Lecture XX: Design Technology, ARCHTECH 312

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY OF
BUILDING MATERIALS
Course Coordinator: Prof. Alessandro Melis 31/07/2014
Design Technology of Building Materials
Building Materials:
Evaluation of Structural
Materials
Design Technology of Building Materials
Evaluation of Structural Materials
Basic loading on building structure leads to the occurrence of the following phenomena:

1. Stress: Application of force per unit area (N/m
2
or Pa). Depending on direction of
force, it is of the following kinds:
Compression
Tension
Shear Stress
2. Strain: is the possible deformation in length,
cross section area and/ form of the
material on application of stress. It is
calculated as a ratio of change in length or
area of the material. It describes the
plasticity or elasticity of the material, its
possibilities and flexibility under various
loading conditions.

Design Technology of Building Materials
Evaluation of Structural Materials
Therefore, a material is tested for the following strengths to ascertain its potency and
performance before its application as a structural element in construction:
Yield strength: The minimum stress required to cause the first smallest deformation of
the material.
Compressive strength: The maximum compressive or shear stress required to cause
failure of material.
Tensile stress: The maximum tensile stress required to cause failure of material.
Stress- strain ratio or Youngs
modulus: is another method used
to ascertain the strength of a
material, i.e. its property of
Elasticity, or the capability of a
material to re-attain its shape
after being deformed due to
application of any kind of stress.
A graph is usually plotted to chart
the maximum stress up to which
the strain beard by the material
does not cause permanent
deformation.
Design Technology of Building Materials
Evaluation of Structural Materials
Ductile material: Ex. Structural steel,
that bends and yields to a high
stress level without being damaged.
Brittle material: Ex. Timber, that
cracks immediately on application of
excessive stress
Design Technology of Building Materials
Building Materials:
Examples of Structural
Materials
Design Technology of Building Materials
Brick Masonry
Brick Masonry:
Use of Bricks joined together by Cement Mortar. Details
as follows:
Brick Composition Modern fired clay bricks comprising of
silica, alumina, lime and even reusable materials such as
fly-ash.
Mortar Composition 1:5-Cement: coarse sand ratio

Design Details
Each coarse of brick shall be interspersed by a binding
mortar layer of 10-12mm (maximum), there should be
no vertical joints.
Depending on Architecture detail, the elevation may be
plastered in 12mm cement plaster or be raked-in 10mm
to create aesthetic grooves.
They can be single or double brick walls depending on
climatic requirements and may be interspersed with cavity
or insulation accordingly.

Fly ash brick:
Comprising of Flyash which is otherwise a polluting
material, this is easier to manufacture as it is self
cementing, and does not require firing. Allows lesser
moisture seepage and is stronger than regular bricks.
Moreover it is an energy saving material.
Design Technology of Building Materials
Brick Masonry
Example: London School of Economics, Student Centre. Architects: Odonell- Tuomey
For full video refer: http://www.odonnell-tuomey.ie/webpage/process.htm

Architect is explaining how they achieved the complex effect of slanting walls in brick
masonry by simply stacking them at the corners, hence none of the bricks had to be cut
to give this sloping effect.
Design Technology of Building Materials
Brick Masonry
Brick is also used to construct the foundation
of the load bearing brick-wall.
A. Concrete Base
B. Stepped brick footing
C. Foot resting for flooring at internal Plinth
level
D. Damp proof course, preventing moisture to
travel upwards into building from the
ground
E. Wall plate
F. Floor joist
G. Concrete plinth-base
Brick is also used to construct
structural arches for door and window
openings or as architectural design
elements.
It allows equal distribution of load
from the top centre.
The most important is the keystone
that holds the arch together in place.
Design Technology of Building Materials
Timber
Timber: Wood undergoes treatment and seasoning to produce timber for building
construction. Timber is structurally as the following elements:
Beams
Columns
Trusses
Framing and bracing
Timber Staircase

