Some Observations on the Structural Design of Masonry Arches and Domes Before the Age of Structural Mechanics

Abstract

Two specific aspects of the design of masonry arches and domes are discussed, namely the early occurence of near-catenary shapes for arches and domes, and the apparent early recognition of the level at which hoop tension develops in spherical domes. This had led some people to believe that their designers had a knowledge of structural mechanics more than a thousand years ago that was lost and later rediscovered; but there is no evidence to support this view. It is more likely that the correct dimensioning of domes and arches was the result of empirical observations over a long period of time.