For civil engineering specialities

PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH

FOR CIVIL ENGINEERING SPECIALITIES

ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНЫЙ АНГЛИЙСКИЙ

ДЛЯ СТРОИТЕЛЬНЫХ СПЕЦИАЛЬНОСТЕЙ

Учебное пособие

Новочеркасск 2016

УДК 378.14:802 (076.5)

ББК 74.58

 

Рецензент - кандидат педагогических наук, доцент, доцент кафедры "Иностранные языки" Сумина В.Е

 

 

Шевцова Г.В., Москалец Л.Е.

Professional English for civil engineering specialities. Профессиональный английский для строительных специальностей: Учебное пособие. / Юж.-Рос. гос. политехн. ун-т.- Новочеркасск: ЮРГПУ, 2016. — 111 с.

 

 

Учебное пособие включает общепрофессиональные и специальные тексты для чтения и перевода со словарем, тексты для аннотирования и реферирования, упражнения на выработку навыков профессионально-ориентированной устной речи.

Предназначено для студентов 3 курса строительных направлений технических вузов, а также для студентов, получающих дополнительное высшее профессиональное образование по данным направлениям.

 

УДК 378.14:802 (076.5)

ББК 74.58

 

© Южно-Российский государственный

политехнический университет, 2016

 

© Шевцова Г.В., Москалец Л.Е. 2016

СОДЕРЖАНИЕ

 

Методические указания
UNIT 1. MODERN MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE COMPETITIVE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
Text 1 A. Civil Engineering
Text 1 B. Construction
Text 1 C. Nature of the Construction Industry
UNIT 2.CONSTRUCTION WORKS.
Text 2 A. The First Houses.
Text 2 B. Some Building Professions
Text 2 C. Working Conditions in Construction
UNIT 3.BUILDING MATERIALS
Text 3 A. Building Materials
Text 3 B. Aggregates for Concrete
Text 3 C. Turnkey Construction
UNIT 4.NEW TRENDS IN URBAN MANAGEMENT
Text 4 A. The Environmental Protection
Text 4 B. What Is Meant by “Bioclimatic Architecture”
Text 4 C. “Green” Buildings
UNIT 5.СОLD WATER SUPPLY
Text 5 A. Water Supply Systems
Text 5 B. Municipal Water Supply Considerations
Text 5 C. Ground Water
UNIT 6.SEWAGE SYSTEMS
Text 6 A. Sewage Systems
Text 6 B. Wastewater Systems
Text 6С. Municipal Wastewater Treatment Systems
SUPPLEMENTARY READING

 

 

МЕТОДИЧЕСКИЕ УКАЗАНИЯ

Учебное пособие адресовано студентам 3 курса строительных направлений технических вузов, а также студентам, получающим дополнительное высшее профессиональное образование по строительным направлениям.

По своим учебным целям и содержанию учебное пособие соответствует требованиям ФГОС в образовательной области «Иностранный язык» и учебной программы по иностранным языкам для неязыковых вузов.

Основная цель учебного пособия заключается в выработке у студентов навыков и умений перевода, аннотирования и реферирования профессионально-ориентированных текстов; в развитии навыков устной профессионально-ориентированной речи.

Учебное пособие рассчитано примерно на 34-40 часов.

Учебное пособие состоит из 6 уроков. Каждый урок включает общепрофессиональные и специальные тексты для чтения и перевода со словарем, тексты для аннотирования и реферирования, а также упражнения на выработку навыков профессионально-ориентированной устной речи.

Кроме того, в пособии есть раздел "Supplementary Reading", в котором содержаться тексты для дополнительного чтения, которые могут быть использованы как в аудиторной работе, так и в самостоятельной неаудиторной работе студентов.

 

UNIT 1

MODERN MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

IN THE COMPETITIVE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

1. Remember the following word combinations:

Civil engineering – гражданское строительство

Craftsmanship – мастерство, тонкая, искусная работа

To couple with – соединять(ся)

Available – имеющийся в распоряжении, полезный, доступный

To perceive – понимать, осознавать

Reluctant – неохотный

To implement – выполнять, осуществлять

Technique – техника метод, технология

Competitive advantage – конкурентное преимущество

To ascertain – устанавливать, выяснять, убеждаться

Relevance – уместность

Estimator – оценщик

Civil Engineering

Civil engineering is the oldest and one of the most highly respected of all the engineering disciplines. It is a traditional industry, by its nature. From the very beginning man has been a builder and his creative ability and skilful craftsmanship are what the modern civil engineering industry is founded on. Today these traditional skills are coupled with the entire modern technology and thinking available to enable civil engineers to carry out their work to the highest of standards.

The traditional background of the industry presents, however, some problems. First of all, it is often perceived as old fashioned and reluctant to fully come to terms with the business world today. But it is obvious that new ideas cannot be implemented until they have been tried, proved and tested. So, if new management techniques are not considered and adopted, there would be a loss in competitive advantage, a vital factor in a highly competitive industry.

