A vault web (also called a vault cell or severy) is one of the curved surfaces that make up a vault — the triangular or arched panel between the ribs or groins of a cross vault or ribbed vault. In a cross vault, four vault webs together form the ceiling.
Vault web in context
A cross vault is created where two barrel vaults intersect. The projecting arches along the intersection lines are the vault ribs (or groins), and the four curved surfaces between them are the vault webs.
Schematically:
- Vault rib — the projecting arch along the intersection line
- Vault web — the curved surface between the ribs
- Vault keystone — the closing stone at the centre, where the ribs meet
Types of vault webs
| Type | Shape of the web |
|---|---|
| **Barrel web** | Semicircular, like half a cylinder |
| **Pointed web** | Pointed curve, characteristic of Gothic vaults |
| **Dome web** | Spherically curved segment |
| **Cloister web** | Concave (curving inward) |
Construction
The vault web is the thinnest part of the vault. In traditional construction:
- Built in brick or natural stone on a wooden centering (formwork)
- The stones are laid in arch bond, with narrow joints on the inside and wider joints on the outside
- After the mortar has cured, the centering is removed
Identification
In a cellar or church, you can identify the vault webs as the curved ceiling surfaces between the ribs or groins. They run from the springing point (wall) to the highest point (the vault keystone).
Related terms
- Vault
- Vault rib
- Vault keystone
- Springing point
- Cross vault