ABSTRACT
Material properties such as shear and compressive strength of masonry, have crucial influence on seismic analysis results of historical structures. An experimental study was conducted in order to examine a developed partial-destructive test method to determine shear strength index of masonry buildings. Tests have been executed on 12 historical buildings in Istanbul with both conventional and developed test technique. Load bearing walls and piers, columns, arches, vaults, domes, tie bars, and pinnacles are the elements of structural system of masonry historical buildings. Very fast building capability with labor was the biggest advantage of masonry buildings to be preferred as a structure type in the past. Depending on being a high man labor construction, variations of the quality of production, the distribution of physical and mechanical properties are very high. A laboratory study of varying strength mortars should be done. Bending effects migh be avoided by gluing a rigid plate on mortar or brick surface.
