Construction Structures Materials and Fire - Term Paper Example

Many building projects surpass their budgets and the expected date of completion majorly because of the unprecedented problems at the time of excavation and setting up their foundations. As a remedy to hold these problems to a minimum, a though site survey must be carried out and especially for a building that is presumed tall. A site survey is the study of the ground conditions and the nature of the environment needed for any building structure or some engineering work. The study may entail surface soil examination, site reconnaissance; study of the maps among others which in situ.

A more detailed survey would involve the laboratory testing of the soils and deep boreholes.Constructions, buildings, and other structures are made using various kinds of materials. Some of the materials used in building construction include stones, metals like steel, plastic, concrete, timber among others. All these materials are taken through processes of production and preparation in order for them to be available and in the required states for proper construction. Before using the materials are taken through quality-control tests and exercises to ascertain their ability to withstand harsh conditions which include changing environmental conditions and fire.

Various materials display different types of behavior when subjected to fire. Their fire resistance properties tend to differ. Materials like concrete have a high fire resistance capacity as opposed to timber or steel and are therefore advantageous when using in structures Kibert (2008). The analysis is done by engineering artifacts that are tested by how they can withstand loads. Dynamics and mechanics fields are incorporated in structural analysis. The structural analysis aims at computing internal forces, deformations, and stresses.

It is a method that drives the process of engineering design as well as proving if a design is sound instead of testing it. An engineer must know the different elements making up a structure so that he can make a classification of structures based on their function and form Thompson (2007).