Sub: Introduction to Civil Engineering (BESCK104A/204A)

MODULE 1: CIVIL ENGINEERING DISCIPLINES AND BUILDING SCIENCE

Chapter 1: Introduction to Civil Engineering: Surveying, Structural Engineering,
Geotechnical Engineering, Hydraulics & Water Resources, Transportation Engineering,
Environmental Engineering, Construction planning &Project management.
Chapter 2: Basic Materials of Construction: Bricks, Cement & mortars, Plain,
Reinforced &Pre-stressed Concrete, Structural steel, Construction Chemicals.
Chapter 3: Structural elements of a building: foundation, plinth, lintel, chejja, Masonry
wall, column, beam, slab and staircase

Prepared by, Prof Gowtham B, Assistant professor, Department of Civil Engineering, SVIT,
Bengaluru-64

Chapter 1: Introduction to Civil Engineering

Fields of Civil Engineering

1.Surveying: Surveying is the process of measuring and mapping of the land to determine the
position. It is a critical part of civil engineering because it provides the data that engineers need to design
projects like bridges, roads, tunnels, buildings, Dams etc.,

Scope of surveying are

 For preparing the engineering map showing engineering details like highways,
railways, canals, dams, reservoirs, etc.
 Maps prepared for marking boundaries of countries, states, districts etc., avoid
disputes
 For preparing the contour map to determine the best possible route and amount of
earthwork required
 For planning and estimating project works like roads, bridges, railways, airports,
water supply and waste water disposal surveying is required.
 For preparing the topographical map which shows hills, rivers, forests, valleys,
etc.
 Marine and hydro-graphic survey helps in planning navigation routes and harbors.
 For preparing a military map showing different strategic points important for the
defense of a country.
 Mine surveys are required for exploring mineral wealth

2.Geotechnical Engineering: Geotechnical engineering is the study of the behaviour of soils

under the influence of loading forces and soil-water interactions. It is also called as soil mechanics

Scope of Geotechnical Engineering are

 To assess the quality and strength of soil to construct civil engineering structure
 To design retaining walls for soil retainment.
 To decide type of foundations for different type of structures based on quality of
soil
 For design of underground structures such as Tunnels, Shafts, Conduits.
 Design of earthen dams for storage of water.
 For design of Roads for transportation facilities.
3.Structural Engineering: It is a branch of civil engineering that is concerned with the structural
analysis and design of all man-made structures like dams, bridges. buildings, tunnels, roads, railways etc.,
Scope of structural Engineering are
 Analysis and design of Dams, Bridges, Stadiums, Auditoriums, Multi - storied
buildings.
 Analysis and design of power generation stations
 Analysis and design of steel industrial structures
 Repair, rehabilitation and maintenance of structures
 Design of nuclear Power plants.
 Design of structural reinforcement for different type of structural components

4.a)Hydraulics Engineering: It is the branch of civil deals with application of fluid mechanics
of water to problems dealing with the collection, storage, control, transport, regulation,
measurement, and use of water.

Scope of Hydraulic Engineering are,

 To measure the discharge of water in rivers for design of bridges
 Design of hydro power plants for generation of electricity.
 Design of Pumps and turbines
 Design of water supply schemes for the city which includes design of pipes and pumps.
 Design of canals to carry water to irrigation land from dams.
 Design of Weirs for Dams.

b) Water Resource Engineering: Water resource engineering deals with Effective,Efficient and
Economic(3E's) use water for drinking, irrigation, power generation flood control and miselanous
purposes

Scope of water resource engineering are,

• To measure the total rainfall
• To arrive the total discharge of water from catchment areas
• To design the reservoir capacity to store the water
• For water quality management and pollution control.
• Supply of water for garden and recreational centers.
• Design of water supply systems for the cities and industries.
• Control and predictions of Floo
5.Transportation Engineering: Transport Engineering is branch of civil, the application of
scientific and technological principles in the planning, functional design, operation and facilities
management for any means of transport (road, rail, water and air) in order to provide a safe,
fast, comfortable, convenient, economic travel for people and goods.
Scope of Transportation engineering are,
• It involves planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of transportation
facility.
• Planning, design and construction of runways, roadways, harbors and railways
• Maintenance and up gradation of harbors, airports, railway system based on
requirements.
• It contributes economic, industrial, social and cultural development of any country.
• Design of traffic signals, Intersection, geometric design for control of traffic.

