CiiAr. 1. PIEHS AND VAULTS.

375
height of tlie pier being a, its cube "ill be "-^. 'llie arm of the lever of this pier will be
determined by tiie distance of the vertical let fixU from its centre of gravity on the line
HF=
f,
which gives for the pier's resistance
-!Ii-.
1451. This resistance will be increased by the vertical effort of each part of the vault
multiplied by the arm of its lever.
That of the upper part will be expressed by its cube multiplied by the vertical KM,
and the ])roduct divided by the mean arc KG.
The cube of this part will be e(jual to the mean area; that is, the arc KG multii)lled
by the thickness of the vault.
1452. To obtain the mean area, multiply KG less KM by the length GO taken on the
plan. The length of the arc KG being 4G and KM
ITf
we shall have KG-KM=28f
:
GO being 54, the mean area will be 282x54 = 1558. This area multiplied by 9, the
thickness of the vault, makes the cube of the upper part 14024|, which multiplied by
KM=
17j
and divided by the arc KG=46, makes 5220'^ the value of the vertical effort
of the part of the arch m in the formula ; and the arm of its lever is IK + ill.
1453. IK being =c and eH=:r, its expression will be mx + inc.
The vertical etlbrt of the lower part will be represented by its cube multiplied by TI,
and the product divided by the lengtii of the arc TK.
This cube will be found by multiplying the mean area by the thickness of the vault.
The area being equal to the arc TK TIx GO, that is, 46 4
If,
x 54 =
250^
for the
mean area and 250J x 9 = 22563 for the cube of the lower part of the vault. Ihis cube
multiplied by TI and divided by the arc TK gives
"
''- ^^
=
2028
for the value of
the vertical effort of the part n of the formula. And it is to be observed, that this effort
acting against the point B, the arm BF of the lever will be .t and its expression nx.
1454. Bringing together all these algebraic values we obtain the equation pa+p/J=-^
+ mx + mc + nx ;
and makmg t)i + n, which multiplies x =h, we have pa+pd=^ + bx
+
inc. Transferring ?nc to the other side of the equation, we have pa + pdnic
=
-^r +bx.
Lastly, multiplying all the terms of the ecjuation by for the purpose of eliminating x^,
we shall have instead of the preceding formula 6p +
P ~
""'
= x'^ + -^, which is an equation
of the third degree, whose second term is wanting. For more easily resolving tliis ecjua-
tion, let us find the value of 6p +
^ ~JI1
and that of
'',
by which x is multiplied in the
srcond part of the equation.
jj
being 1168
3f,
6_p
will be - - - - =
70069f
d being
41f5,
6/?d will be
.... = 28991
24f
m being 5226|,
6mc
- - - -
- =
537593J
r.,'
6pd
6mc 2361537S
i r,^Tr> ? i / 6pd 6mc ,,,, , , , -,, ,,
Thus
-t- =

-"
= 19679/,, and 6n+ ^ =89/ /9i, which we will call u
for the purpose of simplifying the remainder of the calculation.
&, which represents m + H, will be 52263 + 2038
= 7
255, and
-=
,L =362^; this we will
call
/;
so that instead of the ecjuation
(^P+
^^
~Z
'"
^' -1
->
'^'^'i have
y
=x^
+fx,
which is
thus to be resolved (Bossut, Elcmens cf A>yehre)
'

Substituting in Uiis formula the values of

y
and
/,
we have
x= -^448891+ ^2015073623 + 1767902+
-5^448891- ^'2015073623+
1767902
= -?/44889| +44909^+
5/448 89|
-4'4909f,
from which extracting the cube roots, we have
a: =
44^2^
=
4'^-'
for the length BF of one of the sides oi' the triangular pier BAF; the
other FA may be determined by the production of the diagonal or line of groin OB.
The part oi the pier answering to the part of the vault BNO is determined by draw-
ing from the points B and A the parallels BM and 31 A to FA and FB. These two
triangles will form a square base, each of wliose sides will be 42 lines, answering to one
quaiter of the vault KB NO ; thus, to resist the thrust of the vault, four piers, each 42 lines
thick, are necessary.
1455. The above result corresponds in a singular manner with the experiments which
were made by Rondelet, from which he deduced a thickness of
43.i
lines. In his invest!-
nation of the example by means of the centres of gravity 40'53 lines was the result. Our
limits prevent furtiier consideration by otherexamplcs: we will merely therefore observe, that