Building Construction Materials

Building Construction Materials

Bricks

• Most used construction material
• Made by moulding clay into rectangular blocks of uniform size (19cm x 9cm x 9cm)
• Other materials used: sand, lime, concrete, and fly ash
• Applications: Masonry for non-structural and structural purposes (walls, columns, beams, foundations)

Stones

• Solid, naturally occurring mineral substance
• Obtained from rocks through quarrying
• Types of rocks: Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic
• Most commonly used stones: basalt, granite, sandstone (granite is most popular, found in Igneous rocks)
• Applications: Foundations, walls, lintels, columns, arches, dams, retaining walls

Cement

• Binding agent used to bind construction materials
• Essential ingredient of concrete and mortar
• Ideal storage conditions: moisture-proof, elevated area
• Applications: Cement mortar (mix of cement, sand, and water) for building blocks, concrete (mix of cement, sand, and stone aggregate)

Timber

• Wood that has undergone processing to produce planks and beams
• Properties: safe to handle, simple to cut and shape, excellent thermal properties, high-strength, durable
• Examples: Teak, Mahogany, Rosewood, Bamboo, Oak (Teak is most used in India)
• Applications: Residential houses and buildings, furniture making, flooring material, crafting veneers and plywood, wood carvings and sculptures

Metals

• Solid materials that are hard, shiny, malleable, fusible, ductile, and have good electrical and thermal conductivity
• Properties: durable, strong, commonly used in construction
• Most often used metals: copper, iron, steel, and aluminium (steel is most used due to high strength, durability, and low cost)
• Application of Steel: buildings, bridges, contemporary skyscraper architecture, airports, residential, RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete)

Glass

• Solid substance made by heating normal sand until it turns into a liquid and then left to cool
• Properties: transparent or translucent, brittle
• Applications: transparent glazing element in building envelope (windows, internal partitions), thermal insulation in cavity walls

Paints

• Essential for building projects and operations
• Properties: protective covering, improves aesthetic appeal
• Types of paints: Aluminium paints, Asbestos paint, oil paints, anti-corrosive paint, etc.

Building Typologies

• Foundation
• Wall
• Window
• Door
• Column
• Beam
• Arch
• Roof