6.Environmental Engineering: It is a branch of Civil deals with the development of processes and
infrastructure for the supply of water, the disposal of waste, and the control of pollution of all kinds.

Scope of Environmental Engineering are

• Involves collection of water, Purification and supply for drinking.
• Waste water collection, treatment and disposal
• Air pollution control and treatments.
• Solid waste management and control
• E-Waste, Bio waste & Hazardous waste management control and Treatment
• Construction waste management and control

7.Construction planning and Project Management:

Construction planning is the process of identifying the steps required to build a structure. It involves
defining what actions need to be completed, creating an ordered timeline of events, staffing the project and
determining the necessary materials and equipment.
Project management is effective management of the project's schedule, cost, quality, safety, scope, and
function. Construction management is compatible with all project delivery methods.

Scope of Construction Planning and Project Management are

• It involves the choice of technology, the estimation of the required resources and
durations for individual tasks etc,.
• A good construction plan is the basis for developing the budget and the schedule for
work
• In is the master plan that ensures a construction project runs smoothlyand meets all its
deadlines, budget constraints, and quality standards.
• It involves the material storage, labours and equipment's required for the completion of
the Project.
• Critical Path Method (CPM) is used to execute the work in a planned manner such
that the project is completed within specified time and allotted budget.
 Chapter 2: Basic Materials of Construction
1.Brick:

Brick is a small rectangular block typically made of fired or sun-dried clay, used in construction.
(Size of brick in general 19*9*9 cm)

Good qualities of Bricks:

 The bricks should be table-moulded, well burnt in kilns, copper-coloured, free from cracks
and with sharp and square edges.
 The bricks should be uniform in shape and should be of standard size.
 The bricks should give a clear metallic ringing sound when struck with each other.
 The brick should not absorbs water more than 20% by weight, for first class bricks and
22% by weight for second class bricks, when soaked in water for a period of 24hours.
 No impression should be left on brick surface, when it is scratched with finger nail.
 The bricks should not break into pieces when dropped flat on hard ground from aheight
of about one meter.
 The bricks should have low thermal conductivity and they should be sound proof.
 The bricks, when soaked in water for 24 hours, should not show deposits of white salt when
allowed to dry in shade.

Types of Bricks
1. Sun-dried bricks

Unburnt bricks or sundried bricks are the most basic example for bricks. They are not so strong,
have reduced fire and water resistance, and hence they are used in temporary structures

2. Burnt Clay Bricks

Burnt bricks are good quality bricks and burnt bricks are classified into four types and theyare

• First class bricks: They are table-molded and burnt in large kilns. So, these bricks
contain standard shape, sharp edges and smooth surfaces.
• Second class bricks: Second class bricks are moderate quality bricks and they are
molded by ground-molding process. These bricks are also burnt in kilns. But because
of ground molding, they do not have smooth surfaces as well as sharp edges
• Third class bricks: Third class bricks are poor quality bricks which are generally used
for temporary structures like unburnt bricks.
 • Fourth class bricks: Fourth class bricks are very poor quality bricks and these are not
used as bricks in the structure. They are crushed and used as aggregates in the
manufacturing of concrete.

3. Fly Ash Bricks

Fly ash bricks are manufactured using fly ash and water. These bricks have better properties than
clay bricks and great resistant to freeze thaw cycles

4.Concrete Bricks

Concrete bricks are manufacturing using concrete with ingredients as cement, sand, coarse aggregates
and water. These bricks can be manufactured in sizes as required.

5.Sand Lime or Calcium Silicate Bricks

Calcium silicate bricks are made of sand and lime and popularly known as sand lime bricks. These
bricks are used for several purposes in construction industries such as ornamental works in
buildings, masonry works etc.

Tests on Bricks:

1.Absorption Test on Bricks

Absorption test is conducted on brick to find out the amount of moisture content absorbed by brick
under extreme conditions. For a good quality brick the amount of water absorptionshould not exceed
20% of weight of dry brick.

2. Crushing Strength or Compressive Strength Test on Bricks:

Crushing strength of bricks is determined by placing brick in compression testing machine.

Minimum crushing strength of brick is 3.50 N/mm2, if it is less than 3.50 N/mm2, then it is not
useful for construction purpose.

3.Hardness Test on Bricks

A good brick should resist scratches against sharp things. So, for this test a sharp tool or finger nail is
used to make scratch on brick. If there is no scratch impression on brick then it is said to be hard
brick.

