Construction Technology

Revision Guide
 Sub structures and Super structures

Super structure

(Wall, floors roof)

Sub structure

(Foundations)

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 Thermal Insulation
Thermal insulation helps to prevent heat loss from a building,
reduce energy costs and maintain a low U-Value.
3 Types of thermal insulation
1:Sheep’s wool 2:Mineral wool 3:Foam

• Eco friendly/ • Fire resistant • Higher insulating

sustainable quality
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 Sound Insulation
This is to reduce sound transfer in to or out of a building.

Methods of reducing sound transfer:

1. Triple glazing (also improves thermal insulation)

2. Heavy density blockwork

3. Sound insulation quilt

4. Plasterboard

5. Acoustic walls, floors and ceilings

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 Fire Resistance
Fire resistant buildings can save lives and reduce damage to
property. There are 3 ways of minimising the danger of fire.

1: Fire resistant materials:

• Plasterboard
• Concrete
• Blockwork
• Intumescent Paint

2: Building Design: 3: Equipment

• Fire resistant doors • Fire escapes
• Fire barriers • Fire Alarms
• Compartments • Smoke detector
• Sprinkler system
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 Sustainability
A sustainable building is designed and
constructed to make as small an impact on
the natural environment as possible.
Methods of Sustainable Sustainable materials
Construction:
• Sheep’s wool- insulation

1. Building on Brownfield sites • Lime- mortar

2. Recycling and reusing of materials • Straw- walls and plaster

3. Use of Sustainable materials • Softwood- timber frames

4. Use of pre fabricated materials • Aluminium- guttering

5. South facing building to make use of

natural light
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 Foundations
Function:
• to safely transmit the loads of the building to the soil,
• to support the loads of the building for it’s lifespan.

There are 4 main types of foundation:

1. Strip-

2. Deep Strip/ trench fill-

3. Raft-

4. Piled-

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 Strip Foundations

Strip-
Key points to remember:

Advantages:

• Cheap
• Brick laying needed

Disadvantages:

• Takes longer
• Dangerous as banks could
collapse
• Will need trench support
Wide but not deep

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 Deep strip Foundations

Deep Strip/ Trench fill-

Key points to remember:

Advantages:

• Quicker
• Less chance of bank collapsing

Disadvantages:

• Expensive
• No brick and block laying
needed
• Bad for environment

Very deep- lots of

concrete required
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 Raft Foundations

Raft:
Key points to remember:

Advantages:

• Ideal for different strength soil

Disadvantages:

• Expensive to build
• Can crack at weak point

Different thickness
of concrete

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 Piled Foundations

Piled:
Key points to remember:
Advantages:

• Can support very heavy loads

• Quick to construct

Disadvantages:

• Expensive to build
• Very noisy when drilling down

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 Cross Section of the Substructure
DPC Insulation Floor
Block Insulation
Screed
work
Brick
work
DPM
Ground
Level Sand
Blinding

Concrete
Trench
Cavity block
Hardcore
fill

Metal Strip
reinforcement foundation
bar
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Substructure- What can you remember?!

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 Example sketches of the substructure
- Below are examples of sketches that would achieve full marks in the exam:

Masonry cavity wall Strip foundation up to DPC

Solid Ground Floor Suspended Floor- block and beam

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 Practice sketches of the substructure
- Sketch and annotate a diagram of a cross section through the following sub
structure features:
Masonry cavity wall Strip foundation up to DPC

Solid Ground Floor Suspended Floor- Block and beam

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 SUPERSTRUCTURES-

• Provide protection from

• Provide protection from the weather
the weather
• Adds strength and
• Supports the roof and supports the walls of the
adds stability to the structure
floors Roofs

Super • Provides support and

structures
stability the walls of the
structure

Walls Floors • Supports dead and live

loads of a building

THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN THE STRUCTURE

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 Walls-Most external walls are built using –
Bricks and blocks Timber frames
(Masonry) OR

This is rendered blockwork

• What walls do:

. resist heat transfer . provide shelter and security

. support roof and floors . resist sound transfer
Sketches of Masonry and Timber Framed Cavity Walls
Masonry Timber Frame

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 Cavity Walls
Please draw the following cavity walls and label the components using
correct architectural symbols.

Masonry Timber Framed

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 Why use a Cavity in construction?

