Reading Summary

Reading 6 focuses mostly on building materials, Ching talks about different materials like Bricks/CMUS and how they are bonded, Wood, Steel and Concrete, concrete reinforcement. Bricks come in different shapes sizes and compositions (same with cmu) Bricks can be made with soft mud all the way to water struck construction, the main difference between all the brick types is how the brick is being assembled and what types of conditions in going to be used  in like SW bricks are tailored more into being resistant to severe weather like rain and snow which make brick deteriorate faster, CMU or concrete masonry units are on a similar level with brick, they are pre cast with cement, water and aggregate and are poured into cast to take on a specific shape which is determined by the function the unit has to fulfil, CMU also has different grade Levels like N OR S which is for loadbearing but one is meant for exterior use because its weather protected while the other is more for walls exposed to moisture, Wood and steel are 2 very different building elements, Wood can range from being hard to soft and is mainly used for manufacturing things such as doors, winds, and mill work. Wood is categorized by Yard lumber or Shop wood (lumber/timber) the wood can have different grades which are made up from moisture content and species of wood. Steel beams are very versatile because they have good tensile and compressive property’s, the most common shaped steel beam is called the Wide Flanged beam, steel could be welded or riveted together, and its strength depends on the size of the steel as well as the connection it has with the other members. And lastly we have concrete, concrete is a very strong material which is made of cement and various minerals, it has very good compressive resistance but is very weak in tension just like bricks, Steel reinforcement is placed inside of concrete to give it more structure and add tensile force to the concrete, cement rages from category 1-5 . if concrete is reinforced the steel rods that are inside must be protected form the elements to prevent rust which will deteriorate the concrete that’s around it.