Investigation of Construction Systems and Brick Material Properties of Ottoman Edirne Bastion by Experimental Methods: Kemerler Bastion Sample Soner YELER 1* Alper BIDECI 2 Gülcan MINSOLMAZ YELER Özlem SALLI BIDECI 2 Ünal SEVER 1 Elif BESLI 3 1 Departmet of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, University of Kırklareli, Kırklareli, Turkey 2 Departmet of Architecture, Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, University of Düzce, Düzce, Turkey 3 Department of Civil Engineering, Instititue of Science, University of Düzce, Düzce, Turkey *Corresponding author: Received: July 09, 2015 Email: soner.yeler@klu.edu.tr Accepted: August 13, 2015 Abstract Ottoman Empire founded after the fall of Anatolia Seljuk Empire have been implemented some different techniques and methods from Seljuk Empire period regarding to build defense and military structures in Anatolia. In Seljuk Empire period, like Rome and Byzantines previously, while surrounding the cities by the wall in several stages was dominate, the Ottomans largely abandoned this defense policy. Instead of defending directly the city itself, they defended a certain place by establishing castle and like military garrison to the points appropriate in term of military and geographical perspective. Due to the intensive use of firearms and increase their powers are increasingly showing a huge improvement in fortification architecture, has been effective in the defense of the Ottoman city. Bastion fortification system applied by European States at the beginning of 16 century, has been firstly tried in the Balkans border cities by Ottoman Empire 18 th century, then was used for defense eastern border cities and Bosphorus. In this study, Kemerler Bastion, one of the 24 bastions founded in Edirne city after 1877-78 Second Ottoman-Russian War, was examined. Bastion, dated between the 1886-1890 years, is worth to investigating because of structural integrity protection, though to play an effective role during the Balkan War in defensive and expose to nature conditions. In the study, physical, chemical and mechanical properties of brick material used in Edirne Kemerler Bastion were investigated. Chemical properties of bricks were identified and carried out experiments; bulk density, water absorption, compressive strength, freeze-thaw resistance, harmful lime and magnesia. Also, SEM+EDS, F-TIR and DTA+TGA analysis were carried out to determine internal structure. The study thought as guide source production of new materials used in renewal studies of historic structures and presenting properties of brick materials. Key Words: Ottoman Defensive Structures, Edirne Kemerler Bastion, Properties of Brick Material. INRTODUCTION Fortification architecture showing a great progress in western governments on wards 16th century due to the fact that the power of firearm increased and they started to be used more and more intensely played a leading role in modernization movements by effecting Ottomans in the later 17th century. As it was figured out following the fails that the military policies of Ottoman Empire and conventional castle building techniques wouldn’t be enough in defense, radical changes were needed [6]. Applied at the dawn of 16th century by European states, the fortification with bastion system was previously tried in border cities in the Balkans by Ottomans in 18. century, and then used in the defense of the cities in East [5, 17] and Bosporus [7]. In this period of time, quite a few Anatolian cities were able to defense itself by leveraging its current castles and mending its ramparts [10]. It was seen that preparations against the threatens were continuing before the 1877-78 second Ottoman-Russian War and the works gained weight in Balkans and East borders because the war intensified in these areas. When Russians started gaining ground in the Balkans, soil bastions were built in Edirne region in order to decelerate and stop the troops [3]. But, these soil bastions didn’t avail in the war and were demolished after enemy attacks. The soil bastions mended partly became a basic for the ones which would be built later [4]. Baykal conveys that before the Balkan war, bastions supported with artificial humps in West and South sides of the city and as for North and East sides of the city, artillery positions were built by utilizing the natural condition of the area [3]. And Çağan states that ramparts that had comprised of blasted and scattered bastions and some arsenals until the beginning of the Balkan war, were leveraged in such a way that they can transform the city into a strong garrison that can be headquarter of the army in a short span of time [4]. Edirne’s defense line forms 4 groups; Hıdırlık, Abdurrahmanağa, Toprak, Aynalıbağ, Başhöyük, Kemerler and Karagöz Bastion (7 pieces) form west side; Küçük Hacı Doğan Peak, Büyük Hacı Doğan Peak, Küçük Taşocağı, Büyük Taşocağı and Ayvazbaba Bastions (5 pieces) form north side; Bağlarönü, Cevizlik, Kestanelik, Yıldızönü, Topyolu, Kavkaz and Kıyık Bastions (7 pieces) form east side; finally Bosna, Demirtaş, İstasyon, Karaağaç and Arda Bastions (5 pieces) form south side. (see. Figure 1) [18] In this study, it’s aimed to analyze the borders of structural endurance, vital for ensuring the sustainability of bastions. As bastions show similar features in respect of construction, Kemerler bastions which is one of the bastions in Edirne were selected as investigation area. Brick samples were taken from the walls and vault covers of Kemerler bastions. Brick samples were subjected to physical, chemical and mechanic tests. Also, DTA+TGA and SEM+EDS analysis were done in order to specify the features of samples’ interior. The experimental data belong to brick samples was supplied from the project with the headline “İnvestigating of Brick Material Used in the Construction of Defending Structures of Ottoman in Kırklareli and Edirne in 19th Century with Experimental Methods” as a part of Kırklareli University’s Projects of Scientific Investigations. As a part of investigation project, 2 bastions in Kırklareli, 5 bastions in Edirne and in total 7 bastions were investigated. Internatıonal Journal of Natural and Engineering Sciences 9 (3): 06-11, 2015 ISSN: 1307-1149, E-ISSN: 2146-0086, www.nobel.gen.tr