Orsolya Gaspar

• PhD
• Professor (Assistant) of Architecture at Pennsylvania State University

The present study explores the potential of network analysis in construction history by mapping the professional life of Istvan Menyhárd, a pioneer of Hungarian shell architecture. He relied on the most up-to-date theoretical developments when erecting his first structures before WWII (among others, hypars). His expertise and devotion had a wide im...

This paper investigates the feasibility of adapting ancient historical construction techniques to cooperative robotic assembly methods to minimize centering requirements in masonry vaults. First, an overview of seven historical techniques is presented. Next, a classification framework is introduced to evaluate the automation potential of these meth...

The paper investigates the evolution of the triangulated reinforcement grid of the early Zeiss-Dywidag domes. The originally geodesic grid was replaced by a lamella-dome-type topology. Both designs originate from Walther Bauersfeld, a chief engineer of the Zeiss company. Bauersfeld assumed that the gridshell’s internal force distribution would be w...

The present study investigates the relation between the optimal geometry (quantified via the minimum thickness) and the number of concurrent hinges at the masonry arch’s limit state. The Heymanian assumptions regarding material behavior are adopted, and only constant thickness arches subject to static (i.e., self-weight) loading are considered. Fir...

The tessellation of the first built geodesic dome structure (the first planetarium of Jena, designed by Walther Bauersfeld, built 1922–23) has been unknown until recently. While original documentation of the tessellation has been published, the concept behind it has not been uncovered. This article presents the evolution of the final tessellation b...

Limit state analysis of masonry arches sets to assess the safety of the structure by determining the minimum thickness that just contains a thrust line. Based on the Heymanian assumptions regarding material qualities and the equilibrium approach to the static theorem it has been explicitly proven for semi-circular arches that both the thrust line a...

The metal lattice shell reinforcement of the first Planetarium in Jena, designed by Walther Bauersfeld, chief engineer of the Carl Zeiss AG in 1922 is considered the world's first geodesic dome. In this study we demonstrate that the tessellation of the dome was much more delicate than previous studies suggested. As the dome was meant to be a tempor...

Friction is much needed for the equilibrium of masonry arches as it transfers load between the voussoirs. In this paper, applying an analytical formulation of the problem, the angle of friction as a geometric constraint on the stereotomy (bricklaying pattern) is investigated to find the possible range of minimum thickness values of circular and ell...

The result of a minimum thickness analysis of masonry arches based on the principle of thrust line is subject to loading, geometry and stereotomy (brick or stone laying pattern): if the latter is unknown, a range of minimum thickness values becomes available. Present paper applies the Heymanian assumptions regarding the material qualities, notably...

Spherical masonry domes are attractive elements of architectural heritage. The often recognizable development of cracks in the meridional direction challenged master builders and later architects and engineers to understand the structural behavior of domes. Membrane theory of shells suggests, that due to the low tensile capacity of masonry, cracks...

The classical approach to the Couplet-Heyman problem in the literature assumes certain stereotomy conditions (mostly radial) and derives the corresponding unique thrust line and minimum thickness value based on limit state analysis. This problem setup is readily turned to an optimization problem: By considering stereotomies a-priori unknown, a rang...

Constructing structural systems with the minimal required cross section of its members was a strong motivation for progress whole along the history of building. This article investigates the effect of stereotomy on the minimum thickness value of a semi-circular arch made of masonry: a material with negligible tensile strength. The arch is modeled w...

Limit state analysis of masonry structures searches for the minimum value of thickness that can still incorporate a thrust line for the given loading. The stereotomy of the structure is a required constraint for the definition of the thrust line – and hence, the minimum thickness. Authors show, that the effect of stereotomy cannot be substituted by...

The structural engineer of the KÖFÉM I factory (1959) István Menyhárd (1902-1969) was a pioneer of shell architecture and theory already before WWII. His design clearly originates in his previous, pre-war works but the influence of international trends (eg. Brynmawr Factory /1946-1951/, structural engineer Ove Arup, Ronald Jenkins) is also noticeab...

The history of shell architecture is closely linked to the rapid industrialization of the first half of the XX. century. The large spans required for industrial buildings were most suitable for the developing structural system based on reinforced concrete shells. Present paper studies the unique features of the development of shell architecture in...

The present paper describes the evolution of Hungarian shell architecture in the 20th century, with special emphasis on how it has been linked to the mainstream shell architecture of the Western world. The main contribution of the ‘Hungarian School’ to the international community was a refined theoretical methodology for some unique problems of she...

Thrust line analysis of masonry construction has a centuries-old tradition. The controversies still present in the literature regarding the properties or the construction of the line of thrust led us to investigate the limita-tions and possibilities of this method. Based on our research we created a formal, generally applicable defi-nition of the l...