Partial
Filled Cavity

• Cavity reduces mortar

bridging and damp transfer

• Insulation keeps house

warmer
Catnic Lintel To support the weight above a
door, window or opening

wall tie

Catnic lintels are used on

weep face brick walls as they
hole are discrete and hidden.
cavity tray

Catnic lintel

window or door
glass
frame
Concrete Lintels
To support the weight above a door, window or opening

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 SIP’s - Structural Insulated Panels
• These can be used as an alternative to brick and block
walls

Advantages: Disadvantages:
1. Light so less concrete required in 1. Made from wood so could rot or
foundations catch fire

2. They come pre-insulated so less time 2. Will need to apply a finish e.g
wasted on fitting insulation after render, brickwork or cladding

3. Faster to build so therefore cheaper 3. They are expensive

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 Floors
Ground Floors

A ground floor is the floor of the lowest level of a

building. Ground floors can be either solid or
suspended.

There are 2 types:

• Solid

• Suspended

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 Solid Floor
Solid Floor

A solid floor bears directly

onto the ground from which
it gains its support. It is
usually made of solid
concrete.

Advantages: Disadvantages:

1. Cheap 1. Takes longer

2. No need for heavy 2. Damp penetration from

machinery ground more likely

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 Suspended Floor
Suspended Floor:
A suspended floor is one that is
suspended above the ground.
It rests on beams spanning
between supporting walls.

Block and beam floors are a

very popular type of suspended
floor.

Advantages:
Disadvantages:
1. Quick to construct
1. More expensive
2. Can be laid in any weather
2. Requires machinery to lift
heavy beams
3. Reduces the load to the
foundation
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 Types of suspended floors
• Advantages: Light, easy to
work with, cheap
Timber joists
• Disadvantages: Not as
strong, takes longer to build

• Advantages: Quick to lay, can lay

in any weather, extremely strong,
Pre-cast concrete less foundations required

• Disadvantages: Expensive,
requires a crane to lift them.

• Advantages: Quick to lay, can lay

Block & beam in any weather, extremely strong,
less foundations required

• Disadvantages: Requires a crane

to lift and a person to lay blocks
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 Roofs
Components of a roof
Roof Structure

Roofs are designed and constructed

to be able to support their own
weight as well as resist loads such
as wind and snow.

Main functions of a roof:

1. Discharge rainfall away from

building

2. Make the building waterproof

3. Look nice

4. Provide extra space for a room or

storage
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Pitched Roof
There are 2 main types of roof:

Pitched roof

Advantages:

Better water run off

Looks nice
Storage space

Disadvantages:

Hard to access and maintain

Expensive to build
Takes longer to build
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Flat Roof
There are 2 main types of roof:

Flat roof

Advantages:

Easy to access and maintain

Cheap to build
Quicker to build

Disadvantages:

Holds water
No storage space
Requires high maintenance
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 Cross section through the entire Super Structure
Common Ridge Tile
Rafter

Battens Ridge beam

Insulation

Roof Tiles
Ceiling
Joists

Roofing Plaster board

Felt

Wall plate Chip board

flooring

Floor
Joists
Insulation
Super Structure- What can you remember?

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 Practice sketches of the superstructure
- Below are examples of sketches that would achieve full marks in the exam:

Flat roof Pitched Roof

Masonry cavity Suspended timber first floor

Wall

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 Practice sketches of the superstructure
Sketch and annotate a diagram of a cross section through the following sub
structure features:

Flat roof Pitched Roof

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Masonry cavity wall Suspended timber first floor

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 Risks and hazards
There will DEFINITELY be a question on risks and hazards in construction in the exam

There are a variety of different risks and hazards present on a building site and a
RISK ASSESSMENT is carried out prior to starting work to try and reduce these risks.

HAZARD RISK CONTROL MEASURE

(how can this be stopped)
Collapse of an excavation Injury or death • Use of trench supports
• Safety fences to stop people
or machines falling in
Ground water Flooding or • Use a water pump to pump
drowning out water

Gas Injury or death via • Avoid gas main pipes

explosion or choking

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 FINAL QUESTION- worth 8 marks and is very important part of the exam

Q: Evaluate whether a flat roof or a pitched roof would be more appropriate for an
office scheme.

How to answer this question… make a table of advantages and disadvantages!

Flat Roof Pitched roof

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

• Has a cavity so less • Can take a long time • They come pre • The timber will rot
chance of damp to build made so saves over time
transfer time building
• Brick work looks a • Heavy so more They are light so less
concrete needed in
• • Not as nice looking
lot nicer concrete required in as brickwork
foundations foundations.
Then write a conclusion:
In conclusion I believe the masonry wall to be the most appropriate for the builder
to use brick work because there is less chance of damp transfer compared to the
SIP’S. Also the brick work will look a lot nicer than using SIP’S. He would have
problems with the SIP’S because they will rot over time and he would have to spend
more money to replace it where brick work will be there forever.
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Final Question- How to set it out!!!

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 Revision Declaration

I …………………………………………… have read through the revision guide and have

revised for my exam.

Signature: …………………………………………

Parent / Guardian:……………………………………

This must be signed as proof of completed homework.

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