The Skeletal and Heaped Characteristic of Traditional Masonry Structures

Abstract

Just as in all pre-industrial societies the historic structures in Anatolia derive from two materials timber and stone. In timber construction two categories namely heaped construction and skeletal construction are clearly distinguishable. In research to date it can be seen that these categories have been clearly defined and explained. Yet structural definitions in masonry buildings are mostly limited to the term heaped construction. However in traditional masonry structures it is possible to see whether clearly or under a layer a construction that reminds one of skeletal construction. In this paper historical masonry structures that have been often described as heaped construction but which actually contain both heaped and skeletal system characteristics will be discussed. This dual-system will be examined with examples from Ottoman mosques and masonry houses in Anatolia. © 2009 WIT Press.