Gives information about various building materials, classification of buildings, types of loads, building components their functions and nominal dimensions.

1. Building Materials
&
Construstion

2. Prepared By:
Aakash Singh
F.Y. (B.E. Mechanical)

3. Contents
 Building Materials
• Sand
• Aggregates
• Mortar
• Concrete
• Bitumen
 Construction
• Classification of Buildings
• Types of Loads
• Building Components, their functions and nominal dimensions

4. Introduction
to
Building Materials

5. Sand is an important building material which consists of
small rounded or angular grains of silica (SiO2).
It is formed by decomposition or disintegration of sand
stone under action of weather such as wind, rains, frost,
etc.
Sand can be classified into three main types depending
on the sources from which it is obtained :
1. Pit Sand
It is obtained by digging pits in the soil and is excavated from
a depth of about 1.2 m from ground level. This soil consists of
sharp angular grains, which are free from silt, clay, etc. Clean
pit sand forms an excellent material for mortars and concrete.
Sand

6. 2. River Sand
Widely used for all purposes and best sand for important
work.
Obtained from banks or beds of rivers and consists of
fine rounded grains.
It is almost white in colour.
3. Sea Sand
It is obtained from sea shores.
It have clean rounded light brown particles.
It is available with bad salts and hence it is unsuitable for
making mortar or concrete.
It increases the setting time of cement, hence it avoided
for engineering purposes.
Sand

7.  Classification of Sand based on Particle size
1. Gravely Sand : Sand passing through 7.620 mm size
sieve is called gravely sand.
It is used for concrete work.
2. Coarse Sand : Sand particles passing through 3.175 mm
sieve is termed as coarse sand.
It is generally used for masonry work.
3. Medium Sand : Sand particles passing through 2.36 mm
sieve is termed as Medium sand.
It used for plastering.
4. Fine Sand : Sand particles passing through 1.5875 mm
sieve is termed as fine sand.
It is mainly use for plastering.
Sand

8.  Properties of Good Sand
1. It should be clean and free from silt, clay and other injurious
materials.
2. Chemically inert.
3. Should have sharp angular grains.
4. Size of grain should be between 4 to 6 mm.
5. Should be strong and durable.
 Uses of Sand
1. Making lime mortar.
2. Making cement mortar.
3. Making cement concrete
4. Used for masonry work, plastering and pointing works.
Sand

9. Aggregates are the inert materials that are mixed in fixed
proportions with a cementing material to produce
concrete.
It acts as fillers or volume increasing components and
are responsible for strength, hardness and durability of
concrete.
Aggregate

10.  Classification of Aggregates
A. Based on Grain size
Based on size of grains, it is classified into two types:
1. Fine Aggregates : Materials which passes through BIS test
sieve No. 480 is termed as Fine aggregates.
It have size less than 4.75 mm.
2. Coarse aggregates : Materials retained on BIS test device
No. 480 is termed as Coarse aggregates.
It have size more than 7.55 mm.
B. Based on Origin
1. Natural Aggregates : Includes all fine coarse aggregates
which are available in almost ready to use form from
natural sources. Sands from riverbed are its examples
2. Artificial Aggregate : It can be broken bricks or crushed
air-cooled blast furnace slag.
Aggregate

11. C. Based on Density
Normal Aggregates : Gravels, sand and crushed stones
are classes of normal aggregates. These gives concrete
of standard strength and weighing around 2300-2500
kg/m3.
High Density Aggregates : Barite is used as aggregates in
standard proportions yield heavy concrete weighing
above 4000 kg/m3.
Light Weight Aggregates : Consists of natural and artificial
materials of low density. Concretes with such aggregates
usually weighs within a range of 350-750 kg/m3.
Aggregate

