Abstract

Traces of Sassanid architectural style are seen in many citadels and tomb towers of Mazandaran province in Iran. These magnificent structures have been damaged by natural causes and human neglect, and their preservation is a high priority item for the Iranian Cultural Heritage Society. In this presentation I will first give a panorama of citadels of Mazandaran, and will look into a few cases from a structural point of view and how mathematical and structural analysis can help us in the preservation of these monuments. Laser scanning and modal analysis are used to detect damages. Then, faults and cracks are incorporated into discrete models of the dynamical systems. The finite element approach is utilized to calculate distribution of stresses and displacements of the Resket and Lajim towers. The results will be used by conservation experts to determine policies for the preservation of these historic sites. The presentation is based on the ongoing research collaboration of the Institute of Structronics (Canada), Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Czech Academy of Science and the Iranian Cultural Heritage Society. It is the result of the work of a multidisciplinary team of mathematicians, structural engineers, architects, archeologists, historians and artists.



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