3rd TAGRA

Historic masonry houses require a specialized approach to seismic assessment due to their use of local materials, traditional construction techniques, and distinctive structural system characteristics. The extent to which existing rapid visual screening methods represent the characteristic features of these buildings is important for reliably prioritizing the historic building stock. This study aims to critically examine the representativeness of existing methods for the seismic assessment of historic masonry houses through a parameter-based approach. To this end, international rapid visual screening methods, parameter-based seismic vulnerability assessment approaches for masonry buildings, a rapid screening method developed in Türkiye, and a regulatory framework for risk identification will be comparatively examined through a literature review. The assessment will consider the material and masonry characteristics of load-bearing walls, wall thickness, the location and dimensions of openings, the number of stories, plan and vertical irregularities, floor and roof systems, wall connections, and observable material deterioration. In addition, the extent to which the material-specific and construction-related characteristics of historic stone, brick, and adobe masonry houses are reflected in existing assessment parameters will be investigated. The study will identify the common assessment criteria, application limitations, and capacity of different methods to represent the distinctive characteristics of historic buildings. The findings are expected to contribute to the selection of appropriate methods for the preliminary seismic assessment of traditional masonry houses and to the development of assessment criteria that better reflect the characteristics of historic buildings.