Determination of Ground-Based Structural Problems in the Historical Four-Legged Minaret With Ground Penetration Radar

Abstract

The Four-Legged Minaret, which has an important place thanks to its building period and unique architecture, is located in the southeastern part of the historical Suriçi region of Diyarbakır. This structure located outside the courtyard of Sheikh Mutahhar Mosque and inside the Dört Ayaklı Minare Street was built on a monolithic stone column from basalt material in a tetragon plan and is carried by four columns that are in cylindrical form. After 2015, partial damages occurred to the minaret. During the restoration works carried out between 2016-2019, these partial damages were tried to be repaired. But the condition of the ground was not instrumentally detected and investigated in these restoration works. In the present study, observational geological and instrumental geophysical studies were carried out on the Four-Legged Minaret and its surrounding area. The ground condition of the Four-Legged Minaret and the situation of its construction materials were determined by scannings achieved from the ground penetration radar and whether the damages in the structure were related to the ground condition was analyzed. As a consequence of the study, fractures and cracks were detected in the wall, and fractures, cracks, and water leakage-dependent collapses were detected on the floor. Besides, finally, repair recommendations for these damages are also presented in this study.