That is why it is necessary to ascertain the importance and relevance of management training in the construction industry. People have been managing companies ever since companies came into existence. It is necessary to manage a company effectively and efficiently as well as to produce high quality goods. It is especially important nowadays when construction work is limited and construction companies have to cut margins. Therefore, the effective management of an organization has become an art form in itself.

Civil engineering is a business and its survival is in making a profit. And it is the success of the “team” that is important. The team could be made up of engineers, quantity surveyors, estimators, planners, QA managers; personnel and computer specialists; all form an integral and equally important part of the business. Engineers may not grow into managers, but they must be trained for this role.

But it is a recognized fact that construction managers do not come into being by themselves. The training of graduate engineers in the construction industry at present consists of the undergraduate training within tertiary education, and postgraduate training within the industry itself. Although the number of hours devoted to teaching managements is increasing at educational establishments, graduates are still not adequately prepared for industry. Further training within the industry is varied and dependent on many factors such as the needs of the company, size of the company, and current health of the industry.

Management and management training within the construction industry is varied and is dependent on the sector, consulting or contracting, within which an engineer operates. It is necessary to take into consideration the attitudes of civil engineers and their companies towards modern management practices.

Construction managers are moving rapidly to meet the challengers of a modern business world and are making full use of the tools available. Consultants are a little behind in their attitudes to modern management but are improving; they have not yet realized the full potential of management training.

Highly respected, creative ability, skilful craftsmanship, to ascertain the importance, to cut margins, quantity surveyors, estimators, to take into consideration, to meet the challengers of a modern business world

4. Fill in the necessary word:

1. Civil engineering is the oldest and one of the most highly ___ of all the engineering disciplines.

2. Today these traditional skills are coupled with the entire modern technology and thinking available to enable civil engineers to carry out their work to the highest of ___.

3. So, if new ___ techniques are not considered and adopted, there would be a loss in competitive advantage, a vital factor in a highly competitive industry.

4. People have been managing companies ever since companies came into ___.

5. It is necessary to ___ a company effectively and efficiently as well as to produce high quality goods.

6. Civil engineering is a ___ and its survival is in making a profit.

7. Engineers may not grow into ___, but they must be trained for this role.

8. Management and management training within the construction industry is varied and is ___ on the sector, consulting or contracting, within which an engineer operates.

9. It is necessary to take into ___ the attitudes of civil engineers and their companies towards modern management practices.

10. Construction managers are moving rapidly to meet the ___ of a modern business world and are making full use of the tools available.

5. Say whether the following sentences are true or false. Correct the wrong statements:

Civil engineers work at the highest level of design and plan large infrastructure projects, such as airports and roadways, which requires solving complex problems. Civil engineers must determine the feasibility of plans, especially regarding financial costs and safety concerns. Urban and regional planners often look to civil engineers for advice on these issues. Civil engineers are ultimately responsible for the infrastructure project’s design and implementation. Therefore, they must be able to lead surveyors, construction managers, civil engineering technicians, and others to implement the plan.

Civil engineers use the principles of calculus, trigonometry, and other advanced topics in mathematics for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work. Only licensed civil engineers can sign the plans for infrastructure projects. This makes it imperative that civil engineers be able to monitor and evaluate the work at the job site as a project progresses.

Civil engineers must be able to communicate with other professionals, such as architects, landscape architects, and urban and regional planners. This means that civil engineers must be able to write clear reports that people without an engineering background can follow.

Many civil engineers hold supervisory or administrative positions ranging from supervisor of a construction site to city engineer. Others work in design, construction, research, and teaching. They work with others on projects and may be assisted by civil engineering technicians and technologists.

Various levels of government employ civil engineers to do many of the same things done in private industry, except that the government-employed civil engineers may also inspect projects to be sure that they comply with regulations.

A civil engineer's tasks typically involve the following:

· Analyze survey reports, maps, and other data to plan projects

· Consider construction costs, government regulations, potential environmental hazards, and other factors in planning stages

· Test soils to determine the adequacy and strength of foundations

· Test building materials, such as concrete, asphalt, or steel, for use in particular projects

· Provide cost estimates for materials, equipment, or labour to determine a project’s economic feasibility

· Use design software to plan and design transportation systems, hydraulic systems, and structures in line with industry and government standards

· Oversee, or participate in, surveying to establish reference points, grades, and elevations to guide construction

· Present their findings to the public on topics such as bid proposals, environmental impact statements, or property descriptions

Civil engineers work on complex projects, and they sometimes specialize in one of several areas:

7. Scan through the text and be ready to summarize it:

The nature of the industry's products and services Construction activity is extremely diverse, ranging from simple housing developments to highly complex infrastructure projects. However, all types of construction project, regardless of size, have some common characteristics, which include the following: their unique, one-off nature: unlike other sectors, where prototypes can be tested before real production gets underway, construction projects tend to be one-off, unique organizations that are designed and constructed to meet a particular client's product and service needs.

This can lead to significant risks for people working on a project, which largely arise from learning-curve problems associated with new work activities and ever-changing workplace relationships. Their tendency to be awarded at short notice: many construction projects are awarded following a period of competitive tendering, where possibilities for thorough planning are often limited.

