Unit 1

Engineering

What is engineering?
Branch of science, technology concentred with design, building and use of engines, machines and

A n e n g in n e r is p e r s o n w h o
structures.

scientific training and designs, builds

complicated products (machines,
systems, structures)

specializes in branch of engeneering,

civil enginees, an electrical engineer,
software engineer

runs or is in charge of an engine in an

airplane, a flight engineer

runs train (AmE)

is trained to repair electrical or

mechanical equipment (BrE)

soliider who builds roads, bridges etc

Engineers in the old days:

They need to build houses that had to be designed and planned along with network of roads
and streets.
Built Bridges and tunnels, dams and levees, they dug weels, irrigation ditches and trench.
Designed castels, towers, Bridges ( which even nova re kandmarks in cities or countries)

In these Times

Civil engineering is not just about designing and realizing outstanding structures.
Now they have maintain and adapt infrastructure ( roads, railways, Bridges, Energy needs and water
supply, wasteweter networks, flood defences). They must to keep up it running effectively and
modify tchem in the new situations (like a growth of population, climate change and natural
disasters). They have solve complex problems and implement their soultions.

Fields of civil engineering:

 Structural
 Geotechnical
 Transportation
 Environmental
 Hydraulic
 engineer features:

 Logical thinking
 Problem-solvig mind
 Creativity
 Versality
 Essential aplitudes

Properties of materials:

Smooth rough
soft hard
heavy Light
rigid Flexible
elastic Plastic
transparent Opaque
combustible Non-combustible
flamable Inflamable/non-flamable

The other mechanical properties which play a kay role:

1. Compressive strength
2. Tensile strength
3. Shear strength
4. Flexular strength
5. Bending strength
6. Resilience sprężystość
7. Stiffness sztywność
8. Fatigue limits granica wytrzymałości na rozciąganie
9. Ducility ciągliwość
10. Combustibility
11. Fire-resistant
12. Corosion resistance
13. Permeable
14. Impermeable
15. Conductivity (electrical current, heat, thermal, etc)
16. Sound isulation
17. Thermal isulation
18. Chemically resistant

Plastic

Strengths: flexible, lightweight, strong in compression and tension, long-lasting

Use: windows, doors, frames, window sills, gutters

Weaknesses: expensive

Aluminum (with ingredients of magnesium and copper)

Strengths: lightweight, doesn’t rust, strong in compression and tension

Weaknesses: expensive

Brick
Strengths: cheap, strong in compression

Weaknesses: heavy, weak in tension

Concrete

Strengths: cheap, fireproof, moulds any shape, strong in compression, waterproof

Weaknesses: cracks with temperature changes, weak in tension

Use for foundations

Reinforced concrete:

Strength: low cost, fireproof and weatherproof, moulds to any shape, strong in compression and
tension

Weaknesses: the corrosion of reinforcement when cracks are formed

Steel

Strengths: one of the strongest materials used in construction, strong in compression and tension

Weaknesses: rusts, loses strength in extremely high temperature

Building materials

The materials used also differ according to the location, the environment and the level od
development of the country where buildings are constructed. People usually use materials that are
available in the place where they want to built their house.

Building materials differ from country to country and from region to region. For example:

 In tropical areas people use materials such as cane, palm leaves, bamboo, brush but these
materials have relatively short life-span.
 In the Artic the Inuit used for igloos blocks of snow.
 Mongolian nomads built mention tents. They are building it of flexible materials such as cloth
or leather but it is only temporary shelters.

What have the civil engineers to consider various factors on the choice of building materials?

1. Mechanical properties (strength, hardness, elasticity, plasticity)

2. Behavior of materials under stress.
3. Physical properties (density, porosity, water permeability, frost an fire resistance, thermal
capability

The most widely used building materials in the world are bricks and stone, mortar, concrete, wood,
metal, glass and plastic.

Bricks-the oldest building materials. They are cheap, durable and easy to work with. Used for
building exterior or interior walls, partitions of buildings, bridges and road constructions.
Bricks are artificial stones in the from rectangular blocks that are made by blending together various
clays with water and them casting them into rectangular moulds.

Types of the bricks

Common burnt clay bricks-the most common type of bricks used in buildings construction. Used for
masonry structures. They are laid and bonded with mortar and may be covered with plaster and a
facade when the construction is completed.

Hollow bricks/blocks-alternative to engineering or common bricks. There are hollow clay bricks and
hollow concrete blocks that are made from cement, stone chips, stone dust, sand and water. These
bricks have one or more hollow cores. Their main advantage is that they are lightweight, thus
lessening the weight of the construction.

Fly ash clay bricks-modern types of bricks that contain fly ash, lime, cement, stone dust and clay.
Cannot be used for constructions on sites that are damp. They are relatively durable and lighter than
conventional bricks and need less mortar and plaster in masonry.

Sand lime bricks-similar to fly ash clay bricks. They are produced by mixing sand, lime, fly ash and
water. The material is then induced under pressure into brick moulds. They can be used for projects
in which an aesthetic apperrance is important (because they are grey coulor and rather smooth
surface)

Concrete bricks- used for fences, facades and places that need a higher aestetic quality. There are
formed in steal moulds through compaction and vibration under low pressure steam as there is a
curing process instead of a burning process involved.

disadvantages of brick advantages of brick

Low tensile strength Be an economical
Manufacture is relatively time consuming Easily available
Hard and durable
High compressive strength
Good fire resistance

Bricks are bound together with mortar.

