Materials cause many problems in the field and are a major area for improvement. But there are few simple correct answers. Students will find this different from the study of structures, for example, where calculations give just one correct value for the size of structural members. When considering the correct solution to the problem of durability, there are various possibilities that are suitable for different situations, and the purpose of this book is to provide the basis for selection.
It is no longer possible for European engineers to treat US conventional (imperial) units as a thing of the past that can only be seen in the US. When looking for material properties on the internet, the data found often comes from the United States, often pounds per square inch, or degrees fahrenheit, and all the large amounts of data available on the web are available so every engineer should be familiar with these units. Different units and the methods required to use them are described in Chapter 1.
About the Book
The book covers the content of construction materials in undergraduate courses and related subjects in civil engineering. The purpose of this method or presentation is to cover basic science before moving on to a detailed analysis of the material. The chapter on science includes the mechanical, thermal, electrical, and transport properties of materials and discusses the relevance to basic theories as well as applications in construction.
This book examines in detail each of the major materials such as concrete and steel and moves with reference to basic science to discuss their properties.
The book is written for the age of the Internet, where facts are easily obtained from websites. It is therefore focused on demonstrating how to obtain, analyze and use information from a variety of sources.
Improving materials offers a large scope for energy saving and environmental benefits. These benefits are discussed throughout the book as they should be considered at all stages of the design and specification process.