This paper investigates the feasibility of adapting ancient historical construction techniques to cooperative robotic assembly methods to minimize centering requirements in masonry vaults. First, an overview of seven historical techniques is presented. Next, a classification framework is introduced to evaluate the automation potential of these methods, identifying the rib network as the most promising candidate. This is followed by two computational case studies on the cooperative robotic construction of planar masonry arches and multi-arch rib networks. These studies evaluated the impact of robotic reachability and support payload on the feasibility of centering-free construction. A conclusion based only on these simulation results is that high-payload fixed robots, in comparison to medium-payload mobile setups, allow for the construction of larger and more complex rib structures. This research is of relevance to architects and engineers interested in using a cooperative robotic fabrication framework to reduce centering in masonry vault construction.

Masonry vaults, mechanically efficient structures, are challenging to build because they require significant tailored falsework as temporary structures for centering, guidework, and scaffolding, which decreases construction productivity and increases financial cost and environmental impact. Traditional building techniques combined with recent digital technologies can eliminate such temporary construction. An integrated digital design and construction approach that leverages the benefits of four construction strategies (namely, thin-tile vaulting, loxodrome tessellation, augmented reality, and prefabricated spine) within a 4D funicular design framework is presented in this paper and illustrated by a large-scale demonstrator, innixAR. This structure demonstrates that the combination of the vernacular craft of thin-tile vaulting with augmented reality technology to produce a digital guidework, informing a 4D funicular design process that considers the entire construction sequence from a prefabricated spine, minimizes the required falsework, making the construction of masonry vaults more efficient and affordable. This approach is benchmarked against alternative conventional vault falsework. Combining thin-tile vaulting and prefabricated spine allowed a reduction of 82% of the falsework mass, making transport lighter. Whereas combining digital guidework and prefabricated spine allowed a reduction of 91% of the falsework elements, making assembly faster. This research contributes to the development of structures that are efficient both mechanically and constructionally.