Learn basic issues about construction materials, its properties and applicactions

1. Construction materials
Technology 3ESO

2. Introduction
We use construction materials to build our
houses and many other facilities:
roads, tunnels, bridges, skyscrapers,
dams.
Choosing the appropiate material for each
construction elements is essential to
our construction. This choice depends
on:
1.
The role played by the element:
properties of the material
2.
The environment: properties and
abundance of the material
3.
Kind of construction: Materials price

3. Different types of materials
Type
Material
origin
Properties
Applications
Metal
Steel (iron)
Mines+
industry
Resistant, hard, tougth,
mouldable
Frame structure
Resistant, inert,
maleable
Pipes, wires
Copper
Stone
Granite, marble
Quarries
Hard, resistant
Pilars, bridges,
fachades
Binder
Cement, mortar
Industrial
Gluing, resistant, inert
Walls,
fachades
Concrete
Industrial
mortar+stones
Ligth, resistant,
impermeable
Basement,
pilars, fachade
Plaster
Industry
Insulating, smooth, fire
R
Covering walls
Industry
Hard, resistant,
mouldable, insulating
Brick walls, roof
Glass
Industry
Hard, resistant,
transparent
Windows
Plastic
Polyestirene,
foams,…
Industry
Insulating, ligth, easy
to mould, impermeable
Insulating
layers, interior
Wood
Pine….
Forests,
industry
Hard, reistant,
ornamental
Frame
structure, walls,
covering
Ceramics Clay

4. Elements of a building
Roof
Insulating
Fachade
Windows
Frame
structure
Inner
spaces
Basement

5. Basement



The basement
sustains the building’s
weigth and transmits
it to the ground.
It sustains
compression efforts
and distributes them
Reinforced concrete is
nowadays the most
suitable/commonly
used
Index

6. Frame structure



The frame structure
sustains the buildings
weigth (roof, walls)
and transmits it to the
basement.
Horizontal elements
(beams)sustain shear
and bending. Steel
and wood are usual
Vertical elements
sustain compression.
Steel, reinforced
concrete, wood or
stone are suitable
Index

7. Fachade, walls
The exterior walls protect
us from the enviroment.
They must be resistant,
insulating, impermeable,
and often ornamental.
 Several layers are often
used:
Insulating foams+Brick
walls+plaster

Index

8. Roof



Roof also protects us from
the enviroment, keeping
snow, rain, cold and sun
rays away.
We need hard, resistant
insulating and
impermeable materials.
Roofs are made over a
frame, superposing several
layers of insulating plastic,
and roof-tiles, made of
ceramic, wich apart of
insulating and keeping rain
away, drive the water out
due to their pipe-like form.

9. Windows




Windows connect us with the
outside, letting ligth or even
air (when opened) into the
house. We need them to
insulate
They are placed in wall’s
holes.
A transparent, polished,
hard, impermeable and
resistant material is needed.
The modern windows are
formed by two glass layers
with an air chamber
between.
Index

10. Insulating materials



Insulating house from the
exterior is essential to
keep a suitable
temperature inside
Keeping cold away in
winter and protecting from
heat and sun during
summer helps to heat or
cool the house and saves
energy, pollution and
money.
Apart from covering layers
with plaster, we place
organic foams,
polyestirene, etc between
brick layers or under roof
tiles.
Index

11. Inner spaces


For the inner rooms
we seek thermal
comfort, a nice touch
and resistance.
Natural materials such
as wood, stone,
smooth
coverings(plaster) or
natural like plastics
are most commonly
used
Index