Buttress

Buttress
This article is about an architectural structure. For the large tree root, see Buttress root. For slang, see buttocks.

A buttress is an architectural structure built against (a counterfort) or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses are fairly common on more ancient buildings, as a means of providing support to act against the lateral (sideways) forces arising out of the roof structures that lack adequate bracing.

The word buttress, in a much more general sense, means to support; one might buttress another person's argument, for instance. By visual analogy, that which looks like a buttress may be called so; eg Buttress root at the base of the trunk of a tree.

Contents

Terminology

In addition to flying and ordinary buttresses, brick and masonry buttresses that support wall corners can be classified according to their ground plan. A clasping or clamped buttress has an L shaped ground plan surrounding the corner, an angled buttress has two buttresses meeting at the corner, a setback buttress is similar to an angled buttress but the buttresses are set back from the corner, and a diagonal (or 'french') buttress is at 45 degrees to the walls.[1][2]

Buttress ground plans
Angled buttress  
Clasping or clamped buttress  
Diagonal or 'french' buttress  
Setback buttress  

See also

Gallery

Buttress ground plans
A buttress (and mostly concealed, a flying buttress) supporting walls at the Palace of Westminster  
Buttresses at Sint-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk; Ostend, Belgium  
Buttress at The Saviour Chapel, Żejtun, Malta  
Flying buttress at Lincoln Cathedral, England  
Wall buttresses in the form of a blind arcade cavity wall at Canton Viaduct, United States  
Thick buttresses characterize Earthquake Baroque architecture like Paoay Church, Philippines  

References

  1. ^ "Glossary : Buttress". www.lookingatbuildings.org.uk. http://www.lookingatbuildings.org.uk/glossary/glossary/B.html?no_cache=1&tx_contagged%5bpointer%5d=8. 
  2. ^ Edward Wyatt. "CHURCH ARCHITECTURE : SPIRES AND BUTTRESSES". www.prestbury.net. http://www.prestbury.net/magazine/church_architecture/page05.htm. 

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • buttress — n Buttress, pier, abutment are architectural terms for auxiliary structures designed to serve as a prop, shore, or support for a wall (as of a building). A buttress is a structure (as of masonry) projecting from and supporting a wall and often… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Buttress — But tress, n. [OE. butrasse, boterace, fr. F. bouter to push; cf. OF. bouteret (nom. sing. and acc. pl. bouterez) buttress. See {Butt} an end, and cf. {Butteris}.] 1. (Arch.) A projecting mass of masonry, used for resisting the thrust of an arch …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Buttress — • A pilaster, pier, or body of masonry projecting beyond the main face of the wall and intended to strengthen the wall at particular points Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Buttress     Buttress …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • buttress — [bu′tris] n. [ME boteras < OFr bouterez, pl. of bouteret, flying buttress < buter: see BUTT2] 1. a projecting structure, generally of brick or stone, built against a wall to support or reinforce it 2. anything like a buttress; support or… …   English World dictionary

  • Buttress — But tress, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Buttressed} (?); p. pr. & vb. n. {Buttressing}.] To support with a buttress; to prop; to brace firmly. [1913 Webster] To set it upright again, and to prop and buttress it up for duration. Burke. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • buttress — early 14c., from O.Fr. botrez flying buttress, lit. buttressed, pl. of boteret support, from bouter to thrust against, of Frankish origin (Cf. O.N. bauta to strike, beat ), from P.Gmc. *butan, from PIE root *bhau to strike (see BUTT (Cf …   Etymology dictionary

  • buttress — [n] brace, support abutment, column, mainstay, pier, prop, reinforcement, shore, stanchion, stay, strut, underpinning; concept 440 buttress [v] support, bolster back up, beef up*, brace, build up, bulwark, carry, jack up, jazz up*, prop,… …   New thesaurus

  • buttress — index bear (support), bulwark, corroborate, document, mainstay, maintain (sustain), reaffirm …   Law dictionary

  • buttress — ► NOUN 1) a projecting support built against a wall. 2) a projecting portion of a hill or mountain. ► VERB 1) support with buttresses. 2) support or strengthen. ORIGIN from Old French ars bouterez thrusting arch …   English terms dictionary

  • buttress — buttressless, adj. buttresslike, adj. /bu tris/, n. 1. any external prop or support built to steady a structure by opposing its outward thrusts, esp. a projecting support built into or against the outside of a masonry wall. 2. any prop or support …   Universalium

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