4. Shape and Size Test on Bricks

Shape and size of bricks are very important consideration. All bricks used for construction should
be of same size
5. Color Test of Bricks

A good brick should possess bright and uniform color throughout its body

6. Soundness Test of Bricks

In this test, 2 bricks are chosen randomly and struck with one another. Then sound produced should
be clear bell ringing sound and brick should not break. Then it is said to be good brick.

7. Efflorescence Test on Bricks

A good quality brick should not contain any soluble salts in it. If soluble salts are there, then it will
cause efflorescence on brick surfaces.

Advantages of Brick Masonry:

 Bricks are having uniform shape and size.

 Handling is easy with brick as the bricks are light in weight.
 Brick is easily available and transportation cost is less
 Construction cost can be reduced in brick masonry as mortar joints are thin.

Disadvantages of Brick Masonry

 Not as strong as other materials such as stone.

 Not as durable compared to stone.
 Brick masonry needs plastering to protect from weathering.
 Brick absorbs water which will cause dampness and damage to the structure
 Less aesthetic view with brick as there is limited sizes and colors.

2. Cement:

Cement is a powder of alumina, silica, lime, iron oxide, and magnesium oxide burned together in a
kiln and finely powdered and used as binding material in mortar and concrete.

Uses of Cement

 The most significant use of cement is production of concrete and mortar

 It is used in concrete for laying floors, roofs and constructing lintels, beams, stairs, pillars
etc.
  It can be used for preparation of foundations, watertight floors, footpaths, etc.
 It can be used for manufacturing precast pipes, garden seats, flower pots, dust bins, fencing
posts, etc.
 It is used in the construction of water Tanks

Different types of cements

 Ordinary Portland cement: This cement is used in general concrete construction where
there is no exposure to sulphates in the soil or in groundwater
 Portland pozzolana cement: PPC is used for the structures having direct contact with
water such as marine structure, dams, bridge piers, sanitation system like Sewers and thick
foundation where mass concrete is used.
 Rapid hardening Portland cement: It is generally used in road work and bridge
construction where the time factor is very important.
 Portland slag cement: It can be used in mass concrete structures such as retaining walls,
foundation, and dams.
 Sulphate resisting Portland cement: Since ordinary Portland cement is susceptible to
attack of sulphate hence sulphate resisting Cement is developed to use where the soil is
infected with sulphates
 Quick setting Cement: Quick setting cement sets very fast. This cement is used for
foundation where pumping of water is needed
Requirements of good cement:

1) Fineness of Cement

The size of the particles of the cement is its fineness. The required fineness of good cement is
achieved through grinding the clinker in the last step of cement production process. Fineness of
cement should not be more than 10%

2) Soundness of Cement

Soundness refers to the ability of cement to not shrink upon hardening. Soundness should not be
more than 10mm

3) Consistency of Cement
The ability of cement paste to flow is consistency. It is measured by Vicat Test. Generally the
consistency of cement is 29%.

4) Strength of Cement
 Compressive Strength: It is the most common strength test on cement. The test specimen
of 50mmx50mmx50mm are casted and after curing the specimens are tested under
 compressive loads until failure
 Tensile strength: Split tensile test is conducted for determining the tensile strength of
cement.
 Flexural strength: This is actually a measure of tensile strength in bending. The test is
performed on a 40 x40 x 160 mm cement mortar beam, which is loaded at its centre point
until failure.

5) Setting Time of Cement

Cement sets and hardens when water is added.

 Initial setting time: When the paste begins to stiffen which is typically occurs within 30-
45 minutes
 Final setting time: When the cement hardens, being able to sustain some load which
occurs in between6 to 10 hours

6) Specific Gravity (Relative Density)

Specific gravity is generally used in mixture proportioning calculations. Portland cement has a

Specific gravity of 3.15

3.Mortars

Mortar is a bonding agent which is generally produced by mixing cementing or binding material like
Lime or Cement and fine aggregate sand or surkhi with water.
Types of Mortar

1.Cement Mortar
Cement mortar is a type of mortar where cement is used as binding material and sand is used as
fine aggregate. Depending upon the desired strength, the cement to the sand proportion of cement
mortar varies from 1:2 to 1:6. like Lime or Cement and fine aggregate sand or surkhi with water.

2. Lime Mortar

Lime mortar is a type of mortar where lime (fat lime or hydraulic lime) is used as binding material
 and sand is used as fine aggregate.

