Chapter 3- Construction

Site Works
1
Course: Building Construction
Course Code: CEng-3207
Program: Civil Engineering (regular)
Credit Hours: 3
Lecture: 2hrs/wk
Lab: 3hr/wk
Course Instructor: Zerihun M.
2 Presentation Outlines
 Site Selection
 Planning
 Design
 Construction
Ø Site Preparation
Ø Setting Out
Ø Earth Work
 3 Introduction
 A construction site /building site:- is an area or piece of land where construction
work is taking place.

 In construction, site work includes the scope of work related to the exterior of a
project.

 Site work includes: surveying, grading, excavation, site utilities, paving, concrete
work and landscaping.

 In short, site work prepares the land to build a physical structure.

 Site work is performed to ensure that your building is safe, stable, and properly constructed.
4 Site Selection
 Site Selection: is the process of examining multiple options and assessing
their relative advantages and disadvantages.
 The site of a building greatly affects its planning, design, and construction.
 For the selection of good site, the following critria/ factors should be taken into
consideration.
 Climatic Condition:
Ø The intensity of rainfall and sub-soil water level should be low so as to
avoid dampness in the building.
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 Sub-Soil Condition:
Ø A hard stratum should be available at a reasonable depth to construct a
foundation safely and economically.
 Regulation of Local Authority:
Ø A site which comes within the limits of an area where the bylaws of local
authority enforce restrictions regarding the proportion of plot of land to be
built up, vacent space to be left infront and sides, building height...
 Availability of Modern Amenities
Ø The site must be within the municipal limit to have access for water supply,
electricity, roads, etc. in the future if there is no access in the present.
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 Availability other Facility:

Ø The site should provide as easy access from the nearest road and offer
sufficient light and air.
Ø There should be good and cheap transport facilities to access the site
Ø It is better to have public services like police station near to the site.
 Surrounding:
Ø The situations and surrounding of the site should suit the purpose for which
the building is constructed.
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 Level of the Site:

Ø The level of the site should be higher than its surrounding so as to provide
good drainage.
 Location of the Site
Ø Is the site accessible by public transportation?
Ø Are nearby traffic levels acceptable?
Ø Are adjacent businesses appropriate ?
Ø Is there a history of crime or vandalism in the area?
8 Planning

 Building Planning: is the arrangement of various components or units

of a building in a systematic manner so as to form a meaningful and
homogeneous structure to meet its functional purpose.
 The arrangement of the various rooms in the building is known as
Planning of Building.
 The planning of a buildig can be governed by severial factors such as
human factor, climatic conditions, site location, surrounding
environment etc.
9 Planning (CoNT...)

 Important factors in Planning

Ø Aspect: arrangements in such a way that the occupants to enjoy
natural gifts such as sunshine, breeze, view, etc.
Ø Prospect: is the impression when the building is seen from the
out side.
Ø Privacy: this can be seen in two ways: the privacy of one room
from other room and the privacy of the whole building from the
neighbouring building, public streets, etc.
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Ø Groupping : means disposition of various room in the layout in a typical fasion

so that all the rooms are placed in a proper correlation of their function and in
due proximity with each other.
Ø Its objective is to maintain the sequence of their function with less interference .

Ø Flexibility: Planning a room in such a way that, through originally designed for
a specific purpose, should serve other overlapping purpose if needed.
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Ø Circulation: it refers the space provided for movement.

Ø It includes movement on the same floor either between the rooms or within
the room through corridors, lobbies and passages is called horizontal
circulation.
Ø The movement between different floors through stair or lift is called vertical
circulation.
Ø Economy: the economy of the client/ owner may affect liability of the
engineer and may also require alterations or omissions in the original plan.
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13 Design

 Building Design: refers to the broadly based architectural, engineering

and technical applications to the design of buildings.
 All building projects require the services of a building designer, typically
a licensed architect.
 Architect: An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and
supervision of the construction of buildings.
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Draftsperson: provides services relating to the preparation of

construction documents rather than building design.
Building Surveyor: responsible for advising clients about the
design, construction, maintenance and repair of buildings.
Building Engineer: is a person that include electrical,
mechanical and structural engineers.
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 In building construction there are basically Five major types of design:

 Architectural Design: a discipline that focuses on covering and meeting the

needs and demands, to create living spaces, using certain tools and especially,
creativity.
 Structural Design: is about the conception, designing and construction of
structural systems.
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 Electrical Design: focus on provision of adquate electric power and

assembly of electrical equipments.
 Sanitery Design: related to the supply and distributions of clean
water and waste sewerage disposal systems.
 Mechanical Design: includes the designing of mechanical equipment
like boiler, evator, eskalator, air conditioner etc.
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 Construction: refers to any project that involves coming up with a design

for a structure at a certain location, and then putting together all the
different elements to build that structure.
1. Site preparation:
Ø The site will consists of permanent objects existing within the site or
adjecent to the site which is used for refercencing the site called
physical site features. Eg. existing building, trees, roads, fences etc.
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Ø Before starting the work, permanent bench marks must be established at a

suitable point in the construction site.

Ø Fix positions of storage and stacking of the materials, the site office, the guard,
and the labor shed, the access and existing roads for transport.

Ø Fix position of health and safety signs and screw them onto the fence.
ü Signs outside the fence read “danger construction work in progress”.
ü Signs inside the fence should include the site safety regulations, “No hats, No
boots, and No job”
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2. Setting out of a Building

 Setting Out
Ø Is bringing the dimensions from a plan to the real situation.
Ø Is the process of locating the works to be constructed.
Ø It is transfering data from plan to ground.
Ø Establishing the exact location and measurements of the house to be
built.
Ø The first activity of setting out is to clear the ground of any debris,
vegetation and other obstructions.
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 Errors in setting will in most cases result in remedial works, which will be
expensive.

