CONCRETE AS CONSTRUCTION / BUILDING MATERIALS &

DECORATIVE FINISH
Basic Background

- very strong in compression

- w/ Steel, also in tension
- can take any shape, or form through casting
- can also take a variety of textures , finishes & colors
- Composition: cement, water & aggregates
- Strength is determined by cement, aggregates & water
ratio
- expands or shrinks depending on temperature changes
- Aggregates makes up approx. ¾ of total material volume
- Admixtures: compounds added to cement to improve the
cement’s workability
o Strength
o curing time
o color & texture
- Curing: heat given off (heat of hydration). Achieved in 28 days
but continues to grow stronger as curing progresses on.

Types of Cement

Portland- produced by pulverizing clinker (calcium silica), and

calcium sulphate

Types of Portland cement

- Type 1 - most widely used and least costly. Reaches full strength
in 28 days w/o additives
 - Type 2 - moderate heat emitting. Used for large concrete pours
where less heat is desired during curing period.
- Type 3 – high early strength which achieves earlier strength than
Type 1
- Type 4 – low heat cement like type 2 and releases the least heat
during curing process
- Type 5 – most expensive, sulphate resisting.

Pozzolan - Mixture of Portland & exact amounts of natural & artificial

pozzolanic materials, ex: volcanic tuff, shales, clay, ash, slag

Types of Pozzolan cement

- Type P – used in general construction where high initial strength

before 28 days is not required.
- This type however, like portland, still meets compressive
strength desired of it after 28 days
- Type 1P – additives can be added to achieve optimal
compressive & tensile strength before the 28 day period.

Design Considerations

• Malleable & free form

• can acquire any color
• manipulated to create preferred texture

Failure because of:

• Improper mixing
• Wrong placement
• Improper pouring
• Incorrect curing
 • Heavy construction material mixture to alter properties

Types of Concrete

Reinforced Concrete

• combination of steel & concrete

• steel is protected from corrosion while concrete is strengthened
• Pre-stressed & Post- Tension concrete const.

Cast-in-Place /Site Cast Concrete

• poured directly on site to provide unlimited sculptural quality

• slow process since formwork needs to be constructed on site
too
• formwork becomes a cost consideration
• caution on formworks to prevent seepage

Pre-Cast Concrete

- made at factory before transport to jobsite

- booming industry-time saving & cost effective feature
- cladding panels can be attractively finished
- no formwork to fabricate and removed after
- Can be erected in poor weather, w/o waiting for concrete curing.
- transport to site maybe limiting
- best for repetitive & consistent components of the structure

Fiber Cement Concrete

- used mainly as a siding and at times, ceiling material.

- composed of:
o cellulose fibers
o Portland Cement
 o Silica
o Sand
o water
o Additives / Admixtures
- can cause shrinkage & discoloration during curing.
- can corrode imbedded metals, like steel bars

Additives/Admixtures

- Air-entraining – increases workability by protecting it from

freezing. Adds thermal insulating properties to the cement mix.
- lightweight & non-structural reduces strength of mixture using
const. time.
- allows formwork to be removed sooner

Retarding – slows the hardening or curing time.

- used in massive engineering applications like roads, bridge

decks, dams & large foundations.

- allows ample allowance between mixing & pouring/use.

- Vulnerable to environmental conditions during curing period.

- Vulnerable to creep: deformation due to structural stress

Super Plasticizers – organic compound mixtures that transforms

stiff concrete mix to a more fluid, workable mix prior to pouring.

- permits a reduction of water content to increase conc, strength.

- ingredients are: slag, fly ash, & micro silica
- keeps water content requirement low w/o sacrificing strength.

Water reducing – allows 5 – 10% reduction in needed water to mix

while retaining the amount of workability.
 - produces higher strength in concrete and help plasticity.

- slows hydration process , thus lengthens the time of optimum

strength of 28 days

Fly Ash – powdered waste product from coal-fired power plants.

- strengthens concrete but decreases permeability.

- improve the mix’s workability & reduces the required amount of

water to be used in the mix.

Pigmenting Agents – additives that give desired colour to the

concret

3 methods of adding colour:

Integral Method

- adds the colouring agent through entire mix and added during
the mixing process.
- produces a uniform but dull colour through the entire concrete
mixture.

Dry Method

- applied only to the exposed surface.

- troweled/spread over the top surface and produces a thin layer
of colour over the slab.
- produces a more vibrant colour over the slab compared to the
Integral method.

