Lectures
Case studies
Visiting lecturers
Site visits
Lab Work
Tutorials
Module Aim:
The aims of the subject are:
(1) to familiarise students with building materials, both traditional and new, in order to make the correct choices when detailing buildings and to develop an understanding of the functions of the various elements within a structure;
(2) to familiarise students with quality buildings and provide them with the ability to use and manipulate materials giving innovative and effective solutions to building problems and an awareness of the impact of current legislation and building regulations;
(3) to develop an understanding of the applications for different structural materials and forms and the need for structure in building;
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner should be able to:
LO1
to research and evaluate options in resolving constructional details and to describe and illustrate basic domestic buildings, their foundations, external envelopes, internal components, floor structures, roof structures and coverings;
LO2
to assess, through research, the properties and qualities of materials used in construction and to explain the importance of good building principles in the care of the environment and the durability of the building (i.e. sustainable development);
LO3
to choose appropriate structural materials and to discuss structural form and the impact of structure on space; and to describe the basic concepts for structural behaviour of materials including stress and strain.
LO4
To explain the concepts of loads, load types and load paths and to describe the behaviour of simple structural elements such as beams, slabs columns and triangulated structures; and to describe the role of the primary structural elements for domestic house construction using standard tables
Pre-requisite learning
Module Recommendations
This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is recommended before enrolment in this module.
No recommendations listed
Incompatible Modules
These are modules which have learning outcomes that are too similar to the learning outcomes of this module.
No incompatible modules listed
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Requirements
This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is mandatory before enrolment in this module is allowed.
No requirements listed
Module Content & Assessment
Indicative Content
Overview
Examination of traditional and new methods of construction relative to domestic scale buildings.
Architectural Working Details:
• The use of research and drawing in combining the functional requirements of various building types and components with detailed study of simple structures and materials.
• The compilation of good specification and use of international drawing conventions in production information for the construction of buildings.
• Working drawings detailing a simple building from foundation to roof with full annotation.
Materials:
• Concrete including Cement; Aggregates; Properties of fresh concrete; Properties of hardened concrete; Standard tests on fresh and hardened concrete; Use of Admixtures; Durability • Masonry including Brick manufacture; properties; Stone quarrying; properties; finishes
Structural Materials:
• Material Structural Behaviour o Load and Deflection • Masonry o Concrete blocks – sizes and strengths o Mortars o Stretcher bond pattern o Cavity Walls
Structural Form:
• Strain and Stress • Introduction to structural stability • Foundations • Load take-down for domestic house foundation • Soil behaviour and allowable bearing pressure • Soil types • Spread foundations – strip, pad, raft • Introduction to soft ground engineering
Loading
• Concept of loads
o Definition of mass
o Gravity and converting mass to vertical gravity force.
o Dead loads and live loads
o Wind loads
o Water pressure, Accidental Loads,
• Typesof loads
• Load paths
o Action and Reaction
o Linear forces and moments
o Equilibrium
o Reactions to Beams
o Load paths for vertical loads through a multilevel structure.
o Load path for wind loads on a motorway sign
structure.
Laboratory and Model Making:
• Laboratory Experiments
o Stress and Strain tensile test
o Crushing a concrete cube
o Moment equilibrium using a simple see-saw mechanism
• Model Making
o Building a tower using newspapers
o Building a roof truss using cardboard
o Building beams using balsa wood.
Assessment Breakdown
%
Project
40.00%
End of Module Formal Examination
60.00%
No Continuous Assessment
Project
Assessment Type
Assessment Description
Outcome addressed
% of total
Assessment Date
Project
Project
1,2,3,4
40.00
n/a
No Practical
End of Module Formal Examination
Assessment Type
Assessment Description
Outcome addressed
% of total
Assessment Date
Formal Exam
End of semester exam
1,2,3,4
60.00
End-of-Semester
SETU Carlow Campus reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment