Arch
(ἀψίς, καμάρα), a structural element composed of wedge-shaped blocks of stone or bricks (voussoirs) spanning an opening, usually semicircular in form. Arches enlarge interior space by transferring the heavy loads of superstructures to isolated points of support (... ...
Access to the complete content on Oxford Reference requires a subscription or purchase. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts and keywords for each book and chapter without a subscription.
Please subscribe or login to access full text content.
If you have purchased a print title that contains an access token, please see the token for information about how to register your code.
For questions on access or troubleshooting, please check our FAQs, and if you can''t find the answer there, please contact us.