Chemical Stain Method

- applied when the concrete has hardened/cured.

 - produces an uneven colour over the concrete as the hardened
concrete would have variable absorbencies.
- the chemical stains react directly with the existing concrete’s
minerals & pore structure

Movement Joints

Control Joints

- allows for controlled cracking along a formed, tooled, or cut

joint.
- Allows shrinkage of the section of concrete

Construction Joints

- occurs when successive concrete pours abut one another.

- Seams between successive pours, called cold joints, are often
a point of weakness, reinforcement bar and interlocking keys
may be used to tie the two concrete members together.

Expansion Joints

- engineered joints that allow two adjacent structural elements to

move independently from each other when subjected to different
stresses
- allows for both contraction and expansion of the concrete
sections.

Isolation Joints

- type of expansion joint, used to separate concrete into individual

structural elements or to isolate the concrete from other
construction materials
PSI- PONDS PER SQUARE INCH

Concrete Hollow Block - CHB

- Nominal Sizes
o 8” or 200mm
o 6” or 150mm
o 4” or 100mm

Types of CHBs

- KNOCKOUT BOND BEAM

- BEAM BLOCK
- L-BLOCKS
Other CHB
Other wood CHB products

Reinforced Concrete Cantilever construction

- dramatic relationship with the site

- designed against the threat of flooding
- aesthetic coolness of the concrete is balanced by the warmth of
the wooden interiors
- side windows were minimized because the walls act as
structural beams for the entire structure
- creates an interesting debate of form vs material due to its long
cantilevered structure.

Reinforced Cast-in-Place Concrete construction

- Inspired by the natural site and its village context.

- large concrete frame embraces the small spaced of the building
- composed of 2 rectangular volumes of cast-in-place concrete
linked at a skew by a glazed entrance hall.
- architects’ intent was to symbolize the strength of concrete to
the civic unity of the community and its longevity through its
material quality.
- wood panels & planks provided texture and reduced the
monolithic scale of concrete.
- Inspired by the natural site and its village context.
- architects’ intent was to symbolize the strength of concrete to
the civic unity of the community and its longevity through its
material quality.
- wood panels & planks provided texture and reduced the
monolithic scale of concrete.
- site materials:
o iroko wood
o Gray slate
o aluminum
- last 2 upper floors are ‘glass boxes’ for creativity rooms,
supported by the concrete structure below., the production zone.
- Architect’s design concept was to separate the two work zones
via 2 distinctive construction materials.
- design intention: to express a purity of monolithic material by the
use of concrete.
- West wall, interior walls, floors & stairways are all cast-in place
concrete
- Cast-in-place concrete is mixed very near the project site and
requires a form to give it the shape.
 - important cost factor to consider: formworks, which must be
carefully designed for both aesthetic & economic reasons
- It is always most economical to use formwork of repetitive form,
size & thickness.
- Concrete blades on the southern side are Precast concrete
louvers, intelligently placed on the sunny elevation & gives
continuity to the theme.
- These ‘comb-like’ blades of concrete create a brise-soleil (sun
breakers) for the glass wall, to keep an optimum level of shade
in the summer months.
- The building presents a contrasting character between
materials, one of slenderness & monolithic crispness in the
brise-soleil

Pre-Cast Concrete Panels

- Design intent: to have a feeling of openness and to interconnect

with the existing structure of the locale.
- Main character of this building annex is the precast concrete
panels
- Precast panels where made at the shop, to w/stand moisture &
thermal fluctuations. Precast construction is typically composed
of large, repetitive elements in order to save cost.
- Precast concrete elements gain considerable design flexibility
by allo2wing one dimension to be variable.
- -The concrete panels were cast & cured offsite, then delivered.
- Prefab panels allowed large openings such as floor-to-ceiling
windows that enhanced the connection between interior &
exterior spaces.
- This method allowed for better control of quality during the
casting and curing of the concrete and assured a more
consistent finish.

Composite Fibre reinforced Cement

- Design intent: provide a serene and pure space where the land,
water, and sky could be framed by the pure forms of the
structure.
- Designed to be easily dismantled and transported to any
permissible site, is also designed to be earthquake proof, snow
and high wind load resistant.
- The pavilion’s simple lines & large clean planes create a flowing,
open space with constant framed views of the ocean and the
sky
- CFR Boards give the building its clean, simple planes & lines.
- Composite Fibre reinf. cement boards, panels & claddings keep
the structure lightweight & economical, easily dismantled then
rebuilt again.
The quality of its minimalist details becomes a tribute & proof
that relatively modest materials can be used to produce refined
results.
 GLASS AND GLAZING

Glazing
- is a transparent part of a wall, usually made of glass or plastic
(acrylic and polycarbonate).
Glass
- common sense refers to a hard, brittle, transparent solid, such
as that used for windows, many bottles, or eyewear

- In the technical sense, glass is an inorganic product of fusion

which has been cooled to a rigid condition without crystallizing.

