Delicate Arch

Utah’s sandstone bedrock units meet the favorable conditions of being strong enough to support the weight of large natural arches, yet soft enough to be easily eroded by the natural processes of wind, water, and gravity. Arches form because the shape is nature’s most effective geometry for holding up overlying strata. The semicircular shape of an arch is actually the most effective load-bearing form in nature because of the manner in which it distributes the compressional stresses and eliminates the extensional stresses in the surrounding rock. I hope you enjoy this artistic expression of this wonder of nature.