Example: A complex modern example is the Tamedia office building in Zurich by architect
Shigeru Ban. Timber was largely proposed as the main structural system from a technical
and environmental point of view.
Design Technology of Building Materials
Timber
Timber Structure: beam and column joint detail for a 7storey building
Tamedia office building in Zurich by architect Shigeru Ban
Refer: http://www.shigerubanarchitects.com/
Design Technology of Building Materials
Timber
Design Details for timber structures:

The minimum dimensions of the timber cross section are
calculated using the limit state method which is based on
yield strength and youngs modulus of the material, along
with the expected loading and design span of the timber
member.
Timber is a brittle material hence it is designed for short
spans.
Timber joineries can be simple tongue and groove/ butt
joints or complex depending on the purpose. Members can
be nailed or bolted.
Incorporation of steel bolting systems in the joineries helps
and otherwise brittle material attain flexibility, making the
joints stronger towards shear and lateral loads.
Screw sizes for bolts need to be decided carefully so as
not to crack the timber.
Timber is not a fire safe material, hence more modern
and engineered prototypes that are tested as fireproof
timber should only be used in fire safety zones.

Design Technology of Building Materials
Concrete (including R.C.C.)
Structural formwork:
Columns
Beams
Lintels
Large span Slabs
Retaining walls and basement works
Column footing and foundations
Staircase support

Example: Sir Paul Reeves building, AUT by Jasmax Architects
Structural solutions for this building reflect the need for flexibility in internal planning,
and include concrete shear walls around the central core and perimeter columns supporting
long-span castellated floor beams to yield large open floor plates.
(left) the tri-column of
Reinforced concrete on the
corner building junction
(right) reinforcement of
the RCC tri-column during
construction.
Design Technology of Building Materials
Concrete (including R.C.C.)
Design details for Concrete and RCC structures:

Concrete performs well in compression and cracks in
tension. Hence, steel is used in the tension zone to
combat this stress in both beams and slabs.
Spans and cross sectional dimensions are designed
as per limit state method that calculates these
according to loading and bending moment.
For lateral forces due to wind and earthquake, shear
walls are designed in complex buildings. Shear walls
are RCC slender walls extending through the vertical
rise of the building. It cannot have any openings and
its thickness is designed as per loading stress.
The material can withstand high temperatures due to
fire, unlike steel and timber, hence can be used in
fire staircase and refuge enclosures that are safety
zones.
Waffle slabs can be used to decrease overall beam
depth and increase span of spaces between columns.
Innovation by Alarcon Associates
Design Technology of Building Materials
Steel
Structural Steel formwork:
Beams
Columns
Structural bracing
Staircase support
Component of R.C.C.

Others:
Space frames
Exterior faade framing

Example: The Owen Glenn Building, U.O.A in
Auckland, by FJMT Architects.
The building is an amalgamation of RCC and steel
structural design.
Steel connections and braces provide flexibility in
the structure that are important in a seismic zone.
The structure would be able to withstand strong
shear and lateral forces.
Steel has also been used in order to have large
span clear aesthetic spaces, allowing clear vision
and movement.
Design Technology of Building Materials
Steel
Designing steel structures:

Steel performs well in tension, i.e. it is well
designed for bending moment.
However, it slender members tend to buckle
easily, hence require lateral bracing and supports.
Steel connections can be simply welded or bolted
together.
Complex connections can be formed using web
steel sections, that allow multiple members to be
connected at one edge.
Gusset Plates need to be appropriately sized and
marked for bolting as per design thickness and
number of connections when designing trusses.
In case of Gusset plates, bolt sizes and spacing
should be designed carefully to avoid torsion
rotation.
Steel melts under high temperatures, hence should
be given proper cover by concrete when used in
fire safety zones.


