How Stone Arches Carry Load
A concise visual guide to centering, voussoirs, the keystone and the compression path that allows a masonry arch to stand.
What the sequence shows
- A flat stone lintel bends and develops tension as the span increases.
- Temporary timber centering defines the curve and supports the work during assembly.
- Wedge-shaped stones, called voussoirs, are fitted from both springing points toward the crown.
- The keystone closes the arch and completes a continuous path of compression.
- Once the masonry is stable, the centering can be removed and the load travels through the arch into its supports.