Arches are an undying, and timeless facet of modern architecture. They are ubiquitous as they are illustrious. Modern engineering owes its very foundation to these symmetrical wide-spanning structures. You can’t even spell architecture without the anchor word namesake! The arch accelerated building and engineering the same way the wheel accelerated transport and exploration for early man. Without these powerful tools, humanity could be very well stuck in the Stone Age. Early engineers really broke the mold when they perfected the arch. While material advancements have led to stronger and more durable arch designs, the “overarching” concept in structural engineering remains unchanged. Arches bridge the past to the present. But who invented the arch and why is still used today? The Mesopotamians were the first to harness the ingenious structural power of the arch. An incipient, but rapidly expanding Roman Empire soon prominently displayed these super structures in every pillar of the empire. The Industrial Revolution made arches stronger, bolder and more durable than ever before.
How is the Arch Still Used Today?
Like we said before, the Romans made countless contributions to modern engineering, and just making everyday living a whole lot simpler. As well as bolstering the cornerstone modern democracy, the Romans greatly enhanced plumbing and road building, which we modern engineers still “borrow” from to this day. Arches define the Roman Empire as its unofficial spokesperson the same way the McDonald’s Golden Arches espouse American influence of capitalism worldwide. Roman arches are almost as recognizable as the Russian Imperial centurion helmet. You know what we’re talking about, those golden helmets with what looks like a vacuum cleaner extension brush on top. You might think they look pretty silly today, but at the time they represented fortitude and durability, just like the arch. There’s a reason why so many arches, which are more than 2,000 years old, remain standing. And just like the wheel, while this iconic marvel of engineering has undergone countless improvements, the basic principles continue to flourish.
At Steel Arch Buildings, we are trying to reinvent the wheel, but we have mastered the art of steel engineering to render strong and durable arch buildings for a wide variety of uses. Arches possess several innate advantages over traditional straight edge construction and buildings. Because arches are comprised of contiguous pieces of overlapping sheets of steel, they won’t bend or buckle like plywood and composite boards. Riveted together with flushed fasteners and galvalume screws, arch buildings are virtually impervious to leaks and refuse to crumple under heavy snow loads, which is more than we can say about decaying and decrepit wooden barns. Steel arches will also outlast wooden structures, which remain susceptible to termites, rot and severe weather. Arches also give you more room to operate. Because arches don’t rely on internal columns and support beams, you will be able to maximize floor space and store anything from commodities and dry goods, to tractors and even livestock.
Why Choose Steel Arch Buildings?
Speaking of overhead, a metal structure from Steel Arch Buildings, will give you a little more headway than an old style cookie cutter metal building. A steel arch building is like a skyrocketing missile. With a thunderous burst, the sleek edges of the metal building rise triumphantly skyward before reaching its towering apogee and cascading back to the ground to make a smooth landing after a continuous journey, never losing momentum along the way. This heightened trajectory provides the perfect outline for a well-designed building. Because this ‘rocket of a building’ could cut corners of traditional squared construction, the final arch trajectory gives you more room at the top. This increased overhead could be used for your advantage for when it comes to store oversized tractors and trailers, farm equipment or even for when you’re stocking up on hay for the winter. We’ve been in the metal building business for about four decades and have thousands of satisfied customers. We’ve also learned from our mistakes along the way and applied those to mastering the arch, just like the Romans tried to do, and pass on the savings to you, the customer.
