A vault is an arched structure.
Vault is a term whose etymology is unclear. The Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) suggests that the concept could derive from volvĭta , a Latin word that in turn comes from volvĕre (a verb that can be translated as “to return” ).
In the field of architecture , a vault is called an arched structure that allows the coverage of the space between two supports. The vault, therefore, serves as a cover or makes up the roof of the construction.
The elements of a vault work through compression : that is why it is necessary to know the resistance of the supports or side walls that must support the force exerted by the vault. Thrust lines are sometimes concentrated in intersecting arcs known as ribs . Underground galleries , cathedrals and industrial warehouses are some of the spaces that usually have vaults.
Vault Types
A room that, in its upper part, ends in an arched manner is also called a vault. Depending on the country, the notion may refer to certain specific places.
In some Latin American regions, the place where valuable items , such as money and jewelry, are deposited, is known as a vault. For example: “The key to access the bank vault is only known to the manager and the treasurer,” “Investigators believe that the criminal hid the stolen money in an underground vault.”
The idea of vault, on the other hand, can refer to a pantheon or a crypt : “The singer will rest in the family vault located in the downtown cemetery,” “The security employee discovered some young people doing a ritual in a vault” , “I'm going to leave some flowers in grandpa's vault” .
A vault is a space where valuable items can be stored.
World Seed Bank
In 2008, the Global Seed Vault was inaugurated in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard , more precisely on the island of Spitsbergen . Its official name is the Svalbard World Seed Bank , although it is also known as the Doomsday Vault or the World's End Vault . It is a pantry of colossal dimensions located underground in which hundreds of crop plants from many countries were deposited.
This unprecedented and unrivaled warehouse was created with the aim of protecting biodiversity if a global catastrophe were to occur; In such a case, thanks to having specimens of all the crop species that are currently used for food, it would be possible to continue with the agricultural tasks necessary to support the survivors.
The names by which it is known in everyday speech allude to the fact that it is capable of dealing with all types of disasters associated with the end of the world, such as impacts from nuclear bombs and earthquakes. Precisely, the vault is resistant to many unfavorable phenomena and conditions, such as the influence of radiation, volcanic activity and increases in sea level; If a power failure were to occur, then the permafrost (the layer of ice that remains frozen forever) would act as a natural coolant.
Despite being underground, the Global Seed Vault was built 130 meters above sea level, to prevent moisture from coming into contact with the soil , even if sea level were to rise due to the melting of the caps. polar. Seed samples that have been copied from those present in the genebanks repository are stored in the vault, the only site that can be accessed by breeders or researchers who wish to work with some of the species. Simply put, the vault is managed like a bank safe deposit box, which only the depositor (in this case, genebanks ) can access.