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Construction Technology

Revision Guide

Sub structures and Super structures

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Super structure (Wall, floors roof)

Sub structure (Foundations)

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

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• Eco friendly/ sustainable

• Fire resistant

• Higher insulating quality

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.

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3: Equipment • Fire escapes • Fire Alarms • Smoke detector • Sprinkler system

2: Building Design: • Fire resistant doors • Fire barriers • Compartments

1: Fire resistant materials: • Plasterboard • Concrete • Blockwork • Intumescent Paint

Sustainability

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A sustainable building is designed and constructed to make as small an impact on the natural environment as possible.

Methods of Sustainable Construction:

1. Building on Brownfield sites

2. Recycling and reusing of materials

3. Use of Sustainable materials

4. Use of pre fabricated materials

5. South facing building to make use of

natural light

Sustainable materials

• Sheep’s wool- insulation

• Lime- mortar

• Straw- walls and plaster

• Softwood- timber frames

• Aluminium- guttering

Foundations

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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-

Strip Foundations

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Strip-

Wide but not deep

Advantages: • Cheap • Brick laying needed

Disadvantages: • Takes longer • Dangerous as banks could

collapse • Will need trench support

Key points to remember:

Deep strip Foundations

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Deep Strip/ Trench fill-

Very deep- lots of concrete required

Advantages: • Quicker • Less chance of bank collapsing

Disadvantages: • Expensive • No brick and block laying

needed • Bad for environment

Key points to remember:

Raft Foundations

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Raft:

Different thickness of concrete

Advantages: • Ideal for different strength soil

Disadvantages: • Expensive to build • Can crack at weak point

Key points to remember:

Piled Foundations

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Piled:

Advantages: • Can support very heavy loads • Quick to construct

Disadvantages: • Expensive to build • Very noisy when drilling down

Key points to remember:

Cross Section of the Substructure

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DPM

Block work

Sand Blinding

Ground Level

Strip foundation

Trench block Cavity

fill

Brick work

Metal reinforcement bar

Insulation Floor Screed

Concrete

Hardcore

Insulation DPC

Substructure- What can you remember?!

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Example sketches of the substructure

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- 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

Practice sketches of the substructure

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- 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

SUPERSTRUCTURES-

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Roofs

Walls

Super structures

Floors

• Provide protection from the weather

• Adds strength and supports the walls of the structure

• Provide protection from the weather

• Supports the roof and adds stability to the floors

• Provides support and stability the walls of the structure

• Supports dead and live

loads of a building

THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN THE STRUCTURE

Bricks and blocks (Masonry)

Timber frames OR

This is rendered blockwork

• What walls do:

. resist heat transfer . provide shelter and security

. support roof and floors . resist sound transfer

Walls-Most external walls are built using –

Sketches of Masonry and Timber Framed Cavity Walls

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Masonry Timber Frame

Cavity Walls

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

Masonry Timber Framed

Why use a Cavity in construction?

Partial Filled Cavity

• Cavity reduces mortar

bridging and damp transfer

• Insulation keeps house

warmer

cavity tray

wall tie

weep hole

window or door frame

Catnic lintel

Catnic Lintel

glass

To support the weight above a door, window or opening

Catnic lintels are used on face brick walls as they are discrete and hidden.

Concrete Lintels

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To support the weight above a door, window or opening

SIP’s - Structural Insulated Panels

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1. Light so less concrete required in foundations

2. They come pre-insulated so less time wasted on fitting insulation after

3. Faster to build so therefore cheaper

• These can be used as an alternative to brick and block walls

Advantages: Disadvantages:

1. Made from wood so could rot or catch fire

2. Will need to apply a finish e.g render, brickwork or cladding

3. They are expensive

Floors

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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

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.

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Disadvantages: 1. Takes longer

2. Damp penetration from

ground more likely

Advantages: 1. Cheap

2. No need for heavy

machinery

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.

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Disadvantages:

1. More expensive

2. Requires machinery to lift heavy beams

Advantages:

1. Quick to construct

2. Can be laid in any weather

3. Reduces the load to the foundation

Types of suspended floors

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Timber joists

Pre-cast concrete

Block & beam

• Advantages: Light, easy to work with, cheap

• Disadvantages: Not as strong, takes longer to build

• Advantages: Quick to lay, can lay in any weather, extremely strong, less foundations required

• Disadvantages: Expensive,

requires a crane to lift them.

• Advantages: Quick to lay, can lay in any weather, extremely strong, less foundations required

• Disadvantages: Requires a crane to lift and a person to lay blocks

Roofs

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.

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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

Components of a roof

Pitched Roof

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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

Flat Roof

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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

Cross section through the entire Super Structure

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Plaster board

Ridge beam

Common Rafter

Ridge Tile

Battens

Chip board flooring

Roof Tiles

Roofing Felt

Ceiling Joists

Insulation

Wall plate

Floor Joists

Insulation

Super Structure- What can you remember?

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Practice sketches of the superstructure

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- Below are examples of sketches that would achieve full marks in the exam: Flat roof Pitched Roof

Masonry cavity Wall

Suspended timber first floor

Practice sketches of the superstructure

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

Flat roof Pitched Roof

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

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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 drowning

• Use a water pump to pump out water

Gas Injury or death via explosion or choking

• Avoid gas main pipes

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

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

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

• Has a cavity so less chance of damp transfer

• Can take a long time to build

• Brick work looks a lot nicer

• Heavy so more concrete needed in foundations

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

• They come pre made so saves time building

• The timber will rot over time

• They are light so less concrete required in foundations.

• Not as nice looking as brickwork

Flat Roof Pitched roof

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.

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

Then write a conclusion:

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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