Horizontal reaction components of pointed vaults

Abstract

The magnitude of horizontal reactions under self-weight are analysed for pointed barrel vaults with different eccentricities. The magnitude is expressed as the function of the eccentricity (deviation of the pointed generator curve from the circle). Vaults with fixed supports and with increasing outwards support displacements are considered. An analytical model based on continuous Timoshenko beam theory is suggested for barrel vaults and then checked with computer-simulated experiments. The results show that with increasing support separation, the horizontal reaction tends to be at a constant value when reaching the statically determinate state. After this, the horizontal reaction varies only because of the gradual modification of the geometry due to large support displacements.