Having been awarded a contract, a design consultancy or contractor has to mobilize a project team comprising an appropriate blend of skills and abilities to meet the project demands quickly. The resourcing function may need to respond to sudden changes in workload, as there can be no guarantee of how much work will be being undertaken at any particular time. Their reliance on a transient workforce: construction projects are, for the most part, constructed in situ.

Even with the increased use of offsite fabrication and the wider use of prefabricated components, the final product is normally assembled and completed in the required site location. This necessitates the employment of a transient workforce which can move from one project location to the next. This transience poses many problems for workers, such as longer working days, more expense in travelling to work and managing work-life balance issues, since their families may not be as mobile. Transience also arises within projects, since the composition of teams normally changes during different project stages, involving people from many organizations, backgrounds and locations.

Increasingly demanding clients: in recent years there has been a steady increase in the quality of service and product expected by clients procuring construction work. For example, in Australia it has been estimated that construction projects are being delivered in about half the time they were ten years ago.

Inevitably, this requires a considerable commitment from those working in the industry, which tends to manifest itself in unsafe working practices, long working hours and increased levels of stress. A male-dominated culture: construction is one of the most male dominated industries in virtually every developed society. Men dominate both craft trades and professional and managerial positions within the sector.

This reliance on male employment leads to many challenges, such as skills shortages caused by recruiting from only a portion of the population, difficulties in the management of equal opportunities and workforce diversity, and considerable challenges in terms of creating an accommodating atmosphere in which individuals' diverse skills and competencies are fully utilized.

These challenges require construction companies to balance project requirements with competing organizational and individual employee expectations, priorities and needs. It is the industry's inability to manage these competing demands effectively which has caused many of the enduring problems which plague the industry today. Focusing on project and organizational requirements at the expense of human needs will result in employee dissatisfaction, reduced commitment, industrial conflict, increased turnover, more accidents, deprofessionalisation, recruiting problems and a continued poor public image.

from "Human Resource Management in Construction

Projects Strategic and operational approaches"

Construction

 

From the pyramids of Egypt to the international space station, construction industry has always faced the challenges of the future - advancing civilization and building our quality of life. Today, the construction industry is undergoing vast changes - the technological revolution, population growth, environmental concerns, and more.

Modern construction industry is a high hazard industry that comprises a wide range of activities involving construction, alteration, and/or repair. Construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Houses, apartments, factories, offices, schools, roads, and bridges are only some of the products of the construction industry.

This industry’s activities include the building of new structures, including site preparation, as well as additions and modifications to existing ones. The industry also includes maintenance, repair, and improvements on these structures.

The construction industry is divided into three major segments. Each of them requires a unique team to plan, design, construct and maintain the project.

1) The construction of buildings. This segment includes contractors, usually called general contractors, who build residential, industrial, commercial, and other buildings.

2) The Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction. This segment comprises establishments whose primary activity is the construction of entire engineering projects (e.g., highways, dams, bridges, tunnels, and other projects related to the infrastructure), and specialty trade contractors, whose primary activity is the production of a specific component for such projects. Specialty trade contractors in Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction generally are performing activities that are specific to heavy and civil engineering construction projects and are not normally performed on buildings.

3) Industrial construction. Specialty trade contractors perform specialized activities related to all types of construction such as carpentry, painting, plumbing, electrical work.

The construction of buildings is considered to be an ancient human activity. It began with the purely functional need for a controlled environment to moderate the effects of climate. The earliest practices of building construction may have commenced between 4000 and 2000 ВС in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia (Ancient Iraq) when humans stopped their nomadic existence, thus causing a need for the construction of shelter. The most exiting example of large structure constructions are the Pyramids in Egypt.

Other ancient historic examples of building constructions include the Parthenon by Iktinos in Ancient Greece, the Appian Way by Roman engineers, the Great Wall of China and the stupas constructed in ancient Sri Lanka. The Romans developed civil structures throughout their empire, including especially aqueducts, insulae, harbours, bridges, dams and roads.

Modern methods of construction are more complicated than in early history of mankind. Today’s professional builders understand building science and know how to build a house that not only looks good, but also well constructed and great to live. New houses are bright and comfortable all year-round, and take full advantage of the many advances in building products, materials and technologies.

Another most important change that has occurred during the modern time all over the world is that the process of construction has been steadily moving away from the building site. Modern methods of construction involve the manufacture of buildings with potential benefits such as faster construction, fewer housing defects, and reductions in energy use and waste.

Typically modern methods of construction involve the manufacture of buildings parts off-site in a specially designed factory. The two main products of modern methods are: 1) panels, including ready-made walls, floors and roofs, which are transported to the site and assembled quickly, often within a day; 2) modules - ready-made rooms, which can be pieced together to make a whole house or flat. Modules are used most frequently for bathrooms or kitchens, where all the fittings are added in the factory.

