Lecture 1: Building Technology

Earthworks

are engineering works carried out in and with granular, the movement of Earth by mean of excavation and filling.

Earthworks

are one of the corner stones of engineering and architects in form of the field of construction.

Site Investigation

Getting a valuable data about the site and building to erect at the project location in order to determine the character of materials which will be encountered at the level of foundation bed.

Soil

A sediments or other unconsolidated accumulation of solid particles produced by the physical and chemical disintegration of rocks.

* Organic Soil
* Top Soil
* Sub Soil
* Bed Rock

Soil Composition

Soil Profile

a diagram of vertical section of soil from the ground surface to the underlying material.

Organic Soil

large amount of organic matter, very compressible and poor load sustaining properties.

Organic Soil

Also call Humus

Top Soil

a fertile surface of soil, distinct from the subsoil.

Sub Soil

a bed or layer of Earth immediately beneath the surface soil.

Bed Rock

a solid rock that underlies all unconsolidated materials on Earth surface, such as soil, clay, sand, or rock fragments.

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

AASHTO

> 75mm

Particle size of Boulder

75mm - No.10 sleve

Particle size of Gravel

No. 10 - No. 40 sleve

Particle size of Coarse Sand

No. 40 - No. 200 sleve

Particle size of Fine Sand

Passing 200 sleve

Particle size of Silt Clay

Boulder

a large naturally rock, lying on the surface of the ground.

Cobble

smaller than a boulder and larger than pebble, used for rough paving, walls, and foundations.

Cobble

Also called Cobblestone.

Gravel

small pebble and stones, with a mixture of sand, formed naturally by crushing rock.

Crushed Gravel

one or more fracture faces.

Crushed Stone

well defined edges. Also called Crushed Rock.

Pea Gravel

came from sand when sifting.

Pebble

a small rounded stone, worn smooth by the action of water.

Sand

a loose granular material, smaller than gravel but coarser than silt.

Sand Clay

a well-graded sand, used as base or subbase material, having 10% clay. Enough to make the mixture bind tightly when compacted.

Silt

loose sedimentary material consisting of fine mineral particles.

Clay

natural earthy material that is plastic when moist but hard when fired.

Clay Loam

soil containing 27% to 40% clay and 20% and 45% sand.

Bentonite

came from volcanic ash, having to absorb large amount of water.

Loam

rich soil containing a equal mixture of sand silt and a smaller proportion of clay and organic matter.

Loess

loamy deposit by wind.

Atterberg Limits

A test performed on soils passing the No. 40 sleve.

Liquid Limit (LL)

the moisture content which soil changes from liquid state to the plastic state.

Plastic Limit (PL)

the water content which a silt or clay material will begin to crumble when rolled into tread.

Plasticity Index (PI)

the range of water content over sediment behaves.

Fill Material

Used to raised an existing grade, or as a man-made deposit, generally used under spread footings, pavers or concrete slab on grade. Materials commonly used are soil, crushed stone and sand.

Granular Fill

* Also known Filters
* A soil materials conforming to above General Fill requirements.
* Used to prevent movement of the fine particles out of soils and other naturals through seepage.

Borrow Fill

A soil materials suitable as fill of subgrade.

Base Course Materials

A hard durable fragments of stone and filler of sand or other finely mineral, free from vegetable matter and lumps of clay.

Slope Protection

A temporary or permanent barrier surrounding the slopes. This increases the stability of the soil and also increases the strength of the slope. It can protect the slope from the soil erosion, rain impact, quick run off the road and others.

25%

Ground slopes over ____ are subject to erosion and may difficult to build on.

* Creating a Series of Terraces
* Soil Binders
* Riprap
* Cribbling
* Bin Wall
* Gabions

Types of Slope Protection

Creating a Series of Terraces

may reduce the velocity of the run-off

Soil Binders

natural means of stabilization, a plant material that inhabit or prevent erosion by providing a ground cover and forming a dense network of roots that bind the soil.

Riprap

a layer of irregularly broken and random-sized stone placed on the slope of an embarkment.

