JERICHO – Quantitative Reconstruction of a Resonance-Based Instability Scenario

This work constructs a reproducible quantitative test model from the Jericho narrative to evaluate plausible physical mechanisms for masonry collapse. The central question is whether direct airborne acoustic pressure alone can serve as a primary collapse mechanism, or whether a multi-stage instability scenario is required. The model calculations show that direct airborne sound, within plausible orders of magnitude, produces only small forces and very small displacements, making it a physically weak standalone explanation. In contrast, a resonance-based scenario involving mode coupling, pre-damage, damage accumulation, and a trigger mechanism is quantitatively modellable and auditable. A TFD-compatible mapping layer is formulated as an optional auxiliary hypothesis, but it is kept explicitly separate from the classical model calculation unless it yields additional measurable predictions.