Part one of term paper
Arch and Vault, a fundamental construction system in architecture used to span the space between walls, piers, or other supports and to create a roof or a ceiling. Until the 19th century the arch and vault were the only alternative to the far more limited and simpler post-and-lintel system supporting a flat or peaked beamed roof. Arch An a ...

Part two of term paper
... segments held in place by lateral thrust, was developed to connect a greater distance between two supports than a single horizontal beam, or lintel, could bridge. Since the 19th century, arches have also been made of single, curved spans of iron, steel, or reinforced concrete. The masonry arch has many elements. Its supports may be walls, piers, or columns, and the capstones from which it springs are known as imposts. The upper part of the arch is the crown, the portions near the impost are the ...