Theory

Over the last couple of days we've been studying the Fenicular method and adding in what Satprem calls "the Optimization Method". Optimization Method allows one to balance (make stable) arches of arbitrary shape (within reason) while also finding the optimum thickness. The actual process could probably best be described as a combination of the Catenary Method (what Gaudi used) and the Fenicular Method (a.k.a. Graphic Statics) with a pinch of intuition thrown in. Oh yeah, one other thing... it's loads of work. The Fenicular Method requires quite a bit of drawing and math. The math is simple but there is a lot of calculating to create the graphs needed. Very boring repetition. Of course, the first thing that sprung to my mind was "Isn't there a program for doing this?" It seems like many off-the-shelf tools could be adapted. For example, any CAD program with a built-in scripting language would be able to do all the math automatically based on the dimensions of a properly prepared illustration. As it turns out, the discipline is so specialized and the Optimization Method so new (Satprem devised it himself) that no one has bothered to make a specialized tool for it yet. There is a fellow in class, Omar from M.I.T. He is here doing research for his Masters degree. Apparently his school has created a tool to do the Fenicular Method on arches. But it doesn't do Optimization of any type. There does not seem to be any method or software for calculating the stability of masonry domes. It's assumed that if an arch is stable a dome of identical profile will be stable as well. As I mentioned, there does not seem to be any math to prove it. But it works!

We have Chai twice a day at the regular "tea times". Considering the heaviness of the material I have to admit that often it's the only thing that keeps me going.