In Europe modern methods of construction also include innovative site-based methods, such as use of concrete moulds. The components are made in factories to precise specifications and then shipped to building sites where trained building crews install them. The benefits of using such pre-manufactured components are numerous. Prefabricated components can be brought in as they are needed and installed immediately. Furthermore, these materials and products are manufactured under strict quality control and confirm to construction standards. A range of materials is used for construction of buildings, the most common being wood, steel and concrete, although many houses have a brick outer layer and so look like traditional houses.

 

Notes on the text:

stupas - ступа (куполообразное сооружение на могиле царя или вождя; хранилище реликвий)

insulae – блок домов; квартал (в древнеримской архитектуре)

 

 

TEXT EXERCISES

 

9. Give Russian equivalents to the following word combinations:

 

faced the challenges of the future, quality of life, undergoing vast changes, high hazard industry, primary activity, trade contractors, to moderate the effects of climate, reductions in energy use, the construction of shelter, full advantage, to move away from the building site, the manufacture of buildings parts off-site, ready-made walls, innovative site-based methods, to precise specifications, pre-manufactured components, prefabricated components, strict quality control

 

10. Give English equivalents to the following words:

 

подрядчик, плотина, плотничные работы, водопровод, шоссе, укрытие (кров), акведук, гавань, за пределами площадки

 

11. Fill in the necessary prepositions. Consult the text if necessary:

 

e.g.: quality of life

 

to face the challenges ___ the future; a wide range ___ activities; the building ___ new structures; to be divided ___ three major segments; each ___ them; the production ___ a specific component ___ such projects; to relate ___ all types of construction; the effects ___ climate; a need ___ the construction ___ shelter; the example ___ large construction; history ___ mankind; all ___ the world; two main products ___ modern methods; to be made ___ factories; to be manufactured ___ strict quality control; to be used ___ construction ___f buildings

 

12. Match the beginnings from part A with the endings from part B:

A)

1. From the pyramids of Egypt to the international space station, construction industry has always...

2. Modern construction industry is...

3. This industry’s activities include...

4. The construction industry is...

5. Construction generally are performing activities that are...

6. The construction of buildings is considered...

7. Modern methods of construction are more...

8. Another most important change that has occurred during the modern time all over the world is that...

9. Modules are used most frequently for...

10. The components are made in factories to precise specifications and then...

B)

A)... specific to heavy and civil engineering construction projects and are not normally performed on buildings.

B)... bathrooms or kitchens, where all the fittings are added in the factory.

C)... complicated than in early history of mankind.

D)... the building of new structures, including site preparation, as well as additions and modifications to existing ones.

E)... to be an ancient human activity.

F)... the process of construction has been steadily moving away from the building site.

G)... faced the challenges of the future - advancing civilization and building our quality of life.

H)... divided into three major segments.

I)... shipped to building sites where trained building crews install them.

J)... a high hazard industry that comprises a wide range of activities involving construction, alteration, and/or repair.

 

13. Translate into English:

 

Гражданское строительство - область техники, посвященная сооружению крупных зданий и систем. Гражданское строительство обеспечивает все необходимое для нужд транспорта, как бытовых, так и промышленных: дороги, мосты, каналы, аэропорты, водопроводные системы, плотины, портовые сооружения и туннели.

Для гражданского строительства непременным условием является тщательное изучение местности, свойств применяемых материалов, особенностей почвы, гидравлических параметров.

К области гражданского строительства примыкают такие дисциплины, как архитектура, ирригация, транспорт, почвоведение, геодезия, гидравлика, а также технология строительства в прибрежных и океанских зонах.

 

Научно-технический энциклопедический словарь // http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/ntes/

14. Read and summarize the text below:

 

Text 1 C

UNIT 2

CONSTRUCTION WORKS

1. Remember the following word combinations:

purpose – намерение, цель

owner – собственник, владелец

to erect – возводить, строить

concern – отношение, to concern - касаться, беспокоить

stone – камень, to stone – мостить, облицовывать камнем

concrete – бетон

to harden – делать твердым, цементировать

footing – фундамент, основание, опора

heat – тепло

conductivity – проводимость

tier (level) – ряд, ярус

ferro-concrete – железобетон

plumbing – слесарно-водопроводное дело, прокладка труб

plumber – водопроводчик

water supply – водоснабжение, обеспечение водой

detail – деталь здания, часть, элемент

timber – лесоматериал, строевой лес, балки

drainage (sewerage) – дренаж, канализация

The First Houses

 

The first houses were built for the purpose of protecting their owners from the weather and, therefore, were very simple – a roof to keep off the rain or snow, and walls to keep out the wind. The building erected now can be divided into two broad classifications: they are either for housing or for industrial purpose. As far as the material is concerned, the building can be divided into stone (or brick), wood and concrete types.

The brick is an artificial material made of clay then burnt to harden it. The natural stone (rubble masonry) is used for footing and foundations for external walls carrying the load. The buildings made of stone or brick are durable, fire-proof and have poor heat conductivity.

The tiers or levels which divide a building into stages or stories are called floors. These maybe of timber but in stone buildings they are made of ferro-concrete details in great and small sizes. The coverings or upper parts of buildings constructed over to keep out rain and wind and to preserve the interior from exposure to the weather, are called roofs. These should tie the walls and give strength and firmness to the construction.

