Reverse-Engineering Evaluation and Monitoring of Nemrut Monuments

A reverse-engineering approach reveals that Nemrut Dağ's monuments, constructed 2000 years ago on Mount Nemrut (2206 m), likely suffered asymmetric damage due to a combination of natural forces—such as earthquakes, snow load, and wind—and potential human interference like grave theft attempts. The study, using Swiss snow-load guidelines, nonlinear blast-loading simulations via LS-DYNA software, and 4-year on-site wind monitoring, suggests that seismic activity from the nearby East Anatolian Fault zone is a plausible cause for the observed damage patterns. Findings also propose anastylosis/strengthening methods to mitigate further deterioration.

Türer, A., Aktaş Erdem, Y. D., & Güçhan, N. Ş. (2012). Reverse-Engineering Evaluation and Monitoring of Nemrut Monuments. International Journal of Architectural Heritage, 6(4), 373–395. https://doi.org/10.1080/15583058.2011.561906