CE 225 CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND

TESTING

INTRODUCTION AND BASIC CONCPTS

• Engineering structures are composed of materials. These
materials are known as engineering materials or materials
of construction. It is necessary for the civil engineer to
become conversant with the properties of such materials.

• The service conditions of buildings demand a wide range

of materials and various properties such as water
resistance, strength, durability, temperature resistance,
appearance, permeability, etc. They are to be properly
studied before making final selection of any building
material for a particular use.
The factors which form the basis of various systems of
classifications of materials in material science and
engineering are:

i.The chemical composition of the material;

ii.The mode of occurrence of the material in nature;
iii.The refining and manufacturing processes to which the
material was subjected prior to the acquisition of the
required properties;
iv.The atomic and crystalline structure of material; and
The industrial and technical use of the material
Common engineering materials that fall within the scope of
material science and engineering may be classified into one
of the following six groups:

a)Metals (ferrous and non-ferrous) and alloys

b)Ceramics - Structural, pipes, including bricks, roof tiles &
floor.
c)Polymers - a substance that has a molecular structure
consisting chiefly or entirely of a large number of similar
units bonded together, e.g., many synthetic organic
materials used as plastics and resins.
d)Composites - Concrete is a composite of aggregate,
cement, additives and water. Disc brake pads are
composites of hard ceramic particles embedded in soft
metal. The polymer binds the reinforcement & particulate
together. Polymer matrix composites are lighter than steel,
aluminum, concrete and brick.
e)Advanced materials

e.1. Translucent concrete. Mixed with glass fiber optical

strands to create a solid but sheer block. LitraCon, as the
concrete is known, can be used in flooring and pavement.
e.2. SensiTile. The concrete of
the tiles is embedded with
acrylic fiber-optic channels that
transfer light from one point to
another. As shadows move
across Terrazzo’s surface, the
light channels flicker with a
randomized twinkling effect.
Electrified wood. Two metal
layers are pressed between
the wood of the furniture,
making it possible to pass
an electrical current through
the whole thing. The 12-volt
power is fed to the metal
layers via one connector and
lamps and other devices can
be connected via the other.
 Flexicomb. A flexible
honeycomb matrix, which
can be used to build lighting
fixtures, furniture and
sculpture installations.
e.5. RichLite. A counter-top made of 70% recycled paper.
The counter-tops are made by treating paper with resin, and
then baking it to create solid sheets. Richilite was first used
in aerospace, boating, and sports industries as
reinforcement for surfaces like fiberglass, but not is
available for architectural purposes as well.
Self-repairing cement. This cement is mixed with
microcapsules that release a glue-like epoxy resin that will
automatically repair any cracks that form in the sidewalk or
roadway. In addition this cement will have the ability to
regulate heat. Phase-change materials that can absorb or
release large amounts of heat have also been included in
the ingredients.
Carbon fiber. An extremely
strong, lightweight material.
It’s five tmes as strong as
steel, two times as stiff, yet
weighs about two-thirds
less. Made up of carbon
strands that are thinner than
human hair. The strands can
be woven together, like cloth
and then can be molded to
any shape you might want.
• e.8. Liquid Granite. It has
the ability to completely
replace cement in
concrete. The material is
lightweight and has the
same load bearing
capacity of cement, but is
made of recycled
materials.
Bendable concrete. This
new concrete is around 500
times more resistant to
cracking than regular
concrete thanks to the tiny
fibers, which account for two
percent of its make up. The
fibers slide within the
concrete when bending
occurs, providing it with
enough give to prevent
breakage.
e.10. Concrete canvass.
Concrete canvass is a
flexible cement impregnated
fabric that hardens on
hydration to form a thin,
durable water proof and fire
proof concrete layer.
Essentially, it’s concrete on a
roll just add water.
Low-E glass/films. Low-emissive
(Low E) glass is window glass
that has been treated with an
invisible metal or metallic oxide
coating, creating a surface that
reflects heat, while allowing light
to pass through. Windows
treated with Low-E coatings are
proven to reduce energy
consumption, decrease fading of
fabrics, such as window
treatments, and increase overall
comfort in your home.
Transparent Aluminum.
Extremely durable crystalline
material with excellent
optical transparency used in
windows, domes, plates,
rods, and tubes in a wide
range of sizes and
thicknesses.
e.13. Paper Insulation. Made
from recycled newspapers
and cardboard, is a superior
alternative to chemical
foams. Both insect resistant
and fire-retardant due to the
inclusion of borax, boric
acid, and calcium carbonate.
PROPERTIES OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS

It is possible to classify material properties as follows:

a)Physical properties. A material undergoes transition under

the influence of temperature and pressure, and these
changes are physical in nature, because their molecules
remain intact. [Density, specific gravity, porosity, water
absorption, etc…]
b)Mechanical properties. It is the property of material which
opposes the deformation or breakdown of material in
presence of external forces or load. [tensile strength,
compressive strength, rigidity, hardness, creep, fatigue,
etc…]
c)Thermal properties. The properties of a material which is
related to its conductivity of heat. These are the properties
which are exhibited by a material when heat is passed
through it.
d)Chemical properties. A chemical property is any of a
material’s properties that becomes evident during, or after,
a chemical reaction; that is, any quality that can be
established only by changing a substance’s chemical
identity. Chemical properties cannot be determined just by
viewing or touching the substance; the substance’s internal
structure must be affected greatly for its chemical properties
to be investigated. [resistance to acids, alkalies, brine, and
oxidation]
e)Economic characteristics. Cost saving characteristics.
f)Aesthetic properties. The qualities that make a product
attractive to look at, or pleasing to experience. [color,
surface smoothness, the reflection of light, etc…]
1.4. PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF
MATERIALS

1.4.1. Density, ρ is defined

as mass per unit volume for
a material in kg/m3.
The two types of density are
as follows:

1.4.1.1Bulk density, ρb. It is

the ratio of material mass to
total volume of material
including spaces.
Relative density, d, is the Water has its maximum density
ration of the density of the of 1g/cm3 at 4 degrees Celsius.
material with pure water at When the temperature changes
4oC. from either greater or less than
4 degrees, the density will
become less then 1 g/cm3.
Temp (°C) Density (g/cm3)
30 0.9957
20 0.9982
10 0.9997
4 1.0000
Materials Bulk density Materials Bulk density
(kg/m3) (kg/m3)
Brick 1700 Steel 7850
Mastic 2100 Aluminum 2700
asphalt
Cement:
sand 2306 Copper 9000
Glass 2520 Lead 11340
Concrete 2260 Hardwood 769
1:2:4
Limestone 2310 Softwood, 513
plywood
Granite 2662
1.4.1.2 Solid
density, ρs. It is
the ratio of the
mass of solid
material to the
volume of solid
material without
any space.
 The density of the material
is defined as mass per unit
1.4.2 Unit weight, γ, volume, typically measured
is the ratio of in kg/m3. The standard
material’s weight to gravity is acceleration due
material’s volume. to gravity, usually given in
m/s2, and on Earth usually
taken as 9.81 m/s2.
Where: W= weight
(N) and V= volume Unlike density, specific
(m3) weight is not a fixed
Or property of a material. It
depends on the value of the
gravitational acceleration,
which varies with location.
1.4.3. Specific
gravity, Gs, is the
ratio of solid
density of material
and density of
distilled water at a
temperature of
4oC.
1.4.4. Porosity, n,
is the ratio of the
volume of the
spaces in the
material to the
over all volume.
1.4.5. Voids ratio,
e, the ratio
between the size
of the voids to the
volume of solid
material.
1.4.6. Water
absorption, Ww or
Wv, denotes the
ability of the material
to absorb and retain
water. It is
expressed as
percentage in weight
or of volume of dry
material.
*Water absorption by volume is always less than 100%,
whereas that by weight of porous material may exceed
100%.
*The properties of building materials are greatly
influenced when saturated.The ratio of compressive
strength of material saturated with water to that in dry state
is known as coefficient softening and describes the water
resistance of materials. For
materials like clay which is soaked readily, it is zero,
whereas for materials like glass and metals, it is 1.Materials
with coefficient softening less than 0.8 should not be
recommended in the situations permanently exposed to the
action of moisture.
1.4.7. Weathering resistance. It is the ability of a material to
endure alternate wet and dry conditions for a long period
without considerable deformation and loss of mechanical
strength.
1.4.8. Water permeability. It is the capacity of a material to
allow water to penetrate under pressure. Materials like
glass, steel and bitumen are impervious.
1.4.9 Frost resistance. It denotes the ability of a
water-saturated material to endure repeated freezing and
thawing with considerable decrease of mechanical strength.
Under such conditions the water contained by the pores
increases in volume even up to 9 percent on freezing.
1.5. MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

The properties which relate to material behavior under

applied forces define as mechanical properties.

1.5.1. Strength is the ability of the material to resist failure

under the action of stresses caused by loads.
1.5.2. Stress, σ, is the
applied force P divided by
the original area Ao.
There are several types of stress which depend on types of
applied load. These stresses can be classified as:
a)Compression stress
b)Tension stress
c)Shear stress
d)Bending stress
e)Torsion stress
When bar is stretched, stresses are tensile (taken as
positive).
If forces are reversed, stresses are compressive (negative).
1.5.3. Strain, ε, is the
change in length δ divided
by the original length Lo.

When bar is elongated,

strains are tensile (positive).
When bar shortens, strains
are compressive (negative).
1.6 IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY OF CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS

i)Know the sources of construction materials;

ii)identify and know the properties of various construction
materials;
iii)Know how the materials are tested as per ASTM standards;
iv)Know how to choose proper material from the commercially
available varieties for a particular purpose of construction;
v)Know common defects in the materials;
Know various precautions to be taken while constructing for better
durability.