Practice question · Multiple choice
An arch can bridge far wider gaps than a flat stone lintel because of how each handles forces. Why does this structural difference force the arch to generate outward thrust while the lintel does not?
Hints
- Where does the downward force of gravity get directed when travelling through a curve?
- Why does a horizontal beam fail under bending before it fails under direct compression?
Show the answer
D. A curved geometry diverts downward gravity into lateral vector forces
Why
Stone's weakness in tension limits flat spans where bending pulls the bottom face apart. Turning the span into an arch resolves downward weight purely into compressive forces along the curve, which necessarily push outwards at the springings.
Practise Architecture I: Structure and What It Permits
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