12.  Uses of Aggregates
1. Generally used to make Concrete.
2. Fine aggregates serve the purpose of filling all open spaces
in between coarse particles.
3. Coarse aggregate acts as main load-bearing component of
concrete.
4. Blast furnace slag is suitable aggregate to make light-weight
concrete.
5. Aggregates are used as road metals, ballast for railway
sleepers, etc.
Aggregate

13. On surfaces of roofs whose positioning, shape and
drainage systems are such as to make accumulation of
rain water possible, the load due to the rain water is
known as the Load due to rain.
Mortar

14.  Classification of Mortars :
1. Lime Mortar
In lime mortar, fat lime or hydraulic lime is used as the
binding material.
it consists of a mixture of lime and sand worked with
water.
2. Cement Mortar
Cement is used as a binding material.
It consists of mixture of cement with sand in presence
water.
3. Lime – Cement Mortar
To improve quality of lime mortar, cement is added to it.
It contains lime, cement, sand and water.
Mortar

15. 4. Surkhi Mortar
Prepared by using fully surkhi instead of sand or by
replacing half of sand in case of fat lime mortar.
Ratio of lime to surkhi will depend on the nature of job
where mortar is used.
5. Gypsum Mortar
In theses mortars, gypsum cement are the binding
materials.
these are rarely used in tough construction and are
used as plasters.
Mortar

16.  Qualities of a good Mortar
1. Mortar mix should be easily mixable.
2. Should set and harden quickly so that construction
could be done with speed.
3. Should not develop any cracks on drying.
4. Should be durable.
5. Mortar should be capable of retaining sufficient water
during its application.
6. Should be cheap and economical.
Mortar

17. On surfaces of roofs whose positioning, shape and
drainage systems are such as to make accumulation of
rain water possible, the load due to the rain water is
known as the Load due to rain.
Concrete

18. On surfaces of roofs whose positioning, shape and
drainage systems are such as to make accumulation of
rain water possible, the load due to the rain water is
known as the Load due to rain.
Bitumen

19. Introduction
to
Construction

20. Classification of Buildings

21. Classification of Buildings
Buildings are classified as follows :
i. Based on occupancy, i.e. purpose served by buildings
ii. Based on structure
Based on Occupancy Based on Structure
1. Residential Buildings 1. Load Bearing Structure
2. Educational Buildings 2. Framed Structure
3. Government Buildings 3. Composite Structure
4. Assembly Buildings
5. Commercial Buildings
6. Industrial Buildings
7. Transport Buildings

22. Classification based on
Occupancy

23. Residential Buildings
All those buildings in which sleeping accommodation is
provided for dwelling permanently or temporarily with or
without cooking or dining facilities are called residential
buildings.
E.g. Bungalows, flats, cottages, etc.
Bungalow
Villa
Apartment

24. All those buildings which are meant for imparting training
or providing educational facilities right from nursery or
primary to higher level are called Educational Buildings.
E.g. Schools, Colleges, Libraries, museums, archives,
etc.
Educational Buildings
College
School
Library

25. All those buildings which are meant for the use by
government and related ones are known as government
buildings.
E.g. Parliament, Embassy, Consulate, Post Office, etc.
Government Buildings
Embassy
Parliament
Post Office

26. All those buildings where group of people assemble or
gather for amusement, recreation, social, religious,
patriotic or other such purposes.
E.g. Assembly halls, theatre, auditorium, churches,
temples, etc.
Assembly Buildings
Theatre
Auditorium
Temple

27. All buildings which are exclusively used for business
purpose are known as Commercial Buildings.
E.g. Malls, Banks, Shops, Offices, Restaurants, Hotels,
Markets, etc.
Commercial Buildings
Bank
Convention Centre
Malls

28. Any building or part of a building, or structure in which
products or materials of all kinds and properties are
fabricated, assembled or processed are known as
Industrial buildings.
E.g. Factories, Workshops, Refineries, Dairies, etc.
Industrial Buildings
Factory
Refinery
Foundary