 Whatever lines or levels are provided, it must be checked to be sure of their

accuracy, and they should be provided to the foreman efficiently so that he can
have the necessary confidence in them.
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 The following tools/ equipment can be used for setting out of a building.
ü Builder’s square Sprit level

ü Pegs
ü Theodolite

ü Measuring tape
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ü Hammer
ü String

ü Battens /profile board

ü Different size nail

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ü Pickaxe
ü Plumb bob

ü Mallet

ü Hand saw
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 Methods of setting out: in setting out of a building, we can use the

following three methods.

Ø The 3,4,5 methods

Ø The builder’s square method
Ø Instrument method (Theodolite)
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 A) The 3,4,5 methods

Ø To get a perfectly square corner, you want to aim for a measurement

ratio of 3:4:5.

Ø In other words, you want a three-foot length on your straight line, a

four-foot length on your perpendicular line, and a five-foot length
across.

Ø If all three measurements are correct, you'll have a perfectly square

corner.
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 Procedures:
1. Mark out the building line from the road by measuring the required
distance from the center of the road.
2. Mark out the overall length of the building by driving pegs at A and B
along the ranging line.
3. Obtain two steel tape measures; mark out four equal distance on the
ranging line starting from the corner B.
4. Pull a tape measure from point B to C and ask an assistant to hold it,
ready with hammer and peg.
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5. Pull the second tape from fourth mark D on the ranging line to point E.
6. The distance 5m on DE should coincide with point 3m on a tape BEC.
Then the angle B is 900.
7. Repeat the same procedure to obtain the right angle for BAF and mark
out the overall width of the building.
8. Establish corner pegs and erect profiles.
9. Mark the positions of partition wall on the profile with either nails or
saw cut. Ranging lines are streached through these nails and the corner
pegs to mark the ground to indicate the line of excavation
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. Builder’s Square Method:

1. Place the square against the building line, making the right-angled end to
be on peg “A”.
2. Drive in a peg into the ground at the end point of the square that is not on
the building line.
3. Range or sight across the new peg and drive in a third peg on the same
straight line.
4. Attach a string on peg “A” and stretch along the pegs on the straight line
to introduce peg “D”. Apply the same steps at peg “B” to get point “C”.
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Ø is a tripod mounted instrument designed to measure angles in horizontal

and vertical directions.
 Procedures:
1. Read the distance from the drawing and measure with same distance on
the ground.
2. Place the theodolite at the measured point adjust it with 0 0’0”
3. Measure the second point with reference to the first point and dig a peg
into the ground.
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4. Rotate the theodolite to 45 0’ 0” with reference to the original point and

measure the third point and place another peg into the ground.
5. Again rotate the theodolite to 90 0’ 0” with reference to the original point
and measure the fourth point anplace another peg into the ground.
6. Check the angle of each corner has made 90 0’ 0” by measuring the
diagonals which should be equal in distance.
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3. Earth Work:
v Site Clearing
v Foundation Excavation
ü Top soil Excavation
ü Bulk Excavation
ü Trench Excavation
ü Pit Excavation
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 Site Clearing:
v It involves the removal of walls, ditches, trees, vegitation and other service
from the site.
v It can also involve the removal of fly-tipped materials.
v Site clearance might include the clearance of rubbish, top soil, all trees,
stumps, bushes, roots, down timber, rotten wood, debris, humus, and any
other vegetation or unacceptable material.
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v If a new building is being built on an area of already existing, the

old building has to be demolished, the debris cleared away and
existing service disconnected and removed.
v Site clearing can be carried by using manual labours or machineries.
v The building site should be inspected against termite as part of the
process of clearing.
v The ground termite nest should be treated with toxic chemicals.
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39 Construction (CoNT...)

 Foundation Exavation
v Buildings consist of Sub and Super Structure elements.
v Sub – Structure or Foundation – is the lower portion of the building,
usually located below ground level, and transmits the load of the
superstructure to the sub – soil.
v It prevents the differential settlement by evenly loading the substrata.
v Foundations are also increases stability of structure by taking the
structure deep into the ground.
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A) Top Soil Excavation:

v The top soil should be removed because;
Ø It is not firm enough to suppor foundation
Ø It contain vegetations, which can damage foundation.
v The top soil should be removed at least 200-300 mm depth.
v Don’t use soil to backfill holes that are created by excavating roots
on the top soil.
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B) Bulk Excavation:
v It involves the removal of large amount of soil, rock, or other
material from the site.
v After removing the top soil, there should be a firm sub-soil that is
strong enough to support the building loads.
Ø Use working drawing (section drawing) to see how deep the
bulk excavation should be.
Ø Dig part of the top soil to the recommended level in the sub-soil.
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Ø Inspect the ground to check that the sub-soil is firm continue to

dig if the ground is not firm.
Ø Fill the extra depth with selected fill materials.
v The bulk excavation can be done manually by:
Ø Spades
Ø Shovel
Ø Pick axes
Ø Wheel barrow
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C) Trench Excavation:
 It is defined as a narrow excavation and the depth of the trench
is greater than its width.
 Trenching is used for digging irrigation or installing plumbing
connections, electricity cable.
 Excavation by hand, using pickaxe, spades and shovel are good
method for excavating trench for foundation of small building.
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D) Pit Excavation:
 It is a deep hole in the ground that gives access for foundation
placement.
 It is important for isolated types of footing.
 Pits are shallow, square shaped holes while trenches are longer,
linear and variable in depth.
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 Go to Chapter - 4

Building Structural Systems