Masonry & vaulting
Brick and stone work in compression to form arches, vaults, and domes.
Wedge-shaped voussoirs transfer arch loads toward side supports. Extending an arch forms a vault, later developed as groin and rib vaulting.
Gothic ribs and flying buttresses freed walls for larger windows. The mechanics of building in compression became an architectural style.
Masonry was laid over temporary centering, which could be removed after the keystone completed the arch. Sequence and falsework were integral to construction.
Masonry veneer, reinforced masonry, and earth construction continue today. Reinforcement and confinement are especially important in seismic regions.
