ABSTRACT
This chapter attempts to provide the user with information on the basic behavior of circular refractory brick arches. The intention is to equip the user with information necessary to make better decisions with regard to improved refractory arch design. The structural behavior of the stone, or masonry, arch has been a subject of interest for many decades and continues to be of interest to modern engineers. The primary loading imposed on the refractory brick arch is the thermal expansion loading. Most refractory brick arch designs, however, accommodate the thermal expansion through various mechanisms. An arch design that has worked successfully in industry is the sprung arch design. However, the catenary arch should be much more stable than the circular arch. Also, expansion allowance may not be required for the catenary arch meaning that the skews can remain fixed at the installed position.