- In the scientific sense the term glass is often extended to all

amorphous solids (and melts that easily form amorphous
solids), including plastics, resins, or other silica-free amorphous
solids.

Characteristics of Glass

- No definite melting point, if heated it soften, melt and becomes

a thick syrupy liquid making it possible to be bent.

- While in a molten state, it can be blown, drawn, rolled, press and

cast into a variety of shapes and textures.

- Glass is commonly used to glaze window, sash and skylight

openings in buildings.
 Sheet glass
- (sometimes called window glass or drawn glass) was made by
dipping a leader into a vat of molten glass then pulling that
leader straight up while a film of glass hardened just out of the
vat.

Rolled plate glass

- The glass is taken from the furnace in large iron ladles, which
are carried upon slings running on overhead rails; from the ladle
the glass is thrown upon the cast-iron bed of a rolling-table; and
is rolled into sheet by an iron roller, the process being similar to
that employed in making plate-glass, but on a smaller scale.
Figure rolled glass
- The elaborate patterns found on figure rolled glass are produced
in a similar fashion to the rolled plate glass process except that
the plate is cast between two rollers, one of which carries a
pattern.
Float glass
- is a sheet of glass made by floating molten glass on a bed of
molten tin. This method gives the sheet uniform thickness and
very flat surfaces. Modern windows are made from float glass.
Most float glass is soda-lime glass, but relatively minor
quantities of specialty borosilicate and flat panel display glass
are also produced using the float glass process.
 - The glass cools and slowly solidifies as it travels over the molten
tin and leaves the tin bath in a continuous ribbon. The glass is
then annealed by cooling in an oven called a lehr.
- Soda-lime glass is prepared by melting the raw materials, such
as soda, lime, silica, alumina, and small quantities of fining
agents in a glass furnace at temperatures locally up to 1675°C.
- Old window containing a sheet of float glass in the upper left
section, Jena, Germany. The remaining sections are possibly
not float glass as indicated by the distorted reflections of a tree.

Annealed glass
- is glass without internal stresses caused by heat treatment (ie
by rapid cooling, or by toughening or heat strengthening). Glass
becomes annealed if it is heated above a transition point then
allowed to cool slowly, without being quenched.
Annealed glass breaks into large, jagged shards that can cause
serious injury

A lehr is a temperature-controlled kiln for annealing objects made

of glass.
Laminated glass (safety glass)
- is a type of safety glass that holds together when shattered. In
the event of breakage, it is held in place by an interlayer,
typically of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), between its two or more
layers of glass.
Toughened glass

- (tempered glass) is a type of safety glass that has increased

strength and will usually shatter in small, square pieces when
broken.
- Toughened glass is typically four to six times the strength of
annealed glass.
Stained glass
- The term stained glass refers either to the material of colored
glass or to the art and craft of working with it. As a material the
term stained glass generally refers to glass that has been
colored by adding metallic salts during its manufacture.

Chemically strengthened glass

- is a type of glass that has increased strength. The glass is

chemically strengthened by submerging the glass in a bath
containing a potassium salt (typically potassium nitrate) at 450
°C. 6-8x the strength of annealed glass.

- Also unlike toughened glass, chemically strengthened glass

may be cut after strengthening.
Low-emissivity glass

- Low-emissivity (Low-E) coatings are microscopically thin,

virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on a
window or skylight glazing surface primarily to reduce the U-
factor by suppressing radiative heat flow.
Self-cleaning glass

- The first self-cleaning glass was based on thin film titanium

dioxide coating. The glass cleans itself in two stages.
 - The 'photo catalytic' stage of the process breaks down the
organic dirt on the glass using ultraviolet in sunlight (even on
overcast days) and makes the glass hydrophilic (normally glass
is hydrophobic). During the following 'hydrophilic' stage rain
washes away the dirt - leaving almost no streaks, because
hydrophilic glass spreads the water evenly over its surface.

Insulated glazing

or double glazing is a piece of glazing consisting of two or more

layers of
- glazing separated by a spacer along the edge and sealed to
create a dead air space between the layers. This type of glazing
has functions of thermal insulation and noise reduction.