29. All those buildings which consists of the means or
equipments necessary for the movement of passengers
or goods by land, water or airways are called Transport
Buildings.
E.g. Airports, Railway Stations, Bus Stations, Parking
Garages, etc.
Transport Buildings
Airports
Light House
Railway Stations

30. Classification Based on
Structure

31. A structure comprising of slabs, beams and load bearing
walls is known as a Load Bearing Structure.
Loads from slab/roof are transmitted through walls to the
sub-soil below the ground through their foundations.
In load bearing structures, thickness of the walls
decreases from ground to first and then to second floor
to reduce the load on the vertical walls.
As a result, compared to upper floors, lower floors will
have less carpet area.
Such types of structures are suited where hard strata of
soil is available at low depth.
Individual residential bungalows, tenements, low rise
buildings (up to 3 storey), are constructed as load
bearing structures.
Load Bearing Structures

33. It is a structure comprising of slabs resting on beams
and beams are supported by a network of columns and
whole load of the structure is transferred to the sub-soil
below the ground through columns and their footings.
Walls don’t bear any load and rest on plinth beams
without foundations.
This type of structure has more flexibility.
R.C.C. is the most suitable material to withstand external
loads like compressive, tensile, torsion and shear along
with moment.
All columns, beams and slabs are connected rigidly and
are constructed monolithically.
Carpet area is almost same for all floors and is more
than load bearing structure.
Generally, all multistoried buildings or high rise buildings
have framed structure.
Framed Structures

35. The structures constructed with combination of both load
bearing as well as framed structure is called composite
structure.
The load of slabs is transmitted to the sub-soil below
ground by load bearing walls and columns through their
foundations.
In this type of structure, external walls are treated as
load bearing walls and all intermediate supports are in
the form of R.C.C. columns.
This type of structure is preferred in buildings having
large spans such as workshops, halls, warehouses,
godowns, etc.3
This type of structure have advantages of both load
bearing and framed structure.
Composite Structures

37. Types of Loads Acting On Buildings

38. Types of Loads Acting on a
Building
Dead
Load
Live
Load
Wind
Load
Snow
Load
Load
due to
Rain
Earthqua
ke Load

39. The dead load includes loads that are relatively constant
over time, including the weight of the structure itself, and
immovable fixtures such as walls, roof, immovable
furniture, etc.
Dead load is permanent, immovable and untransferable
load of a structure.
The dead load of floors, roofs, beams, ceilings, etc. is
proportionately transmitted on the surrounding walls.
Dead Load

40. Weights of common construction materials of a building
Sr.
No.
Material/Structure Weight (in kg/m3)
1.
Brick Masonry Walls : 10 cm thick
20 cm thick
192
384
2. Plain Cement Concrete (P.C.C.) 2300
3. Reinforced Cement Concrete (R.C.C.) 2400
4. Bricks 1600 – 1920
5. Steel 7850
6. Cement Plaster, 25 mm thick 52
7. Sand 1760 – 2000

41. This is the movable, temporary and transferable load on
the floor and hence it is variable.
The weight of furniture, stored materials, humans, etc.
are examples of live loads.
It is also known as superimposed load.
The live loads are assumed to be acting uniformly over
the whole floor area and is distributed proportionately on
the wall foundations.
Live Load

42. Tall buildings are subjected to wind pressure on their
exposed faces and inclined or sloppy roof surfaces.
The effect of wind pressure is to reduce the pressure on
the foundation on the windward side and to increase the
pressure on the leeward side.
Wind pressure can be measured by the formula :
P = kV2
p = wind pressure in kg/m2
V = velocity of wind in km/hr
k = coefficient whose value depends
on various factors such as wind speed
Temperature of air, etc.
= 0.0006 (as per building code)
Wind Load

44. Snow load acts on roofs.
Actual load due to snow will depend on the shape of the
roof and its capacity to retain the snow.
Mountain regions in northern parts of India are subjected
to snow fall. Houses in this region experience snow load.
The load of snow maybe taken as 2.5 kg/m2 per cm
depth of snow.
Snow Load

