Arba Minch University Department of Civil Engineering

Chapter -1

Types of Building and Drawing

Introduction:

Building Construction is a traditional Science which deals with the modern methods of sound
construction incorporating appropriate use of materials, sufficient strength and permanence,
maximum utility and good proportion and grace. The building design has traditionally been
the responsibility of the Architect though the building construction has been the responsibility
of the civil Engineer. However, the structural design of the building is the responsibility of a
civil Engineer.

Building Definition:

Any structure for whatsoever purpose and of whatsoever materials constructed and every part
thereof whether used as human habitation or not and includes foundations , plinth walls
floors, roofs , chimneys, plumbing and building services, verandah, balcony, cornice or
projections, any thing affixed there to or any wall enclosing the building.

Types of Building
1. Residential Building

Those building in which sleeping accommodation is provided for normal residential

purposes with or with out cooking or dinning or both facilities.
Example: Dormitories, apartment houses (flats), hotels

2. Educational Building:
These include any building used for school, college or day care purposes for more than
8 hours per week involving assembly for instruction, education or recreation.
3. Institutional Building:
Includes any building or part thereof which is used for purposes such as medical or
other treatment or care of persons suffering from physical or mental illness, disease,
for penal or correctional purposes.
-Institutional buildings ordinarily provide sleeping accommodation for the
occupants.
Example: Hospitals , penal institutions.

4. Assembly Building

Includes any building or part of building where group of people congregate or gather for
amusement, recreation, social, religious, patriotic, civil, travel and similar purposes
Example: Theatres, dance halls, assembly halls etc

Building Construction Lecture Notes 1

Arba Minch University Department of Civil Engineering

5. Business Buildings

Includes buildings for the transaction of business for the keeping of accounts and records.
Example: City halls, court houses, libraries

6. Mercantile Buildings

Includes any building or part of building which is used as shops, stores, markets, for
display and sale of merchandise, either whole sale or retail.

7. Industrial buildings

Any building or part of a building or structure in which products or materials of all kinds
and properties are fabricated, assembled or processed.
e.g. Assembly plants, laboratories, power plant, pumping stations refineries

8. Storage Buildings

Used primarily for the storage or sheltering of goods, wares, merchandise

Example: Warehouses, cold storage, store houses, freight deposit.

9. Hazardous Buildings

Used for storage, handling, manufacturing or processing of highly combustible or

explosive materials or products which are liable to burnt with extreme rapidity and/ or
which produces poisonous fumes or explosions.

The main Considerations in the architectural design of buildings for all purposes are
- Climate and its effects
- People and their requirements
- Materials for Construction and method of construction
- regulations and by laws

1.2 Building Drawing:

Drawing Basics

1) Drawing sheets (ISO- standard)

Designation Size (mm x mm)
A0 841 x 1189
A1 594 x 841
A2 420 x 594
A3 297 x 420
A4 210 x 297
A5 148 x 210

Building Construction Lecture Notes 2

Arba Minch University Department of Civil Engineering

2) Instruments
- T Square
- Pencil with leads of different hardness
6B, 5B,….. 2B , B, HB, F, H,………, 4H, ……9H

Soft Medium Hard

- Erasers
- Pencil sharpeners
- Reduction scales
- Brush
- Drawing boards
- Protractor
- Case instruments (Divider, Compass)
- Templates
- Fastening Tapes, etc

Scale
Enlarged Same Size Reduced
2000:1 1:1 1:2
1000:1 Machine 1:5
500:1 Drawing 1:50
200:1 1:100
100:1 1:500
50:1 1:1000
5:1 1:2000
2:1

Building Construction Lecture Notes 3

Arba Minch University Department of Civil Engineering

Common symbols
Symbol Description

0.000 Existing level on plan

0.000 Existing level on a Section

0.000 Required level on a Plan

0.000 Required level on a Section

Centerline
Property line

Typical door opening

Window section plan

General purpose brick and

stone construction

Concrete Construction

Earth

H.C.B (Hollow
Concrete Block)

Building Construction Lecture Notes 4

Arba Minch University Department of Civil Engineering

Beds

Cup
board
s

Fixtures (plumbing and Electrical)

Water closet – Wall hang (WC)

0
Water closet – Floor outlet hang ( W C)

Water closet – Tank tyre (WC)

Urinals – Wall hang (U)

Wash fountain –Circular (WF)

Hand wash basin

Or Kitchen

Boiler Boiler

Electrical stove

Refrigerator

Building Construction Lecture Notes 5

 Arba Minch University Department of Civil Engineering

1.3 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

Definition: A construction is some thing made by man for one or another purpose; Road,
Bridge, dam etc.
Human beings are motivated by the desire for better living condition.
Steps of development of building

i) Cave – no furniture
- the floor was used for all purposes
- no door
ii) Door was invented
iii) Development of progress and the house started to be divided into rooms.