3. Surkhi mortar

Surkhi mortar is a type of mortar where lime is used as binding material and surki is used as fine
aggregate.
4. Mud Mortar

Mud mortar is a type of mortar where mud is used as binding material and sawdust, or cow-dung
is used as fine aggregate. Mud mortar is useful where lime or cement is not available.

Qualities of good mortar:

 The main quality that mortar should possess is adhesion. Good mortar should provide good
adhesion to building units (bricks, Stones etc).
 Mortar should be water resistant. It should have the capability of resisting the penetration
of water.
 Deformability of mortar should be low.
 Mortar should be easily workable in the site condition.
 It should possess high durability
 Cracks should not be developed in the joint formed by mortar.

Functions/uses of Mortar in Construction:

 Mortar is used to bind together the bricks or stones in brick or stone masonry.
 It is used to give a soft even bed between different layers of brick or stone masonry for
equal distribution of pressure over the bed.
 It is used to fill up the spaces between bricks or stones for making walls tight
 It is used to fill up the spaces between bricks or stones for making walls tight
 It is used in plastering works to hide the joints and to improve appearance

4. Plain Cement Concrete

Plain cement concrete is the mixture of cement, fine aggregate (sand) and coarse aggregate & water
without steel.

Material Used in Plain Cement Concrete:

1. Coarse Aggregate

Coarse aggregate used in the PCC must be of hard broken stone of granite or similar stone, free
from dust, dirt and other foreign matter. The stone ballast shall be 20 mm in size and smaller.

2. Fine Aggregate

Fine aggregate shall be of coarse sand consisting of hard, sharp and angular grains and free from
dust, dirt and organic matter.

3.Cement

Ordinary or Pozzolana Portland cement is normally used for plain cement concrete.
4.Water

Generally, potable water shall be used having a pH value not less than 6.

Uses of Plain cement concrete

 As bed concrete below the wall footings, column footings

 As sill concrete to get a hard and even surface at window and ventilator sills.
 As to coping concrete over the parapet and compound walls.
 It is used in rigid pavement construction for transportation
 Storm/ Sewer at drains, small retaining walls.
 To make tennis courts, basketball courts etc

5. RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete)

Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) is a composite building material consisting of concrete reinforced
with steel.
Advantages of Reinforced Cement Concrete:
 Fresh concrete will be in the form of fluid and so it can be poured and casted into any shape.
It gives easiness to the engineer to decide the shape of structure based on architectural
aspects.
 RCC with proper cover will withstand to fire for about 3 – 4 hours. RCC will also resist any
type of weathering.
 After the completion of work low maintenance is needed for concrete structures compared
to the other (steel and timber) type of structures.
 Steel and Concrete are a commonly used construction material and so it is easily available to
prepare reinforced cement concrete.
 Reinforced Concrete members are good in rigidity due to their stiffness.

Disadvantages of RCC:

 RCC sections are heavier comparatively to the sections made with otherconstruction
materials like Steel, wood, etc.
 It requires lots of formwork, centring and shuttering to be fixed
 RCC takes time to gain its full strength, because cement gains strength very slowly.
 RCC needs too much maintenance during its construction, like proper curing,checking
of cracks, prevention from direct sunlight, etc.
 RCC sections consume more space than other sections made with constructionmaterials like
Steel.

Uses of RCC
 Reinforced concrete is used for the construction of roof slabs, columns, beams and footings
in residential and commercial structures.
 Reinforced concrete is used for construction of bridges of small, medium and long spans
resulting in aesthetically superior and economical structures in comparison with steel
bridges
 Reinforced concrete is used in the construction of roads that is designed to carry heavy
traffics loads.
 Pipes and conduits have been constructed from reinforced concrete
 Electric poles are made from reinforced cement concrete.
 For construction of bunkers the reinforced concrete is used.

