Non-destructive damage analysis in Kariye (Chora) Museum as a cultural heritage building

Abstract Non-destructive testing methods are being increasingly used in the evaluation of cultural heritage buildings. Combined geophysical methods especially can be applied to structural evaluations of these kinds of buildings. Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) Test and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) were used in a complementary way as non-destructive testing techniques in this study. The main aim of the study is to analyze the internal structural configuration as well as the quality of the stone, internal geometry and physical properties of some structural elements. It was determined that the main cracks in all walls within the building are on an axis. The cracks on this crack axis were determined to have been filled during previous repairs on the GPR profiles. However, the filling material is different from the building materials that constitute the building walls and at the same time the presence of void spaces was determined.