The catenary, arches, and ovals in spanish military engineering vaults of the Eighteenth Century

[EN] The catenary was introduced in Spain through the Academy of Mathematics (1720) for the training of Bourbon military engineers, utilizing the work of Bernard Forest de Bélidor. From an inventory of 271 powder magazine projects, 37 cases have been identified where the constructed vaults exhibit a...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Lluis-Teruel, Cinta, Lluis i Ginovart, Josep
Tipo de documento: artigo
Data de publicação:2026
País:España
Recursos:Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV)
Repositório:RiuNet. Repositorio Institucional de la Universitat Politécnica de Valéncia
Idioma:espanhol
inglês
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:riunet______::34d8a2c1370d0634b97312656e10c32f
Acesso em linha:https://riunet.upv.es/handle/10251/234234
Access Level:Acceso aberto
Palavra-chave:Vaults
Catenary
Military engineers
Scientific mechanics
Ogive
Oval
Bóvedas
Catenaria
Ingenios militares
Mecánica científica
Ojiva
Óvalo
Descrição
Resumo:[EN] The catenary was introduced in Spain through the Academy of Mathematics (1720) for the training of Bourbon military engineers, utilizing the work of Bernard Forest de Bélidor. From an inventory of 271 powder magazine projects, 37 cases have been identified where the constructed vaults exhibit a rise/ span ratio (f>1/2 l), categorized as pointed (T-2) and special section (T-4). The geometric study of these graphic representations, drawn using ogives and ovals, reveals that their centers are located below the springing line (impost). Consequently, the angle of incidence on the vertical wall face is less than 90º, a geometric property they share with catenary vaults. Given Frézier s observations in La théorie et la pratique de la coupe de pierres (1738) regarding the structural congruence of these figures, it is concluded that the graphic system employed by Hispanic military engineers constitutes a simplified attempt to represent the structural geometry of the catenary vault.