Requirement for construction

 Site on which to build a house
 material
 permission
 Labour

A building consists not only of the house, but also the sites, roads, the garden, the gate,… etc.
It should be planned and well adopted to its purpose so that the combination result a complete
harmonious unit.

House construction in Ethiopia

Low lands :- Rain is scarce, usually dry and windy, timber is not abundantly available, stone
is available.

Branchs

Earth
log
Mortar Temperature
>surrounding
GL temp.
GL Fig _ Typical House construction in
Low lands
30-40cm
- Openings for doors and windows is
difficult
40-60cm

Building Construction Lecture Notes 6

Arba Minch University Department of Civil Engineering

High lands: There is heavy rain and is usually wet, timber is abundant, stone is less
available.

Timber

Corrugated
iron sheet

Typical house
construction in High lands

Steps in building construction

Site work Fundamental of design

& construction
Building construction
Office work
Building drawing

Design is of a process of:

- Blending various aspects of a certain given problem with the aim of arriving at a best
solution with in a given scope.
- Selecting the best solution for a problem under given circumstance.
- Performance of social and cultural acts of an individual with in a society.
- Creation
- Act of conveying human message

The most important design in civil Engineering

1. Architectural design
2. Structural design
3. electrical installation design
4. sanitary design

Building Construction Lecture Notes 7

Arba Minch University Department of Civil Engineering

Functional relations of Rooms

Garage

Kitchen Store Entrance

W.C
Break fast Dinning
Room Office

Living Room

Bed Room
Bath or shower

House plan
Functions and positions of rooms in a house
1. Entrance hall
- must be protected from weather
- should have Space for receiving visitors
- Should give access to other rooms with out entering the living room
2. Living Room
-Used for general day time activities, services mainly as focus of social activities of
family, round fire place, fed or coffee table and for leisure activities.
3. Kitchen:
-Should be placed in the rear of the building in one corner opposite to the direction of
flowing wind.
-Best placed towards North-east or North- west of house.
-It relates horizontally to front door, dinning room or meal space, food store,
vertically to bath room, W.C and other areas requiring water supply and
drainage.
-It may also be enlarged to contain dinning table and chairs for breakfast.
-There should be an adequate space for work, free from interruption and if
possible a space for additional equipment or larger items, likely to be used in
future.

Building Construction Lecture Notes 8

Arba Minch University Department of Civil Engineering

-May also be provided with chimney for smoke to escape and other utensils like
stove and refrigerator.
4. Dining Room
- direct access from hall or entrance or corridor, not necessarily, but from kitchen
it is essential.
- Sufficient space to accommodate guests in dinning room
- Out side dinning room verandah should lie on wind protected sunny
side of the house in front of dinning or living room
5. Studio or office
- frequently serves as office or work room, rear entrance and living room
- Space for required furniture in sensible arrangements
- orientation: east, west and south
6. Bed Room
- Should be located on the sides of the building with at least one wall exposed
open for ventilation and lighting.
- Space for required furniture in sensible arrangements
- orientation: East, west and south
7. Bath Room
- Space for appropriate bath room equipment, hanging towels, w.c , bidet washing
basin, etc.
8. Corridor
It is a passage affording independent entrance to various rooms and compartments.
9. Verandah:-
 Should be located in the front and rear of the building.

Maximum and minimum areas for different parts of a building:

Name of rooms Floor area for Floor area for Min. floor
standard building ordinary building Area (m2)
(m2) (m2)
Living Room 20-28 Up to 20 13.5
Dining Room 17-20 - 10
Bed Room 15-25 15-20 11
Office 7-9 - 6.5
Guest room 9-10.50 - 7.0
Kitchen 7-9 7-8.5 5.5
Store 7-9 5.50-6.00 5.5
Dressing Room 4-7 - 5.5
Servant Room 9-10 - 8.0
Garage 15-18 - 11
Verandah 2.5-3.00 m wide 1.8-2.5 1.5 m wide.

Building Construction Lecture Notes 9

Arba Minch University Department of Civil Engineering

Minimum height of rooms

Height of main rooms: 3 -3.50m

Height of kitchen, store and bath room = 2.70m

For residential building the covered area should be at least as given below.
Size of plot Covered area of building Space left (m)
(m2) Front Rear Sides
Plot < 200 66% of the site area 3.0 3.6 1.5

201-500 50% of the site area or 150 4.5 6.0 2.0

m2 which ever is more

501-1000 40% of the area or 250m2 6.0 7.5 3.0

which ever is more

>1000 33% of the area or 400m2 9.0 10.5 3.0

which ever is more

Maximum area occupied by wall= 20% of the total area of the building
Maximum area occupied by verandah= 10-20% of the total area of the bldg
4
Floor area of room and verandah = A-20%A = A
5
Where A= area of building.

Building Construction Lecture Notes 10