Activity 10

What Types of Construction Materials Are Used For

Buildings?

What Building Materials are Used in Construction?

There are many types of building materials used in construction such
as Concrete, Steel, Wood and Masonry. Each material has
different properties such as weight, strength,
durability and cost which makes it suitable for certain types
of applications. The choice of materials for construction is
based on cost and effectiveness to resisting the loads
and stresses acting on the structure. As a structural engineer,
we work with our clients to decide on the type of materials
used in each project depending on the size and use of the
building.

The manufacturing of building materials is a well established and

standardized industry capable of providing a reliable supply
of high-quality materials for our structures. The production of
structural-grade building materials is subject to
quality control procedures that involve inspection and testing
according to national standards and scientific testing
methods.

Part of the structural engineer’s responsibilities is to prepare the

project specifications including all building materials and
applicable standards and provision to comply with.
This is a crucial part of any project to specify the quality and
properties of materials to be used.

Building materials can generally be divided into two categories:

Natural building materials such as stone and wood, and
Man- made building materials such as concrete and steel. Both
 categories usually require a certain level of
preparation or treatment before the use in a structural
application. Below is the list of materials I used the most in
engineering consulting projects.

Concrete is a composite material made from mixing cement,

aggregates such as sand and crushed stone and water. The
properties of concrete depend on the ratios used in the mix
design. Therefore, it’s a standard practice for concrete
suppliers to provide material properties and test results for
each concrete patch.

Fresh concrete can be poured into form works to take any shape or
form and takes time to harden into a stone-like material. It
takes up to 7 days for concrete to reach the majority of its
strength and will need special attention to curing to avoid
cracking or reduction in capacity. Concrete is very
versatile and is good material for applications that require a
combination of strength and durability. For example,
concrete is an excellent material for building foundations
where the weight of the structure meets the ground. This requires
strength to carry the load and also durability to withstand
the contact with the surrounding soil.
 Concrete is very strong when exposed to compression stresses
however, it’s brittle and has limited tensile strength.
Combined with steel rebar, reinforced concrete is stronger and
more suitable for a wide range of structures such as tall
multi-story buildings, bridges, roads, tunnels and so many other
applications.

Steel:

Steel is one of the strongest building materials available with excellent

strength capacity in both tension and compression. Because of
its high strength-to-weight ratio, it is ideal for structural
framework of tall buildings and large industrial
facilities. Structural steel is available in standard shapes
such are angles, I beams and C-channels. These shapes can be
welded together or connected using high-strength bolts to
build structures capable of resisting large forces and
deformations.

Steel is a relatively expensive building material so it is the structural

engineer’s responsibility to choose economic sizes and
shapes according to the actual loads on the building to avoid
overdesign. Because of the higher cost of steel, we often get
questions from our clients asking if there is a way to reduce
the weight and size of some of steel members in the
structure. This can be done if the loads can be reduced on
the members and/or additional vertical supports can be
introduced. The installation of steel is less time consuming
compared to concrete and can be installed in any type of
environment.
 Wood:

Wood has been used as a construction material for thousands of years

and if properly maintained can last for hundred of years. It
is a readily available and economically feasible natural
resource with a light weight and highly machinable properties. It
also provides good insulation from the cold which makes it
an excellent building material for homes and
residential buildings.

Wood pieces used in construction are machine-planed and sawn into

certain dimensional specifications. Dimensional lumber
comes in widely available sections such as 2”x4”, 2”x6”, etc. This is
commonly used in the construction of walls and
floors. Believe it or not, a 2”x4” is actually 1 ½” wide x 3 ½”
high. Wood that comes in larger dimensions are referred
to as timber or beams and are commonly used to construct the
frames of large structures such as bridges and multi-
story buildings. Engineered wood is another type of wood used
in construction that consist of various forms of wood glued
together to form a composite material suitable for specific
construction applications. Examples of engineered
wood is glued laminated wood (glulam), plywood and
fiberboard.
 Because of its light weight, wood is not the most suitable construction
material to support heavier loads and not ideal for long
spans. Wood is rarely used for foundations and basement
walls, as it needs to be pressure treated because of its contact
with soil/moisture which can be fairly expensive. In a
wood framed house, the foundations and basement walls are
usually constructed with reinforced concrete.

Masonry:

Masonry construction is using individual units to build structures that

are usually uses mortar to bound the units together. The
most common material I use in the design of masonry structures
is concrete block, with vertical steel reinforcing if required.
Masonry is strong in resisting compression loads/stresses which
makes it ideal to use for the construction of load bearing
walls. Other masonry materials include brick, stone and
glass block. Masonry is a highly durable and fire-resistant
material; however, it can be sensitive to mortar and
workmanship quality.

