Engineering and analyses of a novel Catalan vault
V. Savino, M. Franciosi, M. Viviani
Abstract
Among the techniques for constructing vaults without formwork, the most popular is the Catalan. The first layer of lightweight tiles called “Rasillas” is assembled to form a predeterminate shape that resist to loads despite its reduced thickness. Until the first layer is completed, a sticky, quick setting mortar supports the terracotta tiles. Once completed, the first layer of the vault acts as a temporary formwork to support the further layers of tiles and then become a part of the structure. This paper presents a numerical analysis of the mechanical behavior of a novel type of Catalan vault made of sustainable raw excavation-earth tiles called “Ecorasillas”. The advantages and drawbacks of the Ecorasilla vaults are highlighted and their performances are compared with a second type of Catalan vault made of clinker bricks. Test results are used to improve the quality of the predictions of the FEM models.