WEE LESSON ONE LESSON TWO

K
1 Factors to bear in mind when choosing Factors to bear in mind when choosing
a building site. a building site.
Location Cohesive and non-cohesive soils.
Soil-load bearing capacity Availability of utilities.
Accessibility

2 Factors to bear in mind when choosing Factors to bear in mind when choosing
a building site. a building site.
Topography History
Correct Foundation History
Size
Climate
3
4
5
6

Building and Furniture Technology Grade 9

Name of Student……………………………
Date…………………..
Week 1
Lesson One
Topic: Factors to bear in mind when choosing a building site.
When planning to construct any building, several important factors need to be considered.
These factors can be highlighted during Site Analysis or the study of a building site. A good
site analysis will help us to understand the physical constraints of the site. It is therefore
important to conduct site visit, analyse the site then consider whether the site is appropriate
for construction.

Here is a list of the critical things to be consider before selecting your building site:

 Soil-load bearing capacity.

 Cohesive and non-cohesive soils.
 Correct foundation.
 Accessibility.
 Cost.
 Topography.
 History.
 Availability of utilities.
 Zoning.
 Location.
  Size.
Location

Site Location is the first thing that must be look at. Analysis of the site is also important and
it is done so as to be completely aware of the context of the target site. The collection the site
location details, which comprises of the address, the road on which it is located, major
junctions, surroundings and major landmarks, is very important. Along with all these
details, have a look at the various options through which you can reach your site.

Some basic question should be generated and answered such as:

 Where is site located?

 How it is approached?
 What is the name of the street, the road etc. on which the site is located?
 How far away is the important major junction?

Basically, a good site location is a matter of balancing all aspects of the site, by prioritising
requirements and considering how both site and building will impact on each other. Also, a
good building location can enhance the sustainability, energy efficiency and passive design
features of a home, resulting into cost savings and greater comfort for the inhabitants.

Soil-load bearing capacity.

Every structures whether they are buildings, dams, bridges etc. are built on soils. Soil when
stressed due to loading, tend to deform. A foundation is required to transmit the load of the
structure on a large area of soil. The foundation of the structure should be so designed that the
soil below does not fail in shear nor there is the excessive settlement of the structure. The
conventional method of foundation design is based on the concept of bearing capacity.

What is the bearing capacity of soil?

Whenever a load is placed on the ground, such as a building foundation, or a retaining wall,
the ground must have the capacity to support it without excessive settlement or failure.

In a nutshell, bearing capacity is the capacity of soil to support the loads that are applied to
the ground above.

It depends primarily on the type of soil, its shear strength and its density. It also depends on
the depth of embedment of the load – the deeper it is founded, the greater the bearing
capacity.

Where there is insufficient bearing capacity, the ground can be improved or alternatively the
load can be spread over a larger area such that the applied stress to the soil is reduced to an
acceptable value less than the bearing capacity. This can be achieved with spread
foundations composed of reinforced concrete.

Lesson Review / Activity

Answer all of the following questions by choosing true or false.
No Question True False
1 A foundation is required to transmit the load of the structure on a
large area of soil.
2 Soil when stressed due to loading, tend to deform.
3 Bearing capacity is the capacity of soil to support the loads that
are applied to the ground above.
4 A good building location can enhance the sustainability, energy
efficiency and passive design features of a home.
5 A good site analysis will help us to understand the physical
constraints of the site.

Video link

Building and Furniture Technology Grade 9

Name of Student……………………………
Date…………………..
Week 1
Lesson Two
Topic: Factors to bear in mind when choosing a building site.
Cohesive and non-cohesive soils.
It is essential to inspect the quality of the soil for your possible construction site. Loose or
moist soil serves as a poor foundation for any building compared to compact soil and will
require more work to attain stability. Likewise, rocky soils and clay soils will require
specialised equipment to make them safe for construction.

What is the difference between Cohesive and Non-Cohesive Soils?

Cohesive Soils

Cohesive soils are fine grained soils and are those whose particles aggregate or clump
together. In layman’s terms, the stuff that sticks together! These soils are characteristically
soft and can hold a large moisture content. Upon drying they obtain almost cement-like
hardness. Cohesive soils (largely due to their ability to hold water) are also prone to both
shrinkage and expansion.

Examples of Cohesive Soils include:

 1. Silt
2. Clay
3. Peat
4. Loam

Non-Cohesive Soils

Unlike cohesive soils, non-cohesive soils do not clump together in any way. Their grains, in
other words, remain separate from one another. Another way of looking at it is as a ‘free-
running’ kind of soil. The structural strength is dependent on the moisture content – think
building sand-castles on the beach!

