This presentation belongs to civil engineering students

1. Building Materials
JUVRIANTO CJ, S.PD.,
M.PD.
English for Civil
Engineering

2. Building materials are materials that are used in the construction of
buildings, houses and other structures. This includes traditional materials
such as wood and newer materials that are designed to meet a variety of
modern construction requirements. The following are common types of
building material.
Without knowing and understanding about building materials, we cannot
build a good building.
Remember, “Best building comes from best building
materials”

3. WOOD
Example
Uses
Exteriors, interiors, flooring, roofs, decorative
elements, load bearing structures, landscaping
and fencing.
Properties Resists compression, reasonably high tensile
strength, pliable, workable and visually
appealing. The properties of wood differ greatly
depending on the type.
Notes Woods are broadly classified into softwoods
and hardwoods based on tree species. This is
somewhat misleading as hardwoods aren't
necessarily harder than softwoods.
A hard natural material that has been used for interiors and exteriors for thousands
of years. Wood is a sustainable material when responsibly sourced as it is a
carbon-neutral renewable resource.

4. CONCRETE
Concrete is a composite material that contains aggregates such as sand, gravel and
crushed stone with a binder such as Portland cement. Chemical admixtures are often
added to change the properties of the concrete or to speed up or slow down hardening.
Example Uses
Foundations, load bearing structures and
sidewalks.
Properties
Concrete is heavy and has high compressive
strength but remarkably low tensile strength. For
this reason, it is often reinforced with a material
with high tensile strength such as steel bars
known as rebar.
Notes
Concrete is by far the most widely used
construction material by weight. It is generally
perceived as unattractive and stark as it is
associated with utilitarian infrastructure such as
highway overpasses and dams. Cement
production produces significant greenhouse gas
emissions.

5. GLASS
A durable but brittle material that is valued for its optical properties such as its ability to
refract, reflect and transmit light. Glass is often designed to be transparent or translucent.
Most glass contains silicon dioxide and is manufactured in thousands of varieties. A strong
type of frameless glass known as structural glass can be used in load bearing structures.
Example Uses Windows, facades, walls, roofs and floors.
Properties
Valued for its optical properties, particular its
transparency. Glass is durable but brittle and is
prone to fracture. Treatments such as laminates
can make glass less brittle.
Notes
Glass comes in many varieties that include
materials such as fiberglass, glass-ceramics
and fiber optics.

6. CERAMICS
Ceramics are a broad category of hard inorganic material manufactured using minerals.
Most tranditional ceramics are non-metallic. However, some materials made from
combinations of metals and minerals are considered ceramics. Traditional ceramics include
earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. Modern ceramics include silicon nitride, silicon
carbide and titanium carbide.
Example Uses
Bricks, fireplaces, chimneys, mortar, decorative
features, countertops, sinks, tubs, bathrooms and
kitchen tiles.
Properties
Ceramics are often hard, durable, water, heat and
fire resistant. Modern engineered ceramics such
as titanium carbide and tungsten carbide are
amongst the strongest known materials.
Notes
Production of ceramics often requires high
temperatures. As such, ceramics can be energy
intensive and expensive. However, they are often
extremely durable.

7. STEEL
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is also common to add other metals to steel to
improve its properties. For example, stainless steel includes chromium and nickel to
improve the corrosion resistance of the metal. Steel began to replace cast iron as the
structural metal of choice for large structures at the end of the 19th century. Steel is also
used in a large number of construction materials, parts and components.
Example
Uses
Structural steel, reinforcing bars, decorative
elements, sheet metal, wires, pipes, bolts, nails
and screws.
Properties
The properties of steel differ based on its carbon
content, metal content and manufacturing
processes. Generally speaking, it has high
compressive and tensile strength. Steel is
durable, highly recyclable and has good thermal
conductivity. Stainless steel resists corrosion.
Notes
Steel is not combustible but can lose strength in a
fire. As such, most structural steel must be
fireproofed.

8. CARBON FIBER
Carbon fibers are a relatively new material that have interesting material properties for
construction including high tensile strength, chemical resistance and low thermal expansion.
These are often used in composite materials such as fiber-reinforced concrete and carbon fiber
reinforced plastic where fiber is used for its superior tensile strength.
Example
Uses
Used to improve the strength of concrete, wood,
plastics and masonry.
Properties
Carbon fiber has a far higher tensile strength than
most known materials. For example, its tensile
strength is more than 5x that of steel. Other
carbon-based materials are even stronger. For
example, graphene has a tensile strength of
around 18,854,905 Psi compared to steel at
approximately 77,015 Psi.
Notes
Carbon nanotubes and graphene are far stronger
than carbon fiber and are likely to become
important construction materials in the future.

