BUILDING MATERIALS

Building material is any material which is used for construction purpose. Many naturally occurring substances have been used to construct buildings.

They are used for construction of homes and buildings. There a wide range of materials used for construction purposes right from the very primary materials like clay, wood, mud to rocks and cement. In some places, building materials are used according to the climatic conditions favoring the place.

Building materials are classified into two type’s namely natural and synthetic building materials. Synthetic are man made materials and natural are naturally occurring materials.

What are the commonly used building materials?

Rock: It is considered as the most primary and primitive type of building material. It is meant to be the strongest and most durable material used in construction of residential and commercial set ups.

Clay: This includes clay along with mud. It is the most accepted building material in warm places as it keeps the interiors of your home and office cool. It is said to be really long lasting.

Glass: This building material is moreover used for decorative purposes. It is use to decorate huge mansions and palaces with the desired designs of the owner. There are a huge variety of glasses available in the market like colored glass, stained glass and frosted glass. They are used to decorate office fronts to give a professional look.

Metals: They serve to be the most reliable material these days. Most of the structures are built by iron and steel that provides greater strength and durability. They are strong and expensive but last for a long time.

Concrete: They are made of gravel, sand and water and is used to build homes and offices. They prove to be the strongest building material and long lasting.

Marbles and granites: They are used at the end of primary construction of the building. They are used to make kitchen cabinets, flooring and much more depending on one’s choice. The most important thing about these materials is they can be carved and shaped according to one’s needs.

Wood: This is also used after the primary construction of the building. Wood is generally used for building furniture in the house or office. The wardrobes, kitchen cabinets, tables, bed etc. all these things can be designed by wood.

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WHAT IS CONCRETE?

Concrete is a composite material composed of coarse aggregate bonded together with fluid cement that hardens over time. Most concretes used are lime-based concretes such as Portland cement concrete or concretes made with other hydraulic cement.

How concrete formation takes place?

When aggregate is mixed together with dry Portland cement and water, the mixture forms a fluid mass that is easily molded into shape. The cement reacts chemically with water and other ingredients to form a hard matrix that binds the materials together into a durable stone-like material. Often, additives are included in the mixture to improve the physical properties of the wet mix or the finished material. Most concrete is poured with reinforcing materials embedded to provide tensile strength, yielding reinforced concrete.

How does it degrade?

Concrete can be damaged by fire, aggregate expansion, sea water effects, bacterial corrosion, calcium leaching, physical damage and chemical damage. This process adversely affects concrete exposed to these damaging stimuli.

How can it be repaired?

It may be necessary to repair a concrete structure following damage. Strengthening may be necessary if the structure is under strength.

Repair techniques

The first step should always be an investigation to determine the cause of the deterioration. The general principles of repair include: arresting and preventing further degradation; treating exposed steel reinforcement; and filling holes left by the removal of spalled or damaged concrete. The selection of the appropriate technique will depend on the cause of the initial damage and whether the repair is to be fully load-bearing or simply cosmetic.

One method for the repair of cracks is to use bacteria. BacillaFilla is a genetically engineered bacteria designed to repair damaged concrete, filling in the cracks, and making them whole again. Techniques for filling holes left by the removal of spalled or damaged concrete include: mortar repairs; flowing concrete repairs and sprayed concrete repairs.

Strengthening techniques

Various techniques are available for strengthening concrete structures, to increase the load-carrying capacity or else to improve the in-service performance. These include increasing the concrete cross-section, adding material such as steel plate or fiber composites to enhance the tensile capacity and providing additional pre stressing.

Coming up with a successful concrete repair

Structural concrete repairs incorporate new materials to the one that already exist to create a structural composite that will survive any environmental or operational conditions while concurrently providing an extension to the life service. Al boom group of companies provides wide range of services. For more details, do visit our website at http://www.alboomgroups.com/