Which type of vault results from the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults?

Which type of vault results from the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults?

• A. Barrel vault
• B. Dome
• C. Groin vault
• D. Cross vault

Answer: (C)

When two barrel vaults intersect at right angles, the resulting form is a groin vault. The intersection creates ridges, or groins, where the vaults meet, which helps distribute the weight more efficiently and allows the space to be spanned with fewer supporting piers. A single barrel vault is just a long arched tunnel, and a dome is a curved vault derived from rotating a curve around a vertical axis. Cross vault is a term sometimes used for the same form, but the standard designation for the perpendicular intersection of two barrel vaults is groin vault.

When two barrel vaults intersect at right angles, the resulting form is a groin vault. The intersection creates ridges, or groins, where the vaults meet, which helps distribute the weight more efficiently and allows the space to be spanned with fewer supporting piers. A single barrel vault is just a long arched tunnel, and a dome is a curved vault derived from rotating a curve around a vertical axis. Cross vault is a term sometimes used for the same form, but the standard designation for the perpendicular intersection of two barrel vaults is groin vault.