VAULTED STRUCTURES EGYPTIAN VAULT - Auroville Earth Institute
VAULTED STRUCTURES EGYPTIAN VAULT - Auroville Earth Institute
VAULTED STRUCTURES EGYPTIAN VAULT - Auroville Earth Institute
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Egyptian vault, 5 m span, 3.55 m rise, 9 m long<br />
Building a catenary arch, 2 m span, 2 m rise<br />
<strong><strong>VAULT</strong>ED</strong> <strong>STRUCTURES</strong><br />
<strong>EGYPTIAN</strong> <strong>VAULT</strong><br />
The construction of this vault was the first step for the research on the optimisation method for vaults. The<br />
aim was to see how to build an Egyptian-shaped vault, with a minimum thickness.<br />
In fact the shape of this vault is slightly different than the Egyptian-shaped vault: it took the shape of a<br />
catenary, as the beginning of the vault is slightly flatter than the normal vault. This little difference makes<br />
that it was possible to build it with 17.7cm at the third bottom part and 14cm above, instead of the regular<br />
thickness which is normally 71.5cm all over the vault, for 5 m span.<br />
A few years after completion, the vault was extended with a part cantilevering 80 cm outside, so as to<br />
protect the window frame and the entrance of the building.<br />
It has been built in 12 days with 4 masons and presents these features:<br />
• 5 m span, 3.55 m rise, 9 m long, 17.7 & 14 cm thick.<br />
• Stabilised earth waterproofing<br />
• It has been built free spanning and with vertical courses.<br />
This vault has been built in 1995 and it welcomes the conference room of the training centre of the<br />
<strong>Auroville</strong> <strong>Earth</strong> <strong>Institute</strong>.<br />
The vault has been initially waterproofed with a stabilised earth plaster, composed of 3 coats of various<br />
mixes of cement, soil, sand and a paste made of lime, alum and tannin. Note that this kind of<br />
waterproofing is still under research and is not disseminated.<br />
Building symmetrically the catenary arch<br />
Catenary arch, 2 m span, 2 m rise<br />
Starting the vault by sticking the blocks on the gable wall
Soaking a block in water to start capillary action<br />
Adjusting a block<br />
Applying the glue on a block<br />
Wedging a block with a stone chip at the extrados side<br />
Sticking the block on the gable wall<br />
Building the vault course after course
Building the vault course after course<br />
Net of string lines from the gable wall to the window frame to control the shape of the vault<br />
Building the cantilevered vault<br />
Soaking a block in water for the cantilevered vault
Laying blocks for the cantilevered vault<br />
Cantilevered vault, 80 cm, with the special bond pattern<br />
Entrance of the conference room of the training centre
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