CPCCBS6001 Construction Materials Report: Australian Standards

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of various construction materials commonly used in Australia, fulfilling the requirements of CPCCBS6001. It delves into the applications, structural suitability, and durability of concrete, metals, masonry, and timber products. The report explores the manufacturing processes, strength characteristics, and structural roles of these materials, including detailed examples such as concrete slabs, AAC blocks, and timber wall framing. It also references relevant Australian Standards and discusses the embodied energy associated with each material. The report incorporates calculations related to stress and quantity estimations for materials like formwork and bracing panels, offering a practical understanding of material behavior and performance in construction projects. The research includes a review of existing literature to support the findings and provide a robust understanding of the subject matter.

Running head: CONSTRUCTION 1
Construction
Students Name
Course
Institution Affiliation

CONSTRUCTION 2
Task 1
Building material is any material which is used for the construction of structures, such as
Concrete, Metal, Masonry, and Timber. Their choice is dependent on the cost-effectiveness of
the material. The table below shows the various categories of these building materials, which are
used in Australia.
Construction material Material products Uses
Concrete Driveways and patios These are pavements or
driveways made of concrete
to complement the exterior
of a home, as well as
increase its value
Sidewalks These offer a safe network
in between the
neighborhoods- such as safe
walking grounds for school
going children
Parking Safe zones for parking of
vehicles and other
machinery
Streets and bridges These acts as safe networks
for transportation purposes
as well as sustenance of the
heavyweights of vehicles
and goods
Footings/foundation These offer reliable support
for many homes, more so in
terms of hurricanes, and
bad weather such as storms.
Mid-rise and high-rise buildings These are buildings which
offers much security as well
as durability.
Homes These are energy-efficient
buildings which offer
protection and security to
residents (Mallo &
Espinoza, 2016)
Metal
Aluminum This is a metal with high
resistance to corrosion, and
lightweight, making it
suitable for various

CONSTRUCTION 3
applications. Mostly, it is
used in making of ceilings,
window frames, HVAC
systems, roof covers, walls,
construction of bridges as
well as bridges.
Copper Its desirable material
characteristics such as
strength, ductility,
corrosion resistance as well
as conductivity make it
suitable for construction
activities. Some of the most
applications include
electrical wiring, oil and
gas lines, roofing, rainwater
systems, as well as heating
systems.
Iron These are mostly used for
making of the beams,
girders, trusses, as well as
architectural projects
Steel It is mostly utilized in
construction due to its
sustainability issues. It is
used in the construction of
mid-rise and high-rise
buildings, as well as in
bridge deck plates. Also,
used in security fencing.
Titanium It is associated with a high
level of corrosion, hence
mostly used on heating and
cooling systems. Also, it
can be used in roofing,
piping, as well as security
systems and reinforcement
of frames.
Masonry Stucco-Portland cement plaster Popularly used as an
exterior finish for buildings.
It has architectural values
such as the provision of
economically hard surface
which does not rust and is
fire resistant.
Clay brick Clay ricks are used in

CONSTRUCTION 4
building structures for the
provision of shelter which
is comfortable, safer,
durable as well as attractive
Concrete block They create structures
which are energy-efficient,
economical, fire-resistant as
well as easy to maintain.
They also allow for
versatility and architectural
freedom (Mallo &
Espinoza, 2016).
Cement These include mortar
cement and masonry
cement which helps in
enhancing the properties
such as water retention,
durability, setting time.
Mortar and grout Generally meant to produce
a workable mixture.
Timber and timber
products
Glued laminated timber Normally, they are used as
horizontal beams, vertical
columns, as well as arches.
The main reason is due to
the optimization of the
structural values of wood
Laminated veneer lumber They are used for beams,
headers, rim road as well as
edge-forming material.
Wood structural panels Mostly includes composite
panels, plywood, as well as
oriented strand board. Used
for subflooring,
underlayment as well as
roof sheathing.
Structural wood fire It is mostly utilized in
hydroculture as well as
situations which do not
require high structural
strength.

