BLD 112 : BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

PREPARED
BY

UMAR BELLO NUHU

BUILDING TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT

COLLEGE OF ENVIROMENTAL STUDIES
JIGAWA STATE POLYTECHNIC, DUTSE
 PRELIMINARY SITE ACTIVITIES

When a builder takes possession of a building site, he it usually provided

with a site lay-out plan and the drainages necessary for the erection of the
building. Having taken over the site, the task of preparing for and setting
out the building can be started. Taking over the site includes having the
providing access road to the site to allow the movement men, machines
and materials to the site.
Site Activities that Precede Actual Building Construction
• The following activities precede actual building construction on site
• Provision of access road
• Site clearance
• Provision of site offices and storage facilities
• Provision of site services.
 Site Clearance
The preliminary works on a construction project site usually begin after
the site facilities have been set up. Clearing the site is essential. First, the
vegetation such as bushes and shrubs should be removed. The roots of
trees and bushes must be dug out and cleared away. Site clearance also
may involve the demolition of existing buildings . demolition is a skilled
occupation and should be tackled by experts in that area.
The top soil should also be removed up to a depth of at least 150mm to
remove any plant life and decaying vegetable. The presence of vegetation
and decaying materials means that the top soil is easily compressible and
cannot support building foundation. Top soil is however valuable as a top
dressing for gardens and may be disposed of in this manner
The site needs to be cleared of rocks and boulders in the area where the building will be set
out. If they are too large, then the boulders or rocks must be broken into smaller pieces and
taken away. Site clearance is done by a combination of manual and mechanical means. The
method adopted will be determined by the overall economics which may be influenced by the
scale of development ant consideration for any adjacent buildings.
Provision of Facilities on Site
A well managed site should have facilities and services which will make the site functional
and convenient. On a building construction site, the following facilities and services should be
provided.
Temporary services
These include the provision of such services as water supply and, electricity supply. Water is
required on construction site for drinking and for the works. Where the site is close to the
public water mains, the water can be connected directly from the public water mains to the
site. The stand pipe should be located close to where the mixing of concrete and mortar will
take place. Where the site is far from the public water mains, water can be supplied to the site
with use of water tankers. The water can be stored in reservoir provided on the site for such a
purpose especially for the works.
 An electrical supply for power tools, electricity can be supplied from the mains or a
petrol generator. A telephone line should be provided which is secured so that it can
only be used for official or authorized calls.
Temporary access road
This should be provided to the site for the purpose of providing access to vehicular
traffic that will be bringing men and materials to the site. The access should be
constructed so that vehicles can enter the site in all weather. The access road can
become part of the permanent site services in the final design.
Site accommodation
A site should have an office and sheds for the workers on site to change their
clothes and to take rest on site during breaks from work and also have their meals.
Site accommodation and similar facilities provided on a site depends on the number
of people that are working on the site.
  Units of accommodation come usually in two forms
 Sectional timber huts
 Mobile caravans or cabins
 Material Storage
The type of storage facilities required on a construction site for any material depends on
the following factors
• Durability i.e. whether it will need protection from the elements
• Vulnerability to damage
• Vulnerability to theft
Cement, plaster and lime supplied in bags form require a dry store free from draughts
which can introduce moist air and cause air set of the material. These materials should not
be stored on the site for long period of time on site; therefore provision should be made for
rotational use so that the material being used comes from older stock. 
Aggregates such as sand and gravels require a clean firm base to ensure that foreign
matter is not included when extracting materials from the base of the stock pile. Different
materials and grades should be kept separated so that the ultimate mix batches are
consistent in quality and texture. Care must be taken to ensure that the stock piles are not
used as refuse dump. The moisture content of the aggregates should also be taken into
consideration if it is exposed to the elements like rain, so as to allow for it in deciding the
water cement ratio of the mix. 
Bricks and blocks should be stacked in stable piles on a level and well drained
surface in a position where double handling is reduced to a minimum. Facing
bricks and other colored bricks should be covered with tarpaulin to protect them
from being discolored by the weather elements. Blocks should be stacked in such a
way as to allow for air to flow freely through the stack. 

Timber absorbs water easily. To prevent undue moisture movement it should be

stored in such a manner that its moisture content remains fairly constant. A rack
scaffold tubular with a sheet roof covering should be used to store timber. The sheet
roof protects from rain and the various sizes allow for free flow of air round the
timber.

Ironmongery, hand tools and paints are some of the most vulnerable materials on
site. Some materials such as locks, power tools and cans of paint should be kept in
a locked shed or inside any of the completed rooms in the building under
construction.