45. On surfaces of roofs whose positioning, shape and
drainage systems are such as to make accumulation of
rain water possible, the load due to the rain water is
known as the Load due to rain.
Load due to Rain

46. Earthquake causes shaking of ground resulting in
shaking/motion of building at its base.
Forces acts on the building due to the earthquake
especially in horizontal direction.
This fore can damage or even collapse the building.
Nowadays earthquake resistant buildings are
constructed which can resist the severe earthquakes
also.
Earthquake Load

47. Building Components, Their Functions
and Dimensions

48. Building Components

49.  Sub-Structure
• Shallow Foundation
o Spread Footings
o Combined Footings
o Strap Footings
o Mat/Raft Foundations
• Deep Foundation
 Super Structure
• Plinth
• Walls, Columns & Beams
• Floors
• Sills, Lintels and Weather sheds
• Doors, Windows & Ventilators
• Roofs & Slabs
• Parapet
• Stairs, Lifts, Ramps
• Building Finishes
Building Components

50. Sub – Structure / Foundations

51. The basic function of foundation is to transmit the dead –
loads, live loads and other loads to the sub – soil on
which it rests in such a way that the settlement of the soil
does not fail in shear.
Foundations are of two types:
1. Shallow Foundations
2. Deep Foundations
Foundations

52. If depth of foundation is equal to or less than its width,
then it is Shallow Foundation.
All shallow foundations should be taken to a minimum
depth of 800 mm.
If hard strata is at a greater depth, the depth of
foundation should be taken to such a depth at which the
soil has allowable bearing capacity.
The shallow foundations can be classified into the following
types:
1. Spread footings
2. Combined footings
3. Strap footings
4. Mat or Raft foundation
Shallow Foundation

53. Spread footings are those which spread the
superimposed load of wall or column over a larger area.
The spread footings support either a column or a wall.
Spread Footing

54. A Spread footings which supports two or more columns
is termed as combined footing.
Combined footing are invariably constructed of
reinforced concrete.
Combined Footing

55. A strap footing consists of two or more footings of
individual columns, connected by a beam, called a
Strap.
Strap Footing

56. A raft or mat is a combined footing, which covers the
entire area below the whole building or structure and
supports all the walls and columns.
Raft Foundation

57. When the depth of foundation is equal or greater than its
width, then it is called Deep foundation.
Pile foundation is that type of foundation in which the
loads are taken to a low level by means of vertical
members which may be of timber, concrete or steel.
Deep Foundation

58. Super Structure

59. On surfaces of roofs whose positioning, shape and
drainage systems are such as to make accumulation of
rain water possible, the load due to the rain water is
known as the Load due to rain.
Plinth

60. On surfaces of roofs whose positioning, shape and
drainage systems are such as to make accumulation of
rain water possible, the load due to the rain water is
known as the Load due to rain.
Walls, Columns & Beams

61. On surfaces of roofs whose positioning, shape and
drainage systems are such as to make accumulation of
rain water possible, the load due to the rain water is
known as the Load due to rain.
Floors

62. On surfaces of roofs whose positioning, shape and
drainage systems are such as to make accumulation of
rain water possible, the load due to the rain water is
known as the Load due to rain.
Sills, Lintels & Weather Sheds

63. On surfaces of roofs whose positioning, shape and
drainage systems are such as to make accumulation of
rain water possible, the load due to the rain water is
known as the Load due to rain.
Doors, Windows & Ventilators

64. On surfaces of roofs whose positioning, shape and
drainage systems are such as to make accumulation of
rain water possible, the load due to the rain water is
known as the Load due to rain.
Roofs & Slabs

65. On surfaces of roofs whose positioning, shape and
drainage systems are such as to make accumulation of
rain water possible, the load due to the rain water is
known as the Load due to rain.
Parapet