6.PSC (Pre-stressed concrete)

Pre-stressed concrete is a structural material in which predetermined, engineering stresses are
introduced (By stretching the steel rods) in to the concrete to resist the stresses that occur when the
material is subject to loading.
Following are the uses of PSC:
1.Construction of Bridges:
Pre-stressed concrete has applications in the construction of bridges. This type of bridge is
very strong and durable and is often used in the construction of long-span bridges.
2.Construction of Buildings:
Pre-stressed concrete is a construction material that is commonly used in the construction
of buildings. Pre-stressed concrete is often used for beams and columns, as well as for floor
and roof slabs in pre-stressed concrete buildings
3.Construction of Storage Tanks:
Pre-stressed concrete is commonly used in the construction of storage tanks. The advantage
of using pre-stressed concrete tanks is that they can be designed to resist the internal
pressure of the tank contents. This results in a lighter and thinner wall, which reduces the
overall weight of the tank
4.Railway sleepers:

Pre-stressed concrete sleepers are used in rail tracks. The PSC sleepers are extremely
strong and durable and are less likely to be damaged by weathering or other
environmentalfactors.
5.Concrete Pavements:
Pre-stressed concrete is used in concrete pavements to improve their strength and
durability.
Advantages of Prestressed Concrete

 A longer span length increases untroubled floor space and parking facilities.
 Thinner slabs are important for high-rise buildings as with the same amount of cost, it can
construct more slabs than traditional thicker slabs.
 As the span length is larger, fewer joints are needed than in traditional RC structures.
 Because of fewer joints, maintenance cost also becomes reduced during the design life as
joints are the major locus of weakness in a concrete building.
 Steel corrosion is reduced and long-term durability is achieved.
 It requires a smaller amount of construction materials.
 Better finishing of placed concrete.
 It resists stresses that are higher than normal RCC structures and is free from cracks.
 Rapid construction with better quality control is possible.
 Less maintenance is required.
 For repetitive construction, prestressed concrete is more suitable than regular concrete
without prestressing.
 In this type of concrete, multiple uses of formwork are possible. It can reduce the formwork
amount.

Disadvantages of Prestressed Concrete

 It requires high-strength concrete and high-tensile-strength steel wires.
 The main disadvantage is construction requires additional special equipment like jacks,
anchorage, etc.
 Concrete prestressing requires skilled technology. It needs highly skilled workers under
skilled supervision.
 Construction cost is a little higher than RCC structures as it costs higher for high-strength
materials.
7.Structural steel:

Steel is a kind of metal alloy that's made of iron and carbon. Due to its high strength it is often used
to build the framework of high rise buildings.

Uses of structural steel:

1.To Build High Rise Buildings

Structural steel is resistant to external forces such as wind and earthquakes. Hence the high
rise buildings are constructed using steel members.

2.To Build Industrial Sheds

Another benefit of structural steel is that it is cost effective and hence it is used in the
construction of industrial sheds

3.To Build Bridges & Dams

Steel has a high strength to weight ratio, which means, steel is a tensile metal and is used in
construction of bridges and dams

4.To Build Parking Garages

Structural steel is useful to build parking garages. Due to light weight of structural members
it easier to construct structures.

5.To Build Residential Buildings

They should be able to withstand external forces such as wind, earthquakes, and storms
hence used in residential buildings

Classification of steel

1) Low-carbon steel – This class of steel contains up to 0.30% C. Low carbon steel is used
for automobile body panels, tin plates and wire products.
2) Medium-carbon steel – This class is similar to low carbon, except it ranges from 0.30%
– 0.60% C. Medium carbon steel is mainly used for shafts, axles, gears, crankshafts,
couplings and forgings.
 3) High-carbon steel– This of steel ranges from 0.60% – 1.00% C. High carbon steel is
used for spring materials and high-strength wires.
4) High-strength low-alloy steel – This steel alloy is designed to provide better mechanical
properties and greater resistance to atmospheric corrosion.
5) Low-alloy steels – This alloy’s primary function is to increase its strength and toughness
after heat treatment.
8. Construction Chemicals:
1.Concrete Admixtures
Admixture is a material which is one of the ingredients of concrete apart from cement, water and
aggregates. It is added to the batch immediately before or during mixing. In someconditions, ordinary
concrete fails to give the required quality performance or durability. In such situations, admixtures
are used to modify the properties of ordinary concrete so as to match the requirement, thereby
making it more suitable for the situation.

