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ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL
ENGINEERING

CENG 3103
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
Instructor – Abraham Assefa (Eng.) Nov. 2009
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
Course Outline
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1. Introduction 5. Building Construction Elements

Foundation and Basement
2. Building Drawings
Floors
3. Building Structural Systems
Exterior and Interior Closures:

Reinforced Concrete Structures Walls

Stairs

Steel Framed Structures

Elevators

Prefabricated Building
Doors and Windows
Systems
Roofs

Shell and Dome Structures
Finishing
4. Planning of Buildings
Damp – Prevention

Fire Places
5. Building Construction
Formwork and Scaffolding
Elements
Sanitary Systems
6. Health and Safety in
Fire and Life Protection
Building Construction
Mechanical Systems

Electrical Systems
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
Chapter 5.3 – Building Construction Elements –Walls
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 Presentation Outline

5.3 Walls
 5.3.1 Introduction
 5.3.2 Types of Walls
 5.3.3 External Walls
 5.3.4 Internal Walls
 5.3.5 Cavity Walls
 5.3.6 Openings in Walls
 5.3.7 Wood and Chika Walls
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.1 Introduction
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Definition – A wall is a vertical member whose width

(i.e. length) exceeds four times the thickness
 Wall –

Is an essential component of a building

It encloses or divides a building space for an assumed
function

Provides privacy, security and protection against heat, cold,
sun and rain

Structural Wall can provide support to floors and roofs

Design Criterion –
 Strength, Stability, Weather Resistance, Durability, Fire Resistance,
Thermal and Sound Insulation
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.2 Types of Walls
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Distinction can be made:

A. Position in the Building
Substructure (Foundation and Basement Walls)
Superstructure (External and Internal Walls)
External Walls – protection against wind and rain, insulate heat,
water repellent, fire resisting and sound insulation
Internal Walls – Sound, heat and Water
B. Function

Load Bearing Walls

Partition Walls
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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A. Materials for External Walls

 Stones, Bricks, HCB, Reinforce Concrete, Glass, Metals,
Plastic, Composites, Agro Stone, Chika
 Selection

Availability

Standard of House

Climatic Conditions

Cost

Aesthetic

Workers

Structural Function

Fire Resistance

Openings – Windows and Doors
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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B. Types of External Walls

 Classification can be based on Structural Property or on
Physical Nature

Physical Nature – Block, Monolithic or Composite or Panel
Construction
 B.1. Block Construction
 Are made of stones, brick, hollow concrete blocks, and solid
blocks
 A. Brick Walls

Widely used for load and non load bearing walls

Egyptians, Babylonian, Romans used it

Ethiopia – Not old
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 A. Brick Walls
 Manufacturing
 Made of Clay
 Clay – fine grained soil, resulting from weathering of rocks
 Plasticity for forming shapes and mold is a must
 Forms of Clay – Surface, Shales (Subject to high pressure) and Fire Clays
(found at deeper depth and usually are refractory)
 Chemically – Silica and Alumina with varying amount of metallic oxides
and other impurities
 Metallic Oxides – Colors and Silicates – Strength and durability
 Stages

Clay Preparation – Excavation, Storage, Grinding, Blending

Molding – Tempering, Mixing in Pug mill, Molding

Drying – Dryer Chamber, Sun Dry, Control of Cracking

Firing- Kiln (40 – 150hrs), Sintering (1200 o c)
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 A. Brick Walls
 Different Types
 Five basic subdivisions:

Common Bricks – Cheapest

Facing Bricks – Free from cracks and size variations

Engineering Bricks – For strength and durability

Fire Bricks – Lining for fire places, kilns

Glazed and Coloured Bricks – White color on one side

(hospitals, dairies, etc)
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 A. Brick Walls
 Tests of Bricks
 A. Field Tests for Soils – Balls about 8cm dia. are made and
checked for drying cracks and crumble modes
 B. Field Tests for Burnt Clay Bricks – Appearance, hammer test
(highly metallic sound) and hardness test (Scratching the surface
by knife) Class Avg. (MPa) Ind. (MPa )
 C. Laboratory Tests A 20 17.5

i. Compressive Strength B 15 12.5

ii. Water Absorption C 10 7.5

iii. Efflorescence D 7.5 5.5

Build up of white surface deposits on drying

Results from dissolved salts

Saturate Bricks and allow to dry
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 A. Brick Walls
 Size 6 x 12 x 25 cm
 Terminologies
 Stretcher – Long face
 Header – Short face
 Lap – Horizontal distance
b/n vertical joints
 Bed -
 Closer
 Queen Closer
 King Closer
 Beveled Closer
 Mitered Closer
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 A. Brick Walls
 Types of Brick Bonds
 If a joint of
consecutive layers
are in same
location, the mass
of wall will fail –
Thus BOND

 Bond – is the system

of laying bricks in
such a manner that
there is no vertical
joint in any row or
course immediately
above or below the
one considered
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 A. Brick Walls
 Strength of Brick Works
 Strength of brick shall be adequately satisfied
 The Mortar shall also be of compatible strength
 Joints in Brick Work
 Joints are the weakest point of a masonry structure
 Joints also have an appearance value
 Jointing – finishing of joints as the brickwork proceeds
 Pointing – finishing of joints after the brickwork is completed
 Pointing - If the surface is not plastered, the surface joints
shall be refilled by neat mix of mortar
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 A. Brick Walls
 Types of Pointing Finishes
 Brickwork is generally
jointed by striking,
raking or rubbing the
mortar while it is green
 Pointing – replacement
of the green mortar
 Pointing Types