Mortar is a mixture of sand, cement and water or sand, lime and water. Mortar is applicated as a
paste which then sets hard in the process of hydration.

Cement- extensively used in all types of construction work and in structures where high strength is
required.
Primary function of cement is to bind fine and coarse aggregates together.

The main constituments in cement are lime, silica and alumina.

Wood-tradiotional buildings material. Is renewable. Is typically used in Scandinavian and Baltic

countries and another place in the world where wood is plentiful.

Wood can be used in its natural forms as timber or lumber or it can be used as a basic ingredient in
composite wood materials.
Advantages of wood:

1. Available
2. Easily transportable
3. The manufacturing process, repairs and alterations can also be done easily.

Concrete- composite man-made material. Is a mixture of cement, water and coarse and fine
aggregates. Each of the four components has a specific function.

Two main classes of concrete:

1. Plain concrete-mixture of cement or lime paste and aggregates. The paste which is composed
of cement and water, binds fine and course aggregates. The cement is a binding material that
is responsible for the hardening of concrete. This concrete has the properties of high
compressive strength but rather poor tensile strength.
2. Reinforced concrete- concrete with greater tensile strength, with steel rods, steel bars or
mesh.

Special types of concrete:

 High strength concrete
 High-performance concrete
 Ultra-high-performance concrete
 Air-entrained concrete
 Self-consolidating concrete
 Lightweight concrete
 Lime concrete

Type of concrete Admixtures and Properties

processes
Lime concrete lime Preventing the growth of
mould
Lightweight concrete Admixtures of Light
lightweight aggregates
Air-entrained Either air-entrained, Self-consolidating
Portland cement
High-performance Long-lasting, durability in
various weather
conditions, toughness
High strength Silica fume Brittlness (disadvantages)
Ultra high performance Portland cement, silica Tensile strength
fume, quartz flour
Plain concrete High compressive
strength

Steel-metallic substance. Its physical and mechanical properties such as hardness, ductility
and strength. Use for:
* the constriction of high-rise building (strong in compresion but weak in tension)

*Reinforced cement concrete (high tensile and compressive strength) contains steel bars or
rebars ( give the concrete additional strength)

*Steel frame constructions (it is a network of beams and columns which from a skeleton of a
building. The load from a concrete slab is transferred to the beams columns. The steel beams are
horizontal structural members that resistant loads applied laterally to their axes. The steel columns
are vertical structural members that transfer the compressive loads. Total load of the building is
carried and transferred throught the foundation to the ground.

Drawbacks:

 Thermal conductivity
 Lack of flexibility
 Low corrosion resistance

Planning and Building a Hause

House building procedure:

1. Buy a plot of land
2. Contact with an architect who will design the building
3. Surveyor will measure the plot of land and make a plan
4. Architect will draw a preliminary plan to show the size.
5. An architect will submit the plan to the client for approval. If client suggests changes,
architect should do it.
6. The structural engineer will examine the final plan to see if the structure can transfer the
planned load.
7. Draw up a structural design of the building
8. Several building constructors can be invited to submit their tenders.
9. The building contractor will then contact technical draftsmen to make a detailed plan.
10. The client or investor must has to obtain a planning permit from the local building authority
to be allowed to start with the construction.

What documents must be submitted by the investor to obtain a planning permit from the
local building authority?
 The certificate of the ownership of the plot of land
 The house plan designed by the architect
 A plan drawn by geodesist/surveyor
 A plan of the structural design of the structure drawn up by a structural engineer
 Separate derailed plans of utilities such as water supply pipes, sewer pipes, gas pipes and
electrical wiring plan of showing the switches and sockets developed by specialized project
engineers
 Plans for the heating and air-conditioning systems
 Written approval for building the house obtained from the owners of the surrounding houses
House building process:

1. Staking out points

2. Digging the topsoil preparing for the foundation
3. Applying a waterproof layer to the finished foundations
4. Construction of walls
5. The carpenters installing the beams and joists that hold the ceiling up.
6. The carpenters erect the roof
7. Tiles are placed on the roof
8. The guttering and drainpipes are installed
9. The special crew installs the windows and doors
10. Plumbers lay water pipes, bathtub, shower, washbasin and toilet.
11. Installs the heating
12. Electricians fasten wires on the walls and prepare the walls for fixing all the sockets and
switches and light.
13. Plasterers cover the wall and ceilings with plaster to from hard and smooth surface
14. The painters and decorators give the interior of the house its final appearance.

Construction professions:

a) Architect-design buildings
b) Carpenter-makes and repairs wooden objects, does rough woodwork
c) Electrician-deals with or repairs electrical equipment
d) Builder/contractor-a person or company that builds or repairs buildings
e) Tiler-covers a roof, floor, with tiles
f) Bricklayer-builds walls of buildings
g) Surveyor-measures and records the details of an area of land
h) Workman-does physical work such as building, repairing things
i) Plumber-installs and repairs pipes and water systems
j) Plasterers-covers walls and ceilings with plaster