Some of the admixtures are given below:

i) Plasticizers (Water Reducers)
The organic substances or the combinations of organic and inorganic substances, which
offer a higher workability at the same water content, are known as plasticizing admixtures.
ii) Super Plasticizers
Use of super plasticizers allows the reduction of water to the extent up to 30 % without
reducing workability
iii) Retarders and Retarding Plasticizers
Retarders are admixtures that slow down the chemical process of hydration so that concrete
remains in the plastic state and it remains workable for a longer time than concrete without
the retarder.

iv). Accelerators and Accelerating Plasticizers

Accelerating admixtures are added in the concrete to increase the rate of early strength
development in concrete so as to Permit earlier removal of formwork and reduces the
required period of curing

v) Bonding Admixtures:
Bonding admixtures are water emulsions of several organic materials that are mixed with
cement or mortar grout for applying on an old concrete surface just prior to patching with
mortar or concrete.
2. Concrete Curing Compounds
Liquid membrane curing compounds are used to reduce the loss of water from concrete during the
early period of setting and hardening.
3. Polymer Bonding Agents
The use of bonding agents improves the adhesion of new concrete or mortar to old surface. The
mixing of bonding agents with concrete or mortar improves the workability even at lower water
cement ratio and thereby reduces the shrinkage property.

4. Mould Releasing Agent

Wooden planks, ordinary plywood, shuttering plywood, steel plates etc. are used as shuttering
materials. Concrete when set and hardened, adhere to the surface of the formwork and it becomes
difficult to de-mould. To reduce the bond between formwork and concrete, special mould releasing
agents are used.
 Chapter 3: Structural elements of a building

1. Foundation:

Foundation is the lowest part of the building or the civil structure that is in direct contact with the
soil which transfers loads from the structure to the soil safely

Functions of foundation:

• Foundation are the main reason behind the stability of any structure. The stronger is the
foundation, more stable is the structure.

• The proper design and construction of foundations provide a proper surface for the
development of the substructure in a proper level and over a firm bed.

• Specially designed foundation helps in avoiding the lateral movements of the supporting
material.

• A proper foundation distributes load on to the surface of the bed uniformly. This uniform
transfer helps in avoiding unequal settlement of the building.

• The foundation serves the purpose of completely distributing the load from the structure
over a large base area and then to the soil underneath. This load transferred to the soil
should be within the allowable bearing capacity of the soil.
2. Plinth:

Part of the structure between the ground and the raised floor of the house ie, it separatesstructure
in to substructure and superstructure.

Functions of Plinth:

• It evenly distributes and disperses the load of the columns to the foundation evenly

• The plinth doesn’t allow the dampness and moisture of the ground floor to reach the
building’s top structure

• In framed structure houses and buildings plinth beams are used as a barrier for protection
from water seepage.

• Plinth protects the rest of the house from dampness.

• Provides a better aesthetic appeal to the building

• It also prevents cracks in the building when the foundation suffers from settlement

3. Lintel:

A lintel is the beam or other support at the top of a door or window.

Types of lintel:
1. Timber Lintels
2. Stone Lintel
3. Brick Lintels
4. Reinforced Brick Lintel
5. Steel Lintel
6. Reinforced Concrete Lintel

Functions of Lintel:
• Lintel supports the walls above the openings like doors, windows, etc.
• Lintel withstands the imposed loads coming from above bricks or block including the
roofing members.
• The lintel is used to transfer all imposed loads to the side walls.
• Sometimes lintels are used as a decorative architectural element.

4. Chejja

Chejja or Sun-Shade means a sloping or horizontal structural overhang, usually provided for
protection from sun and rain or for architectural considerations at lintel level.
Functions of Chejja

 Usually protects from external sunlight.

 Also protects from rainwater entering into the building.
 It also serves as aesthetic decoration with little design on it from architectural point of
view.

 Also it can be used as a support for AC.

5.Masonry wall

Masonry is a term used to indicate the part of the construction that uses brick, concrete blocks,
structural clay tile, and stone. These materials are held together with mortar.

Types of Masonry walls:

i. Load-bearing masonry wall
ii. Reinforced masonry wall
iii. Hollow masonry wall
iv. Composite masonry wall
v. Post-tensioned masonry wall

i) Load bearing Masonry wall

A load-bearing wall is a wall that bears the load coming from the structure and transfers the load
to the foundation
ii) Reinforced masonry wall:
A reinforced masonry wall is made with any type of brick, stone or concrete, reinforced by steel
bars. This type of wall could be non-load-bearing or load-bearing.
iii) Hollow masonry wall:
Hollow masonry walls are made with hollow cement blocks. This type of masonry wall is used
to stop dampness from getting inside the building. It creates a hollow area between the outside
and inside of masonry walls
iv) Composite masonry wall
Composite Masonry walls are made with the combination of two or more building materials;
stones and bricks or hollow bricks and bricks.
 Functions of walls:
 The use of materials such as bricks and stones can increase the thermal resistance of a
building.
 Masonry is a non-combustible product and can protect the building from fire.
 Masonry walls protect the structures from winds.
 Masonry walls protect the structures from direct sunlight and Rainfall.
 Masonry wall gives privacy

6. Column

A column can be defined as a vertical structural member which transmits the loads from beam of the
building to foundation.

