Concrete is one of the most common building materials. It is a material composed of fine and coarse-grained aggregates mixed with a binder such as cement and water. Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world, making it a good starting material to know it. However, it also has significant environmental impacts, including a carbon footprint of up to 5% of global emissions.
To learn all about concrete design, the Concrete Center has a collection of useful reports, many of which are free with registration. In addition to wood, clay, stone and fibrous plants are three of the most used materials in housing construction. Builders often combine these three, apart from tents and skin, to create homes that can withstand local weather conditions. To date, steel is one of the most used materials in construction, from the skeleton of a building to the real materials found inside it.
Security access panels are also made of steel and can be commonly found in commercial and industrial spaces. Steel offers many advantages, for example, it can be bent or handled without risking its strength and durability. In areas that experience extreme winds or are prone to earthquakes, steel structures are able to withstand shocks due to their durability and, in a way, their plasticity. There are many types of building materials used in construction, such as concrete, steel, wood, and masonry.
Each material has different properties, such as weight, strength, durability, and cost, making it suitable for certain types of applications. The choice of materials for construction is based on cost and effectiveness in withstanding the loads and stresses acting on the structure. As a structural engineer, I work with my clients to decide the type of materials used in each project based on the size and use of the building. The ability to recycle plastic in other ways, including discarded waste, makes it a desirable material for sustainable construction.
What makes wood a material of choice and common, apart from its longevity in the industry, it is a highly environmentally sustainable material that is aesthetically appealing. Steel, whose main component is iron, is the metal most used in construction due to its longevity, strength and flexibility. There is much more that can be covered on the subject of building materials, but I hope this will give you a good understanding of each of the main materials and the applications that best suit each of them. The Building Stone Institute has a variety of resources including fact sheets and specification sheets for many of the most common types of stone used in construction.
Learn more about the properties of wood materials used in construction in MT Copeland's online wood materials class, taught by professional builder and craftsman Jordan Smith. In Europe and some Asian countries, thatched roofs once prevailed until industrialization brought better roofing materials that may be suitable even during the rainy season. Part of the structural engineer's responsibilities is to prepare project specifications, including all construction materials and applicable standards and provisions that must be met. Classes include professionally produced videos taught by practicing craftsmen, and supplemental downloads such as quizzes, blueprints, and other materials to help you master the skills.
Other related specialty trades also benefit from manufacturing construction materials, such as tile, plumbing, roofing, carpentry, and insulation work. Surely there are materials that are not on the list and that would be the obvious choice in certain parts of the world, so make sure you know the materials that surround you in addition to these and you will ensure that you have a full resource. .
