Detection and Evaluation of Structural Problems in Later Opened Gates (Tek Gate-Çift Gate) in Diyarbakır with Georadar (GPR) Device and the Effect of Earthquake on these Gates

The Diyarbakır City walls, which carry traces of many civilizations, have preserved almost all of the boundaries of their original form to the present day.With the acceleration of zoning activities after the Republic period, some of the walls were demolished, and due to the requirements, the existing original gates were intervened and even new gates were opened.The newly founded city was located in the northwest of the old city which is parallel to the city walls.Most of the structures outside the city walls were built in this area.ince the existing gates were insufficient for transportation between the inside of the old city and the new founded areas outside the city walls, the Çift Gate was opened in 1950 and the Tek Gate in 1959.Although the damages on the walls were mostly due to neglect, the city walls were also damaged by people due to the increase in construction activities in the city and the migration of the city. The city walls, which entered a long-term restoration process, are exposed to traffic violence constantly. In order to determine the effects of traffic on the ground and walls of the Tek gate and Çift Gate, which are exposed to heavy traffic today and were opened later, Georadar (GPR) scans were performed on these gates. Georadar scanning is a method that determines structural problems, in historical structures in a non-destructive technique. Measurements were taken at the determined locations with an expert Geophysical Engineer. it was performed separately GPR scans for the ground and walls. While the profile lengths were between 15 m and 25 m, the penetration depth (research depth) was selected as 20 m on the ground and 4 m on the wall. The scans aimed to detect the deformations (gaps, fractures, cracks, etc.) on the ground, walls and close surroundings of the structure. Underground voids, collapses between 4-20 cm and gaps between 5-10 cm on the walls were detected in the ground. The locations of these damages were marked on the radar sections. It was thought that it would benefit the restoration works by developing intervention methods for the damages detected in the structure.