9. COPPER
Copper has been used in architecture since at least the 3rd century BC. It is valued for its
superior qualities in areas such as thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance. Copper is also
viewed as a visually attractive metal with a lustrous reddish-gold color and a bright green patina
that forms with exposure to the elements.
Example
Uses
Roofs, gutters, pipes, wall cladding, building
expansion joints, wires, radio frequency
shielding and lightning protection.
Properties
Durable, corrosion resistant, low thermal
expansion, low maintenance, antimicrobial
and highly recyclable.
Notes
Copper surfaces form a characteristic green
patina coating with time that provides
corrosion resistance. In the absence of
harsh conditions such as pollution and salt,
copper corrodes at a rate of less than 0.4
mm in 200 years.

10. ALUMINIUM
A lightweight and durable metal that has a large number of specialty uses.
Example Uses
Exterior panels, facades and window
frames.
Properties
Light, ductile, malleable, corrosion resistant,
nonmagnetic, thermal conductor, electrical
conductor.
Notes
Aluminum is corrosion resistant due to the
formation of a layer of aluminum oxide
when exposed to air. Aluminum is highly
reactive and is not resistant to a wide
variety of chemical exposures such as salt.
This is the reason it is not typically used in
plumbing.

11. PLASTIC
Plastic is a category of synthetic material derived from petrochemicals or renewable biomass
sources. It is an inexpensive material that is formulated and shaped into a very large number of
construction products.
Example Uses
Pipes, flooring, roofing, siding, windows,
doors and interior panels.
Properties
Cheap and available in significant
variety. Plastics are often lightweight,
durable, flammable and sensitive to
temperature. They can be reasonably
strong for most applications but aren't
typically used for load bearing structures.
Often used as a coating or covering for
other materials.
Notes
People may have negative perceptions
of plastic including the idea that plastic
materials are "fake."

12. PLASTER
Plaster is a material that is applied as a decorative or protective coating of interior walls and
ceilings. A similar material applied to exteriors is known as render or stucco. Plasters are based
on gypsum, lime, cement or clay and are applied as a paste that hardens.
Example
Uses
Interior walls, exterior walls, ceilings and
fireproofing.
Properties
Easily worked, moulded and finished.
Plasters are not strong and are easily
damaged. However, they also tend to be
easy to repair. Some plasters have
fireproofing properties and a thick plaster
formulated for this purpose can resist fire
for up to an hour.
Notes
Plaster-like materials are often used in
sculpture and art.

13. STONE
The craft of using stone in construction is known as stonemasonry. This is an ancient type of
construction that is difficult and expensive as compared to modern materials. Stone such as
limestone, slate and sandstone are commonly used to repair and restore historical buildings.
Visually appealing stones such as granite and marble are used to add luxury features to building
interiors and exteriors.
Example Uses
Repair of historical buildings, facades,
interior walls, floors, bathrooms and
countertops.
Properties
Heavy, durable, hard, high compressive
strength, difficult to work and visually
appealing.
Notes
Stonemasonry is amongst the most
difficult of the trades that was traditionally
a 7 year apprenticeship. Modern
apprenticeships are often 3 years.

14. MINERALS (SAND)
Minerals such as sand, clay and gypsum are used in construction due to their low cost and
properties such as fire resistance or compressive strength. For example, drywall made with
gypsum and paper that is used for interior walls and ceilings.
Example Uses
Drywall, bricks and aggregate for
cement and mortar.
Properties
Minerals may be relatively
inexpensive and have desirable
properties such as fire resistance
or high compressive strength.
Notes
Minerals are also used in the
production of glass and ceramic
materials such as tiles.

15. STONE
The craft of using stone in construction is known as stonemasonry. This is an ancient type of
construction that is difficult and expensive as compared to modern materials. Stone such as
limestone, slate and sandstone are commonly used to repair and restore historical buildings.
Visually appealing stones such as granite and marble are used to add luxury features to building
interiors and exteriors.
Example Uses
Repair of historical buildings, facades,
interior walls, floors, bathrooms and
countertops.
Properties
Heavy, durable, hard, high compressive
strength, difficult to work and visually
appealing.
Notes
Stonemasonry is amongst the most
difficult of the trades that was traditionally
a 7 year apprenticeship. Modern
apprenticeships are often 3 years.

16. EXERCISE
S

17. 1. Find your partner.
2. Make a conversation about “what is your house is made from?”
Example:
A : “What is your house made from?”
B : “My house is made from stone” or “My house is made from
wood.”
A : “What is its window made from?”
B : “Its window is made from wood and glass”
window / roof / door / floor / wall