CONVENTIONAL MATERIALS IN CONSTRUCTION

CONCRETE-is a composite material composed of aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement that
cures over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water,[1] and is the most
widely used building material.[2] Its usage worldwide, ton for ton, is twice that of steel, wood, plastics,
and aluminium combined.

 concrete is very strong and durable.

 Concrete is a cheap material. The basic ingredients for concrete are water, sand, and cement.
 Concrete is more stable than wood and some metals, meaning it will retain its shape well
throughout changing environmental conditions.

DISADVANTAGE

 If the environment you are in goes through cycles of rapidly changing temperatures, then
concrete is known to crack. The problem is that heat causes concrete to expand, and cold
can make it shrink. If this is done repeatedly, cracks can begin to appear.
 You can’t rush concrete. It must be allowed to cure for an appropriate length of time,
otherwise, it won’t be strong enough.

BRICK -is a type of construction material used to build walls, pavements and other elements
in masonry construction. Properly, the term brick denotes a unit primarily composed of clay, but is now
also used informally to denote units made of other materials or other chemically cured construction
blocks.

ADVANTAGES

 Economical (Raw material is easily available)

 Hard and durable

 Compressive strength is good enough for ordinary construction

 Different orientations and sizes give different surface textures

 Very low maintenance cost is required

DISADVANTAGES

 Time consuming construction

 Cannot be used in high seismic zones

 Since bricks absorb water easily, therefore, it causes fluorescence when not exposed to air

 Very Less tensile strength

STEEL -Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon with improved strength and fracture resistance compared to
other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels, which are resistant
to corrosion and oxidation, typically need an additional 11% chromium. Because of its high tensile
strength and low cost, steel is used in buildings, infrastructure, tools, ships, trains, cars, bicycles,
machines, electrical appliances, furniture, and weapons.

 Steel is incredibly durable. It is very resistant to corrosion and can last for decades in the right
conditions.
 Steel is solid. It has an incredibly high tensile strength and can withstand a large amount of
pressure and weight. It makes it great for structural applications and ensures that used in a wide
range of projects.
 Steel is much more cost-effective than other materials. It is cheaper to manufacture than other
materials, and because it is so durable, it won’t need to replace.
DISADVANTAGES
1. High Cost: Steel is usually more expensive than other building materials due to its strength and
durability, and the production process requires a lot of energy and raw materials.
2. Corrosion: Steel is vulnerable to rust and corrosion, especially when exposed to air or ground
moisture. A protective coating or sealant must protect the metal from rust.
3. Weight: Steel is much heavier than other building materials, making it difficult to transport and
install. It can be a disadvantage when working in a confined area or on a limited budget.

STONE AND ROCKS-The stones used for building construction should be hard, durable, tough, and
should be free from weathered soft patches of material, cracks, and other defects that are responsible
for the reduction of strength and durability. Stones for construction purposes are obtained by quarrying
from solid massive rocks.

GLASS- glass that is used as a building material. It is most typically used as transparent glazing material
in the building envelope, including windows in the external walls. Glass is also used for internal
partitions and as an architectural feature. When used in buildings, glass is often of a safety type, which
include reinforced, toughened and laminated glasses.

ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS USED IN CONSTRUCTION

BAMBOO-is a type of fast-growing grass. It’s harvestable in 3–5 years, which is considerably less time
than trees. It’s useful for making flooring, trim, and other materials. is ancient construction material and
widely used in different countries for the construction because of its high compressive strength
and tensile strength.

ADVANTAGES

Bamboo is also brilliant for the environment – not just the bamboo products that you can buy now, but
growing it yourself, as it absorbs large amounts of greenhouse gases and emits oxygen.

 Bamboo has good elastic property so that it is widely used in the earthquake-prone areas.
  Bamboo is lightweight material as compared to other construction material.
 Bamboo is an environment friendly construction material and does not cause pollution.
 Bamboo is more durable as compared to other construction materials.
DISADVANTAGES

 Bamboo shrinks much greater as compared to other types of materials.

 If the bamboo is not sufficiently treated it may undergo the fungus attack or attacks caused by
insects.

 There may be a problem of swelling and shrinkage of bamboo in the concrete.

 Bamboo may absorb water during the casting and curing of the concrete.

STRAW BALE-

As one of the old-school concrete alternatives, straw bale buildings have been around since the late
1800s. Made from the byproduct of wheat production, a machine compresses straw into dense bales,
and the constructor uses them for walls.

Modern structures include post-and-beam frames with straw bales sandwiched between framing
members. Once satisfactorily compressed during the construction process, the installer coats walls with
a mud and clay mixture, finishing the bales to a smooth consistency. With proper care, straw bale
construction buildings can last over 100 years — as long as they’re kept dry.

