Digital Stereotomy and additive manufacturing to groin vault fabrication in scale model

Abstract

The technique of cutting stone into pieces for construction is known as stereotomy. This construction method was developed and perfected over centuries. It has been recorded in some construction treatises, such as those by Philibert de l’Orme or Alonso de Vandelvira, and contributed to the development of descriptive geometry. Today, it is part of traditional architectural construction using stone-cutting, and its application is largely limited to monument restoration. However, stereotomy remains a challenging technique due to its practical difficulty. For the past couple of decades, it has regained interest in architectural research with the implementation of digital techniques such as CAD-CAM, evolving into what is now known as digital stereotomy. The aim of this research was to identify how to digitally model and fabricate a scaled groin vault using low-cost additive manufacturing processes. To achieve this goal, a groin vault was first digitally modeled, transferring its digital breakdown from CAD software, and then executing a digital manufacturing plan. For manufacturing, an additive method was used through Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) with polylactic acid (PLA) filament. This study is useful for understanding a type of construction with a representative number of examples and has applications in contemporary architectural construction.