of

A. Mortezaei1, A. Kheyroddin1 and H. R. Ronagh2*,

Copyright 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Figure 1. Location of Semnan province in Iran map.

2. THE AIM OF THE STUDY

2.1. Architectural features and description of the structure

Figure 3. Apse view of Minar-e Masjid-e Jame.

Figure 4. Masonry texture on the minaret.

Figure 5. Masonry texture on the column of Shabistan.

Figure 6. Cracking pattern on the roof of Ivan.

2.2. Actual state of conservation

Figure 7. Cracking pattern, northern section of Ivan.

Figure 8. Global and regional view of Semnan city.

3. SEISMICITY OF SEMNAN REGION

Mapped fault in general Magnitude < 6 or unknown Historical (pre-1900)

Figure 10. Seismicity of Iran, 19902006.

Figure 11. Return period versus earthquake magnitude for Semnan.

4. MATERIAL MODELLING OF MASONRY

5. NONLINEAR FINITE ELEMENT PROGRAM

5.1. Masonry properties

5.2. Crack modelling techni ques

5.3. Finite element formulation

Figure 13. Some typical finite elements in NONLAMS Program.

5.4. Nonlinear analysis method

6.1. Structural aspects and methods

6.2. Linear static analysis

6.3. Modal analysis

Table 1. The first few modes of minaret and their participation

Mode number Period (s)

6.4. Nonlinear static analysis

6.5. Seismic analysis

Jame mosque (original) Jame mosque (nonlinear analysis)

Figure 17. Comparison of the main periods.

Figure 18. Modal effective mass (longitudinal direction).

Table 4. Benefits of the strengthening retrofitting.

Retrofitting restorations Collapse loads (% of seismic load)

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