Climatic and weather conditions

Orientation and construction of buildings should receive special at­tention in places where environmental and climatic factors have a signifi­cant effect. Structural design, style and materials should be compatible with local climatic and weather conditions. For example, flat roofs should be avoided in areas with frequent rainfalls. Snow and wind are variable loads that should be taken into account while designing a structure and its roof. Tall buildings are not recommended in places where strong winds, humidity or fog are likely and bring damage.

Solar radiation can be also unpleasant, but if it is controlled, it can bring many advantages. Among these advantages there may be water heat­ing through solar panels.

Local industries and their disposition should be also taken into ac­count and controlled as atmospheric and noise pollution may be highly injurious and bring much harm.

Location and coordination of all services must also be preplanned and located on a site plan, worked out in accordance with the local cli­matic conditions. Sanitary accommodation is of primary importance. All conveniences must have ventilation, a cover, partitions and doors with suit­able fasterings.

 

b). Pair work. Put the questions given above to your group mate.

Ex.4. a). Look through the text.

CLADDING

Cladding is a material used as the exterior wall enclosure of a build­ing. The cladding of a building is its most visible part. Its major purpose is to separate the indoor environment of a building from the outdoors.

Cladding must prevent the entry of water, snow and ice into a build­ing. Water on the face of a building is known to be driven by wind not only in a downward direction, but in every other direction, even upward.

Water problems, that are keeping water out, are especially great on very tall buildings. These buildings rise to height where wind velocities are extremely high.

They are much higher than at ground level. It should be taken into account that on tall buildings water tends to penetrate the smallest crack or hole and enter the building.

b). Construct the questions in writing and answer them.

1. Cladding, is, what?

2. The cladding, a visible or an invisible part, is, of a building?

3. Major purpose, what, is, its?

4. In what directions, driven, is, water on the face of a building

5. Why, water problems, so great, are, on tall buildings?

6. On what buildings, water, does, tend, the smallest crack or hole, to penetrate?

 

Ex.5. a). Complete the text with the words given in the box.

Discovered, the interiors, limestone, the surfac­es, cement, the ordinary lime mortar, the Romans, the preferred type, con­struction, continued, concrete construc­tion, ex­perimenting, in common.

CONCRETE (A BIT OF HISTORY)

The ancient Romans … a mineral on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. The mineral when mixed with … and burned, produced …., that hardened underwater as well as in the air. This cement was harder and stronger than … they had been using. As time passed, the new material not only became … for use in all their building projects but changed the character of Roman …. Masonry of stone or brick was used to construct only … of masonry piers and walls but … were filled with large amounts of the new type of mortar.

We now know that mortar … the main ingredient of modern Portland cement. Thus, one can say that … were the inventors of concrete constructions.

With the fall of the Roman Empire, knowledge of … was lost. But in the eighteenth century English inventors began …. with both natural and artificially produced cements. In 1824 …, named Portland cement, was patented. This type of cement soon became very popular and the name Portland is … use in the present day.

 

b). Make questions for the answers. Ask each other and answer them. Work in pairs.

1. The ancient Romans

2. The mineral when mixed with limestone and burned, produced cement.

3. Because this cement was harder and stronger than tan the ordinary lime mortar.

4. The character of Roman construction.

5. To construct only the surfac­es of masonry piers and walls.

6. Mortar continued the main ingredient of modern Portland cement.

7. Knowledge of concrete construc­tion.

8. With both natural and artificially produced cements.

9. Portland cement was patented.

10. Yes, it is in common use in the present day.

 

Ex.6. a). Read this text and find a word or an expression in the passage which means:

· to be given the job of designing a building

· to offer to a client for his consideration

· to combine into a whole

· to offer to do some work at a certain price

 

When an architect receives a commission for a building, he meets the client and discusses his requirements. After visiting the site, the architect draws up preliminary plans and, together with a rough esti­mate of the cost, submits them to the client for his approval. If the client suggests changes, the architect incorporates them into the final design which shows the exact dimension of every part of the building. At this stage, several building contractors are invited to bid for the job of constructing the building. When they submit their tenders or prices, the architect assists his client in selecting the best one and helps him to draw up a contract between the client and the contractor.

Work now starts on the building. As construction proceeds, the architect make periodic inspections to make sure that the building is being constructed according to his plans and that the materials specified in the contract are being used. During the building period, the client pays the bills from the contractor. Subsequently, the con­tractor completes the building and the client occupies it. For six months after completion there is a period known as the “defects liability period”. During this period, the contractor must correct any defects that appear in the fabric of the building. Finally, when all the defects have been corrected, the client takes full possession of the building.

 

b). Look through the text and complete this flow diagram:

c). Write three separate descriptions of the parts played in construction of building by the client, the constructor and the architect.

Ex. 7. a). Read this description of House A:

The house is a single-storey building with a square-shaped plan. It contains seven rooms. The entrance which is located on the south side leads into a hall. On the left of the hall is the living room and beyond that in the north-west corner is the dining area. The kitchen is adjacent to the dining area. A terrace is situated outside the living room on the west side. A toilet is located in the centre of the house. Access to the toilet is from the hall. The two bedrooms are located on the east side with a bathroom between them. There is also an entrance to the kitchen on the north side.

Plan of House A

Match the letters with the names of the areas.

b). Now write a description of House B.

Plan of House B

c). Say whether these statements are true of House A, House B or both. Then make statements comparing the two houses.

Example:This house contains eight rooms.

House A contains seven rooms whereas House B contains eight rooms.

1. The front door of this house opens inwards.

2. The toilet is located in the south-east corner of the house.

3. The terrace extends the whole length of the western wall.

4. It has a longer and narrower shaped plan.

5. The kitchen door opens outwards.

6. The bathroom has a window.

7. This house has a study.

8. It does not have a separate dining room.

9. The windows of the living room face west.

10. The kitchen window faces north.

d). Now design a single-storey house and compare your plan with House A.

 

Unit 2

Grammar Exercises

Ex 1. a). Study the following words and word combination. Try to guess their meanings in Russian.

engineering	the work involved in designing and building roads, bridges, machines
natural materials	a solid substance that exist in nature and not caused, made, or controlled by people
the Stone Age	a very early time in human history, when only stone was used for making tools, weapons etc
the Bronze Age	the time, between about 6000 and 4000 years ago, when bronze was used for making tools, weapons etc
the Iron Age	the period of time about 3000 years ago when iron was first used for making tools, weapons etc
tool	something that you hold in your hand and use to do a particular job:
melting	if something solid melts or if heat melts it, it becomes liquid
forging	to make something from a piece of metal by heating the metal and shaping it

b). Render the text into English using the words and word combinations you have studied.

Долгое время в технической практике люди использовали готовые природные материалы, совершенствова­ли их, создавали новые технологии производства и об­работки. Вся история существования человечества связана с освоением материалов: каменный век сменил­ся медно-каменным, а затем бронзовым и железным ве­ками.

Изготовив первые орудия труда из камня и кости, человек стал обрабатывать древесину, шкуры, освоил обжиг глины. Следующим этапом освоения материалов стало плавление и литье меди, затем открытие оловянной бронзы и освоение железа. Совершенствовалась технология переплавки металлических руд, прокалива­нием и ковкой полуфабрикатов стали получать кузнеч­ное железо.

Новую эпоху в развитии материалов открыло исполь­зование энергии падающей воды для привода машин. Появилась возможность нагревать металл до темпера­тур, превышающих температуру плавления железа, пере­рабатывать расплав в ковкое железо, очищать металлы от примесей. Эти достижения в области производства ма­териалов определяли уровень технического развития на протяжении многих веков.