RMT Basics, page 23

The Roman Model has Curves

The box frame was re-engineered by the Romans according to a

new geometric model.

The Romans changed the square shape of the box frame to the curved shape of the arch.

They replaced the old geometric model, the cube, with a new geometric model, the sphere.

The practical purpose of the change was to build revolutionary new structures which re-distribute and channel the forces of load to prevent the concentration of tension.

The key was to re-organize the external geometry of structures (their shapes) based on the curvature of the sphere, versus the angularity of the cube.