CONSTRUCTION

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CONSTRUCTION
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Construction Systems

• Early people lived in caves or in the brush ---
  teepees from animal hides were used
• Wood, stone, mud and straw were used in
  construction
• The Egyptians built the largest pyramid of almost
  500 feet length and made of over two million
  blocks of limestone, each weighing more than a
  ton --- 5000 years ago
• The Romans started building aqueducts, sewer
  systems in about 300 BC
• One of the greatest contribution of the Romans is
  the use of arch
• Construction means building a structure at the
  place where it will be used --- construction site
• The usable structures in construction are
  building, bridge, dam, road, and tunnel.

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Resources for Construction

• People
• They are needed to design, engineer the structure
  and to manage the business of construction
• Landowner decides that there is a need for a
  structure
• Architects design buildings. They plan how to
  build a structure and where to place it on the
  site
• Civil engineers work with architects to prepare
  drawings and to design and foundation
• Civil engineers also give details about utilities
  --- plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and
  electrical wiring
• Structural engineers plan the buildings
  structure --- it should be strong enough to carry
  the desired load
• General contractors own their own construction
  companies
• Estimators work for the contractor --- prepare a
  proposal of cost and specifications called a bid

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Resources for Construction

• People
• Project managers make sure construction is
  carried out properly and meets building codes
• Tradespeople include carpenters, electricians,
  plumbers, and masons
• Information
• Information takes the form of plans, bids and
  specifications
• Specifications includes the type of material to
  be used and the way the foundation will be built
• Architects have mechanical and architectural
  drawings
• Engineers have information about building
  materials and loads the structure will support

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Resources for Construction

• Materials
• Concrete, lumber(wood), steel, glass and brick
• Concrete is made from stone, sand, water and
  cement
• Cement is a mixture of limestone and clay
• Molds of lumber called forms are used to make
  different shapes from wet concrete
• Steel rods/meshes are used to reinforce the
  brittle concrete
• Lumber is used to provide the framework of homes
• Steel is used for the framework of skyscrapers,
  bridges, and towers
• Glass lets the light in and adds to the beauty of
  the structure
• Bricks made from clay are made in an oven called
  a kiln

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Resources for Construction

• Tools and Machines
• Special equipment is used for excavating
  (digging), lifting heavy materials
• Robots are useful in dangerous jobs
• Energy
• Construction systems use energy to operate
  machines and tools
• Producing material for construction and
  transporting to the site consumes energy
• Capital
• A loan for a home is called a mortgage --- paid
  back over a period of years with interest
• Interest is the fee the back charges for the loan

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Resources for Construction

• Time
• Air-driven staple guns are replacing hammers and
  nails
• Parts of a structure can be prefabricated in a
  factory
• Modular construction is being used more and more
  often

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Selecting the Site

• Land costs can vary from one place to another
• Grading(leveling) is needed in hilly areas
• Transportation needs have to considered to
  deliver/ship the goods to the site
• The environment must be preserved --- airport
• Water and electricity must be available

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Preparing the Site

• Unwanted buildings must be removed
• Wrecking balls or explosives are used to demolish
  buildings
• A surveyor marks the site to show where the
  structure will be built
• A transit is used to measure and lay out angles
• An engineers level is used to set the elevation
  of different points