Every building must be beautiful in appearance and proportional in various parts. The interior should be planned to suit the requirements of the occupants while the exterior must be simple without any excesses. Any building should be provided with water, electricity, ventilation and heating system. Getting water into the house is called plumbing.

The plumbers have also to get the water out after it has been used. The first part of this problem is called water supply and the second is called drainage or sewerage.

Almost everybody saw the construction of a building and followed its progress with interest. First the excavation is dug for the basement, then the foundation walls below ground level are constructed; after this the framework is erected and clothed with various finishing materials and protected by several coats of paint.

The part upon which the stability of the structure depends is the framework. It is intended for safety carrying the loads imposed. The floors, walls, roofs and other parts of the building must be carefully designed and proportioned. The architect or designer must decide what the sizes of the walls, the floors, the beams, the girders and the parts, which make up the framework, will be and how they will be placed and arranged. Here are the main parts of a building and their functions.

Foundations serve to keep the walls and floors from contact with the soil, to guard them against the action of frost, to prevent them from sinking and settling which cause cracks in walls and uneven floors.

Floors divide the building into stories. They may be either of timber or may be constructed of a fire-resisting material. Walls are built to enclose areas and carry the weight of floors and roofs. The walls may be solid or hollow. The materials used for the walls construction can be brick, stone, concrete and other natural or artificial materials.

Roofs cover the building and protect it from exposure to the weather. They tie the walls and give strength and firmness to the structure.

 

TEXT EXERCISES

 

3. Give the Russian equivalents to the following words and word-groups. Memorize them for housing

 

for industrial purpose, artificial material, made of clay, ferro-concrete details, covering, exposure, to suit the requirements, basement, framework, stability of the structure, girder, to guard against the action of frost, cracks in walls, uneven floors, fire-resisting material, firmness

 

4. Give English equivalents:

 

искусственные материалы, здания из камня или кирпича, долговечный, интерьер, водоснабжение, канализация, отделочные материалы, должны быть тщательно спроектированы, предотвращать, воздействие погодных условий

 

5. Say whether the following sentences are true or false. Correct the wrong statements:

 

1. The first houses were built for the purpose of protecting their owners from the weather.

2. The building erected now can be divided into four broad classifications.

3. As far as the material is concerned, the building can be divided into stone (or brick), wood and iron types.

4. The brick is a natural material.

5. The buildings made of stone or brick are durable, fire-proof and have poor heat conductivity.

6. Every building must be beautiful in appearance and proportional in various parts.

7. The interior should be planned to suit the requirements of the workers on a construction site.

8. Almost everybody saw the construction of a building and followed its progress with interest.

9. Floors serve to keep the walls and floors from contact with the soil, to guard them against the action of frost.

10. Roofs are built to enclose areas and carry the weight of floors.

 

6. Find the information in the text about:

 

- the purposes of the first houses;

- two broad classifications of modern buildings;

- framework;

- foundations;

- floors;

- roofs.

 

7. Read the text below to find answers to the questions:

 

1) What man is considered to be a skilled worker?

2) Who is a bricklayer?

3) Who is a carpenter?

4) Who is a joiner?

5) Who is a mason?

 

Text 2 B

Some Building Professions

 

A man, who has been an apprentice for some years in a building trade and has therefore enough skill to be considered a skilled worker at his trade, is called tradesman or craftsman. He may be a carpenter-and-joiner, bricklayer, mason, slater-and-tiler, plumber, electrician, house painter, glazier, floor-and-wall tiler, plasterer, paper-hanger, steeplejack, hot water fitter and so on.

Bricklayer is a tradesman who builds and repairs brickwork, lays and joints salt glazed stoneware drains, sets, chimney pots, manhole frames and fireplaces. He renders brickwork, including the insides of manholes. A sewer and tunnel bricklayer is a specialized bricklayer. In some districts of Greart Britain, bricklayers also fix wall and flooring tiles and slating and lay plaster and granolithic floors. But elsewhere these are plasterer’s specialities.

Carpenter is a man who erects wood frames, fits joints, fixes wood floors, stairs and window frames, asbestos sheeting and other wallboard. He builds or dismantles wood or metal formwork. The two trades of carpenter and joiner were originally the same, and most men can do both, but specialize in one or the other. In the USA the term “carpenter” includes a joiner. The word is derived from the French word charpente,which means a wood or metal framework.

Joiner is a man who makes joinery and works mainly at the bench on wood, which has been cut and shaped by the machinists. His work is finer than the carpenter’s, much of it being highly finished and done in a joinery shop which is not exposed to weather. In Scotland a joiner is a carpenter-and-joiner.

Mason is stone worker or stone setter. In Scotland and the USA a bricklayer is usually also a mason. A fixer or a fixer mason or a builder mason is a mason who sets prepared stones in walls, whether the stone be only facing or to the full wall thickness.

