Brick Masonry Arches

In the latter part of the 19th century, an arch was discovered in the ruins of Babylonia. Archeologists estimate that the arch was constructed about the year 1400 B.C. Built of well-baked, cigar-shaped brick and laid with clay mortar, this arch is probably the oldest known to man. The Chinese, Egyptians and others also made use of the arch before the Christian era. Later, more elaborate arches, vaults and domes with complicated forms and intersections were constructed by Roman builders during the Middle Ages. 

The brick arch is the consummate example of form following function. Its aesthetic appeal lies in the variety of forms which can be used to express unity, balance, proportion, scale and character. Its structural advantage results from the fact that under uniform load, the induced stresses are principally compressive. Because brick masonry has greater resistance to compression than tension, the masonry arch is frequently the most efficient structural element to span openings.