Building materials

Before the construction process begins basic materials, such as wood, iron, and stone and manufactured prod­ucts, such as plywood sheets, cast iron pipes, and concrete blocks, must all be determined. Combinations of materials are widely used, such as trusses con­sisting of glued laminated timber cast iron pipe with portland cement lining, members in combination with steel mem­bers, concrete beams reinforced with prestressed steel wire, or window and frame units containing glass, several kinds of metal, and plastic all in one assembly.

An assembly is either completely built at the factory (factory assembled) or partly produced at the factory and assembled on the site (site assembled). Some of the types of work that takes place on the site are also manufactur­ing processes. When concrete is mixed and placed or steel is cut and welded these processes are also called manufacturing.

The builder, like the designer must select, inspect, and test materials which are best suitable for his purpose from among those available.

The types of materials used in buildings have already become standardized. However, new materials are constantly being designed. For example, methods have been developed to make wood highly fire resistant. The development of steel allowed the construction of longer spans than had been possible when wood was the only available material. The development and proper use of new materials require good knowledge of their properties and characteristics.

Vocabulary:

assemble [q'sembql] v. – собирать, монтировать

assembly [q'semblI] n. – узел, блок

cast iron pipe ['kRst"aIqn 'paIp] – чугунная труба

frame [freIm] n. – каркас

inspect [ÁÍ'spekt] v. – проверять

lining ['laInIN] n. – облицовка, обшивка, обделка (термин подземных сооружений)

plywood sheet ['plaIwVd "SJt] – лист фанеры

truss [trµs] n. – ферма

window ['wIndqV] n. – окно

Answer the following questions:

1. Which construction materials are called basic and manufactured ones?

2. What kinds of construction assemblies are there?

3. Where are the assemblies made?

4. What types of work on the site can be called manufactur­ing processes?

5. What must the builder do?

6. What are the examples of new developments in building materials?

С, ЗК, СУЗС, СМ (III)