Examples Of Non-Cohesive Soils Include:

1. Sand
2. Gravel
3. Some sandy loam

Availability of utilities.

Utilities are infrastructure services provided to consumers that are sometimes considered to
be “public” services, that is, they are supplied to the public and are important for the normal
functioning of society.

All utility services necessary for the construction needs to be available prior to the
commencement of construction.
Utility services include:
1. Electricity
2. Gas
3. Water
4. Communication services
5. Sewage
Temporary Electricity – This typically consists of a pole or a panel with outlets or other
electrical connections for use by those requiring power on a construction site, i.e. temporary
lighting, welders, wired power tools and equipment, etc.

Temporary Toilets: Since a number of workers is typically employed on a construction

project for a number of days or even months, portable toilets are required prior to the building
receiving finish and operational plumbing.

Temporary Water: Water will be required for various reasons during the construction phase.

Accessibility

Construction areas, need to be accessible. Vehicles need to get in and out of the construction
site with ease as various materials and utilities will be transported to and from the site
constantly. Eliminate site options that may require more expense in establishing accessibility
than you are willing to give.
Lesson Review / Activity
Complete the statements by filling the blanks with the correct answer.
Moist soil, clump inspect, specialised equipment, utility services, accessible, poor foundation
1. It is essential to…………. the quality of the soil for your possible construction site.
2. Loose or ………… soil serves as a ……………… for any building compared to
compact soil and will require more work to attain stability.
3. Rocky soils and clay soils will require………………. to make them safe for
construction.
4. Non-cohesive soils do not…….. together in any way.
5. All ……………….. necessary for the construction needs to be available prior to the
commencement of construction.
6. Construction areas, need to be…………...
Video link

Building and Furniture Technology Grade 9

Name of Student……………………………
Date…………………..
Week 2
Lesson One
Topic: Factors to bear in mind when choosing a building site.
Correct Foundation
Every house has a foundation, and every foundation must be constructed efficiently, safely
and correctly so it will last. The materials that make up the building block and the process of
building it are equally important; however, one thing that’s often overlooked is the soil
supporting them because even foundations need a solid foundation. Each type of soil has
different properties that affect foundations differently. Generally, soil will be more stable, the
more rock and compacted sand/gravel it contains.
The selection of foundation type for a given structure is controlled by number of factors for
example soil type, past site usage, adjacent construction, size of development process.
Among these factors, types of soil play significant role, that why this article discuss the
selection of foundation based on different types of soil.
Foundations are recommended based on the different soil types which are provided below:

1. Rocks
2. Uniform firm and stiff clay
3. Soft clay
 4. Peat

1. Rocks
This category involves rocks, hard sound chalk, sand and gravel, sand and gravel with little
clay content, and dense silty sand.
The following types of foundations are suitable for this type of soil:
1. Strip foundation
2. Pad foundation
3. Raft foundation.
2. Uniform firm and stiff clay

In situations where the foundation is not close to vegetation or existing vegetation is not
important.
The following types of foundations are suitable.

1. Strip foundation
2. Pad foundation
3. Raft foundation.

In situations where trees, hedges, and shrubs are close to foundation location, or there is a
plan to plant these trees near the structure in the future.
One of the following types of foundation may be selected:
1. Concrete piles supporting reinforced concrete ground beams and precast concrete
floor.
2. Specially designed trench fills in certain clay soil based on the foundation location
relative to trees.
3. Raft foundation
In situations where trees are cut down shortly before the foundation construction begin.

1. Reinforced concrete pile in previously tree root zone

2. Strip foundation
3. Raft foundation

3. Soft clay

This category includes soft clay, soft silty clay, soft sandy clay, and soft silty sand.

The following types of foundations are valid option for this type of soil:

1. Wide strip footing

2. Raft foundation
3. Pile to firmer strata below
4. For smaller projects use pier and beam foundation to firm strata.

4. Peat
Recommended foundation

1. Concrete piles extended to the firm soil layer below

2. For small projects, pad and beam foundation taken to firm strata blow.
3. Raft foundation for the case where firm strata is not available at reasonable depth but
there is hard surface crust with 3-4m thick of suitable bearing capacity.