There has been an increase in the use of masonry as load bearing walls
for the design of multi-story buildings in my office. The structural
system typically consists of concrete floors supported on a
combination of masonry and reinforced concrete walls
depending on the number of floors and amount of load on the walls.
Masonry walls with windows or openings need horizontal beams or
lintels to span the weight of the wall above across the
opening. Masonry is not as accommodating to large
openings in walls as concrete or steel framing is, but can be
an economical choice if the framing and opening sizes are
reasonable and length of wall segments are not too short.

Load bearing masonry walls can be stacked up on top of one another to

build multi-story buildings. The load on the first-floor masonry
wall is the accumulation of all the weight of the floors
above it. Therefore, the bottom floor wall must be stronger
than the upper floor walls. This can be achieved by reinforcing
the voids in the bottom masonry walls with steel bars and
concrete grout. More steel bars closer spacing of grouted
cores equals stronger masonry walls. If a load bearing
masonry wall does not extend all the way down to the foundation
because of required openings such as parkade drive aisles,
large concrete or steel transfer beams are required to
support the wall above the opening.

There is lots more that can be covered on the topic of construction

materials, but hopefully this gives you a good
understanding of each of the major materials and the
applications that are best suited for each of them.

What are basic construction

materials?
Wood, cement, aggregates, metals, bricks, concrete, clay are
the most common type of building material used in construction.
The choice of these are based on their cost effectiveness for
building projects.
 What are the 12 steps of construction?
12 Steps Toward a Successful Commercial Construction
Process

1. Initial Preparation. ...

2. Research, Surveys, and Sketches. ...
3. Coordination and Interpretation. ...
4. Initial Diagram. ...
5. Design Details and Full Feasibility Study. ...
6. Predicting Impediments. ...
7. Incorporation of Permits into Design. ...
8. Permit Submission Process.

What is a CHB wall?

Concrete Hollow Blocks (CHB):

Concrete Hollow Blocks (CHB), are one of the most extensively used
walling materials in the Philippines. Some of the reasons for this is
their relative low cost when compared to other materials and speed of
installation by semi-skilled labourers.

Advantages and Disadvantages:

Why use CHB Walls?

1. Strong and durable

2. Fire-resistant and Non-combustible
3. Weather Resistant
4. Cheap
5. Availability. Materials are available anywhere in the Philippines

The Disadvantages?
Complex installation process

1. Labor intensive

All About Concrete Hollow Blocks

The common types available in the market are CHB 6" and CHB 4"

Good Tips & Common Mistakes

1. Whenever possible, get supply from a single manufacturer of
CHB. Basing from experience, there are size differences per
manufacturer.
2. Beware of suppliers that deliver under-aged CHBs. Under-aged
CHBs lack strength and will easily crack and crumble.
Estimating Reinforcements for a Concrete Hollow Block
(CHB) Wall
There are many ways to estimate the quantity of reinforcements for a
CHB Wall: by area method, by direct counting and by unit block. The
easiest method and the one we will be discussing in this article is the
area method.

HOW TO CALCULATE FOR QUANTITY OF STEEL BARS FOR A

CHB WALL:

1. Determine the area of the wall:

a. Determine the area of your wall. The formula for a square wall
is Length * Height.

b. Square Wall Area = Length * Height

c. Make sure to take into consideration the often-overlooked

information that will affect the area of your wall – for example,
the depth of your beam or the underground foundation CHB.

2. Determine the specified vertical and horizontal

reinforcement spacing:

You may get the specified spacings from the construction

drawings or from your engineer. However, if you need an idea
about the minimum and maximum spacings that can be used,
you may refer to this table:
3. Get total required length of vertical and horizontal steel
bars:

Based on the specified horizontal and vertical spacing, multiply

your area with the corresponding values from the table to get
the total required length of vertical and horizontal steel bars
total required length of vertical and horizontal steel bars

Vertical Steel Bar Length = Wall Area * Vertical Spacing

Multiplier Horizontal Steel Bar Length = Wall Area

* Horizontal Spacing Multiplier

4. Get the total length of steel bars needed:

Add the vertical steel bar length and the horizontal steel bar length.
 Total Steel Bar Length Needed = Vertical Steel Bar Length +
Horizontal Steel Bar Length

5. Determine the quantity of steel bars needed to be

ordered:

Determine the commercial length of the steel bar to be ordered

and divide it with the total steel bar length to get the quantity of
steel bars needed to be ordered.

