Building Constructions I

VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava

Pau Miralles Ferrás

Structural Systems of Building

There are two types of systems:• Wall Structures: They are used for giving

lateral stabilization, and also for supporting

the elements on the top. Usually are

compression elements.

• Skeleton Structures: A composition of

straight bars (beams and columns) united

forming an skeleton, it can be

made by steel, wood or concrete.

LOAD BEARING WALLS

The main function of this element, is to be able to bear the charges transmited by the elements that are supporting, like covers, mezzanine levels…

For having the necessary

resistance, we have to

take into account the

wideness,

the quality of materials,

the height…

According to the material that are constructed, walls can be made from ferroconcrete, natural stones, mud bricks and mortar blocks.

In my town, from long time ago to now, is very typical to use stones to do the walls.

Now is not the most common way,

because is expensive and hard to work

with stones, but it’s still used for

maintaining the tradition.

This is an example of construction in my

town:

In the next page there is a map with the

situation.

CATÍ

In the next page, there are some photos of my house, for doing it, we used 19 cm mud thermal blocks, and outside

a 25 cm layer of stones.

It seems old, but we made it 10 years ago.

Expanded polystyrene (EPS)

Also we used EPS for isolation in the center of the two layers

• Advantages:

• Easy and fast to build

• Cheaper than structures

• Good thermal inertia (There will not be fast changes between hot/cold)

• Disadvantages:

• Not valid for big constructions (more floors)

• Difficulty to do modifications after done

• It quits more space from the terrain than structures.

This is an example of

a load wall:

Bed foundationThe function of the load

walls is to transmitting

loads to the terrain, it’s

necessary that this walls

have a foundation, an

more wide part touching

the floor, that avoid that

the wall goes down into

the floor.

This foundation is

usually made with

ferroconcrete.

By its nature, walls are continuous surfaces. However, it is necessary to do openings in them to form windows or doors that illuminate, vent or communicate the interior rooms.

For this, two methods are used: Lintel or arch.

LintelIs a small beam that is placed over the gap to deflect charges of the wall sideways.

Until the mid 19th, with the

development of steel, the only material

available that met these characteristics was wood,

why the buildings before that date could

not make large holes in bearing walls

without resorting to the arches.

Another way to deflect the wall charges to the sides of the arc gap is used.

With this technique, the material works primarily

in compression: an appropriate type of effort for

stone and brick. Thus, formerly they

achieved big holes with a lot of light in the buildings,

like the windows of Gothic cathedrals.

Arch

As a curiosity, there are a lot of little stone-made houses. They were did without cement or mud, only stones. They were used by the sheperds to protect them by the bad weather when they were in the field with the sheeps.

THANK YOU!!!