20 Examples of Construction Materials - encyclopedia

Video: Construction Materials - Introduction

Content

Properties of building materials
Types of building materials
Examples of building materials

The Construction materials are those raw Materials or, usually, manufactured products that are necessary in building construction work or in civil engineering works. They are the original components of the constructive or architectural elements of a building.

Since ancient times, human beings have managed to improve their quality of life by making use of the elements of nature, and This has led him to innovate in terms of buildings to make them more comfortable, more resistant to disasters and more up to date with scientific and technological advances.. In this process, he has had to learn about construction materials and their use, to know how to choose or create the most suitable for each occasion.

In this process, mixtures, new and synthetic materials, and intelligent designs have had a privileged place in the history of architecture and civil engineering. Many of the building materials are manufactured products of primary industries, while others are raw material treated or in a semi-raw state.

See also: Examples of Natural and Artificial Materials

Properties of building materials

Since a wise choice guarantees a better architectural result, there are some essential properties of building materials to which attention is paid:

Density. Relationship between mass and volume, that is, amount of matter contained per unit.
Hygroscopicity. Ability of matter to absorb water.
Expansivity. Tendency of matter to expand its size in the presence of heat and contract it in the presence of cold.
Thermal conductivity. Capacity of matter to transmit heat.
Electric conductivity. Ability of matter to transmit electricity.
Mechanical strength. Amount of stress that matter is able to withstand without deforming or breaking.
Elasticity. Ability of materials to regain their original shape once the stress that deforms them ceases.
Plasticity. Ability of matter to deform and not break in the face of sustained stress over time.
Rigidity. Tendency of matter to retain its shape under stress.
Fragility. Inability of matter to deform, preferring to break into pieces.
Resistance to corrosion. Ability to tolerate corrosion without cracking or disintegrating.

Types of building materials

There are four types of construction materials, according to the type of raw material from which they are manufactured, namely:

Stone. These are materials from or made up of rocks, stones and limestone, including binder materials (which are mixed with water to make a paste) and ceramics and glasses, from clays, mud and silicas subjected to firing processes in ovens at high temperatures.
Metallic. Coming from metal, obviously, either in the form of sheets (metals malleable) or threads (metals ductile). In many cases, alloys.
Organic. Coming from the organic material, whether they are woods, resins or derivatives.
Synthetics. Materials product of chemical transformation processes, such as those obtained by distillation hydrocarbon or polymerization (plastics).

