Buildings and Structures 1

Building Types and

Components
 Aim

To provide students with information

that will enable them to recognise
the basic types of building design
and the principal components.
 Learning Outcomes
At the end of the session students will be
able to:
• State the most commonly used construction types
• Identify types of doors, windows and roof lights
commonly used
• List the principal components of a staircase
• List the types of roof commonly found.
 Types of buildings

• Solid or ‘traditional’ construction

• Structural steel frame construction

• Reinforced concrete construction

• Modular system construction

• Liftslab construction.
 Solid construction

• Solid load bearing walls

• Set back at upper floors
• Commonly made of brick, concrete blocks
or stone
• Cast iron columns
• Cast iron or timber beams
• Warehouses, mills, factories and offices.
Buildings and structures.
 Structural steel
• High number of design options
• Skeletal framework often complex
• Loads carried by beams
• Structure is covered by cladding
• Large use of glass, polycarbonate and
plastic
• Large shopping centres, sports centres
and multi-storey offices.
 Structural steel.
Main beams Roof spans between main beams
Tie Beam

Secondary beam

Floor spans between main beams

Stanchions
 Reinforced concrete

• Alternative to steel frame

• Columns support beams on which are

laid slab flooring sections

• Columns, beams and slabs integrally

cast to form a monolithic structure

• Two common methods of construction.

 Reinforced concrete(1)

Pre cast reinforced concrete frame

• Factory produced frame components

• Transported for assembly on site

• Similar techniques to steel frame.

 Reinforced concrete(2)

Composite construction

• Utilises the advantages of modern

lightweight structural steelwork

• ‘Marriage’ between steelwork & pre cast

concrete columns.
 Composite construction

Concrete
Spine beam

Steel
Spine
Gable beam.
columns
‘PCR’ concrete frame.
 Modular structures

• Pre fabricated components

• High design flexibility

• Specially designed connectors

• Encased in concrete to provide a

degree of fire and corrosion protection.
Modular building.
Typical modular connector.
 Lift slab construction

• Building framework formed by columns

• Hydraulic rams used to lift roof then

floors into position

• Height can be increased by ‘splicing’ on

additional sections of column.
Early phase of ‘Slab’ construction.
2nd Phase ‘Slab’ construction.
Doors, windows and rooflights

Types of door

• Hinged
• Swing
• Revolving
• Sliding
• Folding
• Cantilever
• Roller shutter.
 Hinged doors
• Most commonly found type

• All close against a rebate on the door jamb

• Four commonly found types

Flush
Panelled
Ledged
Metal.
 Swing doors

• Pin hinges allow door to swing in any direction

• Door jamb not fitted with a rebate

• Often partially glazed using wired glass or

copper glazing bars

• Found in restaurants, department stores and

hotels.
 Revolving doors

• Present an obstruction to firefighting

operations unless dealt with

• Usually 4 or 2 ‘wings’

• Designed to be collapsed down

• Essential they are used in conjunction

with a hinged door.
 Sliding doors

• Solid or lattice construction

• Widely used in commercial buildings

• Can slide on one or both sides of an

opening or into a central recess

• Lattice type usually for security or to

protect an area such as a lift or lift shaft.
 Folding doors

• Usually lightweight construction

• Similar in design to hinged doors

• Two or more leaves hinged together

• Whole door opens to one side only

• Often used to separate two rooms.

 Cantilever doors

• Door is counter balanced and pivoted so

it rises upwards

• Lies horizontal when open

• Generally fits flush to the opening when

closed

• Usually found on garages.

 Roller shutters

• Nearly always made of steel

• Small examples can be raised by hand

• Large examples usually operated by

means of gearing and handle or chain
and block

• Usually found on commercial premises.

 Windows

• Allow natural light into a building

• Serve to provide ventilation to rooms

• Generally two types, referred to

according to the method of opening
Casement
Sash.
 Casement windows

• The simplest form consists of a rectangular

frame with the casement hung on it

• When more than one casement can be

opened it is referred to as a 2,3 or 4 light
casement.
 VENTLIGHT
TRANSOM.

FRAME
CASEMENT

DEADLIGHT
 Sash windows

• Pivoted sash - opening part supported

by pivots at each side of opening part of
window or top and bottom

• The term ‘SASH’ refers to the opening

portion and includes the glass and the
surround

• Partially inside and outside of opening

when open.
 Sash windows

Sliding sash windows

• Slide vertically

• Double hung is the common form of this type of

sash, both sashes slide vertically in the frame

• Another type consists of two sashes, one or

both of which can be opened horizontally.
STAIRS AND ROOFS
 Stairs
Common materials;
• Wood
• Stone
• Pre cast concrete
• Steel
• Composite.
 Stairs
RISER

NOSING TREAD

CAPPING

STRING

BEARER
 HEADROOM

BANNISTER
RISE

NEWEL
POST

GOING

RUN SPANDREL

PITCH LINE
 Confirmation
Assessments will be based on this lesson and
the corresponding study note

Learning Outcomes
• The most commonly used construction types
• The types of doors, windows and roof lights
commonly used
• The principal components of a staircase
• The types of roof commonly found.
THE END