Strength of a beam set vertical, horizontal and oblique
Load-bearing study with the ratios 16, 64, 256
A diagram of a beam with diagonal bracing carries the letters a f g h i k and the segment labels b c, c d and d e, tagged with the numbers 16, 64 and 256. The note concludes that if a supports 1, b supports 41. Leonardo is comparing the strength or load borne by a beam in vertical, horizontal and oblique positions.
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Comparative strength of a beam in three positions
The figure labels a beam a f g h i k with the segments b c, c d and d e valued 16, 64 and 256. Leonardo states that if a supports 1, then b supports 41 — a comparison of how much load the beam bears when set vertical, horizontal and oblique. The rising numbers track the changing resistance.