PROPERTIES

The nature of materials dictate their use (eg length of fibres, plasticity). It will be obvious at the
beginning that a full appreciation of the properties, principles of use, composition, durability
and maintenance of materials is fundamental. This study should become quite automatic through -
out the development of the major study in building technology. It is a natural progression to
consider the economics of the materials in the initial and maintenance costs and in the cost of
alternatives.

The use of materials and their required performance can be broadly sub-divided into external'
and 'internal', and the requirements will be quite different in emphasis, in certain functions and
in'nature also A consideration of attacking agencies and the resistance provided — or required —
must also be investigated.

It It will be clear after the initial analyses that attack from several sources is common, and
the t list will become repetitive. However, resistance to attack, performance during attack and
the remedial measures will often prove different for different materials.

On this basis, one can start selecting and specifying a particular material or component. There
are, of course, other bases to consider; for example, appearance, cost, client's preference, avail -
ability, speed and labour available.