1. Natural Construction Materials

Construction materials can be generally categorized into two sources, natural and synthetic. Natural materials are those that are unprocessed or minimally processed by industry, such as lumber or glass. Synthetic materials are made in industrial settings after much human manipulations, such as plastics and petroleum based paints. Both have their uses. Mud, stone, and fibrous plants are the most basic materials, aside from tents made of flexible materials such as cloth or skins. People all over the world have used these three materials together to create homes to suit their local weather conditions. In general stone and/or brush are used as basic structural components in these buildings, while mud is used to fill in the space between, acting as a type of concrete and insulation. A basic example is wattle and daub mostly used as permanent housing in tropical countries or as summer structures by ancient northern peoples.

2. Fabric

The tent used to be the home of choice among nomadic groups the world over. Two well known types include the conical teepee and the circular yurt. It has been revived as a major construction technique with the development of tensile architecture and synthetic fabrics. Modern buildings can be made of flexible material such as fabric membranes, and supported by a system of steel cables or internal (air pressure.)

3. Mud and clay

The amount of each material used leads to different styles of buildings. The deciding factor is usually connected with the quality of the soil being used. Larger amounts of clay usually mean using the cob/adobe style, while low clay soil is usually associated with sod building. The other main ingredients include more or less sand/gravel and straw/grasses. Rammed earth is both an old and newer take on creating walls, once made by compacting clay soils between planks by hand, now forms and mechanical pneumatic compressors are used. Soil and especially clay is good thermal mass; it is very good at keeping temperatures at a constant level. Homes built with earth tend to be naturally cool in the summer heat and warm in cold weather.

Clay holds heat or cold, releasing it over a period of time like stone. Earthen walls change temperature slowly, so artificially raising or lowering the temperature can use more resources than in say a wood built house, but the heat/coolness stays longer. Peoples building with mostly dirt and clay, such as cob, sod, and adobe, resulted in homes that have been built for centuries in western and northern Europe as well as the rest of the world, and continue to be built, though on a smaller scale. Some of these buildings have remained habitable for hundreds of years.

4. Rock

Rock structures have existed for as long as history can recall. It is the longest lasting building material available, and is usually readily available. There are many types of rock through out the world all with differing attributes that make them better or worse for particular uses. Rock is a very dense material so it gives a lot of protection too, its main draw-back as a material is its weight and awkwardness. Its energy density is also considered a big draw-back, as stone is hard to keep warm without using large amounts of heating resources. Dry-stone walls have been built for as long as humans have put one stone on top of another. Eventually different forms of mortar were used to hold the stones together, cement being the most commonplace now.

The granite-strewn uplands of Dartmoor National Park, United Kingdom, for example, provided ample resources for early settlers. Circular huts were constructed from loose granite rocks throughout the Neolithic and early Bronze Age, and the remains of an estimated 5,000 can still be seen today. Granite continued to be used throughout the Medieval period (see Dartmoor longhouse) and into modern times. Slate is another stone type, commonly used as roofing material in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world where it is found. Mostly stone buildings can be seen in most major cities, some civilizations built entirely with stone such as the Pyramids in Egypt, the Aztec pyramids and the remains of the Inca civilization.

The post Types of Building Materials Used in Construction appeared first on Dubai Building Materials.

In this article, we have compiled a list of 16 materials that should be part of the design vocabulary of all architects. These materials range from those that are very familiar (such as concrete and steel) to materials that may be unknown for some of our readers. In addition, we have provided links to comprehensive resources that can be used to learn more about many of these materials.

1. Concrete

Because it is the material that is used for construction the most frequently around the world, concrete is an excellent starting material to become familiar with. Despite this, it does have a significant impact on the environment, including a carbon footprint that could account for up to 5% of global emissions. The Concrete Center provides a collection of helpful reports, many of which can be accessed without charge after registering for an account; these reports can be used to learn everything there is to know about designing with concrete.

2. Wood

Timber is, without a doubt, one of the oldest and most conventional materials used in construction all over the world. Because of engineered wood products, the material is starting to take on new forms. Additionally, high-rise buildings and even translucent properties are taking this versatile material to new heights. reThink Wood provides architects with access to an extensive library of resources that can teach them about wood and assist them in designing with it.

3. Steel

The discovery of steel, which is typically utilized for reinforcement but serves as a beautiful skin in several examples, sparked the explosion that resulted in the formation of city skylines as we know them today. The encyclopedia article SteelConstruction.info provides all the information that one could possibly require in order to design with steel.

4. Plastic

One should not be so quick to judge the opportunities that plastic presents because, to some, this may seem like an inexpensive material that is not sustainable. However, one should not be so quick to judge the possibilities that plastic presents. Since we generate such a large amount of it, recycling it into building materials or bioplastics seems like a good idea. What about the brand new horizons that can be opened up by using 3D printing? The American Chemistry Council provides an excellent overview of plastics as a material, as well as a rundown of their primary applications in architecture, along with links to additional resources for each of these applications.

5. Stone

Stone, which comes in a wide variety of textures, colors, and strengths, is another material that has been used for generations in particular geographical locations around the world. In spite of the fact that it is made of a heavy, solid material, it can still be manipulated into a variety of shapes. The Building Stone Institute provides access to a variety of resources, such as fact sheets and specification sheets, for a large number of the most common types of stone that are utilized in the construction industry.

The post 16 Materials Every Architect Needs to Know (And Where to Learn About Them) appeared first on Dubai Building Materials.