Construction Materials

Code:

L.EC019

Acronym:

MC

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Materials

Instance: 2021/2022 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	https://sigarra.up.pt/feup/en/UCURR_GERAL.FICHA_UC_VIEW?pv_ocorrencia_id=419446
Responsible unit:	Construction Materials Division
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Civil Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L.EC	154	Syllabus	2	-	6	71,5	162

Teaching language

Portuguese and english

Objectives

This course aims at giving an insight on different kinds of building materials, namely: steel, aggregate, wood, ceramics, glass and polymeric materials. A special emphasis will be given to steel and aggregate as components for mortar and concrete. Basic characteristics and main applications.

Learning outcomes and competences

Learning Outcomes:
Knowledge of underlying sciences
Core engineering fundamental knowledge (Sciences of Engineering)
Advanced engineering fundamental knowledge (applications)
Engineering reasoning and problem solving
Experimentation and knowledge discovery
Advanced engineering fundamental knowledge
Personal skills and attitudes
External and societal context
Conceiving and engineering of systems

Working method

Presencial

Program

This course provides general knowledge on different kinds of building materials namely: steel, aggregates, wood, ceramics, glass and polymeric materials. Special emphasis will be put on steel and aggregates as components for mortar and concrete.
Basic characteristics and main applications.
INTRODUCTION TO BUILDING MATERIALS
Classification and applications. Basic properties. Testing as study basis. Acceptance and research testing. Non-destructive testing. Result accuracy.
METALLIC MATERIALS: Steel. The most important application in Civil Engineering: reinforcement. History of steel production including Blast Furnace. Blast Furnace raw materials, pig iron production and the by-product slag and its applications : the by-products: slag, charge, applications. Pig iron, properties and applications. Steel refining. Present steel production in electric arc-furnace steel works. Environmental issues and steel production. Continuous casting and lamination. End products and product qualification. Steel production in SN (Maia): scrap as raw material, scrap yard, basket transporters, furnace feeding, arc furnace, scrap fusion, oxygen and coke feeding, steel and slag production, ladle furnace, refining, continuous casting, lamination, end products. Steel treatment. Tempcore. Prestressing steel – production: pickling, phosphating, wire drawing and stabilization. LNEC E452 specification. Properties and tests. Mechanical tests. Steel tensile test. Standard equipment. Classification of steel. NP EN 10002 standard.
Toughness and resilience. Strength and ductility indicators. Hardness testing: Shore, Brinell, Meyers, Vickers and Rockwell. NP EN 10 003-1 standard. REBAP and REAE (Reinforced concrete and steel structures standard in Portugal). Bending test. NP173 and requirements (REBAP, REAE and Eurocode). Steel fatigue and tests. Types of tests. Steel corrosion. Anodic and cathodic reaction. Consequences of corrosion. Types of corrosion –pitting, general and stress corrosion. Steel normalization – REBAP, REAE, EC and specifications of the LNEC referring to concrete reinforcement: E449, E450, E455 and E460 specifications.
WOOD: Introduction. Wood use – advantages and disadvantages. Softwood and hardwood. Species. Production. Physical and mechanical properties of wood – Introduction. Standards. Types of wood. Physical properties: humidity. Shrinkage.
Specific gravity. Thermal expansion. Electrical and thermal conductivity. Flammability. Mechanical properties of wood: Old approach regarding small test specimens with no flaws. Present approach: Test specimens of structural dimension and with flaws. European standards.
AGGREGATES: Classification. Properties: grading, mix and separation, fineness modulus; particle shape; strength of parent rock, crushing and abrasion strength tests, tests on individual particles and comparative tests; resistance to drying-wetting; resistance to freezing: thermal properties. Cement-aggregate interface. Expansive reactions between cement and aggregate. Pernicious substances in aggregates: Organic; salts; fine, weak, light and unsound particles. Determinations needed for mix-design: specific gravity, humidity and water content. Correction of mixing water.
Rocks: Rocks for construction. Properties. Ornamental rocks. Granites for cladding. Use of stone in walls, sidewalks, streets and roads: Masonry, capping, cladding, sidewalks and flagstones.

