The Mycenaeans (approximately 1800-1050 BC) were known for their tholos tombs, also called beehive tombs, which were conical-vaulted underground structures. This type of vault is one of the first evidences of curved brick architecture without the use of stone arches, and its construction represented an innovative technique for covering circular spaces.

Although earlier civilizations, such as the Etruscans, already used vaults, the Romans took these structures to a new level of sophistication, especially in their usability and scale.

In the history of architecture, factory vaults, that is, made with brick or stone, had a preeminent role in the building that have been losing prominence with the generalization of modern construction techniques and materials: first the use of steel and later reinforced concrete. compression. However, reinforced concrete vaults are widely used in civil engineering to build galleries, tunnels, long-span roofs and, in general, all those works where the elements work in flexion are disadvantageous from a technical and economic point of view.

Roman architecture used falsework that supported only the main brick arches between the tiles. The rest of the vault was made of unpressed concrete. In Gothic architecture, the use of falsework was considerably reduced, because only "Nerve (architecture)" was made for the nerves.[15] Roman architecture evolved from barrel vaults to groin vaults (intersection of two barrel vaults).

The use of vaults in some architectures such as the Byzantine gives rise to plan layouts such as the so-called Greek cross.[13]​ Like arches, vaults were not scientifically understood until the middle of the century.[4]​ Some authors investigated the mechanisms of collapse of vaults, with Wittmann in 1879 being one of the first to understand the mechanism in ribbed vaults,[16]​ Already in the middle of the century one of the studies The most mentioned is Heyman (1966).[17]​ The Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí designed the vaults with scale models.

Already in the middle of the century, the constructive evolution of vaults gives birth to new concepts, such as the so-called shell vaults.[6]​ One of them is due to the Spanish architect Félix Candela, who became famous for the construction of vaults in the shape of a hyperbolic paraboloid. In the first decades, the Uruguayan engineer Eladio Dieste designed a method that he called reinforced ceramics, which consisted of vaulted constructions made with brick, steel reinforcement and minimal use of concrete.

Depending on the shape of the vault intrados, there are various arrangements or typologies. Depending on the generator of the arch, for example, barrel vaults are generated using a semicircular arch with a cylindrical shape as a generator. If the arch used as a generator is lowered (that is, with an elliptical arch or similar) it is called recessed vault that reaches up to the flat vault. If a similarly pointed arch is used, it is called pointed vault. A special type of vault is the dome that is formed by rotating an arc about an axis, forming a hemisphere.[17]​ There are some authors concerned with the taxonomic classification of vaults; in many treatises since the end of the century, frequent mentions are made of the subject.[8]​.

The vaults are made up of various parts, whose name is traditionally:.

In the design and construction of vaults, it often refers to their characteristic dimensions, which have traditionally been called:

When using vaults on a classical building, they only account for between ten to fifteen percent of the construction material used; The rest is used for the construction of walls and, above all, for abutments "Stirrup (engineering)") that support the thrust of the vaults.[7]​ The vault is not very suitable for supporting loads above it, which is why it is mainly used to cover surfaces. On the intrados of the vaults, due to its large surface, paintings, frescoes, etc. are usually carried out. The typical rectangular layout makes the vaults suitable places to place corridors "Corridor (architecture)") and bay structures "Crujía (architecture)") such as warehouses "Nave (architecture)") (such as industrial warehouses). It is widely used in underground constructions of all types, as an element to cover underground galleries.

The Mycenaeans (approximately 1800-1050 BC) were known for their tholos tombs, also called beehive tombs, which were conical-vaulted underground structures. This type of vault is one of the first evidences of curved brick architecture without the use of stone arches, and its construction represented an innovative technique for covering circular spaces.

Although earlier civilizations, such as the Etruscans, already used vaults, the Romans took these structures to a new level of sophistication, especially in their usability and scale.

In the history of architecture, factory vaults, that is, made with brick or stone, had a preeminent role in the building that have been losing prominence with the generalization of modern construction techniques and materials: first the use of steel and later reinforced concrete. compression. However, reinforced concrete vaults are widely used in civil engineering to build galleries, tunnels, long-span roofs and, in general, all those works where the elements work in flexion are disadvantageous from a technical and economic point of view.

Roman architecture used falsework that supported only the main brick arches between the tiles. The rest of the vault was made of unpressed concrete. In Gothic architecture, the use of falsework was considerably reduced, because only "Nerve (architecture)" was made for the nerves.[15] Roman architecture evolved from barrel vaults to groin vaults (intersection of two barrel vaults).

The use of vaults in some architectures such as the Byzantine gives rise to plan layouts such as the so-called Greek cross.[13]​ Like arches, vaults were not scientifically understood until the middle of the century.[4]​ Some authors investigated the mechanisms of collapse of vaults, with Wittmann in 1879 being one of the first to understand the mechanism in ribbed vaults,[16]​ Already in the middle of the century one of the studies The most mentioned is Heyman (1966).[17]​ The Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí designed the vaults with scale models.

Already in the middle of the century, the constructive evolution of vaults gives birth to new concepts, such as the so-called shell vaults.[6]​ One of them is due to the Spanish architect Félix Candela, who became famous for the construction of vaults in the shape of a hyperbolic paraboloid. In the first decades, the Uruguayan engineer Eladio Dieste designed a method that he called reinforced ceramics, which consisted of vaulted constructions made with brick, steel reinforcement and minimal use of concrete.

Depending on the shape of the vault intrados, there are various arrangements or typologies. Depending on the generator of the arch, for example, barrel vaults are generated using a semicircular arch with a cylindrical shape as a generator. If the arch used as a generator is lowered (that is, with an elliptical arch or similar) it is called recessed vault that reaches up to the flat vault. If a similarly pointed arch is used, it is called pointed vault. A special type of vault is the dome that is formed by rotating an arc about an axis, forming a hemisphere.[17]​ There are some authors concerned with the taxonomic classification of vaults; in many treatises since the end of the century, frequent mentions are made of the subject.[8]​.

The vaults are made up of various parts, whose name is traditionally:.

In the design and construction of vaults, it often refers to their characteristic dimensions, which have traditionally been called:

When using vaults on a classical building, they only account for between ten to fifteen percent of the construction material used; The rest is used for the construction of walls and, above all, for abutments "Stirrup (engineering)") that support the thrust of the vaults.[7]​ The vault is not very suitable for supporting loads above it, which is why it is mainly used to cover surfaces. On the intrados of the vaults, due to its large surface, paintings, frescoes, etc. are usually carried out. The typical rectangular layout makes the vaults suitable places to place corridors "Corridor (architecture)") and bay structures "Crujía (architecture)") such as warehouses "Nave (architecture)") (such as industrial warehouses). It is widely used in underground constructions of all types, as an element to cover underground galleries.