Construction Materials I

Instance: 2013/2014 - 1S

Cycles of Study/Courses

Last updated on 2013-09-13.

Fields changed: Objectives, Resultados de aprendizagem e competências, Métodos de ensino e atividades de aprendizagem, Fórmula de cálculo da classificação final, Provas e trabalhos especiais, Componentes de Avaliação e Ocupação, Melhoria de classificação, Obtenção de frequência, Programa, Observações, Avaliação especial

Teaching language

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

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.
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.
GLASS: composition; properties; classification; applications.
POLYMERIC MATERIALS: constitutive polymers. Structures; functions; physical, mechanical and hydraulic properties. Testing for property control.  

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

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

Assessment Components

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 each of the classes’ types is not exceeded.

Calculation formula of final grade

Observations

Working time estimated out of class: 3 hours