Cribbling

a cellular framework of squared steel, concrete, or timber members, assembled in layers at right angles, and filled with Earth and stones.

Bin Wall

a type of gravity retaining wall formed by stacking modular, interlocking precast concrete.

Gabions

galvanized of PVC coated wire basket filled with stone and stacked to form an abutment of retaining structure.

Retaining Structures

* Use when a desire change in ground elevation exceeds the angle of response of the soil.
* Used to create a stable surfaces for building pads, roads, bridge abutments, or wharves.

Gravity Retaining Wall

resists overturning and sliding but the shear weight and volume of its mass.

T-Type

limited to height of 6m, beyond this height a counterfort wall is employed.

Counterfort Retaining Wall

utilizes triangular-shaped cross wall to stiffen the vertical slab and add weight to the base. Counterforts are spaced at equal intervals equal to one half the wall height.

L-Type Cantilevered Retaining Wall

used when the wall abuts a property line or other obstruction.

Geosynthetic

* A construction materials consisting of synthetic components made for use within earth materials.
* A man-made materials used to improve soil conditions.

Geotextiles

* A most common geosynthetic component, it consist of woven or nonwoven fabric made from polymeric materials such as polyester or polypropylene.
* Used in geotechnical applications, such as road and railway embankments, earth dikes, and coastal protection structures

* Reinforcement
* Separation
* Filtration

Main Function of Geotextiles

* Subsurface Drainage
* Erosion Control
* Sediment Control
* In-Plane Drainage/Transmission

Types of Geotextile Application

Subsurface Drainage

Employs to filter around under drains or edge drains.

Erosion Control

Employs to protect cut slopes or drainage features. It would be used in conjunction with a stone lining or riprap, and would serve a secondary function of separation

Sediment Control

Used for silt fence application. The purpose is to filter the granular which the function is different than subsurface drainage or erosion control application

In-Plane Drainage / Transmission

Allowing liquids or gases to be carried or transmitted within its plane. It also associated with geocomposite, particularly those that incorporate a drainage net, or a permeable core bonded on one or both sides by geotextile.

Geomembranes

* A continuous polymeric sheets that are impermeable.
* Mostly used in ground application and ponding lining are thermoplastic products manufactured from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
* It also be used in membrane proofing applications, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM).

* Strength
* Longevity
* Resistance to Ultraviolet Light
* Thermal Expansion and Contraction
* Chemical Resistance

Properties of Geomembranes

Geocomposites

* A combination of geosynthetic component.
* A prefabricated core which a geotextile filter is bonded.
* The core provide space to which water or gases can flow in plane while the geotextile filter keep soil from filling the voids.

Geonets

* Consists of continuous extrusion of polymeric ribs, forming void space to provide in-plane flow capacity.
* It can be also bonded to geotextile filters, sometimes called Composite Drainage Nets (CDNs)

Composite Drainage Nets (CDNs)

Geonets are also called _____

Geocells

* Prefabricated polymeric systems ranging from 100mm to 200mm high.
* To form a three dimensional reinforced mattress.
* It widely used for protection and stabilization of steep slope surfaces and protective linings for channels.

Termite Proofing

The treatment given to a building, to control or prevent the termite growth in the building. The termites enter into buildings through cracks, walls, pipes and floor joints etc. Once termites developed in the building area, it is very difficult costly to finish.

Subterranean Termites

* Also called Ground Nesting Termites
* The most destructive and mainly responsible for the damage caused in buildings. Typically, they form nests or colonies underground in the soil, near ground level in a stump or in other suitable piece of timber.

Non-Subterranean Termites

* Also called Wood Nesting Termites
* Having no contact in soil. Typically found in dead hardwood.
* Has a lower or slower damage than Subterranean Termites.

* Use superior quality of material and good workmanship.
* Should be cleared off all old tree stumps and dead wood etc.
* The wooden material like door frames etc. should properly be treated.

