Factors affecting traffic-generated vibrations on structures and the masonry minaret of Little Hagia Sophia

Increasingly buildings and their occupants are negatively impacted by traffic–induced vibrations. The continuous application of vibrations is particularly detrimental for historic masonry buildings and for very modern structures constructed of strong and light materials. Population and land development trends indicate greater proximity of traffic flow near buildings in coming years. This paper outlines the factors influencing the frequency content and the magnitude of vibrations on nearby structures in an attempt to enable local communities and their designers to be more proactive in vibration mitigation. Using these described factors, the paper assesses the effects of traffic-induced vibrations on a portion of a monumental masonry building: the minaret of Little Hagia Sophia Mosque (former Byzantine Church of the Saints Sergius and Bacchus) based on adjacent railway field measurements.