Plasterer is a tradesman who may be a fibrous plasterer or a plasterer in solid work. The latter lays successive coats of plaster or rendering and fixes fibrous plaster such as mould cornices and wall pattern. He can use a horsed mould, erect lathing for plaster, and apply stucco.

A Construction Manager, or CM, provides services similar to those of general constructor, but represents client’s interest during all phases of the building process – design as well as construction. They are usually paid a negotiated fee for the scope of services rendered.

For example, working with the architect during design, the CM provides updates cost projections so that a client will know probable costs, which the project evolves. A general constructor, however, doesn’t usually enter the scene until after the design is complete.

The CM decides who bids the job, picks up the request for invitation to bid, evaluates the bids, and awards work to the most reasonable bidder. The CM also prepares contracts and sends them out to the subcontractors. The owner sings the contracts with each subcontractor, unlike a general constructor who signs these contracts. As a result, the subcontractors are under the CM’s direction.

The CM may also be responsible for the safety of workers on the construction site.

 

Notes on the text

 

at his trade – в своём ремесле;

slater – and - tiler – кровельщик (мастер по укладке черепицы);

hot water fitter – теплотехник;

which is not exposed to weather – который не подвержен погоде / защищен от погоды

to use a horsed mould, erect lathing for plaster, and apply stucco - использовать опалубку для бетона, крепить сетку под штукатурку и применять отделочный гипс

 

8. Find English equivalents in the text:

 

Считаться искусным в своём ремесле, заниматься кирпичной кладкой, мастер по укладке черепицы, ремонтировать кровлю, собирать деревянные рамы, столярная мастерская, верхолаз, каменщик, многослойная штукатурка, быть подверженным влиянию погоды, класть стены из готового камня, предоставлять услуги, предполагаемая стоимость, самый подходящий покупатель, подписывать контракт с субподрядчиком, отвечать за безопасность рабочих

 

UNIT 3

 

BUILDING MATERIALS

1. Remember the following words:

timber – строевой лес, древесина plastics – пластмассы purpose – цель softwoods – мягкие породы дерева valuable– ценный	brick – кирпич to provide – обеспечивать, снабжать to divide – делить, разделять, подразделять hardwoods – твердые породы дерева
to employ – использовать, применять veneer– фанера, шпон mortar – строительный раствор marble– мрамор	plywood – фанера hollow – полый, пустотелый, пустой construction – строительство sandstone– песчаник
limestone – известняк brass– латунь, медь to resist - сопротивляться gravel – гравий	alloy– сплав to insulate –изолировать cement – цемент sufficient – достаточный
to mix - смешивать, mixture – смесь slag – шлак	pebbles – галька, голыш, булыжник load– груз, нагрузка
abrasion – трение, истирание, износ property – свойство	to reduce – сокращать compression – сжатие, уплотнение, компрессия
stress– давление, напряжение	beam– брус, балка
plain– простой, обыкновенный weight – вес to sag – оседать, обвивать, падать	to span – перекрывать to cause – быть причиной, вызывать, причинять tension – напряжение, растяжение
to incorporate – соединять, смешивать, встраивать	to prevent – предотвращать tensile – растяжимый

2. Read and translate the text below:

 

Text 3 A

Building Materials

 

Some of the most important building materials are timber, brick, stone, concrete, metal, plastics and glass.

Timber is provided by different kinds of trees. Timbers used for building purposes are divided into two groups called softwoods and hardwoods. Timber is mostly used in railway engineering, in mining and in the chemical industry where it provides a number of valuable materials. However, it is employed as a building material in the form of boards. For the interior of buildings plywood and veneer serve a number of purposes.

A brick is best described as a “building unit”. There exists a variety of bricks for different purposes: ordinary, hollow or porous, lightweight, multicolour bricks for decorative purposes, etc. Bricks are usually laid in place with the help of mortar.

Natural stone is used for foundations and for the construction of dams. The main varieties of building stone are basalt, granite, marble, sandstone and limestone. Marble, granite and sandstone are widely used for decorative purposes, especially with the public buildings.

Metals. Aluminium, principally in the form of various alloys, is highly valued for its durability and especially for its light weight, while brass is frequently used for decorative purposes in facing. Steel finds its use in corrugated sheets for roofing, for girders, frames, etc. Various shapes are employed in construction.

Plastics are artificial materials used in construction work for a number of purposes. Nowadays plastics can be applied to almost every branch of building, from the laying of foundation to the final coat of paint. Plastics have some good advantages as they are lighter than metals, not subjected to corrosion, they can be easier machined. Besides they are inflammable, they can take any colour and pattern, and they are good electrical insulators. Moreover, they possess a high resistance to chemical action.

Laminate is a strong material manufactured form many layers of paper or textile impregnated with thermosetting resins. Then it is pressed and subjected to heat. Laminate has been developed for both inside and outside use. It resists severe weather conditions for more than ten years without serious deformation. As a structural material it is recommended for exterior work.

Foamed glass is a high-porosity heat insulating material. Foamed glass is widely used in house building to ensure heat insulation of exterior wall panels, and in industrial construction. Foamed glass is distinguished by moisture, vapour and gas impermeability. It is non-flammable, offers resistance to frost, and possesses a high sound adsorption.

