CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS II

MODULE 1 (METAL)

1.1 Ferrous metal

 These are metals which contain iron.

 They may have small amounts of other metals or other elements added, to give the required properties

 All ferrous metal are magnetic and contain a small amount metals to provide the correct properties

 In a more general sense, ferrous metals are metals or metal alloys that contain the element iron.

 Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has carbon content between 0.2 % and 21% by weight
depending on the grade.

NAME COMPOSITION PROPERTIES USES

Mild Steel 0.15% - 0.3% Carbon Tough, high tensile Girders, plates, bolts and
strength, ductile. Because nuts, general purpose
of low carbon content it
cannot be hardened and
tempered. It must be case
hardened

High Speed Steel Medium Carbon, Can be hardened and Cutting tools for lathes
tungsten, chromium and tempered. Can be brittle.
vanadium. Retains hardness at high
temperatures.

Stainless Steel 18% Chromium and 8% Corrosion resistant Kitchen draining boards.
Nickel added. Pipes, cutlery, aircraft.

High Tensile Steel Low carbon steel, Nickel Very strong and very Gears, shafts, engine part
and Chromium tough

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NAME COMPOSITION PROPERTIES USES

High Carbon Steel 0.70% - 1.40% Carbon The hardest of the carbon Chisels, hammers, drills,
steels. Less ductile, tough files, lathe tools, taps and
and malleable. dies.

Medium Carbon Steel 0.3% - 0.7% Carbon Stronger and harder than Metal ropes, wire, garden
mild steels. Less ductile, tools, springs.
tough and malleable.

Cast Iron Remelted pig iron with Hard, brittle, strong, Heavy crushing
small amount of scrap cheap, self-lubricating. machinery. Car cylinder
steel White cast iron, grey cast blocks, vices, machine
iron, malleable cast iron. tool parts, brake drums,
machine handle and gear
wheels, plumbing fitments

1.2 Non-ferrous metal

 The term non-ferrous is used to indicate metals other than iron and alloys that do not contain an
appreciable amount of iron.
 These are metals which do not contain any iron.
 They are not magnetic and are usually more resistant to corrosion than ferrous metals.
 Examples are aluminum, copper, lead, zinc and tin.
 Non-ferrous metal do not contain iron, for example aluminum, brass, copper (which can be remembered
as ABC) and titanium.
 It can also get non-ferrous metals as alloys e.g. brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.
 Non-ferrous metals are specified for structural applications requiring reduced weight, higher strength,
non magnetic properties, higher melting points, or resistance to chemical and atmospheric corrosion.
 They are also specified for electrical and electronic applications

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NAME COMPOSITION PROPERTIES
Aluminum Pure metal Greyish-white, soft,
malleable conductive to
heat and electricity. It is
corrosion resistant. It can
be welded but this
difficult. Needs special
processes.
Aluminum Alloy- Aluminum +4% Copper Ductile, Malleable, work
Duraluminium +1% Manganese hardens
Copper Pure metal Red, tough, ductile, high
electrical conductor,
corrosion resistant. Can
work hard or cold. Needs
frequent annealing
Brass 65% Copper +35% Zinc Very corrosive, yellow in
colour, tarnishes very
easily. Harder than
copper. Good electrical
conductor.
Lead Pure Metal The heaviest common
metal. Soft, malleable,
bright and shiny when
new but quikly oxiduizes
to a dull grey. Resistant to
corrosion
Zinc Pure Metal A layer of oxide protect it
from corrosion, bluish-
white, easily worked
Tin Pure metal White and soft, corrosion
resistant.
Gilding Metal 85% Copper +15% Zinc Corrosion resistant,
golden colour, enamels
well
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USES
Aircraft, boats, window
frames, saucepack
packaging and insulation,
piston and cranks.
Aircraft and vehicles
parts.
Electrical wire, cables and
conductors, water and
central heating pipes and
cylinders. Printed circuit
board, roofs.
Casting, ornament,
valves, forgings
Protection against X-Ray
machines. Paints, roof
coverings, flashings.
Makes brass. Coating for
steel galvanisezed
corrugated iron roofing,
tanks, buckets, rust-poor
paints.
Tinplate, making bronze
Beaten metalwork,
jewellery.
 CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS II

1.3 Fabrication

 Metal fabrication is a value added process that involves the construction of machines and structures
from various raw materials.

 Welding
 Sherardizing
 Brazing
 Soldering

 WELDING

 Welding is a fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics.

 Welding is the process of joining metals parts by using and filling in with molten metal from electrode.
 Welding produce neat, strong and more efficient joints.
 There are two types of welded joint used in structural steel :-

Butt Welds
A butt weld is made within the cross-section of the abutting plates in a butt or tree joint.

Fillet Welds
A fillet weld is a weld of approximately triangular cross section applied to the surface profile of
the plates.

 SHERARDIZING

 Sherardizing or sherardizing is a method of galvanizing also called vapor galvanizing.

 Sherardizing is the application of zinc coating on steel and iron products.

 It involves the product being heated together with zinc powder in closed, rotating drums.

 Dry diffusion leads to the creation of zinc-iron alloy layer in and on the surface.

 The temperature that the container reaches does normally not exceed the melting point of zinc.

 Shearardizing is ideal for small parts and parts that require coating of inner surfaces, such as batches of
small items.

 The result is a lasting, anti-corrosive, temperature and wear resistant layer which is applied uniformly
over the entire surface of the product.

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Sherardizing Process

 BRAZING

 Brazing joins parts by heating them to more than 840 F and applying a filler metal that has a melting
temperature below that of the base metal.
 Filler metal flow into the joint by capillary attraction.
 Brazing has several advantages.

 Dissimilar metals can be joined

 Complex assemblies can be brazed in several steps by using filler metals with
progressively lower melting temperatures.
 Materials of different thicknesses can be joined.
 Non-metals can be joined to metals when the non-metal is coated.

 SOLDERING

 Soldering is a process in which two or more metal items are joined together by melting and flowing a
filler metal into the joint, the filler metal having a relatively low melting point.
 Soldering is distinguished from brazing by use of a lower melting temperature filler metal.
 In a soldering process, heat is applied to the parts to be joined, causing the solder to melt and be drawn
into the joint by capillary action and to bond to the materials to be joined by welding action.
 After the metal cools, the resulting joints are not as strong as the base metal, but have adequate
strength for many uses.

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TUTORIAL

1) Select three (3) types of ferrous metal and explain their properties and uses in construction
(15 marks)

2) Write short notes of items for metal fabrication below:

i) Sherardizing
ii) Brazing
iii) Welding (15 marks)

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