Effects of Geo-Engineering Characteristics of the Soft Tuffs and Environmental Conditions on the Rock-Hewn Historical Structures at Zelve Open Air Museum, Cappadocia, Turkey

Erosion rates of up to 1.24 mm per year threaten the stability of rock-hewn structures at Zelve Open Air Museum, Cappadocia. The study found that cyclic freezing-thawing and wetting-drying processes significantly accelerate degradation under saturated conditions, leading to failure modes like spalling and slabbing. These phenomena alter the geometry of openings, increasing structural instability. The research combined field observations with erosion measurements over five years to assess the impact of environmental factors on the soft tuffs surrounding historical structures.

KASMER, O., & ULUSAY, R. (2013). Effects of Geo-Engineering Characteristics of the Soft Tuffs and Environmental Conditions on the Rock-Hewn Historical Structures at Zelve Open Air Museum, Cappadocia, Turkey. Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, 19(2), 149–171. https://doi.org/10.2113/gseegeosci.19.2.149