Testing of Tile Vaults The Need to Validate the System

  1. Esther Redondo Martínez 1
  1. 1 Universidad Europea de Madrid
    info

    Universidad Europea de Madrid

    Madrid, España

    ROR https://ror.org/04dp46240

Libro:
Brick Vaults and Beyond.: The Transformation of a Historical Structural System from 1750 to 1970

Editorial: Instituto Juan de Herrera

ISBN: 978-84-9728-587-2

Año de publicación: 2021

Páginas: 97-126

Tipo: Capítulo de Libro

DOI: 10.1080/17581206.2021.1985391 GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openAcceso abierto editor

Resumen

The first documented tests of tile vaults date from the end of the 18th century, and testingvaults became more and more frequent throughout the 19th century and the beginning ofthe 20th century. The beginning of testing coincided with the Enlightenment, a time whenarchitects began to take a scientific approach to construction, which would lead to modernstructural theory. For this reason, the first tests were also carried out in countries whereEnlightenment thought began earlier, such as France and England.With regard to tile vaults, a few more observations can be added:–In the last years of the 18th century and during the 19th century, they experienced animportant development linked to the appearance of new types of buildings, especiallyfactories for the new industries. Factory buildings had rigid requirements for size andshape, as well as serious fire problems due to the combustibility of machines and storedmaterials.–During the 19th century, the use of cement as a binding material became widespread.The appearance of this new material was decisive in the development of tile vaults: compared to the plaster used up to that time, cement sets in a shorter time, and is not alteredby humidity and does not increase in volume when it sets. Moreover, in tests, cementshowed a certain tensile strength, and this revived a latent debate, which began in themid-18th century, about the “monolithic” behaviour of these vaults and the idea that because of this monolithic behaviour, the vaults did not transmit pressure to the supports.This is the historical context in which the tests studied here were carried out: seeking, onthe one hand, a theory to support the practices that had been used for centuries to construct them, and on the other hand, the validity of the monolithic model mentioned above.In the first tests, carried out when plaster was a binder, monolithic behaviour was attributed to a perfect union between tiles and plaster, and that if the vaults pushed the walls, it wasbecause the plaster expanded as it set and moved the supports. If precautions were takento avoid this, the vaults would not push at all.1 Later, cement (Roman or Portland type),was used as a binder. Monolithic behaviour was then attributed to the tensile strength ofthis new material.

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