What is timbrel vaulting?
The Catalan vault (Catalan: volta catalana), also called thin-tile vault, Catalan turn, Catalan arch, boveda ceiling (Spanish bóveda ‘vault’), or timbrel vault, is a type of low brickwork arch forming a vaulted ceiling that often supports a floor above.
What are the advantages of timbrel vault construction over other masonry arches?
Made with interlocking layers of brick or tile, timbrel vaults rely on the strength of masonry in compression. As a result, they are remarkably efficient: a slender arch can bear surprisingly heavy loads. With the right knowledge, these vaults can be easily constructed from inexpensive and local materials.
What is fan vault in architecture?
A fan vault is a form of vault used in the Gothic style, in which the ribs are all of the same curve and spaced equidistantly, in a manner resembling a fan. The initiation and propagation of this design element is strongly associated with England.
What is a barrel vault in architecture?
A barrel vault is a continuous arched shape that may approximate a semi-cylinder in form, resembling the roof of a tunnel, or may be pointed at its apex. It is typically formed by a series of arches or vaults placed side by side or by a continuous shell.
How are fan vaults constructed?
A rib (or ribbed) vault is supported by a series of arched diagonal ribs that divide the vault’s surface into panels. A fan vault is composed of concave sections with ribs spreading out like a fan. Decades of experimentation produced vaulting that was light, strong, open, versatile, and applicable everywhere.
How does a fan vault work?
A fan vault (figure 1) is a masonry shell whose representative surface is a surface of revolution: a generating curve that is smooth and concave from below is rotated around a vertical axis located on its outer, i.e. convex side.
How is a barrel vault constructed?
It is typically formed by a series of arches or vaults placed side by side or by a continuous shell. A groin vault (double barrel vault or cross vault) is formed by the intersection of two barrel vaults at right angles. The ‘groin’ is the edge between the intersecting vaults.
Which material facilitates a lightweight technique for building of vaults?
Baltasar Neumann, in his baroque churches, perfected light-weight plaster vaults supported by wooden frames.
How does a fan vault support loads?
A groin (or cross) vault is formed by the perpendicular intersection of two barrel vaults. A rib (or ribbed) vault is supported by a series of arched diagonal ribs that divide the vault’s surface into panels. A fan vault is composed of concave sections with ribs spreading out like a fan.
What materials were used in fan vaults?
The fan vaults of Gloucester cloister were constructed from centring bays based upon earlier Norman foundations. From a single stone pilaster a ring of jointed masonry was laid in line with the curvature of the conoid. Subsequent rings were corbelled following this arch until the curved blocks met at the apex.
How do barrel vaults support loads?
An arch is a curved structural form that carries loads around an opening, transferring them around the profile of the arch to abutments, jambs or piers on either side. Barrel vaults must be able to withstand the outward pressure on the lower parts of the vault imposed by the structure above. …