Question

chapter 13 quiz: interior spaces covered...

interior spaces covered with corbeled vaults may be ______ than those allowed by stone lintels.

multiple choice

cooler

wider

more decorative

darker

narrower

Explanation:

Analyze structural limitations of stone lintels

In architectural history, post-and-lintel construction relies on a horizontal stone beam (lintel) spanning the space between two vertical supports. Because stone has high compressive strength but very weak tensile strength, a stone lintel will crack and collapse under its own weight if it spans too wide a distance. This severely limits the width of interior spaces.

Evaluate the mechanics of corbeled vaulting

Corbeling involves offsetting successive courses of stone inward until they meet at the top. This technique transfers the weight of the roof outward and downward into the supporting walls rather than relying on the tensile strength of a single horizontal beam. Consequently, Architectural Terminology and Structural Limitations dictate that corbeled vaults can span significantly larger distances than simple stone lintels.

Determine the correct comparative term

Because corbeled vaulting overcomes the span limitations of stone lintels, the interior spaces covered by corbeled vaults can be significantly broader. Therefore, these spaces may be "wider" than those allowed by stone lintels.

Answer:

• cooler
• wider (Correct answer)
• more decorative
• darker
• narrower