Examination of the pressure surface of masonry barrel vaults

Examination of the pressure surface of masonry barrel vaults

Topic description:

Masonry barrel vaults can only balance their loads by means of compression, as they can crack(s) by tension. Similarly to the arches, where the line of pressure is used to check the arch, the barrel vault can be examined using a pressure surface.

The aim of the research is to:

(a) Understanding and comparing the pressure surfaces found in the literature.

(b) Using an effective pressure surface method, to examine how the sizes and thickness of the barrel vault affect the stresses and load capacity of the vault, taking into account, for example, the spatial size proportions used in the Romanesque style.

For whom it is recommended:

I recommend it to anyone interested in historical load-bearing structures and their numerical examination, and who likes programming or wants to learn it.