Construction Materials

By
Engr. Abdul Qudoos
Construction Materials

• can be used for construction purposes.

•  wood, concrete, steel, cement, aggregates, bricks, clay, metal, and so

much more.

• Bricks, or wood, or straw.

• Now adays, Engineers have learned to mix and match the right
materials to come up with higher quality structures.
Types of Construction materials

The materials used in construction can be categorized into two general

sources

1. Natural Materials

2. Synthetic Materials
Fabric

• Tents

• use of fabric in construction has been in a long gap before it was

revived as a part of the modern construction technique.

• With the development of tensile architecture and synthetic fabrics,

modern canopies in big buildings are now installed with flexible
fabrics supported by steel cable systems.
Quiz 1
• Tents were very popular in the olden times for……………and home of travelers.
A. Shade
B. Path
C. Shelter
D. All
Mud and clay

• The amount of mud or clay used in construction creates

different styles of buildings.

• One reason why mud and clay are still used today is because of
its good thermal mass.

• Clay is known to hold heat or cold, acting as a natural HVAC

system. 
Rock

• The use of rock can be traced back to ancient times.

• In fact, the entire Egyptian civilization, specifically the pyramids, was

made of rock.

• there are many types of rock and each of them differs in properties. So
before using rocks in your building, you have to see to it that you are
getting the good quality rock
Quiz 2
• Egyptian Pyramids was made from ……………..
A. Mud
B. Clay
C. Rock
D. Fabric
Thatch

• It is readily available and easily harvested.

• Its biggest advantage, though, is its good insulation capability.

• African tribes have been living in homes completely made of grasses.

• In Europe and some Asian countries, thatch roofs were once prevalent until
industrialization

• Although thatch roofs are being revived in the Netherlands, in the United
States,
Brush

• Thari Villagers used to build brush structures for resting and living.
These structures are built entirely from parts of plants like leaves,
twigs, branches, and bark. 

• There are not so many brush houses these days because of durability
issues. But you can imagine one to be similar to a beaver’s lodge.
Quiz 3
• African tribes have been living in homes completely made of ………….
A. grasses
B. Brush
C. Mud
D. Clay
 Ice

• Well, in the past, ice was really used in making igloos and there were
no other agents for keeping them together.

• A constant below 0 temperature was the only thing igloos needed for
the ice blocks to stay intact
Wood
• Wood or lumber is still widely used today

• Back in the days, wood was used almost unprocessed as logs and then
tied or notched in place.  

• The quality and durability of wood depend on the species it came

from.
Quiz 3
• …………… are good for flooring and cabinet.
A. Pine
B. Oak
C. Maple
D. Both b & c
Bricks
• Bricks are made from kiln-fired material.
• Typically, clay or shale is used to make bricks.
• Clay bricks are manufactured by molding clay or by extruding it on a
die.
• In the late 20th century, clay blocks got an alternative through cinder
blocks. It’s made with concrete and, obviously, more durable.
• Lately, a low-cost variant of brick was introduced.
Concrete
• Most commercial and industrial structures are now made of concrete.

• However, concrete has a low tensile strength. It is typically

strengthened by enforcing steel rods or rebars, hence we have the
reinforced concrete structures. 
Quiz 4
----------------bubbles are what usually weakens the concrete
A. Air
B. Mist
C. Water
D. All of these
Metal
 

• Different types of metals are employed in construction.

• Steel-------->Iron

• Aluminum Alloy

• Other metals used as building materials include brass, titanium, silver, chrome,
and gold.

• Titanium and brass can be used in construction while the more special metals in
decorative details. 
 Glass
• Glass walls or curtain walls are very common in commercial buildings
these days.

• In the past, clear glass was only used in windows. They allow more
light to come in while keeping inclement weather outside
Ceramics

• Ceramics are also common building materials in this era.

• Ceramics used to be made from clay-pottery firing in kilns.

Quiz 5
Tiles belongs to ……………
A. Wood
B. Fabrics
C. Rock
D. Ceramics
Plastic
• Plastic is generally used in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical as plastic
pipes covering wires and metal pipes.
• Plastics used as building materials vary in heat tolerance, resilience,
and hardness.
 Foam

• Foamed plastic was generally used as an insulator in construction.

• However, these days, the use of polyurethane in construction has been

limited.
 Cement composites

• Cement composites have found a new use in 3D construction wherein

the previous years they have only been used as binders for wood or
fibers. 

• Cement composites are made of hydrated cement paste

• Various methods are used to determine wood-cement compatibility.