66. On surfaces of roofs whose positioning, shape and
drainage systems are such as to make accumulation of
rain water possible, the load due to the rain water is
known as the Load due to rain.
Stairs, Lifts & Ramps

67. On surfaces of roofs whose positioning, shape and
drainage systems are such as to make accumulation of
rain water possible, the load due to the rain water is
known as the Load due to rain.
Building Finishes

68. Building Components and their
Functions

69. Sr. No. Building Components Functions
1. Foundation
It transmits the load coming from the
superstructure on to the sub-soil below
it.
2. Plinth
It protects the building from rain water,
damp or moisture, insects and transmits
the load of superstructure to the
foundation.
3. Walls
Provided to enclose or to divide the
floor space into rooms as per
requirement and also provide privacy,
security and protection against sun,
rain, etc.
4. Column
Transmits the load coming from the
beams on the sub – soil below it.
5. Sill Supports window frame at bottom.

70. Sr. No. Building Components Functions
6. Door
Provides access into the room, offers
privacy of sight and sound.
7. Window
Opening made in wall for providing
light and ventilation.
8. Ventilator
Small opening made in wall, provided
at lintel level for removal of exhaust air
or foul smell.
9. Roof/Slab
It is the uppermost part of a building to
cover the space below and protect it
from sun, wind, rain and snow.
10. Beam
Media by which all loads of slab are
transferred to vertical supports of a
building.

71. Sr. No. Building Components Functions
11. Lintel
Supports the weight of the wall above
the openings of doors, windows and
ventilator.
12. Stair
Means of vertical transportation
between the floors. Provides access
between various floors.
13. Floor
Provides plane surface and supports the
occupants, furniture, fixtures and
equipments of a building.
14. Watershed/Chajjas
Generally combined with lintels to
protect doors, windows or ventilators
from sun, rain, wind, etc
15. Parapet
Acts as a protective solid balustrade for
the users.

72. Building Components and their
Nominal Dimensions

73. Sr. No. Building Components Functions
1. Foundation
Shallow foundations: Depth≥2T+30
Width=2T+30; T=wall thickness
Deep foundations: Depth-10 to30m
Width as per design
2. Plinth
Height above ground : 30, 45, 60, 75 or
90
3. Walls
Load bearing walls : 20, 30, 40 cm
Partition wall : 10 cm
4. Column
Square : 20 x 20cm, 30 x 30 cm
Rectangular : 20 x 30cm
Circular : 20 Ø, 30 Ø
Footing: 1x1x1 m pit as per design
5. Sill Sill height : 70, 80 or 90 cm above floor

74. Sr. No. Building Components Functions
6. Door
Width : 0.80(min.), 0.90, 1.0, 1.20 m
Height : 1.80 (min), 2.0, 2.10 m
7. Window
Width : 0.60, 0.70, 0.90, 1.00, 1.20 m
Height : 1.20 m
8. Ventilator
Width : 0.60, 0.70, 0.90, 1.00, 1.20 m
Height : 0.20 or 0.30 m
9. Roof/Slab
R.C.C. slab thickness : 10, 12, 15 or 18
cm
10. Beam
Depth:30, 45 or 60 cm
Width : wall thickness or 30, 45, 60 cm

75. Sr. No. Building Components Functions
11. Lintel
Length=width of door/window opening
+ min. 10 cm bearing on both ends
Width = thickness of wall
12. Stair
Tread : 25 cm, 30 cm
Riser : 115 to 20 cm
Width of stair := minimum 1.0 m
13. Floor
Ground floor = plinth height
Upper floor = slab thickness
14. Watershed/Chajjas
Tapered in shape: Front : 7 to 10 cm
At lintel side = height of lintel = 10 to
15 cm
15. Parapet
Height : 1.0m(min.), 1.10, 1.20 or 1.30
m (approx.)
Width : 10, 20 or 30 cm