Structural Characteristics of Hagia Sophia under Consideration of the Ribs Inside the Dome

In this study, an analytical model of Hagia Sophia, modeled by the shell and the ribs was prepared to clarify the structural characteristics of the main dome depending on the effect of displacements and stresses of the dome with and without 40 ribs. A tetrahedral secondary elements were adopted to mesh. As the results, in displacement, the maximum amount of displacement of dome with ribs is smaller than that without ribs. Therefore, ribs is effective to prevent the deformation. In the equivalent stress of dome with ribs is smaller than that without ribs. Therefore, ribs was effective for reducing the stress of the dome between the openings.