Flush or Flat
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 Pointing Types

Struck Pointing

Recessed Pointing

Concave (Keyed)
Pointing

V – Pointing

Projecting Pointing
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 A. Brick Walls
 Reinforced Brick Work
 Plain brickwork is reinforce
to take up tensile stresses
 Steel Reinforcement is
introduced between mortar
joints
 Types of Reinforced Brick
Work

Mesh Type

Hoop Iron Type

Vertical Reinforcement Types
 Retaining Walls (Pressure)
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 A. Brick Walls
 Causes of Failures of Brickworks
 1. Crushing

Provide adequate dimension
 2. Shearing

Provide strong mortar
 3. Rupture

Breaking vertical joints
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 A. Brick Walls
 Maintenance of Brickworks
A. Re – pointing Old Brick
B. Re – Painting Brickwork
C. Cleaning Brickwork
 Using steams or hot water
jets
D. Removal of Efflorescence

Improve damp prevention

Scrubb wall by brush and
water or acid water
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 B. Stone Walls
 Defects of Stones for Walls
A. Vents – Small figures or hollow in the stone making it
liable to decomposition
B. Shakes – minute cracks containing calcite, which form hard
veins after weathering and render bad appearance
C. Sand Holes and Clays Holes - cracks or holes filled with
sandy or clayey matter. Liable to decomposition due to
weathering action
 Cutting and Dressing of Stones
 Stones shall be cut in size from original sources
 They are also dressed into suitable shapes and polished to
give a smooth surface if desired.
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 B. Stone Walls
 Stone Masonry Walls
 Sources of Stone

Igneous (Basalt, trachyte) – used for walls exposed to moisture such
as foundation walls

Sedimentary (Sand stone, lime stone) – above ground level

Mortar shall be properly selected for strength and porosity of the
type of stone
 Maintenance of Stone Work
 Remove efflorescence using steel brush, water jets, etc
 Remove stains by rubbing, rinsing with chemical, etc
 Repair Cracks: Repair after settlement causing the crack ceased
 Improve water proofing : colorless water proofers
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 C. Concrete / Clay Block Walls (HCBs)

 Reducing the mortar amount by using larger size blocks (40 x
20 x 20 vs 25 x 12 x 6 cm)

Only 5 – 10 % of total volume of wall
 More economical – Purchase, Faster for construction
 Either Solid or Hollow
 Less weight for HCBs
 Finishing – Plastering , Pointing
 D. Walls of Monolithic Construction
 Can be load bearing or not
 Concrete Walls and traditional mud walls are cast in plastic state
 Concrete Walls can be plain or reinforced – Strength and
Freedom
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.3 External Walls
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 E. Panel or Composite Walls

 Used in non load bearing walls to fill the gaps
 Usually are light weight
 Requirements – Resistance to wind, rain, appearance,
thermal insulation and interior finish
 Framing to fill the gaps is the difference with brick or
masonry walls
 Aluminum Panels, Gypsum Panels
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.4 Internal Walls
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To provide internal space

Can be load bearing or not
 Partition or Internal Walls

Brick

Hollow clay/concrete block

Glass

Concrete

Metal lath

Solid plaster

Corrugated sheet

Timber

Gypsum Panel

Agro Stone
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.5 Cavity Walls
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Consist of two brick walls with

cavity between the two and special
connecting supports
Required
Prevent Dampness
High insulation against heat and
sound and economy

Inner and outer walls – may be
equal in thickness

Inner wall shall be completely
disconnected

Cavity – 4 – 10 cm

Shall have a base depth of 10 cm
below the damp proof course
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.5 Cavity Walls
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Advantages
Damp Prevention
Insulation
Acoustics
Notes – Cavity Walls
Horizontal damp proof shall be built in two separate widths
Mortar or other material accumulation shall be avoided
Free from projection
Openings shall be focused on damp prevention
Rust proof ties and prevent water transmission
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.6 Openings in Walls
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Openings –
Doors,
Windows,
Cupboards, etc
Bridged by
provision on a
lintel or arch
A. Arches
Stones, Steel,
Reinforced
Concrete, Bricks
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.6 Openings in Walls
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A. Arches
Are constructed where loads are
heavy, span is large, strong abutments
Appearance of Architectural bricks,
stone and RC is required
Stability of Arches
Crushing of material
Sliding of one voussoir on another
Rotation of some joint about the edge
Uneven settlement of abutments/pier
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.6 Openings in Walls
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B. Lintels
Horizontal member
Easy to build even in weak supporting walls
At least 10 cm bearing depth
Type of Lintels
Timber
Stone
Brick
Steel
Reinforced Concrete
 CEng 3103 – Building Construction
5.3.7 Wood and Chika Walls
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Traditional type of wall in Ethiopia

Construction
Process

Modern times – Reinforced Concrete Grade Beam