4.1. Metals

Copper

• A reddish-brown metal, excellent conductor of heat and electricity.
• Used in electrical wiring, water pipes, and alloys like bronze and brass.
• Forms a green patina (surface layer) when exposed to air and salt water, which slows down corrosion.
• Used for roofing and flashing.

Lead

• A heavy, soft, malleable, bluish-gray metal.
• Used in solder, radiation shielding, paints, and alloys.
• Available in various forms like pipe, rod, wire, sheet, foil, and strip.
• Used in rough hardware like expansion shields for securing bolts, screws, and other accessories in masonry.

Brass

• An alloy of copper and zinc.
• Used in doors, windows, frames, railings, trims, and grilles.
• Also used in finish hardware.

Bronze

• An alloy of copper and tin, often with other metals.
• Statuary Bronze: 97% copper, 2% tin, and 1% zinc.
• Silicon Bronze: 97% copper and 3% silicon.
• Gold Bronze: 90% copper, 5% zinc, 3% lead, and 2% tin.
• Phosphor Bronze: 80% copper, 10% tin, 9% antimony, and 1% phosphorus.
• Aluminum Bronze: 5% to 11% aluminum with varying amounts of iron, nickel, and manganese.
• Commercial Bronze: 90% copper and 10% zinc.
• Architectural Bronze: 57% copper, 40% zinc, 2.75% lead, and 0.25% tin.
• Manganese Bronze: 55% copper, 40% zinc, and up to 3.5% manganese.

Red Brass

• An alloy of 77-86% copper and the rest zinc.

Aluminum Brass

• An alloy of 75% copper, 2% aluminum, small amounts of other elements, and the remaining zinc.

Common Brass

• An alloy of about 65% copper and 35% zinc.

Naval Brass

• An alloy of about 60% copper and 40% zinc.

Muntz Metal

• An alloy of 55-61% copper and 39-45% zinc.

Aluminum

• Used in architectural work for roofing, flashing, gutters, and insulation.

Aluminum Sheet and Strip

• Used for roofing, flashing, gutters, etc.

Aluminum Foil

• Rolled to a thickness of 0.005".
• Used for thermal insulation and vapor barriers.
• May also serve as a surface finish material when laminated to other materials.

Types Of Aluminum Used In Architectural Work

• Aluminum sheet and strip
• Aluminum foil
• Corrugated aluminum

Corrugated Aluminum

• Rigidized sheet made from special aluminum alloys.
• Usually consists of an aluminum alloy core clad with a corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy

Aluminum Alloys

• Heat-treatable Alloy: Gains strength through heat treatment.
• Non-heat-treatable Alloy: Gains strength by cold working (also called Common Alloy).
• Duralumin: An alloy of aluminum, copper, magnesium, and manganese.
• Alclad: Aluminum product clad with an aluminum alloy that protects the core alloy from corrosion.

Extrusion

• Aluminum shaped by forcing it through a die.
• The resulting material has the same profile as the die opening.

Aluminum Flashing and Gutter

• Various types of aluminum flashing used in construction.

Aluminum Finishes

• Mechanical Finishes: Achieved using mechanical tools like grinding, polishing, sandblasting.
• Chemical Finishes: Using chemical reagents to alter the surface of aluminum.
• Electrolytic Oxide Finishes: Creating a protective oxide coating on the aluminum surface.
• Organic Finishes: Using porcelain, vitreous enamel, paint, lacquer, and enamel.

Structural Aluminum

• Extruded into shapes to meet design requirements.
• Lower modulus of elasticity compared to steel, making it more prone to buckling.

Aluminum Doors and Windows

• Generally fabricated from extrusions and rolled shapes.

Aluminum Panels and Sandwich Panels

• Prefabricated units with modular and non-modular dimensions.
• Used for exterior buildings and interior partitions.
• Components include vapor barrier, condensation drains, insulation, and interior finish.
• Sandwich panels have an aluminum skin on a cellular core of aluminum or another material.

Ornamental Aluminum

• Made in different shapes and sizes, used for railings, grilles, and screens.

Aluminum Mesh and Wire Cloth

• Typically used for fencing.

Titanium

• A strong, lightweight, corrosion-resistant metal.
• Used in aerospace, aircraft, and engines.

Tin (Sn)

• A lustrous, malleable metal used in alloys and for protective coatings.
• Architectural uses include bronzes, brasses, templates, mirrors, gilding, solders, hardware, and fusible alloys.

Zinc (Zn)

• A ductile, crystalline metal used for galvanizing steel and iron.

Chromium (Cr)

• A hard, brittle metal used in steel alloys for hardness and corrosion resistance, and electroplating.

Nickel (Ni)

• A hard, silvery-white metal used in alloys and for electroplating.

Antimony (Sb)

• A brittle, crystalline metal used in alloys.

Cadmium (Cd)

• A white, ductile metal used in plating and alloys.

Carbide

• A very hard material of carbon and one or more heavy metals, used for cutting edges and dies.

Magnesium (Mg)

• A lightweight metal used in alloys.

Manganese (Mn)

• A hard, brittle metal used in steel alloys to increase hardness and toughness.

Silicon (Si)

• A non-metallic element used in electronics and to strengthen steel.

Tungsten (W)

• A heavy, brittle metal with a high melting point, used in electrical elements and alloys.

Vanadium (V)

• A malleable, ductile metal used in alloys.

Module 1 - Materials of Construction - Building Technology (Atlas)