A few observations on

curvature of adobe domes

from the construction in 2013 of the adobe seed vault
for VRIHI Folk Rice Seed Bank, at Basudha, Odisha.

Laurent Fournier, 14 Bansdroni Garden, Kolkata - 700070

The easiest way is to start from a corner.

Each brick layer is an arch. Before completion of the arch,

individual bricks are simply glued on the previous arch. After
completion, the arch is supported from both ends. To prevent slip, the angle at the
supports must be sufficient.
After the vaults meet, the angle at the support
becomes more comfortable, closer to a right
angle, and it’s easier to build.
Gradually, compressive forces develop perpendicular
to the arches, and the structure starts behaving like a
dome, much stronger.
Here the corner vaults meet
in the middle of the
supporting wall
Sometimes the angle is so flat that the support
needs to be cut at each brick to prevent slip.

The middle portion can be Here also prevention of slip is

made as a third vault resting on important.
two sides.
When not starting from a corner, one can
start from a wall, following the so-called
“Nubian Vault” method (after Hassan Fathy).

Some bricks have been piled

on top of the corner to add
Tracing the profile of the load and increase security.
Nubian vault with mud.

Here it’s dangerous to continue this

vault further as it may push the stones
out of the corner, and trigger partial
collapse.
Laying the first rows of bricks on the vertical surface

The second row has already started even as the first row is not completed: Proof of the very high
adhesive power of clay mortar.
The vault is thicker near the supports Now that the corner is supported
by the vault on the left side, two
layers have been added to the vault
on the right side, but again we are
blocked: The next layer would have
no end support and could slip.
The angle between the vault on the left and the vault on the right is almost flat. Therefore
it would be difficult and even risky to try to buttress them against each other, and erect
the groin directly into the space.
So we started from the other corner

Here the angle is much safer

Here the angle is safe, the bricks won’t slip at the support.

To further prevent any risk of slip, the

edge of the vault is cut for each brick
from the new vault, in order to create a
good support.
This corner vault is progressing

This corner vault is still waiting

Using this barrel vault as

a support
Here both corner vault have met:
The angle at the support is now But there is still a large span to cover on
safer, construction will become this side before the two corner vaults
easier meet at this point
Finally the corner vault on the left has reached the corner wall, now the corner vault on the right
can progress simultaneously, forming the groin.
groin
groin
The groin is the surface
joining two cylinders or two
spheres. It can be a line (a
sharp edge) or a surface.

The curvature of the surface

(or along the edge) is
negative: convex along the
red dotted line and concave
along the blue dotted lines.

This surface can be built if

the two sides (two cylindrical
or spherical domes) exercise
pressure simultaneously, like
was done for this building.
Groin with negative Everywhere else, the curvature is positive (same
curvature direction in two perpendicular directions of the surface)