Glass brick
- also known as glass block, is often used as an architectural
element in underground parking garages, washrooms,
municipal swimming baths, and other areas where privacy or
visual obscuration is desired, while admitting light.
-
Reinforcing Steel Bars

Incorporated in concrete & other masonry works to prevent

cracking when tension, compression & other loads exceed the
strength of regular concrete works.
Metals

- entropic: can be recovered & recycled, re-formed, or mixed

together to form totally new metal types.
- Metals that contain iron are ferrous metals.
- Steel
- Cast Iron
- Wrought Iron
- Ferrous are strongest but tends to oxidize easily
- Nonferrous contain no iron
- more costly, and tend to form a protective oxide layer to prevent
excessive corrosion.

Casting: Molten metal is poured into a mold to achieve a desired

shape.

Forging: hot metal is forced into a die to achieve a desired shape.

Rolling: hot or cold metal passes through a series of rollers to give

it a ‘profile’ or shape.

Extruding: metal is pushed through a die, squeezing it to a desired

cross section or form.

Drawing: metal is pulled rather than pushed through the die, to

produce wires, tubing or rods

Oil Canning / Waviness: occurs in metal surface, mostly in large

span. Measures must be taken to prevent this.

Hot rolled process- Rolled out of the casting area continuously to a

specific thickness or diameter.
Cold rolled- Most common and is also a product of the hot rolled.
Steel is run through a cold rollers, stretching the grains, smoothing
the surface, and making the metal more dimensionally accurate.

Quenching- heats the steel and then quickly cools it in water, oil or
air, creating a layer of metal crystals on the surface that is harder and
more brittle

Tempering -increases ductility & strength by heating & a highly

controlled process of cooling.

Annealing -heating steel and cooling it very slowly to make it soft

enough for bending, cutting and other forming methods.

Galvanization - application of zinc coating or iron to prevent rusting

Hot dipped - applied by immersing the metal in a bath of molten

zinc, forming the protective layer on the outside

Cold dipping - or electro-galvanizing, less durable process in which

a thin coating of zinc is electrically created on the steel member

Weathering - steel’s reaction with oxygen, causing rust & corrosion

Joining - steel can easily be joined by most of the common joining

heat processes

- strongest way of joining steel is through welding. The most

common is by the use of either oxygen or acetylene gas or by use of
electricity melting welding rod tubes

Chrome coating – electrochemically deposting chrome coatings of

varying thickness gives teh champagne, bronze, blue, gold & blac
colors to stainless steel. They do not crack nor fade even when
exposed to the sun.
 Electro deposited High-gloss Titanium coating – creates an
appearance of polished brass w/o needding to be lacquered

Decorative Textured Metal Sheet - .coated embossed sheets w/ a

variety of patterned surfaces

Architectural Cladding – Die-cut Arch’tl. metal sheets. Textures

includes random abrasion, etching, stamping & sandstone.

Thin high-temperature insulation – high performance glass fiber,

sandwiched between two corrugated & extremely thin metal foils

Copper press mat – highly durable mat that permits efficient heat
transfer & quickly regains its original shape after the press cycle.

Cold-work texturing process: cold rolling process creates textured

patterns on the surface on a wide variety of metals.

Stainless steel mesh – Tin-coated copper join together lengths of

steel mesh made of stainless steel cables.

Metal Bead, Decorative Chain Screen – Series of hollow metal

beads securely linked by dumbbell-shaped connectors that make
each bead flexible

Woven metal mesh – made from either steel or aluminum weave

sizes. Possible metals are nickel, copper, brass & stainless and
galvanized steel.

Decorative Metal Draper Fabric – 76% steel, 24% polyester-blend

textile incorporating type graphics for drapers & panel wrapping.

E.M.I. Shielding Textile – Metal coated fabrics, filaments and yarns,

as well as finished panelings that are electrically conducting and
highly flexible. They are intended for electromagnetic (EMI) and radii-
frequency (RFI) shielding.

Flexible metal mesh – highly flexible, flat brass mesh polished to a

high luster. The mesh can be coated with natural or metallic enamel
finishes such as gold, silver, bronze & plantinum

Custom wooven stainless steel wire meshes – custome woven

wire with mesh openings. It is high strength,. Durable, corrosion
resistant, cleanalbe and available in different weaves & coated
finishes. Can be used as window treatments or acoustic panelings

Metal Polyester Composite Sheet – sheets composed of a highly

impact resistant polystyrene base layer and either a metal coated or
polyester film

Screen printed aluminum cladding – Textured, coated metal

sheets that are suitable for exterior & interior applications. A wide
variety of colors & designs are made available.