Concrete is perhaps the most widely spread building material used nowadays. Concrete is an artificial stone, made by thoroughly mixing such natural ingredients or aggregates as cement, sand and gravel or broken stone together with sufficient water to produce a mixture of the proper consistency. It has many valuable properties. It sets under water, can be poured into moulds so as to get almost any desirable form, and together with steel in reinforced concrete it has very high strength, and also resists fire. Prestressed concrete is most widely used at present while prefabricated blocks are employed on vast scale for skeleton structures.

 

Notes on the text:

 

to serve a number of purposes – использоваться для многих целей

the final coat of paint – последний слой краски, покрытия

subjected to – подвергающийся чему-л.

and they can be easier machined – и их легче обрабатывать

impregnated with – пропитанный, насыщенный, дополненный чем-л.

impermeability – непроницаемость, герметичность

 

TEXT EXERSICES

 

3. Find English equivalents in the text

 

различные виды деревьев, железнодорожный транспорт, в виде досок, отливка и обжиг, прямоугольное твёрдое тело, для декоративных целей, держать кирпич с лёгкой уверенностью, восьмичасовой рабочий день, предохраняет кожу от грубого кирпича, основные разновидности строительного камня, ценится за долговечность, отрасль строительства, принимать любую форму, много слоёв бумаги, для использования и снаружи, и внутри помещения, теплоизолирующий материал, морозостойкость, шлаковая вата, площадь поперечного сечения, выдержать напряжение растяжения

 

4. Add the missing parts of the sentences from the text:

 

1. ___ for building purposes are divided into two groups called softwoods and hardwoods.

2. However, timber is still employed ___

3. ___ ordinary, hollow or porous, lightweight, multicolour bricks for decorative purposes, etc.

4. ___ they use natural stones such as marble, granite, basalt, limestone and sandstone.

5. ___ while brass is frequently used for decorative purposes in facing.

6. These materials are sufficiently rigid to stand ___.

7. ___ severe weather conditions for more than ten years without serious deformation.

8. ___ to ensure heat insulation of exterior wall panels, and in industrial construction.

9. It is non-inflammable, offers resistance to frost, ___.

 

5. Match the words with their definitions:

 

1) timber	a) a long thin flat piece of wood used for making floors, walls, fences etc:
2) brick	b) a mixture of cement or lime, and sand and water, used in building for holding bricks or stones together
3) clay	c) a metal that consists of two or more metals mixed together
4) board	d) a strong beam, made of iron or steel, that supports a floor, roof, or bridge
5) veneer	e) a hard block of baked clay used for building walls, houses etc.
6) mortar	f) a type of rock that contains calcium
7) sawdust	g) something that you hold in your hand and use to do a particular job
8) alloy	h) a thick sticky liquid that comes out of some trees
9) girder	i) wood prepared for use in building and carpentry
10) raw material	j) very small pieces of wood that are left when you have been cutting wood
11) tool	k) the work or industry of getting gold, coal etc out of the earth
12) resin	l) a type of heavy sticky earth that can be used for making pots, bricks
13) limestone	m) a thin layer of wood or plastic that covers the surface of a piece of furniture made of cheaper material, to make it look better
14) mining	n) an unprocessed natural product used in manufacture

 

6. Act the dialogue in pairs:

 

Customer: I would like to order a countryside house. Here is the project.

Foreman: Let’s see. A two-storey house with a garage. Ten rooms and two staircases. What will the foundation made of? Concrete?

C: Yes, ferro-concrete.

F: And what about the walls?

C: I want red brick walls. The windows are large. By the way, the panes should be airtight. I want them to be double-glazing.

F: We’ll make them hermetic with patty. We put it in the grooves, and then fix the panes.

C: Excellent. The hinges and handles should be bronze.

F: Ok. What type of roof would you like?

C: I want the roof to be flat, with a small garden.

F: Do you have an interior designer?

C: Yes, but the drafts aren’t ready.

F: What idea does he have?

C: There will be a mantelpiece in the hall and the walls will be decorated with panels.

F: Plastic panels?

C: Oh, no. Panels must be of wood.

F: What wood do you prefer?

C: I think oak is the best.

F: How do you pay the construction?

C: I’ve got the mortgage for 25 years from the bank.

F: So we’ll make oak panels then.

 

7. Read and summarize the information below:

 

Wood has been a highly used building material since prehistoric times. Among other highly used construction materials there are concrete, steel, brick, stone, and plastics. They all differ in their properties and in the methods of usage. Construction materials are known to differ in strength, hardness, fire- and corrosion-resistance durability, and, naturally, cost.

Being the oldest building material, wood is also known to be the only naturally growing organic material. Is wood strong? Hardly so, because wood always contains some water which decreases its strength.

But after the wood is cut, the water content starts to evaporate and as the water content decreases the strength of the cut wood and its hardness start to increase. It is a well-known fact that the drier is the cut wood the greater is its strength and hardness.

