III. Realization ( Осмысление )

Reading

6. Read the following terms and phrases, mind their pronunciation:

nature of the building	основное свойство, характер здания
intended purpose	предполагаемая, намеченная цель
storage facilities	складские помещения
ornate door	богато украшенная дверь
window trim	оконный наличник
functional/ utility material	функциональный материал
to embed	вмонтировать, встраивать
reinforced masonry	армированная каменная кладка
noncritical element	элемент, не влияющий на работоспособность других элементов
earth cover	защитная грунтовая толща
lateral pressure	горизонтальное давление, нагрузка
core of the masonry	внутренняя часть кирпичной кладки
frame wall	каркасная стена
burial depth	глубина погружения
beyond this depth	свыше этой глубины
bar joist	решётчатая балка
concrete reinforcement	арматура железобетона
tension and compression strength	прочность на натяжение и сжатие
iron alloy	железный сплав
percent carbon	содержание углерода
weight ratio	весовое соотношение

 

7. Read the text and fill in the second column of the “logbook”:

 

I know about building materials

I have learnt about building materials

 

                                   Contemporary building materials

Any material which is used in construction of residential or commercial buildings is called a building material. The choice of building material depends on the size and nature of the building, its design, intended purposes, availability of resources and location. Let’s read about some of the most commonly used building materials all over the world.

When it comes to modern building materials, the type of materials and the design of buildings are significantly determined by society’s way of life. Since modern society is largely stable, the buildings and other structures are also permanent. Hence, there is a greater need for durable building materials.

Some examples of basic building materials used in constructing modern buildings include steel bars, concrete and wood. These are structural materials that comprise the foundation, floors, walls and ceilings of many modern buildings. Aside from purely structural purposes, these materials are also sometimes used for aesthetic purposes. Wooden materials, for instance, are used as decorative wall panels, ceilings and floor boards. Some hardwood materials are also used in making storage facilities, furniture, ornate doors and ornate window trims.

In terms of purpose, various types of building materials can be classified as structural materials, decorative or finishing materials, functional materials and protective materials.

Structural materials are fundamental and they provide the general shape and appearance of a building. The structural materials serve as the protective barriers against the natural forces, such as rain, snow, sun’s heat and wind. All other types of building materials are attached, embedded or supported by the structural materials. The decorative or finishing materials include natural stones (such as marble or granite for flooring), ceramics and wooden panels. These materials are later installed when the structure of a building is already erected.

On the other hand, the functional or utility building materials are usually hidden or embedded within the structural materials. Some utility building materials include the components of the plumbing system, the components of the electrical system and the components of the ventilation system.

Construction materials  

The construction materials for each type of structure will vary, depending on the characteristics of the site and the type of design. However, general guidelines show that houses require stronger, more durable construction materials.

Materials must provide a good surface for waterproofing and insulation to withstand the pressure and moisture of the surrounding ground. When soil is wet or frozen, the pressure on the walls and floors increases. Pressure also increases with depth, so materials such as concrete and reinforced masonry, wood, and steel are all

suitable.

Concrete

Concrete is the most common choice for constructing different types of buildings. Not only is it strong, it is also durable and fire resistant. Several forms of concrete are used in earth-sheltered constructions. Lightly reinforced concrete, which is poured and reinforced at the site, is used for noncritical structural elements such as concrete foundations, floor slabs, and exterior walls with less than 6 feet (1.83 meters) of earth cover. Precast reinforced concrete can resist loads at any reasonable depth and can be used for floors, walls, and roofs. Concrete absorbs and stores heat, helping to prevent temperature swings that can damage some building material.

Precast concrete components are manufactured at a plant or on-site location before they are used, thereby decreasing construction time and cost in comparison to cast-in-place forms. The uses and advantages of precast and cast-in-place concrete are similar, except that precast concrete works are best in simple or repeatable shapes. Special care must be taken to make the joints between sections watertight.
Masonry

Masonry (i.e., brick or stone) can be used for walls that will receivevertical or lateral pressure from earth cover. It is reinforced with steel bars that are put in the core of the masonry in places of high stress, such as weight-bearing walls or walls with earth against them. Masonry generally costs less than cast-in-place concrete.
Wood

Wood can be used extensively in earth-sheltered construction for both interior and structural work including floors, roofs, and exterior walls. Wood is attractive for its color and warmth, and complements tile and masonry, as well as concrete walls, floors, and ceilings. However, using wood as a structural material requires wooden frame walls, which must withstand lateral pressure and be restricted to a burial depth of one storey. Beyond this depth, the rapidly increasing cost of wood construction restricts most builders from using it as a structural material.

Although wood can cost less than other materials, it does not offer the strength that a material such as steel does, so it may not be the best choice for structural material in some houses. Wood must also be treated with preservatives to prevent damage from moisture. If your structure can make practical use of wood as a framing material, employing carpenters who can rapidly construct a timber frame for an earth-sheltered house can decrease labor costs.

Steel

Steel is used for beams, bar joists, columns, and concrete reinforcement. It is particularly useful because of its high tension and compression strength. The primary disadvantage of steel is that it must be protected against corrosion if it is exposed to the elements or to groundwater. It is also expensive, so it must be used efficiently to be economical as a structural material. Steel is an iron alloy with between 0.2 and 1.7 percent carbon.

Steel is used extremely widely in all types of structures, due to its relatively low cost, high strength to weight ratio, and speed of construction.

 

Vocabulary Focus

8. Match the words from two columns to create a phraseand make sentences to use them in your own text entitled “My vision of s tructural and functional materials ”. Share your ideas with the partner. (See appendix 1):

 

to provide	the components of the plumbing system
protective	for aesthetic purposes
to embed	need for durable building materials
include	the shape and appearance of a building
a great	barriers against the natural forces
to use	within the structural materials

 

9. Match the words from two columns to create a phraseand make sentences to use them in your own text entitled “Construction materials”. Share your ideas with the partner:

 

to provide	construction time and cost
to withstand	load at any reasonable depth
to increase	and store heat
to pour and reinforce	temperature swings
to resist	a good surface
to absorb	the pressure and moisture
to prevent	pressure on the walls and floors
to damage	at an on-site location
to manufacture	at the site
to decrease	building materials

10. Match the words from two columns to create a phraseand make sentences to use them in your own text entitled “Usage and characteristics of construction materials”:

 

to receive	the relatively low cost
to reinforce	to the groundwater
to put	damage from moisture
to withstand	labor costs
to treat	vertical or lateral pressure
to prevent	in places of high stress
to decrease	with steel bars
to protect	with preservatives
to expose	lateral pressure
due to	against corrosion

 

Reflection (Рефлексия)

Speaking & Listening

Group work. Prepare a presentation about building materials according to the text and deliver it to the class. Get ready to answer questions and discuss different points of view answering questions and persisting in your opinion (See appendix 2.)

12. Group work.Reflect on your professional speech (See appendix 3.)

13. Group work.Reflect on the professional speech of other groups. Get ready to discuss different points of view answering questions and persisting in your opinion (See appendix 3.)

 

Writing

14. Create a quote about building materials, reflect on it, interpret and ground it (See appendix 6.)

Listening and Speaking:

15. Present your quote to the class. Get ready to discuss different points of view answering questions and persisting in your opinion (See appendix 1.)

16. Listen to the quote presentation and get ready to discuss different points of view asking questions and persisting in your opinion (See appendix 1.)

Writing  

  17. Write a reflection on one of the quotes from Ex. 1. (See appendix 3.)

Unit 6