Types of Columns:

1.Square or rectangular column:

Square column is generally used in the building construction and for heavy structures.
2.Circular Column:
Circular column is mostly used for aesthetic view in the elevation of buildings.

Functions of Columns
1. A column is used to support the weight of the roof and/or the upper floors.
2. Many columns are used for decorative purposes.
3. A column along with load bearing beams can support a lot of weight.
4. Pillars distribute the weight from a roof or ceiling and support heavy loads.
5. These are structural members in a building and often supports a beam
7.Beam:

A beam is a horizontal structural member in a building to resist the lateral loads applied to the
beam’s axis.

Types of beams:

i) Simply supported beam:

A simply supported beam is supported at both ends. These beams are primarily used in general
construction.

ii) Continuous Beam:

A beam that has more than two supports this kind of beam is called a continuous beam
 iii) Fixed Beams:

A beam that is fixed at both ends is called a fixed beam. Fixed beams are not allowed the
vertical movement or rotation of the beam.

iv) Cantilever Beam:

A fixed beam is one where one end is fixed and other end is free.

Functions of Beams
 Support the weight of the building and create a safe load path, transferring the weight and
forces applied to the structure of the building to the foundation and the ground.
 Provides support to the roof or floor above, and strengthens your walls, keeping them
securely in place to prevent them from spreading out or leaning in.
 In bridge The weight of the beam pushes straight down on the piers.

8. Slab

A slab is a flat, two-dimensional structural component of building having a very small

thickness compared to its length and breadth. It transfers the structural loads to the beams.
Types of slabs

 One way slab

 Grid slab system
 Flat slab system
 Two way slab

Functions/uses of slab

 Provides a flat surface

 To act as sound, heat and fire insulator
 It provides a covering shelter or working flat surface in buildings
 Its primary function is to transfer the load to edge beams
 The upper slab becomes the ceiling for the lower storey.

9. Staircase

A staircase is a set of steps leading from one floor of building to another floor. The staircase
provide access from one floor to another floor
Parts of staircase
Types of Staircase

1. Straight Stair: In these types of stairs, all the steps are arranged continuously along in one
direction.

2. Dogged-legged Stair: Dog Legged Staircase Dog legged staircase is the most economical
staircase in which stairs are arranged with two adjacent flights running parallel with the mid-landing
that is usually provided where there is less space or causing in economical useof available space.

3. Circular Stair: A circular staircase resembles a circle in plan

4. Spiral Stair: A spiral staircase is a round stair system in which the individual steps connect to a
center column, hence forming a complete circle

5. Open well Stair:

This type of stair consists of two or more flights arranging a well or opening between the backward
and forward flights.
Question Bank

1) Write the scope of following fields of civil Engineering

i) Surveying
ii) Structural engineering
iii) Geotechnical engineering
iv) Hydraulics and water resource engineering
2) Write the scope of following fields of civil Engineering
i) Transportation Engineering
ii) Environmental engineering
iii) Construction planning and Project management
3) Explain brick. What are the uses of bricks and what are the qualities of good bricks.
4) Explain different types of bricks & tests on bricks.
5) Explain Cement. What are the Uses & requirements of good cement?
6) What are the different types of cement and what are the good qualities of cement.
7) Explain different tests on cement
8) Explain mortar and what are the uses of mortar
9) Explain different types of mortar
10) Explain plain cement concrete. What are the uses, of plain cement concrete
11) Explain Reinforced cement concrete. What are the uses of RCC
12) Explain advantage and dis advantage of RCC
13) Explain Pre stressed concrete and uses of Pre stressed concrete
14) Explain advantage and dis advantage of PSC
15) What is structural steel? Explain different types of steel
16) What are the uses of structural steel
17) Explain different types of chemicals used in construction.
18) Define foundation. What are the functions of foundation
19) Write definition and functions of following structural elements
i) Plinth
ii) Lintel
iii) Chejja
iv) Masonry wall
20) Write definition, types and functions of following structural elements
i) Column
ii) Beam
iii) Slab
iv) Stair case