CERAMICS: clay: composition; classification; properties – plasticity, dry strength, thermal action, porosity, impurities. Production of ceramics: quarry operations, treatment of raw-materials; modelling; drying; burning. Ceramic poducts: general classification; clay materials – bricks, roofing tiles, shackles and clay tiles; glazed earthenware: glazed tiles, lavatories; refractory materials; strength of brick masonry, displacement of clay and glazed tiles.
BINDERS, Classification.
QUICKLIME, HYDRAULIC LIME. PLASTER. Manufacturing process, main properties and applications.
Portland CEMENT: manufacturing process; composition; Clinker structure, hydration; hardening; water in hydrated cement; structure of hydrated cement. Influence of Portland cement components on the main chemical and physical properties: strength, heat of hydration and chemical resistance. Cement requirements: insoluble residue, loss of ignition, magnesium oxide, SO3, expansibilty, set (false set), fineness, specific mass and strength. Chemical analysis and potential composition. Changes in Portland cement raw material composition: sulfate-resisting cement, low heat of hydration cement, high-early strength cement and white cement. Additions: Pozzolan, Blast furnace slag, fly ashes, silica fume and other pozzolanic materials. Special cements. Standards: NP EN 197-1, NP EN 197-2
MORTAR. Definition and applications. Main properties and composition.
GROUT. Definition and applications. Main properties and composition.
ADMIXTURES: Main properties. Applications
CONCRETE. Definition. Concrete composition fundamental formula. Maximum aggregate dimension. Wall effect. Segregation. Workability. Mixing water. Methods for concrete mix design: experimental and empirical methods, methods based on tables and abacuses and reference curve methods. Reference curve methods: Bolomey, Faury and Joisel. Mechanical strength. Modulus of elasticity. Poisson coefficient. Shrinkage. Creep and relaxation. Types, classes and quality of concrete. Durability. Special types of concrete. Standards – NP EN 206 and related standards.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY - the concept

DEMONSTRATION OF THE SYLLABUS COHERENCE WITH THE CURRICULAR UNIT'S OBJECTIVES:
Several curricular units of the course lead to a set of knowledge and skills that allow the calculation and determination of the respective levels of stress and strain installed in a structure. This curricular unit provides knowledge and skills on some of the most widely used materials that can support these stresses, materializing and making the structure a reality.

Mandatory literature

ICE manual of construction materials Vol 1, Mike ford, 2009. ISBN: 9780727736420
ICE manual of construction materials Vol 2, Mike ford, 2009. ISBN: 9780727736437

Teaching methods and learning activities

This course will be based on theoretical presentations of essential concepts related with construction materials and their practical applications. It will be carried laboratory assignments, where students can work with steel, aggregates and wood, in order to acquaint students with techniques that will make them able to choose the proper materials for different applications of civil engineering.

DEMONSTRATION OF THE COHERENCE BETWEEN THE TEACHING METHODOLOGIES AND THE LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Beyond the knowledge and understanding of the behavior of materials subjected to various actions, the teaching methodologies provide knowledge on current technologies to enable use of these materials and following existing technical standards for proper use of these materials in construction.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Teste	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	36,00
Frequência das aulas	74,00
Total:	110,00

Eligibility for exams

Achieving final classification requires compliance with attendance at the course unit, according to the MIEC assessment rules. It is considered that students meet the attendance requirements if, having been regularly enrolled, the number of absences of 25% for in campus sessions, this  is, pratical sessions, is not exceeded.

Calculation formula of final grade

  ASSESSMENT
The Final grade is based on distributed assessment with no final exam. Distributed assessment consists of two tests T1 and T2. These tests are compulsory and each one corresponds to 50% of the final grade.

The final grade, CF results from the following formula:

CF=CT1×50%+CT2×50%

Where

CT1 is the grade obtained in T1 
CT2  is the grade obtained in T2 
Note 1: All  students enrolled in the current academic year shall be assessed with this method.
Note 2: Requirement of 15% minimum grade in each test (3 out of 10 in each test)
Note 3 : In the Appeal Season the student enrolled in the current year, may choose one of the following situations:

i)  Repetition of test T1
i)  Repetition of test T2
(iii)Total exam including subjects related to  T1 and T2.

 NOTE 4: In the appeal Season, the improvement exam corresponds to repeting one or both tests. 

Classification improvement

One or both parts can be carried out.