In this reading Ching talks about building performances. He startes off with how buildings need moisture and thermal protection. This varies on the style of the building and the climate of the environment. One method is flashing. Flashing is installed in the walls to collect moisture that goes through the walls. There many types which include head flashing, sill, base course, parapet, and spandrel. When it comes to masonry walls, veneer is used. Ching then explains thermal insulation. It is to control the flow or transfer of heat through assemblies of a building. He gives a list of thermal resistance for each material and materials that are used for insulation. Each basic structure of a building (concrete, steel, wood) has a way to place the insulation for floors and walls. However, there should be enough room for ventilation. Different types include whole-house ventilation, energy-recovery ventilation, roof and attic, and crawl space.
Author: Dree-Nica Isemar
In this reading Ching talks about the rules of thumb for masonry arches and lintels; wood beams, joists, decking and planks; steel beams; metal decking; and reinforced concrete beams. Masonry arches and lintels nees to be in a certain shape, curve, and structure to be able to withold the load of the roof or the floor above. Wooden joists need to be at certain span depending on the magnitude of applies loads, its size and spacing, species and grade, and deflection allowed for intended use. Wooden beams need to be carefully examined for the use and there are different types for different uses. Wooden subfloorings are used as a working platform in construction and as a base for the finished flooring. Depending on how it is laid, the outcome will be different. For example, if placed correctly it will lessen floor squeaking and creeping. Wooden decking comes in different styles of connections and span ranges. Wood plank and beams are used as a skeleton frame structure and depending on how it is built it can affect the whole structure. Next are steel beams. Steel beams come in a variety of shapes for a different use. When using steel it is best to use the lighest section that will resist bending. Also there are different ways to connect steel beams such as welding and bolting. Open web steel joists are steel trusses. There are different series that depend on the load and span. Where the open web joist framing is supported also has rules so the stresses are in equilibrium. Metal deckings are corrugated to increase stiffness and spanning and there are three types: form decking, composite decking, and cellular decking. Lastly, reinforced concrete beams need to have good steel reinforcement to support and hold the concrete in place.
In Ching he explains in detail of building materials. Ching starts explaining the different parts of masonry bonding and then the different types of mortar joints and different bonding designs. He then moves on to lumber. He explains how there are different types of lumber and what their uses are. Lumber has to go through different grades to make sure that they are suitable for what they will be used for. Next, Ching talks about the different shapes of steel beams, and each one is used in construction. He also explains what span should the steel beams be to support a certain weight. Then Ching explains reinforced concrete beams. He states, ” designed to act together with longitudinal and web reindorcement in resisting applied forces”. Concrete columns should have lateral reinforcement in order to resist vertical forces. Lastly, Ching talks about pre cast concrete flooring. They are made off site and then bought in. They are used for one way spanning and have great structural capacity.
In this reading Ching talks about different types of building materials. These materials include stone, two types of masonry (brick and CMU), wood, steel, and concrete. Stone is an aggregate or combination of materials. Qualities that it nees to qualify in construction or strength, hardness, durability, workabilty, density, and appearance. They can be classified as three different types: igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. In construction it is used as rubble, wall panels, cornices, copings, lintels, flooring, and horizontal surfacing.
The next material is masonry and two types are brick and CMU. Brick is made from clay. It has three different types for variation in size, color, chippage and distortion. The three types are FBX, FBS, and FBA. Brick also has different grades for durability when exposed to weathering. SW is for severe, MW for moderate, and NW for negligible. CMU stands for concrete masonry unit made out of precast Portland cement, fine aggregate and water, then molded into various shapes.
The next material is wood. It is very strong, durable, light in weight and easy to work with. The two major types are hardwood and softwood, each are used differently in construction. They way a piece of limber is cut determines its use. Wood needs special treatment against decay and insects. However, wood can have defects that can be natural and/or manufacturing effects.
Futhermore, ths next material is steel. It is the strongest and low cost material there is. When used in construction it needs to be coated, covered, and/or enclosed to become fire-resistant. Steel also comes in many diferent types of shapes for different uses.
Lastly, there is concrete. Concrete is cement, various mineral aggregates and sufficient water mixed together to make the cement set and bind. It is inherently strong, but needs steel reinforcements to handle tensile and shear stresses.
This thus shows how a building uses many materials in order to get its shape and use.
In Ching’s book, He explains how structural units (beams, columns, and bearing walls) need to be placed in order to carry the load of the structure. When it comes to beams and columns there is a rule on how wide the span between them must be. The span also depends on how the structure is. For example, if there are two bearing walls they are more effective with a series of joists or planks. On page 2.20, Ching shows a chart on span can the material hold and what they can hold with that length. Structural patterns is another way for the materials to bear. Ching states, “The inherent geometric order of a grid can be used in the design process to initiate and reinforce the functional and spatial organization of a building design.” In the structure there should also be lateral stability. The basic design for that are Rigid frames, shear walls, and braced frames. Rigid frames and braced frames can use additional design for more lateral support such as knee bracing, k-brace, and cross-bracing. However, the lateral forces should be arranged in a symmetrical order of center and mass to prevent destructive torsional effects.
In these fews pages it talks about colums, beams and arches. These are all part of a structural system that helps a building stands up. The important thing is how they are supporting each other, meaning which way they are placed. Because the load might be different the way they are placed will affect the structure. When placing them we must pay attention to force, tension, and compression. They are different structural placements that put more force, tension and compression in different areas. If that happens we will need to know if the material will be able to support it or not. For example if two ends are being compressed towards the middle, the material should be able to hold and not snap/buckle in the middle. Another important structural element are joints, how to connect the materials. Just like we must consider how to place columns and beams to stand and support for a long time, its the same for joints. Need strong joints to withold the weight of the structure.
A system is an assembly of irrelated or independent parts forming a more complex ans unified whole serving a purpose. A buikding has many different typesnof systems that include, conceptual, structural, enclosure, and mechanical.
Conceptual systems include a definition, scale, proportion, and organization of the interior spaces of a building; human activities by scale and dimension; movements or paths through a building; form, space, light, color, texture and pattern; and a relationship between the natural and built environment.
Structural includes the foundation of the building and columns, beams, and load bearing wall for support.
Enclosure is the shell of the building consisting of roof, exterior walls, windows and doors and what purpose each of them serves.
Mechanical systems include water supply for consumption and sanitation; sewage disposal that removes waste and organic matter; heating, ventilation and air conditioning for the environmental comforts of occupants; and electrical system that controls, meters and protect the electrical power supply such as power, lighting, security and communication systems.
Stairs are one of the ways to get from one floor to another. And there are many different types like straight-run, quarter-turn, half-turn, winding, circular, and spiral. However, there are rules and codes to follow so that they would not endanger the welfare of a person. Knowing stairs can be dangerous, following the rules will make it beneficial and easier for the people using them. When it comes to stairs we also need to pay attention to the railing (hand and guard) and the landings. The hand rails should be at a height where everyone is able to hold on and the guardrails should be able to protect people from falling of the staircase.
Egress is a mean of getting out the building in case of an emergency like a fire. The exits should be in a position that it is easy to find and everyone is able to escape from it. For example, they should be a minimum of two exits in case one is blocked off. That way people are not stuck in the building.
