The Stone Skeleton: Structural Engineering of Masonry Architecture

What is the timescale for the settlement and cracking of an old stone building? How do the elegant flying buttresses of a Gothic cathedral safely transfer thrust to the foundations? What is the effect of bell-ringing on a church tower? These and other questions pertinent to the upkeep of old stone structures are answered in this clear and authoritative guide, now revised in a new edition. With a firm scientific basis, but without the use of complex mathematics, the author provides a thorough and intuitive understanding of masonry structures. This new edition updates the text based on original research by the author, including sections on iconic structures such as St Peter's Basilica in Rome, the dome of St Paul's Cathedral and the vault of the Henry VII Chapel in London. An essential resource for structural engineers, architects, art historians and anyone passionate about the care and renovation of historic stone buildings.

Jacques Heyman is a structural engineer and Emeritus Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge and was previously Professor and Head of the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge. He has contributed substantially to plastic theory and initiated its application to masonry structures and was consulting engineer to many cathedrals, including Ely Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. He is a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and in 2022 was awarded the Sir Frank Whittle Medal.