Aluminum paneling – The 3-dimensional effects on these

aluminum sheets are created by selective grinding. Metal is then
anodized to harden & color the surface while enhancing the
appearance

What does MDF board means?

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Minimum Density Fibreboard

Medium Density Fibreboard
Maximum Density Fibreboard
Modified Density Fibreboard

It is the process of learning from, and emulating life's genius,

2/2

Material Biomimicry
Material Sustainability
Material Adaptation
Green Architecture

It refers to a hard, brittle, transparent solid, such as that used for windows, many bottles, or eyewear.
2/2

Resin
Plastic
Acrylic
Glass

It was made by dipping a leader into a vat of molten glass then pulling that leader straight up while a
film of glass hardened just out of the vat.
2/2

Sheet Glass
Annealed Glass
Float Glass
Rolled Plate Glass

It is a glass without internal stresses caused by heat treatment by rapid cooling, or by toughening or
heat strengthening,
2/2

Sheet Glass
Float Glass
Rolled Plate Glass
Annealed Glass

This glass is made using a method of laying molten glass on a bed of molten tin that gives the sheet
uniform thickness and very flat surfaces.
2/2

Annealed Glass
Rolle Plate Glass
Sheet Glass
Float Glass

It is a type of safety glass that holds together when shattered. In the event of breakage, it is held in
place by an interlayer, typically of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), between its two or more layers of glass.
2/2

Laminated Glass
Tempered Glass
Fiber Glass
Security Glass

It is often used as an architectural element in underground parking garages, washrooms, municipal

swimming baths, and other areas where privacy or visual obscuration is desired, while admitting
light.
2/2

Toughened Glass
Curtain Wall
Glass Wall
Glass Block

It is produced by pulverizing clinker (calcium silica), and calcium sulphate.

2/2

Pozzolan
Portland
Mortar
Aggregates

It is a mixture of cement & exact amounts of natural & artificial pozzolanic materials, ex: volcanic tuff,
shales, clay, ash, slag.
2/2

Pozzolan
Portland
Aggregates
Admixtures

A type of portland cement which is moderate heat emitting. Used for large concrete pours where less
heat is desired during curing period.
2/2

Type 1
Type 4
Type 3
Type 2

It is a combination of steel & concrete and being use in major structural elements.
2/2

Reinforce Concrete
Composite Concrete
Modified Concrete
Pre-cast Concrete

It is a type of concrete made at factory before transport to jobsite.

2/2

Composite Concrete
Ready made Concrete
Reinforce Concrete
Pre-cast Concrete

It is an admixtures that slows the hardening or curing time of concrete.

2/2

Decelerator
Retarder
Slower
Accelerator

It is an admixture additives that give desired color to the concrete.

2/2

Pigmenting Agent
Coloring mixture.
Colored Sand
Paint

Class "A" Concrete has a proportion mixture of?

2/2

1:2:4
1:3:6
1:1.5:3
1:3.5:7

Which isn't a common nominal size of a CHB?

2/2

6"
10"
8"
4"

Identify the type of decorative concrete block on the image shown.

2/2

Gumamela
Cactus
Champaca
Everlasting

Identify the type of decorative concrete block on the image shown.

2/2

Gumamela
Yellowbell
Sunflower
Champaca

It is the process of heating the steel and then quickly cools it in water, oil or air, creating a layer of
metal crystals on the surface that is harder and more brittle.
2/2

Quenching
Strengthening
Hardening
Layering

Which is not a method of joining steel.

2/2
Welding
Bolting Screw
Soldering
Nailing

Die-cut Arch’tl. metal sheets. Textures includes random abrasion, etching, stamping & sandstone.
2/2

Metal Tiling
Steel Moldings
Steel Cladding
Prefab Steel Works

It is made from either steel or aluminum weave sizes. Possible metals are nickel, copper, brass &
stainless and galvanized steel.
2/2
Chicken Wire
Steel Mesh
Wire Mesh
Woven Metal Mesh

It is a type of steel that contains 12 – 20% chromium & other elements,

2/2
Galvanized Iron
Carbon Steel
Aluminum Steel
Stainless Steel

Which isn't a nominal diameter size of a "Rebar"?

2/2

18mm
16mm
10mm
12mm