Vault (architecture)

In architecture, a vault (French voûte, from Italian volta) is a self-supporting arched form, usually of stone or brick, serving to cover a space with a ceiling or roof.^[1]^[2] As in building an arch, a temporary support is needed while rings of voussoirs are constructed and the rings placed in position. Until the topmost voussoir, the keystone, is positioned, the vault is not self-supporting. Where timber is easily obtained, this temporary support is provided by centering consisting of a framed truss with a semicircular or segmental head, which supports the voussoirs until the ring of the whole arch is completed.^[3]

For other uses, see Vault (disambiguation).

Islamic architecture[edit]

The Muqarnas is a form of vaulting common in Islamic architecture.

Copplestone, Trewin. (ed). (1963). World architecture – An illustrated history. Hamlyn, London.

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the : Spiers, R. Phené (1911). "Vault". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 27 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 956–961.

public domain

Block, Philippe, (2005) Equilibrium Systems, studies in masonry structure.

Severy, Ching, Francis D. K. (1995). A Visual Dictionary of Architecture. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. p. 262. 0-442-02462-2

ISBN

Documentation on Arches, Domes and Vaults on the Auroville Earth Institute website

a talk for the British Archaeological Association by Dr Alex Buchanan, Dr James Hillson, and Dr Nick Webb