Total of Steel Bars to be ordered = Total Steel Bar Length

Needed / Steel Bar Commercial Length

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What is the ASTM specification for non-load
bearing CHB?
CHB Technical Specification
NONLOADBEARING CONCRETE MASONRY UNITS— ASTM C129

These units must be clearly marked to preclude their use as

loadbearing units. Minimum net area compressive strength
requirements are 500 psi (3.45 MPa) for an individual unit and 600 psi
(4.14 MPa) average for three units.

What is block specification?

The nominal dimensions of the concrete blocks are given below:

Length : 400, 500 or 600 mm.

Height : 200 or 100 mm.

Width : 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 250 or 300 mm.

In addition to the blocks mentioned above, blocks shall be

manufactured in half lengths of 200, 250, and 300 mm to correspond to
the full-lengths.

What is ASTM C90 specifications?

ASTM C90 contains minimum requirements that assure

properties necessary for quality performance, including
specified constituent materials, minimum face shell and web
thicknesses, minimum compressive strength, permissible
variations in dimensions, and finish and appearance criteria.

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Steel Cladding
Steel Cladding

Steel is the heaviest and cheapest of the four materials. It is

usually coated in a polymer lacquer (e.g. polyester or plastisol)
to prevent rust and corrosion.
Timber Cladding
Timber cladding is a highly versatile material which offers property
owners the ability to create striking facades for projects which don’t
require a fire rating. Sourced responsibly and lasting many years, this
sustainable cladding material provides an ideal solution for many
design projects. Many different types of timber can be used including
Western Red Cedar, Larch, Oak, Sequoia and many more. Timber
cladding is a sustainable and environmentally friendly material that
can be used for construction. It has many incredible advantages, such
as being carbon neutral due to the natural cycle of growth in trees
which absorb CO2 while releasing oxygen – this means they balance
out any emissions far better than other popular building materials like
concrete or steel.

One thing to note though is the significant amount of maintenance

required to keep the timber looking it’s best. Regular staining of the
timber will be required to prevent discolouration and timber is
susceptible to warps and cracks over time which need to be
monitored.

Which wood is best for cladding?

Western red cedar, European larch, European oak and Douglas fir are
among the most popular species to use in cladding as they don't
require any preservative treatment, because they're naturally resistant
to insects, moisture and rot. On the other hand, species such as
spruce, fir and pine have to be treated.
Plastic cladding
What is the cheapest cladding?

Image result for wooden cladding

Plastic cladding, also known as uPVC cladding, is one of the cheapest

options you can go for. Lightweight and available in almost any colour,
uPVC cladding is a great choice for budget conscious property owners.
Aluminum Cladding
What is Aluminum Cladding?
Aluminum cladding is cladding that is created using a thin coating
of aluminum on the exterior of the product. Cladding in
general is the application of one type of substance or
material over a different material, effectively
creating a protective layer on the underlying material.
The use of aluminum, sometimes spelled "aluminium,"
in creating high- quality cladding is common,
especially with architecture products like
windows and doors.

In some instances, aluminum cladding is manufactured using a

process known as extrusion. This is usually the case
when the aluminum is serving as a skin over another
metal. Essentially, the process calls for
compressing the two metals together using some type
of high-pressure equipment, or using some sort of
die to create the adhesion. In both
processes, extreme and constant
temperatures of heat are necessary to create the
necessary bond.

A number of building materials are clad with aluminum. For

example, wood window cases are sometimes outfitted with
aluminum cladding as a means of adding strength to the
casings and the window sashes. The exterior skin helps to
protect the wood from weather damage, extending the life
of the casings for a number of years. As an added benefit,
the presence of the cladding makes it much easier to clean
the casing using basic cleaning products.

The same general concept is often used with the creation of

exterior doors that are coated with aluminum cladding.
Thanks to the protective skin, the door can stand up to
 extreme weather conditions without warping or
deteriorating for a number years. With modern
manufacturing methods, the thin skin can easily be tinted
to any color desired, and can even be impressed with wood
grain designs, allowing the door to have the appearance of
natural wood.

ALUPANEL™ ALUMINUM COMPOSITE PANELS

ALUPANEL™ is a locally produced Aluminum Composite Panel

backed by a 15 year warranty and adheres to international
quality standards.

Aluminum Composite Panels are used for exterior cladding

systems such as facades of buildings insulation, signate
and interior cladding systems.

Our composite panels consist of two thin coil-coated aluminum

sheets affixed to a non-aluminum core.
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