MASONRY ARCH

The masonry arch is one of the oldest structural elements. Brick masonry arches have been used for hundreds of years. An arch was discovered in the ruins of Babylonia and Archeologists estimate that the arch was constructed about the year 1400 B.C. Built of well-baked, cigar-shaped brick and laid with clay mortar, this arch is probably the oldest known to man. The brick arch is an example of form following function. Its aesthetic appeal lies in the variety of forms which can be used to express unity, balance, proportion, scale and character. Brick masonry has greater resistance to compression than tension, the masonry arch is frequently the most efficient structural element to span openings.

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MASONRY ARCH
ARCH TYPES AND TERMINOLOGY Many arch forms have been developed during the centuries of use. According to their Shape the arches are classified as follows. Flat arch The apparent shape of this arch is flat and usually skewback forms an angle of 60 degrees with the horizontal. The depth of a flat arch is invariably made equivalent to some courses of masonry. The flat arches are comparatively weak and they are used only for light loads and for spans up to 1.5mts

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MASONRY ARCH
ARCH TYPES AND TERMINOLOGY Segmental arch The centre of the arch is situated below the springing line. This is the common type of arch used for buildings. The thrust transferred to the abutment is in an inclined direction.

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MASONRY ARCH
ARCH TYPES AND TERMINOLOGY Semi-circular arch The centre of the arch lies on the springing line and the shape of curve of arch is a semi-circle. As the skewback is horizontal, the thrust transferred to the Abutment is perfectly in vertical direction.

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ARCH TYPES AND TERMINOLOGY

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ARCH TYPES AND TERMINOLOGY Semi-elliptical arch This arch has more than one centre and its shape is that of a semi-ellipse. It may have either three centres or five centres

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MASONRY ARCH
ARCH TYPES AND TERMINOLOGY Pointed arch The arch consists of two curves which are meeting at the apex of a triangle. The triangle formed may be equilateral or isosceles. The centres of the arch may be on or below the Springing line and they may be in between or outside the springing points

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MASONRY ARCH
ARCH TYPES AND TERMINOLOGY Horse-shoe arch This arch has the shape of a horse shoe and is mainly adopted for architectural considerations. The shape of the arch includes more than a semi-circle.

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Bulls eye arch or Circular arch This type of arch has only one centre

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MASONRY ARCH
ARCH TYPES AND TERMINOLOGY Camber The relatively small rise of a jack arch. Centering - Temporary shoring used to support an arch until the arch becomes selfsupporting.

Depth - The dimension of the arch at the skewback which is perpendicular to the arch axis, except that the depth of a jack arch is taken to be the vertical dimension of the arch at the springing. Extrados - The curve which bounds the upper edge of the arch.

Intrados - The curve which bounds the lower edge of the arch. The distinction between soffit and intrados is that the intrados is a line, while the soffit is a surface.
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Crown - The apex of the arch's extrados. In symmetrical arches, the crown is at the midspan.

MASONRY ARCH
ARCH TYPES AND TERMINOLOGY Keystone - The voussoir located at the crown of the arch. Also called the key. Voussoir - One masonry unit of an arch. Label Course - A ring of projecting brickwork that forms the extrados of the arch.

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Skewback - The surface on which the arch joins the supporting abutment.

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Rise - The maximum height of the arch soffit above the level of its spring line.

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Skewback Angle - The angle made by the skewback from horizontal. Soffit - The surface of an arch or vault at the intrados. Span - The horizontal clear dimension between abutments. Spandrel - The masonry contained between a horizontal line drawn through the crown and a vertical line drawn through the upper most point of the skewback. 1/10

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Voussoir: One masonry unit of an arch.

MASONRY ARCH
ARCH TYPES AND TERMINOLOGY Springing - The point where the skewback intersects the intrados. Springer - The first voussoir from a skewback. Spring Line - A horizontal line which intersects the springing.

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Voussoir - One masonry unit of an arch.

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