Brunelleschi’s Dome: A New Estimate of the Thrust and Stresses in the Underlying Piers

Abstract

The paper deals with the insurgence of the thrust, together with its valuation, in masonry domes, giving special attention to the Brunelleschi’s Dome in Florence. After a recalling of the kinematical approach in the context of the Heyman masonry model, the thrust of Brunelleschi’s Dome is estimated as the maximum of the set of all the kinematical ones. Comparisons are made with other valuations made by the usual, but less accurate, statical approach. The knowledge of the thrust allows an evaluation of the stresses acting in the supporting piers: their base sections are all compressed, with level stresses sufficiently low. This result shows the extraordinary conception of Filippo Brunelleschi’s Dome and the favorable design of the pillar sections and of the drum positioning, due, perhaps, to Arnolfo di Cambio or to the succeeding Masters.