Trees are known to grow naturally, which makes wood a constantly renewable natural resource. Among other advantages of wood there are its low cost, low weight, and high workability. But, as any other construction material, wood has its disadvantages. The main ones are the following - it is not fire-resistant, it easily burns. Besides, it easily decays.

 

8. Read the information below to find answers to the questions:

 

1. What properties make concrete a highly used construction material?

2. What two types of aggregate are used for producing concrete?

3. What ingredients does the quality of concrete depend upon?

4. How long does the process of hardening the mixed components last?

 

Concrete is considered to be a universal material for construction. Different kinds of concrete can be used practically for every building purpose. The raw materials for producing concrete can be found in every part of the world.

The main property that makes concrete so popular is that it can be formed into strong monolithic slabs. Another good quality is it’s relatively low cost. Besides, concrete is known to be fire- and decay-resistant.

Concrete is produced by combining coarse and fine aggregates, Port­land cement, and water. Coarse aggregate is generally gravel or crushed stone, and fine aggregate is sand. Cement, sand, gravel, and water are taken in proportional amounts and mixed.

The quality of concrete depends mostly on the quality of the cement used. The process of production consists in pouring the mixed components into forms and holding them there until they harden. The process of hardening generally lasts for about 28 days.

 

9. Translate into English:

 

Строительные материалы - это материалы и изделия, используемые при строительстве и ремонте зданий и сооружений. В зависимости от назначения и условий эксплуатации вашего будущего дома при выборе строительных материалов, будут определяться и требования к ним из всего обширного разнообразия.

По степени готовности их можно разделить на собственно строительные материалы (лесоматериалы, металлы, цемент, бетон, кирпич, песок, строительные растворы и т.д.) и строительные изделия - готовые детали и элементы, монтируемые в здании на месте строительства (сборные железобетонные панели и конструкции, санитарно-технические кабины, дверные и оконные блоки и т.д.).

По происхождению строительные материалы подразделяют на природные и искусственные.

§ Природные материалы – получают путем переработки природного сырья. Данным материалам придают определенную форму и соответствующие размеры, но не изменяют их внутреннего строения и состава. Чаще всего из природных материалов используются лесоматериалы и каменные материалы и изделия. Также, в готовом виде или при простой обработке можно получить битум и асфальт, озокерит, казеин, некоторые продукты растительного происхождения, например, солому, камыш, торф, лузгу и другие.

§ Искусственные материалы - производят из природных сырьевых материалов, реже - из побочных продуктов промышленности, сельского хозяйства или сырья, получаемого искусственным путем. Вырабатываемые строительные материалы отличаются от исходного природного сырья как по строению, так и по химическому составу, что связано с коренной переработкой сырья в заводских условиях с привлечением для этой цели специального оборудования и энергетических затрат. К ним относят кирпич, цемент, железобетон, стекло и другие.

В строительстве большее распространение и разнообразие имеют искусственные материалы, но и природные материалы продолжают находить широкое применение с приданием им необходимых внешних форм и размеров.

 

from: Строительные материалы // http://

projects.ru/materialy/stroitelnye-materialy

 

10. Read the Text 5 from the SUPPLEMENTARY READING to learn more about the building materials.

11. Read and summarize the text below:

 

Text 3 B

Aggregates for Concrete

 

By the simple definition from the dictionary “aggregates are the materials, such as sand and small stones, that are mixed with cement to form concrete”. In other words aggregates (or cushioning materials) can be defined as a mass of practically inert mineral materials, which, when surrounded and bonded together by an active binder, form the rock. This rock is denoted by the general term concrete.

Aggregates have three principal functions in the concrete: they provide a relatively cheap filler for the concreting material, or binder; they provide a mass of particles which are suitable for resisting the action of applied loads, of abrasion, of percolation of moisture through the mass, and of climate factors; they reduce volume changes resulting from the action of the setting and hardening of the concrete mass.

All aggregates, both natural and artificial, which have sufficient strength and resistance to weathering, and which do not contain harmful impurities may be used for making concrete.

As aggregates such natural materials as sand, pebbles, broken brick, gravel, slag, cinder, pumice and other can be used.

Prestressed concrete is not a new material. Its successful use has been developed rapidly during the last two decades, chiefly because steel of a more suitable character has been produced. Concrete is strong in compression but weak when used for tensile stresses.

If, therefore, we consider a beam made of plain concrete, and spanning a certain distance, it will at once be realized that the beam’s own weight will cause the beam to “sag” or bend. This sagging at once puts the lower edge of the beam of tension, and if the cross-sectional area is small, causes it to break, especially if the span is relatively large.

If, on the other hand, we use a beam of similar cross-section, but incorporate steel bars in the lower portion, the steel will resist the tensile stress derived from the sag of the beam, and thus assist in preventing it from breaking.

In prestressed concrete steel is not used as reinforcement, but as a means of producing a suitable compressive stress in the concrete. Therefore any beam (or member) made of prestressed concrete is permanently under compression, and is consequently devoid of crack under normal loading, or so long as the “elastic limit” is not exceeded. Prestressed concrete is not only used for beams but is now employed extensively for columns, pipes, and c