Construction Materials

and Testing
Unit 3: General Properties of Materials
 Objectives
• 1. Importance of knowing the properties of materials used in construction.
• 2. Understand the importance of the physical and mechanical properties of
materials used in construction as basis for design.
 Importance of the Physical Properties of
Materials
• Structures are made up of materials known as building materials or
construction materials. For a civil engineer, it is vital to know and
understand the properties and classifications of materials used in
construction as a basis for design specifications. The quality, functions,
uses, and strength are based on the materials properties and their
classifications, which are important considerations in selecting the
suitable materials for a particular use and design.
 Properties of Materials
Physical Properties
Mechanical Properties
 Physical Properties of Materials
• 1. Specific Gravity: The ratio of the weight of material per unit volume
(not including air holes and pores). This property is used to calculate the
density and porosity of materials.

• 2. Density: Defined as the mass of a material per unit of its volume.

 Physical Properties of Materials
• 3. Bulk Density or Unit Weight: Defined as the total weight including
solids and voids of any granular materials per unit of its total volume.

• 4. Porosity: The ratio of the volume of voids in a material to the total

volume of granular material.
 Physical Properties of Materials
• 5. Water Absorption: The property of a material whereby it absorbs water
from the ambience or atmosphere and this property is important in the
case of stones, bricks, etc.
 Physical Properties of Materials
• 6. Hygroscopicity: The property whereby a material absorbs water present
in the ambience or atmosphere, as in the case of salt, sugar, etc. Timber is
hygroscopic material.
• 7. Permeability: The property whereby a material allows water to pass
through its pores and this is important in the case of soils.
 Physical Properties of Materials
• 8. Fire Resistance: There are materials like petrol that are inflammable
(readily catch fire) while others are combustible (can be burnt but may not
be rapidly ignited). Timber is combustible but not inflammable. In
addition, fire raises the temperature of otherwise fire-resistant materials,
sometimes causing damage by expansion.
 Physical Properties of Materials
• 9. Thermal Properties: These are important in the heating or cooling
rooms and in designing suitable thermal insulation and the following are
important in terms of heat capacity, thermal resistivity, and sound
transmission.
 Physical Properties of Materials
• 10. Corrosion: The gradual destruction or damaging process of a metal or
alloy due to chemical processes such as oxidation.
 Physical Properties of Materials
• 11. Durability: The resistance of a material to destruction or damaging
process by natural agencies.

• 12. Soundness: The resistance of a material to its deterioration or decaying

process due to heat, alternate freezing and thawing, etc. and this is
important in the case of cement, aggregate, etc.
Importance of the Mechanical Properties of
Materials
 The mechanical properties of a material are those properties that involve
a reaction to an applied load. The mechanics of solids helps in predicting
and preventing failures by studying stress concentration, fracture
mechanics, and fatigue. Understanding material behavior under different
loads allows engineers to design structures and components that can
withstand expected forces and avoid potential failure scenarios. It is also
used to help classify and identify material.
 Mechanical Properties of Materials
• 1. Elasticity: The property of a material whereby it tends to regain its
shape after the removal of an applied load. The stress at the limiting point
is known as elastic limit.
 Mechanical Properties of Materials
• 2. Plasticity: The property of a material whereby it retains a change in
shape or size after the removal of the load and this is important when a
material has to be molded into different sizes and shapes.
 Mechanical Properties of Materials
• 3. Toughness: The property of a material whereby it absorbs energy due to
straining actions by undergoing plastic deformation.
• 4. Resilience: The ability of a material to recover its size and form after
deformation or application of load.
• 5. Hardness: The resistance offered by any material to indentation,
scratching, cutting, or wear by abrasion or scratching.
 Mechanical Properties of Materials
• 6. Brittleness: This refers to the tendency of a material to shatter or to
break down on receiving a shock.

• 7. Ductility: The capacity to undergo large plastic deformation before

actual failure and this property allows the drawing of thin wire or
stretching of a metal.
 Mechanical Properties of Materials
• 8. Fatigue: The failure of a material by cracking resulting from repeated
straining action or repeated application of load.

• 9. Creep: The property whereby a material undergoes deformation with

respect to time under a constant load and this is over and above the
instantaneous elastic strain.
 Mechanical Properties of Materials
• 10. Abrasive Resistance: The ability of a material to resist wearing due to
contact with another surface moving with respect to it or by scratching
from another material which is important in road surfaces, warehouse
floors, etc.
• 11. Impact Strength: Refers to the ability of a material to withstand or
resist shock.
 Mechanical Properties of Materials
• 12. Strength Properties: This is important in designing structural elements
to resist various types of load and the basic strengths are:
• • Tensile strength: The maximum stress a material can withstand or resist
under a tensile (stretching) load before failure.
• • Compressive strength: The maximum stress a material can resist or
withstand without failure under a compressive load.
• • Shear strength: The maximum stress at failure under a shearing load (a
load parallel to the cross-section of the member).
REFERENCES:
• 1. Images are Retrieved from https://www.google.com
• 2. Materials of Construction by DN Ghose, 1989
• 3. Civil Engineering Materials by Technical Teachers Training Institute, 1992
• 4. Engineering Materials by Emmanuel F. Nino and Teresita G. Nino, 1983
• 5. Materials of Construction 4 th Edition by Chandigarah, 1990
• 6. Testing of Engineering Materials by Gildey, Murphy & Bragman, 1982
• 7. Structural Engineering and Construction 4 th Edition Volume 1 by Venancio I. Besavilla Jr.,
1999
• 8. American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) 10.American Association of State Highway
and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
 THE END
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

PREPARED BY:
BONDOC, Kane Patrick T.
CABRERA, Nathaniel M.