ABSTRACT
Itwasinthepursuitofirreprotection,ratherthanofenhancedstrength, thatourpredecessorsstartedthestructuralodysseythatwastolead,in aboutahundredyears,tothestructuralmediumofreinforcedconcrete aswenowknowit.Fireprotectionwasmuchinthemindsof18thcentury builders,withtheeliminationoftimberbeingaconsciousaim.Thus,for example,theComted'Espiein17765advocatedtheuseofbrickvaults doubly-curvedonthesoffitsandproii!edtoapitchontop,overlainby orthodoxtiledroofingasameansofmakinganincombustibleroof.The shapeofhisvaultsavoidedtheneedforirontieswhichothershadused instabilisingvaults'armeesavecdesliensdefer'.
