On Mascheroni’s “New Researches on the Equilibrium of Vaults”

This chapter presents a reflection on Mascheroni’sMascheroni, Lorenzo study on the equilibrium of arches and domes, published in 1785. In order to do this, the works that preceded MascheroniMascheroni, Lorenzo are examined, beginning in the 1600s with Galileo and HookeHooke, Robert and continuing to the 1700s with the studies of La HireLa Hire, Philippe de, Jacob and Johann BernoulliBernoulli, Johann, and EulerEuler, Leonhard, among others. This is followed by a detailed analysis of Mascheroni’s treatise, highlighting significant steps forward. The chronologically arranged primary references provide a means of tracking progress in this area of the science of mechanics.