Arch and Vault - Engineering Class Home Pages

Wood arch design
Assume:
Three-hinge glue-lam arches at 16’
Available dimensions: (¾” boards;
3 1/8”, 5 1/8”, 6 3/4”, 8 3/4”, 10 3/4” wide).
Based on case studies, use conservative
allowable buckling stress: F c’= 200 psi
Loads:
LL = 12 psf (60% of 20 psf for trib. area>600 ft 2 )
DL = 18 psf
� = 30 psf
Arch load w = 30 psf x16’/1000 w = 0.48 klf
Reactions R = 0.48 x100’/2 R = 24 k
Graphic Method
• Draw equilibrium vector at support.
starting with vertical reaction
• Draw C & H vectors
• Measure vector lengths:
• C = max. arch force
H = horizontal reaction
Arch and vault structures Copyright Prof Schierle 2012 6