The construction

Once the centering is finished we can place the voussoirs and keystones, trying very carefully to achieve a correct alignment of the voussoirs which are placed separately one from each other with mortar joints; and this leads to a perfect contact between the voussoirs, and consequently prevents the carving errors to go from one voissoir to the others (Figs. 31-37).

Finally the construction of Joseph Rives's vault comes to an end. Still on its centering, it is possible to appreciate already the beauty of its design (Fig. 38). Removing the wooden framework is thrilling, now the loads stop transmitting vertically in order to do it, through the arches, to their side supports. This critical moment generates the horizontal thrust which all the vaults produce and that will have to be counteracted by buttresses- the price to be paid for maintaining the stones suspended in the air. In the index dedicated to the videos of this webpage this process can be followed in detail. Finally, the vault free from its supporting wooden framework is shown in all its beauty (Figs. 39-41)[....]

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