Which vault is formed by intersecting two barrel vaults?

Which vault is formed by intersecting two barrel vaults?

• A. Barrel vault
• B. Groin vault
• C. Ribbed vault
• D. Cylindrical vault

Answer: (B)

When two barrel vaults intersect, typically at right angles, their crossing creates a groin vault. A barrel vault is basically a single, continuous arched tunnel; cross two of these and the intersection lines form groins, the curved edges that define the vault surface. This arrangement concentrates the weight along the four corners where the vaults meet, allowing a more rectangular bay and often lighter construction compared to a single barrel vault. Ribbed vaults are a later refinement that adds ribs to carry the load, but the defining form produced by the intersection of two barrel vaults is the groin vault.

When two barrel vaults intersect, typically at right angles, their crossing creates a groin vault. A barrel vault is basically a single, continuous arched tunnel; cross two of these and the intersection lines form groins, the curved edges that define the vault surface. This arrangement concentrates the weight along the four corners where the vaults meet, allowing a more rectangular bay and often lighter construction compared to a single barrel vault. Ribbed vaults are a later refinement that adds ribs to carry the load, but the defining form produced by the intersection of two barrel vaults is the groin vault.