Foundations are the mainstay of house construction as the stability and the performance of the structure above is dependent on it. The main design parameters for consideration in this respect are the depth and width of the foundation. Whereas depth of foundation is a function of the ‘Safe Bearing Capacity’ (SBC) of soil at a … Read more
Site selection has an important bearing on planning and designing of buildings. Generally, therefore, an architect has either to make a choice of suitable site or to plan his building structure to suit the available site. Factors to Consider During Selection of Building Site Natural defects of a site will involve considerable expenditure on construction … Read more
Types of Doors Based on Material of Manufacture There are large varieties of doors and windows which can either be manufactured or are available in the market for ready fixing. Based on the material of manufacture, some of their types along with their main feature, advantages and disadvantages are given here to facilitate easy selection … Read more
Types of Flooring Tiles Flooring Tiles in India have over the years gained popularity over the cemented and concrete flooring Tiles are available in different patterns, designs and utility options. Usually they are costlier than the cement concrete flooring and its cost depends upon the type of tile being used. Various types of flooring tiles … Read more
Walls are built to partition living area into different parts. They impart privacy and protection against temperature, rain and theft. Depending upon their functions, Walls may be classified into the following two primary classes Load bearing walls Partition walls. 1. Load Bearing Walls If beams and columns are not used, load from roof and floors … Read more
Repair of Ceiling Plaster There are many cases where the steel reinforcements corrode due to various causes such as lack of cover, leakage of roofs, etc. As steel rust occupies very much larger volume (more than 10 times) than steel, the surrounding concrete cracks and tends to get separated from steel and finally it falls … Read more
In order to determine the suitability of a particular soil it is essential to know the proportion of each material in the soil and also whether the particular material possesses the properties required of it. For instance, a road soil that is 95 percent sand will not cohere, and clay that does not possess the … Read more
The following are the differences between bitumens and tars. The weathering properties of bitumens are superior to those of tars. Generally greater deterioration is produced in tar than in bitumen when exposed to equal weather conditions. Bitumens have a better durability and resistance to weathering than tars. Tars are more susceptible to temperature changes than … Read more
There are a number of factors which are to be considered while selecting the alignment of roads. These factors also vary according to the type of roads and the areas through which these roads pass. The factors which control alignment of roads in plain areas as under: 1. Class & Purpose The alignment of the … Read more
The below mentioned terminologies are used to express different forms of cut bricks used in brick masonry construction. 1. Closer It is the portion of the brick cut along the length in such a way as one long face remains intact. 2. Queen Closer When a brick is cut along its length, making it two … Read more