Preventions of Termites

* Treatment of Excavated Foundation
* Treatment of Back-Fill Soil

Methods of Termite Treatment under Pre-Construction Period

* Soil Treatment of Foundation
* Soil Treatment Under Floor

Methods of Termite Treatment under Post-Construction Period

Treatment of Excavated Foundation

The bottom and the sides of excavated soil up to a height of about 300mm should be treated by applying insecticide solution to the surface area.

Treatment of Back-Fill Soil

The back-fill used to fill the excavated soil after the masonry walls are constructed, should be treated. Solution should be applied on the vertical surface of the foundation masonry.

Soil Treatment of Foundation

Digging a trench about 500 mm deep all along the wall drives 15 mm diameter holes in the excavated soil at 150 mm c/c. The holes are to be filled with chemical solution. vertical surface of the wall.

Soil Treatment Under Floor

All the joints/cracks of floor with walls, can be treated by drilling 12 mm diameter. Holes at 300 mm c/c all along joints and filled with the chemical solution and then the face of the holes to be sealed.

* Physical Barriers
* Chemical Barriers
* Bait System

Types of Termite Treatment

Physical Barriers

A natural process to prevent termites from entering the property, but they don’t provide the added benefit of colony control.

Termite Resistant Sand

* A layer of sand with uniform sized particles.
* More effective than a chemical barrier, would not required reapplication as chemical barrier.
* Environmentally friendly and would help to reduce toxic chemical in the urban environment.
* It can be also act as waterproofing for basement foundations.

Termite Mesh

* A steel mesh that is fine enough to keep termites to passing through.
* It is mostly used in slab construction, and also wrapped into pipes or other access areas.

Chemical Barriers

* A process of placing termiticide chemical to provide your home with long-term protection while maintaining building structural integrity.
* Pre-Construction Chemical Barriers
* Vertical Barriers
* Horizontal Barriers

Slab Treatment

(under horizontal barriers) involves drilling through the slab flooring and injecting termiticides into the soil at regular intervals

Basement and Crawl Spaces

(under horizontal barriers) trenches around the foundation, termiticides applied.

Bait System

A hollow plastic cylinder with slits along the sides for termites to enter. Termites tunnel through and out of the perforated tube, reuniting with their nest mates in the soil. In doing so, they leave behind a colony-specific scent that promotes recruitment of other termites to the station.

Roads and Parking

A surface of land that widely used as public and private network facilities, roadways, walkways and etc. In designing of roads and parking, requires the following materials suited to horizontal structures.

* Subgrade and Base Course Materials
* Surface Paving Material

Roads and Parking

* Borrow Material
* Base Course Materials
* Choker Aggregate

Subgrade and Base Course Material

Borrow Material

A soil materials suitable as fill or subgrade.

Base Course Materials

A hard durable fragments of stone and filler of sand or other finely mineral, free from vegetable matter and lumps of clay.

Choker Aggregate

A filter layer of finer material laid over a coarse road base material in order to provide a stable foundation of fine aggregate for construction of pavement.

* Concrete
* Bituminous Surfacing

Surface Paving Material

Concrete

A mixture of paste and aggregates. The paste, composed of portland cement and water, coats the surface of the fine and coarse aggregates. Through a chemical reaction called hydration, the paste hardens and gains strength to form the rock-like mass.

Bituminous Surfacing

* Also known as a Seal Coat or Chip Seal
* A thin protective wearing surface that is applied to a pavement or base course.

* Hot Mix Asphalt
* Cold Mix Asphalt
* Asphaltic Macadam
* Asphalt Overlay

Four (4) Types of Bituminous Surfacing

Hot Mix Asphalt

also known as Asphaltic Concrete. Dark brown to black cementitious materials, solid or semi-solid, composed of bitumen which occurs in nature but obtained artificially in refining petroleum, and mixed with graded aggregates that used as paving material by placing, shaping, and compacting while hot over a prepared base.

Cold Mix Asphalt

also known as Asphaltic Concrete. A relatively light and slow-curing asphalt, placed over a prepared surface without heat. Hardens to a state that less firm and durable than hot mix asphaltic concrete.