Arch

Arch



Definition: An arch is a curved structure capable of spanning a space while supporting significant weight. Arches are designed to resist heavy loads of weight, because of their form the forces are divided and redirected, transforming all tension in to compression. This is thanks to the open space under the arch; and the compression stresses eliminate each other in either sides.

History: Arc hes were used by the Persian, Harappan, Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek and Asian civilization > opening is the hallmark of a gothic arch. The gothic arch developed as a more sinuous and elegant successor to the roman arch. This is the strongest arch.
 * Roman Arch:The Romans took the early arch from the Greece empire but they develop it more, passing it from a supporting structure to the principal structure in their architecture.
 * Tudor[[image:http://www.sandia.gov/tp/SAFE_RAM/IMAGES/ARCH.JPG width="361" height="280" align="left"]] ar ches are often described as “flattened” gothic arches.
 * A Flat arch, also known as jack or straight arch, extends straight across an opening emphasis.
 * A narrow, pointed
 * A Moorish, or horseshoe arch, extends beyond a semi-circle. The top of the arch is rounded and then curves
 *  Depressed arch: a flattened arch, slightly pointed on top. It appears in late gothic of the XV century.
 * Arch bridge: an arch bridge is a semicircular structure with abutments on each end. The design of the arch, the semicircle, naturally diverts the weight of the structure.

Arch Material: Ceramic Bricks or Stone with brick form, Usually concrete or any other kind of mortar, Wood frame. With Reinforced concrete:Steel beam, Concrete, Frame made out of wood



Advantages: <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The arch is a cheap structure thanks to its low quantity of material use. Arches are conceive to resist heavy loads of weight.They are a esthetic and artistic structure.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Disadvantages: <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Arches during their building process are extremely fragile, if it is not <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> built in a correctly the arch will collapse after his frame is removed. Arches itself are fragile to no-compression stress, if any <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> other significant force is applied to the structure this will collapse in no time. Arch has a long construction process, and need regular maintenance check

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Vault: <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> A vault is a structure that usually works as a covering system made by consecutive semi-round arches. We can ever say that a vault, more than a structural system, is a space.

<span style="color: #800000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Dome: <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> Is a common structural element that resembles that hollow upper half of a sphere. A dome can thoughts as a group of arches set around a central point. Domes do not have to be perfectly spherical in cross-section, they can be an ellipse.