16/09/16 | ۩ |



Months ago, on a forum about the Middle Ages, somebody asked me if it was my intention to build some relieving arch inside the Domus. I literally fell from the sky, as I didn't consider that possibility.

So I've been looking again at every picture I took in the old town and during my last visit I focused especially on this matter. On the majority of the walls that I have seen in Genoa, there's no trace of relieving arches, except for some front wall where this element is used to relieve the load over lintelled doors or other openings. After the construction of the little arch over the wall niche of the entrance, I aim to deal with something bigger.Months ago, on a forum about the Middle Ages, somebody asked me if it was my intention to build someinside the Domus. I literally fell from the sky, as I didn't consider that possibility.So I've been looking again at every picture I took in the old town and during my last visit I focused especially on this matter. On the majority of the walls that I have seen in Genoa, there's no trace of relieving arches, except for some front wall where this element is used to relieve the load over lintelled doors or other openings.

However, genoese medieval buildings generally had many openings on every floor, multi-mullioned windows crowned by pointed arches that were performing as relieving arches in itself.







Clearly, the presence (or not) of relieving arches in genoese buildings is not relevant to this, as it is mainly a test field for the construction of wide stone arches. It will be useful to learn the ropes in sight of the construction of the big loggia... I'll post some pictures of these arches when time will come to deal with them. For now, my idea is to build a wide relieving arch in a wall without any opening, that could be slighlty overloaded. The weight should be redirected on both sides of the arch, falling over the wall where it's reinforced with wire, so to better take it up.Clearly, the presence (or not) of relieving arches in genoese buildings is not relevant to this, as it is mainly a test field for the construction of wide stone arches. It will be useful to learn the ropes in sight of the construction of the big...







To begin, I prepare the cardboard support over which I'll lay the stones. Then, on my working desk, I start shaping the ashlars with files and sandpaper, obtaining pieces similar in sizes, but perfectly corresponding one to the other and with the same curve on the inner side. The selected place for the construction is the right side of the Domus, close to the side door of the warehouse.To begin, I prepare the cardboard support over which I'll lay the stones. Then, on my working desk, I start shaping the ashlars with files and sandpaper, obtaining pieces similar in sizes, but perfectly corresponding one to the other and with the same curve on the inner side.

It's not too difficult to make, but it needs a constant check of the curves with the support to avoid removing too much material to the stones. In that case the ashlar would be useless and would be necessary to start again with a new block.

Other little flaws can be fixed before the final laying, when the arch is completed and the ashlars already glued together.

The relieving arches are generally segmental arches and don't need to be very wide to carry out their task. On the contrary, in this case I completed the arch until its base level, and that could be a mistake, as it increases the chance of a slippage on both sides...

I'll bear in mind these remarks for the future. Now I'll restrict myself to finish this arch, completing the wall on the inside, and waiting to see it incorporated into the wall as it keeps growing.

MATERIALS:

slate, vinyl glue

TOOLS:

pincers, tweezers, sandpaper, hacksaw, files

SIZES (in cm):

height: (extrados: 2,5; intrados: 2)





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