Technical reports and theoretical studies about the structural behaviour of masonry domes in the 18th century

Abstract

The development of the scientific theory on the stability of vaulted structures was driven mainly during the 18th century based on applying the laws of Mechanics and the knowledge of the properties of materials. In the specific case of structures such as domes, the development of the theory is closely related to the theory of arches and vaults. Still, the main contributions are made in technical reports on the construction, stability, and repair of domes, such as the dome of Saint Peter's in Rome and Sainte-Geneviève or Pantheon in Paris. This article, therefore, analyses the relationship between theory and practice and the development achieved in the specific subject of masonry domes during the 18th century from the point of view of the Limit Analysis of Masonry Structures. In a more general sense, the objective of this research is to study in greater depth the theory of Limit Analysis itself, that is, to learn from the work carried out in the 18th century by mathematicians, architects, and engineers, who, although unaware of the existence of the theoretical framework of Limit Analysis as such, moved within it.