ADVANTAGES

 Environmentally-friendly material

 Walls have a high insulation value

 Creates thick walls that would otherwise be very expensive to create

DISADVANTAGES

 Moisture and leaks can be devastating

RAMMED EARTH

Some form of rammed earth has been used in construction for thousands of years. In fact, one of the
most popular rammed earth-built structures is The Great Wall of China.
This construction material is made from layers of silt, clay, sand, and water poured into forms and then
compressed with power rams. The result is a beautiful, durable material very similar to concrete at
much less cost (as long as there are materials on site).

ADVANTAGES

 Very inexpensive (as long as there are materials on site)

 Creates a beautiful layered aesthetic

 High thermal mass, absorbing heat during the day and releasing it during the night

DISADVANTAGES

 Surprisingly, rammed earth is not a great insulator

Mineral wool

Mineral wool isn’t actually wool, but an insulation material made from extruded lava rock. The
manufacturer spins the lava rock at high speeds, causing the rock to form thin strands that are then used
to make a material very similar to fiberglass insulation.

It’s an expensive material, but its moisture-resistant and fire-resistant properties exceed that of
fiberglass. It’s also better at dampening sound transference.

Pros:

 Made from naturally occurring materials

 More resistant to moisture, fire, and sound than fiberglass

Cons:

 More expensive than fiberglass

Ferrock

Ferrock is an environmentally-friendly cementitious product made up of up to 95% recycled materials.

This concrete substitute consists of recycled steel dust, iron-rich ferrous rock, and silica from recycled
glass. When mixed with water, it forms a compound up to 5 times stronger than concrete, more flexible,
and more resistant to oxidation and corrosion.

However, since it’s made from byproducts of niche industries, availability may be limited in some areas.

Pros:

 Made of recycled materials

 Stronger and more flexible than concrete

 Sets quickly and resists oxidation and corrosion

Cons:

 Limited material availability due to reliance on byproducts from other industries

The on-site method of construction is also called traditional, conventional, site-built, and stick-built
construction. Off-site construction refers to the process of manufacturing and preassembling building
elements, components, or modules prior to their transportation to and installation on the final project
site

Conventional

techniques of construction of large structures slows the

rate of growth in construction industry and stated that 3D

concrete printing or Contour Crafting technique has the

capability for instant requisition in minor income housing

and extremity shelter construction. Construction of

exorbitance structures with extraordinary architectural

designs including, complicated curves and other

compound geometries, which are costly to construct

using conventional and manual approach, is extra

competitor application speciality for Contour crafting.

is the most familiar way of building, compared to more contemporary construction methods, such as
prefabricated buildings, composite constructions, steel buildings, and prefabricated double wall
systems. This construction method has been tested extensively and used for years in Greece, offering a
sense of security to future homeowners. Conventional construction projects we undertake are
distinguished for their excellent aesthetics, and their great resistance to the passage of time and to
extreme weather phenomena, while they ensure optimal living conditions for you and your family.

One of the main advantages is the fact that conventional building has been used for many years, offering
a reliable construction solution for all types of buildings. The durability of the construction, which
provides exceptional resistance to fires and adverse weather conditions, is one of the key benefits of
conventional building construction. In truth, conventional building has particularly strong fire safety
standards since even in the event of a fire, the damage can be quickly repaired. In addition, houses built
with the conventional building method have the possibility for subsequent construction works, such as
necessary demolitions. Finally, conventional houses offer excellent levels of sound insulation by nature,
though other factors must also be taken into account to achieve an ideal sound insulation.

Dis advantages

 Conventional constructions require a higher social security levy.

 As a construction method, it comes at a higher price, with the market offering conventional
construction 30% – 40% more expensive than other building methods. At Smart Building we
have the advantage of purchasing cheap aggregates from Sachinor S.A., thus offering it at only
10-25% more expensive than composite construction.

 Difficult and costly damage repair. In composite construction, a pillar that may be bent or
otherwise damaged is repaired quickly, with great ease, and at much less cost. Whereas in
conventional construction the damage may require more work and consequently higher costs.

 Harder quality control.

 Longer completion time. For example, a 100m² residence requires approximately 240-260 days
for the completion of the work.

Advanced cons

refer to innovative and sustainable methods used in the construction industry that help reduce cost,
time, and environmental impact.

These techniques involve using advanced technologies such as 3D printing, building information
modeling (BIM), green building techniques, and self-healing materials.

These techniques can help improve construction efficiency, quality, and safety, saving costs and time.

The building construction industry has recently seen several companies modularizing the construction
process and building portions of buildings (walls or apartment units) in an assembly-line-style
factory.3,4 This allows construction to occur indoors, unaffected by weather, and reduces completion
time by creating tasks that can either be automated or improved by repetition.
dAdvanced cons techniques

Prefabricated cons techniques

3d printing in construction

Green building techniques

Building information modeling

Smart building techniques

Self healing materials

Augmented reality and virtual reality

In construction

Robotics in construction

Modular cons tech

Sustainable infrastructure