TRADITIONAL TIMBER STRUCTURES IN TURKEY

Abstract

Timber construction was also highly appreciated in ancient Anatolia, the peninsula on far west of Asia in Turkey, especially in the densely wooded regions. The heritage of timber structures in Anatolia is immense and the oldest examples, still in use, date back to 12th century. Traditional timber buildings, erected using traditional methods with experience and great skill passed from one generation to the other, can be classified according to the construction of their walls as composed of block wood or framed structure with totally wood or composite with timber studs and masonry infill The timber walls of one or more stories in height were supported on the foundation walls, on timber laced masonry walls of the ground floor or raised on cripple studs and post and beam supports. These structures with cantilevering jetties or upper stories and tiled roof were commonly constructed until approximately 1950s, some of them still in good shape and contribute to the visual vitality of historic Turkish towns. The paper will explain the types of traditional timber buildings used in Turkey and discuss their failures during earthquakes. Their construction technology may bear some important information both for cultural heritage conservation and construction of contemporary building.