Examples of building materials

Granite. Known as "berroqueña stone", it is an igneous rock formed essentially by quartz. It is widely used to make paving stones and to make walls and floors (in the form of slabs), cladding or countertops, given its attractiveness and its polished finish. It is an interior stone, given its decorative potential.
Marble. In the form of slabs or tiles, this metamorphic rock so valued by the sculptors of yesteryear is usually associated with luxury and a certain ostentation, although today it is used more than anything for floors, coatings or specific architectural details. It is very common in the patriotic or ceremonial structures of yesteryear.
Cement. A binder material that consists of a mixture of limestone and clay, calcined, ground and then mixed with plaster, whose main property is to harden when in contact with water. In construction it is used as an essential material, in a mixture with water, sand and gravel, to obtain a uniform, malleable and plastic substance that when drying hardens and is known as concrete.
Brick. The brick is made of a clay mixture, fired until moisture is removed and hardened until it achieves its characteristic rectangular shape and orange color. Hard and brittle, these blocks are widely used in construction, given their economic cost and reliability. The tiles are obtained in the same way, made of the exact same material but molded differently.
Glass. Product of the fusion of sodium carbonate, silica sand and limestone at around 1500 ° C, this hard, fragile and transparent material is widely used by humanity in the manufacture of all kinds of tools and sheets, especially in the construction sector. as it is ideal for windows: it lets in light, but not air or water.
Steel. Steel is a more or less ductile and malleable metal, endowed with great mechanical resistance and resistant to corrosion, which is obtained from the alloy of iron with other metals and non-metals such as carbon, zinc, tin and some others. It is one of the main metals used in the construction sector, since structures are forged that are then filled with cement, known as “reinforced concrete”.
Zinc. This metal, essential for organic life, has properties that have made it ideal for the manufacture of multiple objects and for roofs in the construction sector. It is not ferromagnetic at all, it is light, malleable and cheap, although it has other disadvantages such as not being too resistant, conducting heat very well and producing a lot of noise when impacted, for example, by rain.
Aluminum. This is one of the most abundant metals in the earth's crust, which like zinc is extremely light, cheap and malleable. It does not have much mechanical strength, but is still ideal for applications, woodworking and, in stronger alloys, for plumbing and kitchen materials.
Lead. For decades lead was used as the main element in the manufacture of household plumbing parts, since it is a ductile material, with surprising molecular elasticity and enormous resistance. However, it is harmful to health, and the waters that run through lead pipes tend to become contaminated over time, which is why its use has been banned in many countries.
Copper. Copper is a light, malleable, ductile, shiny metal and a fabulous conductor of electricity. That is why it is the preferred material for electrical or electronic installations, although it is also used to manufacture plumbing parts. The latter conforms to strict alloy and quality standards, since the copper oxide (green in color) turns out to be toxic.
Wood. Many woods are used in construction, both in the engineering process and in the final finish. In fact, in many countries there is a tradition of building wooden houses, taking advantage of their relative cheapness, their nobility and resistance, despite being susceptible to humidity and termites. Currently many floors are made of varnished wood (parquet), the absolute majority of the doors and also some cabinets or furniture of that nature.
Rubber. This resin obtained from the tropical tree of the same name, also known as latex, provides many uses for man, such as the manufacture of tires, insulation and waterproofing, as well as pieces of padding in joints and protective resins for wood or other surfaces, in the sector of construction.
Linoleum. Obtained from solidified linseed oil, mixed with wood flour or cork powder, this substance is used in construction to make floor coverings, usually adding pigments and providing the appropriate thickness to take advantage of its flexibility, resistance to water and economic cost.
Bamboo. This wood of oriental origin, grows on green stalks that can reach 25 meters in height and 30 centimeters in width, and that once dry and cured they fulfill ornamental functions that are very frequent in western construction, as well as in the making. of ceilings, palisades or false floors.
Cork. What we commonly call cork is nothing more than the bark of the cork oak tree, formed by suberin in a porous, soft, elastic and light fabric used for billboards, as filling material, as fuel (its caloric power is equivalent to that of coal) and , in the construction sector, as floor filling, cushion between walls and light material compartments (durlock or dry wall) and in decorative applications.
Polystyrene. This polymer obtained from the polymerization of aromatic hydrocarbons (styrene), is a very light, dense and waterproof material, which has an enormous insulating capacity and, therefore, is used as a thermal insulator in buildings in intense winter countries.
Silicone. This odorless and colorless silicon polymer is perfectly used as a sealant and waterproofing agent in constructions and plumbing, but also as an eventual insulating material in electrical installations. These types of substances were first synthesized in 1938 and since then they have been useful in many human settings.
Asphalt. This slimy, sticky, lead-colored substance, also known as bitumen, is used as a waterproofer on the roofs and walls of many buildings and, mixed with gravel or sand, to pave roads. In the latter cases, it acts as a binder material and is obtained from oil.
Acrylics Its scientific name is polymethylmethacrylate and it is one of the main engineering plastics. It prevails over other plastics for its strength, transparency and resistance to scratching, making it a good material to replace glass or for decorative applications.
Neoprene. This type of synthetic rubber is used as a filling for sandwich panels and as a gasket (watertight joint or gasket) to prevent the leakage of liquids at the junction of plumbing parts, as well as sealing material in windows and other building openings.