WHAT ARE BUILDING MATERIALS

1. WHATAREBUILDINGMATERIALS? The term ‘Building material’ can be used for any material that gets used for construction of buildings. Earlier ones were all naturally occurring substances, such as clay, rocks, sand, wood whereas, with the passage of time, man-made products are being brought in to use, where some are more and some less, synthetic. The manufacturingof theseisanestablishedindustrytypicallysegmentedintotrades,such asmasonry, carpentry, insulation, plumbing, and roofing work. They provide the make-up of habitats and structures includinghomes.Mentionedbelowareafewthathavebeeninusesincetimesimmemorial,andafewofthe morerecentones. Mudandclay: Muds and clay have been used as building materials for thousands of years, and they continue to be popular today,especiallyindeveloping countries and forsustainable constructionprojects Clay it is very good at keeping temperatures at a constant level. Homes built with mud tend to be naturally coolinthesummerandwarminwinter. Rock: Rocksareoneoftheoldestandmostversatileconstructionmaterialsintheworld.Withtimescamedifferent forms of mortarstoholdthe stonestogether,cementbeing the mostcommonplacenow. Stonebuildingstakealongtimetoheatup,andoncehottheyradiateheatforalongtimebeforecooling down. Wood: Wood isagenericbuildingmaterialandis usedinbuildingjustaboutany type ofstructure in mostclimates. Woodcanbeveryflexibleunderloads,keepingstrengthwhilebending,andisincrediblystrong when compressedvertically,butissusceptibletofire hazards. Sand: Sandisoneofthe mostimportantconstructionandbuilding materials intheworld. It is mostly used with cement, and sometimes lime, to make mortar for masonry work and plaster. Sandisalsousedina concrete mix. MAN-MADEMATERIAL Firedbricks: Bricksaremuch similarto mud-bricksbut,theyarefired afterair-drying,makingthema ceramicmaterial. Theygainedpopularity in themid-18th centuryand 19th century;supplementedbycinderblocksduringthe late 20th century.Still inusefortheinnerpartsofmasonrywalls. Cementcomposites: Cementbondedcompositesaremadeofhydratedcementpastethatbindswood,particles,orfiberstomake pre-castbuilding components. Variousfibrousmaterials,includingpaper,fiberglass,and carbon-fibrehave been used as binders. Steel: Steelisametalalloymajorcomponentofwhichisiron,andistheusualchoiceformetalstructuralbuilding materialsduetoitstensile strength. Itisstrong,flexible,andifrefined well ortreated,lastsalong time.

2. Concrete: AmixtureofPortlandcement,gravelandsand,andwateriscalledconcrete,andithardenstogivearocklike structure. Concrete has a rather low tensile strength; hence it is generally strengthened using steel bars and thenitis referred toasreinforced concrete. It has been the predominant building material in the modern age due to its longevity, formability, and ease of transport. Recent advancements, such as insulating concrete forms, combine the concrete forming and installationofinsulation. Expanded Polystyrene(EPS)concrete: Recently, synthetic polystyrene has been used in combination with structural materials, such as concrete. It islightweight,easily shaped,acts asanexcellentinsulator againsteffects oftemperature,moisture. It is usually used as part of a structural insulated panel, wherein the insulating EPS is sandwiched between two concrete forms reinforced with steel bars. EPS concrete-based building products are fully recyclable and offersignificantenvironmental benefits. Gypsumconcrete: Although plaster and fibrous plaster have been used for many years, especially for ceilings, it was not until theearly1990s thatitgotconsideredasa seriouscontender. Withanabundanceof gypsumavailableworldwide,Gypsumconcrete-basedbuildingproducts,offer significantenvironmental benefits. Plastics: Thetermplasticscoversawiderangeofsyntheticorsemi-syntheticorganicproductsthatcanbemouldedor extrudedintoobjectsor fibers. Plastics varyimmenselyinheattolerance,hardness,andresiliency. HighperformanceplasticssuchasETFEhavefoundanidealuseinelectricalducting,waterstorage&pipes anddrainage ducts duetoitshighabrasionresistanceandchemical inertness. Allthese materialstogetheraregenerallyreferred as buildingmaterial.