Design Technology of Building Materials
Building Materials:
For Non-Structural
Components
Doors, Windows, Glazing
Insulation
Water-proofing
Flooring and Finishing
Shading Devices
Design Technology of Building Materials
Non- Structural building components
Function: Doors, windows and glazing
Materials: timber, aluminium, steel and glass

Aluminium section- curtain glazing
The use of these materials requires low maintenance, they are
aesthetic, offer sufficient, though not very high acoustic and thermal
insulation.
Newer technology and awareness is causing architects to switch to
double glazing options that not only seal the building into being
thermally isolated by avoiding air leaks but is also preferred as it
saves energy for constant internal thermal balance. The cavity between
the two glass surfaces can vary from a few mm upto a meter in
depth. Example: Swiss re building, London, Architect Norman Foster.
Design Technology of Building Materials
Non- Structural building components
Function: Insulation
Materials: Polyurethane panels, Urea Foam, Glass wool

Material selection and thickness depends on the climatic location of the building.
Thermal values (R-U Values) and time lag are significant in deciding this as
well.
Some of these materials may be toxic and flammable like foam, hence newer
materials approved by various green building certifications shall be used instead.
Materials like rock wool are recyclable, durable, non toxic and non-flammable,
hence are more recommendable. Cotton insulation is another material that is non-
toxic and is recognised by green building rating organisations as safe, however, it
is not completely effective in sealing the building from thermal bridge phenomenon.
Another innovative material is Aerogel. A relatively new material and is known to
be the least dense man material. It has an extremely low thermal conductivity
0.03W/mK.
Design Technology of Building Materials
Non- Structural building components
Function: Water proofing

Materials:
DPC: used as a vapour barrier between the foundation and the elevational wall
Bitumen: membranes are used on the building roofing
Polyethylene sheeting (Geotextile): in the basements along the walls, preventing
water to seep through them.
Hycrete: A modern material engineered by adding mixtures to regular concrete
making it waterproof in itself, protecting steel reinforcement.
Design Technology of Building Materials
Non- Structural building components
Other Significant materials

Function: Flooring
Materials: timber, tiles, stone, cement


Function: Shading devices
Materials
Timber louvers
Concrete bries- soliel
Glass reinforced concrete (GRC) screen
Metal Screen
Metal reflectors

Design Technology of Building Materials
New or Advanced Building
Materials
Design Technology of Building Materials
New Building Materials

2. Phase Changing materials
Materials that change their form when impacted by the smallest change in temperature.
Usually made of metal alloys, the material form responds to rise in atmospheric
temperature as the day advances.

4. Nano materials
Are materials engineered at a nano scale (10
9
) to create new generation materials that
are self cleansing for example. Insulation material Aerogel is also a nano material

5. Low e glass
Low emissivity glass prevent excessive heat from being conducted through the glazing
into the building interiors.

6. PV glazing
Use of Photovoltaic panels to harness solar energy.
World fair Pavillion at EXPO
in Hannover, Germany, 2000
1. Laminated Engineered Timber:
Man made composite wood boards designed to
precise specifications.
They are versatile and have maximised strength,
loading performance (flexibility and spanning).
They are easier to work with and can be
aesthetically moulded into fluid forms. They are
designed to e fire proof as well.

These materials shall be explained in detail in
further lectures on Building Envelope)
Design Technology of Building Materials
Bibliography: List of reading books
1. Aicher, Simon; Reinhardt, H.W. and Garrecht, Herald. (2014). Materials and
joints in timber structures : recent developments of technology. Dordrecht,
Springer
2. Butler, Robert Brown. (2002). Architectural Engineering Design: Structural
Systems. Mcgraw-Hill, USA. (Common for all topics)
3. Elkink, Alide. (2012). Building Basics: Insulation. BRANZ, Porirua, New
Zealand
4. M. Hassoun A. A Al-Manaseer. (2012). Structural Concrete: Theory and Design.
Hoboken, New Jersey (RCC design)
5. Mckay, William Barr. (1947). Brickwork. Longmans, London
6. Mckay, William Barr. (1971). Building Construction: Volume 1-4. Orient Blackswan,
India (Brick Masonry)
7. Pringle, Trevor. (2012). Building Basics: Steel Framing. BRANZ, Porirua, New
Zealand (Steel design)
8. Steurer Anton. (2006). Developments in Timber Engineering: The Swiss
Tradition. Basel, Birkhauser
9. Structural Engineered Timber Manufacturers Association of New Zealand.
(1982). New Zealand Timber Construction Review. Akron Consolidated,
Auckland