Brickwork check list for site engineers Quality of brickwork While on site, a site engineer must ensure that the brickwork is going on as per quality requirements. Some of the general requirements of quality of brickwork are mentioned below. Use this as a checklist while executing brickwork. 1. The thickness of joint in brick masonry should…
Minimising defects in plastering work Defects in plastering work can be minimised by following the below mentioned techniques. The brick and plastering work should be carried out by skilled masons in the best workmanship manner. Bond of brick work should be properly maintained. Efflorescence is removed by rubbing brushes on the damaged surface. A solution of…
Causes Of Disintegration Of Concrete The primary reasons that cause disintegration of concrete member are described below. DISINTEGRATION OF CONCRETE 1. SULPHATE ATTACK Soluble sulphates are present in § Ground water § Soil § Clay bricks Soluble sulphates react with Tricalcium Aluminate of cement I n the presence of moisture and form products which occupy much bigger volume than…
Fire resisting properties of common construction material Fire resisting properties of common building materials such as stone, brick, timber, cast-iron, glass, steel and concrete are mentioned below. 1. STONE The stone is a bad conductor of heat. But it suffers appreciably under the effects of fire. The stone is also liable to disintegrate into small pieces…
Properties Of Aggregates Approximately 75% of the volume of concrete is occupied by aggregates, so quality of aggregates plays an important role in determining properties of concrete. Aggregates are chemically inert, solid bodies held together by the cement. Aggregates come in various shapes, sizes, and materials ranging from fine particles of sand to large, coarse…
Foundation design There are, in foundation design, a number of practical construction problems and costs to be considered. The chief ones are: 1. The foundations should be kept as shallow as possible, commensurate with climatic effects on, and strength of, the surface soil; particularly in waterlogged ground. Excavation in seriously waterlogged ground can be expensive and…
Design Procedure of foundation Good design must not only be safe but must aim to save construction costs, time and materials. The following procedures should help to achieve this and an ‘educated’ client will recognize the importance of funding this work with a realistic fee. 1. DECIDE THE LOCATION OF COLUMNS & FOUNDATION AND TYPE…
Weight Volume Relationship Of Soil The physical properties of a soil give insight as to the identification of the soil and the determination of its characteristics and load response. These properties can be determined by performing a laboratory analysis on undisturbed soil samples obtained during the test boring process. The laboratory analysis should be performed in accordance with the…
Weathering Of Rock Mass ‘Weathering is the process of alteration and breakdown of rock and soil materials at and near the Earth’s surface by chemical decomposition and physical disintegration’ Of particular note in this definition is that weathering is described as a process. It is not a method for describing the engineering properties of a rock mass. As…
Fast growing trees close to buildings can cause unequal settlement when active tree roots dry out the soil causing differential soil shrinkage. Shrinking clays affect the bearing capacity and lead to movement in the building, especially in shallow foundations. Tree roots can extend over a considerable distance and can extract moisture from as deep as 6…