The Gothic Structure

Abstract

An explanation of the extraordinary stability of masonry structures involve some account of the structural action of masonry. The final principles may be applied to any form of masonry construction, and the bridge is used illustratively to develop the ideas; the structural problems are encountered most critically in Gothic where the visually obtrusive flying buttresses are essential structurally to counter-balance the thrust from the high masonry vault. Computing stresses leads to an appreciation that the most severely stressed portions of a masonry structure work at less than one-tenth of the crushing strength of the material, and large portions of the building are stressed to one-hundredth or less of their maximum strength. Modern plastic theory, a structural analysis developed originally for steel frameworks, can be applied directly to masonry structure. The most important conclusion is that the structural action of masonry is referred to the geometry of the structure, and not to stress.