Flying Buttresses and Their Significance in the Structural System Essay

Flying Buttresses and Their Significance in the Structural System Utilized at the Notre Dame Cathedral - Essay Example Even though scholars mention the flying buttress in the late Gothic period, it was until the mid 19th century (1858) that Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Du, a French theorist and architect discussed in details its significance in buildings. Georg Ungerwitter later used graphic statistics towards the late 19th century devoting his effort to the role of flying buttress to the Gothic buildings. Notre Dame Cathedral located on eastern part of Ile de la Cite, Paris France, is the most notable and among the first Gothic buildings in the world to employ the flying buttress, according to Toker (31). This paper seeks to explore the structural significance of flying buttress in Notre Dame Cathedral. Flying Buttress Flying buttress, according to Dietsch, is a masonry structure consisting of a bar that inclines and carried a half arch extending from upper section of a wall to piers (7). Flying buttress mainly carries the vault or the roof and is mainly associated with the Gothic architecture. Flying buttress plays a crucial role in a building in the sense that it provides resistance to the lateral forces thrusting a wall outwards. In this case, flying buttress provides strong resistance by redirecting the lateral forces to the ground, notes Dietsch (8). ... The centering plays a crucial role of proving support to the weight of the building materials used on the walls such as stones, as well as maintain the arch’s shape until that time that the mortar dries up. Carpenters first construct the centering on the ground after which it is hoisted into position and tightened to the piers at both end of buttress. According to Dietsch, the centering is used as temporary flying buttress until the completion of the actual stone arch (9). Analysis of the use of flying buttress in the Notre Dame Cathedral Paris Kleiner claims that the Notre Dame Cathedral Paris is one of the most famous and among the first ever buildings of the Gothic era to use the flying buttress (468). Used as the Catholic diocese of Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral signifies the greatest example of the French Gothic architecture in the world. Kleiner reveals that the building was saved from the verge of collapse during the French Revolution by the French theorist and architect Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Du (468). The construction of the Notre Dame Cathedral spans the Gothic period. The structure of the building shows the great influence of naturalism seen in the manner its stained classes and sculptures are built. As earlier stated, Notre Dame Cathedral Paris was among the first buildings to employ flying buttress. According to Toker, the building was not originally designed to have flying buttress around the naves and choir (32). However, after the beginning of its construction, its thinner walls began growing higher. This created a lot of stress resulting in the development of fractures on the walls. To strengthen the walls and the entire structure, architects introduced flying buttress around the outside walls to provide support to the building structure

Improving Health Insurance Market from Nursing Perspective Term Paper

Improving Health Insurance Market from Nursing Perspective - Term Paper Example This search for lower costs in the labor for providing these services will translate into nursing services taking up additional responsibilities in the providing of health care services at least in the community settings. Though not all medical professionals agree to the taking up additional responsibilities by nursing services in the provision of healthcare services, nevertheless there is enough evidence to show that there is no deficiency in the quality of healthcare services provided by nursing services in nursing independent care settings. Reducing costs of health care and providing more access to health as the means to improving the healthcare insurance market will require a greater role for nursing services and quite likely as independent services in the community settings. In conclusion, health insurance started in America in the 1930s under skepticism on its success. Since that time health insurance has become the way by which people meet the costs of health care needs. Howev er, this growth has come at the cost of high costs of health care and the poor accessibility to health care. Factors intrinsic and extrinsic to the health insurance industry have led to this situation in the healthcare industry, which has led to the need of the hour being improvements in the healthcare insurance market, with particular emphasis on lowering health care costs and enhancing access. Nursing services can and will play an important role in the efforts to improve the health insurance market.... nwards private insurers did provide accident, burial, and sickness policies, while some of the railroad, mining, and timber companies provided workplace health benefits. However, health insurance in its complete form and in an organized manner took root from the 1930s onwards. Against a backdrop of skepticism prior to World War II of a greater proportion of commercial insurers that hospital and medical costs were an insurable risk, health insurers did offer accident, burial and in America became a reality through the efforts of Blue Cross in the mid 1930s. The success that Blue cross achieved in its health insurance offerings brought competitors into play to share in the health insurance pie in America. This rising potent competition resulted in the erosion of market share of Blue Cross and changed the competitive scenario of the health insurance market. The health insurance market now consisted of the non-profit organizations of Blue Cross or Blue Shield and the for-profit commercia l health insurers (Austin & Hungerford, 2009). Towards the end of the 1950s health insurance had become a standard component of the compensation offered by most of the large employers in America. The Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP) which was created by Congress made available to federal workers across the country Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance benefits. However, this was the period of time when for the first time a sharp increase in health care costs were experienced. Fuelling this were several reasons that included emergence of new hospitals; growing capital intensity for providing inpatient care; the change from, flat-rate per diem reimbursement for hospitals to full cost payment; and the widening of health insurance benefits that enhanced the ability of