How Domes Work! (Structures 3-2)

Domes are like arches but in 3D! Here I talk about how curvature can provide stiffness and allow for forces to flow in two directions (principal stresses). Similar ideas apply to shell structures so i start with a magical piece of paper and go into more detail about how domes work!

I'm Paul Kassabian. I'm a structural engineer and a Principal at SGH in Boston, MA. I taught graduate students at MIT for nine years and currently teach on/off at Harvard's Graduate School of Design (GSD). These are videos based on my years of teaching structures to students. Enjoy!

[MartinClock]

I am so glad I found this! I'm teaching arches and domes in the context of the Romans to sixth graders, and I think this will be a helpful visual. Thanks!

[btns]

Thank you sir!
Please never stop making videos...
You don't know how much impact this has on budding civil engineers!

[martinwairokpam]

I literally said "Yes" with you. Amazing work.

[franko]

My guy, I don’t know what you do for a living, but your ability to teach what should be complex and boil it to down for even a moron like myself to understand is incredible!

[arthurazevedobrito]

Spent long time looking for a YouTube channel like this one! Thank you 🙏

[chordsandarches]

Thank you for your insights into arches and domes. I am looking forward, during my retirement, to playing with these structures.

[HesronPoet]

Thank you for this informative video Paul!!

[hell_pike]

Love your channel. I hope one day I'll use information from you to build my own shed or house 😅

[jeanettecook]

Fascinating! Another great video! Thank you. 😊❤

[tousifakhtar]

Very much impressed by your explanation 🙂

[egyptianempress]

Thank you for explaining it so clearly!

[tudorioan]

Hi, Paul! Great work, I've learned a lot! Arches, columns, beams, frames, cables/chains, domes... What about the best tunnel section ? You know, these days here in the S-W of Europe everyone is digging AA shelters...😆
Is it catenary best suited for the tunnel section shape ? What do you make of it ?

[kirokyo]

Thank you! Hope this is of many more to come!

[fernandoespinola]

thank for share this explanation..! I must confess that I was looking for some information about drums and cymbals. As cymbal physics is not a well detailed issue your video really helped me to understand how this beautiful instrument works.

[devikam.s]

I really love the way you presented, Thank you sir

[billygraham]

As to the Pantheon dome in Rome, would it not create a spreading force being in horizontal compression at Its lowest part? Or is it that the compressive force is somehow mostly directed downward into the supporting circular walls on which it sits?

[mohandalshareef]

Thanks you I have a question how Long Should You Wait to Remove Concrete domes Formwork ?

[sebastiangutierreztorres]

Keep it up, Paul. Thanks for this content.

[tururu]

why the circle at the top allows the dome to be more efficient?

[maxkipchumba]

Thanks, and God bless you for this, very informative.