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FAQ's: |
Q: What is a Groin Vault?
A: A groin vault is when two semi-circular barrel vaults of the same diameter cross one another, their intersection (a true ellipse) is known as a groin, down which the thrust of the vault is carried to the cross walls; if a series of two or more barrel vaults intersect one another, the weight is carried on to the piers at their intersection and the thrust is transmitted to the outer cross walls.
The main advantage of the groin vault is that it takes all the weight of the roof and concentrates it on just four points at the corners of each bay (each side of an X). If you have a buttress at each corner, you do not need to have a solid wall between those buttresses, because that wall is not holding much weight- it can be nearly all glass windows.
Q: What is an Arch?
The arch may be said to have originated with the idea of placing a considerable number of blocks in a concentric arrangement. The wedge-shaped blocks, called voussoirs, hold each other firmly in place and prevent each other from slipping. The voussoirs at the top, or crown, of the arch convert the downward pressure into lateral (sideways) pressure, or thrust, which is transmitted from the upper voussoirs down around the opening and finally into the ground through the wall or pier on which the arch rests. Not only can considerable distances be spanned in this way, but arches can carry a much heavier load than a horizontal lintel.
Q: What is an Vault?
A vault is a ceiling of brick, stone, or concrete built in the principle of the arch. A tunnel vault, or barrel vault, is a tunnel-like, semi-cylindrical extension of an arch, which may be thought of as an unbroken series of arches pressed together, one behind the other. It cannot be lighted except at the ends without being structurally weakened, because, as in an arch, continuous abutment must be applied to absorb the thrust carried down along the haunches to the walls supporting it. However, arches may be introduced in the supporting walls and transverse ribs may be inserted in the vault to concentrate thrust at a few strongly buttressed points, thereby permitting a reduction of weight and thrust in the segments of vaulting between the ribs.
If a barrel vault is intersected at right angles by another barrel vault of the same size, a cross vault, or groin vault, is formed. This is a very efficient form of vaulting allowing full illumination from the sides. Groin vaults also allow a great saving in material and labor over the simple barrel vault; thrust is concentrated along the groins (the four diagonal edges formed along the points where the barrel vaults intersect).
Q: What is an Dome?
A dome represents a wider sense of the word vault. The distinction between the two is that a vault is essentially an arch which is extruded into the third dimension, whereas a dome is an arch revolved around its vertical axis.
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| Completed Projects |
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| LA Fitness |
| Commerical Work Done for LA Fitness |
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| Intercoastal Mall |
| Interior Work done for the Intercoastal Mall |
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| Custom Home Framing |
| Custom Home Framing |
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