Topography
The topography of the site plays an important role in site analysis. The topography of a piece
of land involves its various surface features.
The factor of topography depends on the slope of the land, i.e., whether it is a flat and plain,
or an uneven surface.
If a site shows a sloping surface, it becomes more challenging from the design point of view
but it is always desirable to design a building along the contour of the plot. It helps in
reducing the need of unnecessary cutting and filling with the soil to impose balance in the
surface.
Various topographies of an area serve different purposes. Higher ground for example, is best
for buildings requiring expansive views, while lower ground is more suited for utility
purposes (unless they are too often disturbed by heavy water flows and water stagnation).
Topography can also greatly affect the proper and stable positioning of a building, as it can
be trickier to build stable foundations on slopes than on level lands. Hence, it is best to make
elevation of an area before making it your choice for a construction site. These elevation will
not only determine the high and low points of an area, but will also indicate the places where
water flows freely and causes most erosion.
Furthermore, it is important to verify whether the slopes are strong enough to permit
construction on it, and also the extent of the construction it can withstand.

Lesson Review / Activity

Answer all of the following questions by choosing true or false.
 No Question True False
1 Topography can greatly affect the proper and stable positioning of
a building.
2 Foundations are selected based on the different soil types.
3 Each type of soil has different properties that affect foundations
differently
4 The topography of a piece of land involves its various surface
features.
5 It is important to verify whether the slopes are strong enough to
permit construction on it.

Video link

Building and Furniture Technology Grade 9

Name of Student……………………………
Date…………………..
Week 2
Lesson Two
Topic: Factors to bear in mind when choosing a building site.
Zoning

Zoning laws regulate the use of land within a town. It controls the ways in which the land can
be developed and what purposes the zoned land can serve. Zoning is what keeps a residential
district residential, a commercial district commercial, an industrial district industrial, and so
on.

Zoning restrictions may also cover frontage of lots; minimum lot area required; front, rear
and side yards; off-street parking; the number of buildings permitted on a lot; and the number
of dwelling units permitted in a certain area.

Zoning dictates what types of properties can co-exist in a particular area within a town. For
example, some areas are zoned strictly for single-family homes (possibly with exceptions for
things like religious buildings or community centers), while certain mixed-used or
transitional zoning districts may allow for select businesses and some single and multifamily
homes to exist in the same area. On the other end of the spectrum, structures used for heavy
industry will be consigned to specifically zoned areas that are purposely kept far away from
residential districts.

Historically, zoning has been viewed as a means to preserve the safety and health of a
community. It’s intended to ensure, for example, that residents don’t have to live next door to
a loud, polluting factory that could potentially harm their health and lower their property
values. In the wrong hands, though, zoning has been linked to discrimination, with critics
arguing that it has contributed to racial and economic segregation in many areas.

Zoning laws can also regulate more specific details of construction, such as maximum
building height, minimum lot size or how far a house needs to be setback from the road.

Zoning classifications includes

 Residential:
 Business:
 Industrial:
 Agricultural:
 Institutional:
 Open Space:
 Mixed-Use:
 Planned Unit Development:
 Historic:

History.
The history of a building site provides information on the previous use of the site. This
information will determine whether the site is appropriate for the desired use.
Size.
The size of the building site will determine the size of the building to be constructed, how it
will be constructed and the overall layout of the areas surrounding the building.

Climate.
During the processing of a site analysis, a detail study of site orientation is very important.
By combining the sun path and wind direction you will get some useful ideas regarding the
best building design. The orientation of sun path will affect the building positioning and
placement of the rooms and their interior spaces. It is basically the basic analytics that decide
the size and location of the windows and doors for facilitating air, light and ventilation into
the building.

The average monthly temperature of the area round the year should be considered in the
pattern of the design. In the warm climate, a design should be in such a way that it reduces
the heat inside the building. In cold climate, the design should be in such a way that the
sunlight on the building will impact maximum warmth inside the building.

Wind Direction Analysis

If someone wants to design a climate responsive building, it is important to consider wind

and its flowing map through the interior spaces during various seasons. Generally, most of
the site location will have some major direction from where the wind generally flows. But the
wind direction does not remain consistent and predictable throughout the year as it varies
from one place to another depending upon some local geographical factors.
Lesson Review / Activity
Complete the statements by filling the blanks with the correct answer.
1. The history of a ……………… provides information on the previous use of the site.
2. Zoning laws regulate the use of land within a …………….
3. The orientation of the ………… will affect the building positioning and ……….. of
the rooms and their interior spaces.
4. Zoning dictates what types of properties can co-exist in a particular area within a
………..
5. Zoning classifications includes ……………. and ……………….
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