CONSTRUCTION 5
List of references
Dias, A. M. P. G., Skinner, J., Crews, K., & Tannert, T. (2016). Timber-concrete-composites
increasing the use of timber in construction. European Journal of Wood and Wood
Products, 74(3), 443-451.
Heravi, G., Nafisi, T., & Mousavi, R. (2016). Evaluation of energy consumption during
production and construction of concrete and steel frames of residential buildings. Energy
and Buildings, 130, 244-252.
Kremer, P. D., & Symmons, M. A. (2015). Mass timber construction as an alternative to concrete
and steel in the Australia building industry: a PESTEL evaluation of the potential.
International Wood Products Journal, 6(3), 138-147.
Mallo, M. F. L., & Espinoza, O. (2016, January). Cross-laminated timber vs. concrete/steel: cost
comparison using a case study. In WCTE 2016–World Conference on Timber
Engineering.

CONSTRUCTION 6
Task 2 - i
Concrete slab
AAA concrete blocks
Motor in brickwork

CONSTRUCTION 7
Item 1: Manufacturing of materials/ installation
 Concrete slab
Its construction is based on compaction of concrete using a hydraulic presser, where two
concrete layers are filled into a masa slab in a successive manner and then compacted. It is
installed to form the foundation of a house.
 AAC (autoclaved aerated concrete) blocks
It is manufactured by mixing lime, cement, silica-rich material, aluminum powder, gypsum, and
water, which are molded together to from the block. They are utilized for the making of wall
panels, lintels and roof panels.
 mortar in brickwork,
It is manufactured by crushing of asphalt, pitch, clay, and soft mud, and it is used between mud
bricks for binding building blocks or for decorative purposes.
Item 2: how different strengths are obtained
Most of the concrete materials depend on the water-cement ratio, quality of curing as
well as the time of curing, which determines the compressive strength of concrete products.
Concentering on the concrete slab, the ratio should be 5 lbs.: 2 lbs. (cement to water) as it
crucially forms the foundation of the building. For the AAC blocks, the compresence strength is
lower (3 to 4.5) due to low shear stress. This is due to the presence of allowable shear stress. In
the case of mortar in brickwork, the compressive strength depends on the type of motor, but
generally, it is low (Mallo & Espinoza, 2016).

CONSTRUCTION 8
Item 3: structural role and how it is achieved
For the concrete slab, the structural role is to be strong in compression. This is achieved
by means of provision of additional structural capacity using steel as reinforcement. In the case
of AAC, the structural role is to be strong in compression as well. This is achieved by exposing
the concrete block to high heat and pressure. Finally, the structural capacity of the mortar in
brickwork is depended on the purported use. For instance, in the case of binding purposes, the
structural role needs to be strong to bind the bricks together, while for decoration it is required to
be moderate. The structural role, in this case, is achieved by adding a plastic paste as
reinforcement (Kremer & Symmons, 2015).
Analysis: concrete slab
The whole of the structure rests on the concrete slab as it forms the foundation of the building.
Pressure du to load
Pressure = egh

CONSTRUCTION 9
= 2500 * 9.81 * 1.2 (assuming depth of fluid)
=29430Pa
=29.43KPa
Stress in the concrete slab
Compared to other values-having stress of 20MPa, the difference might be as a result of the
assumptions which have been employed above.
Item 4: Australian standards for various products
 concrete slab: AS 2870-2011 Residential slabs and footings
 AAC blocks: AS 5146:2015 Parts 1-3
 mortar in brickwork: AS 3700-2001 Masonry structures
Item 5: embodied energy
 concrete
Concrete is the most widely used material in the world. The embodied energy is analyzed in
regards to carbon, and just a small quantity of embodied energy in just a tone of concrete when is
multiplied by the rest amount of concrete that is utilized globally results into concrete being the
most used material. The explanation to this is that most of the concrete products emanate from
Cementous cement which comprises of glue and other materials which contributes to the high
carbon embodiment.

CONSTRUCTION 10
TASK 2, Timber
Wall framing
Formwork
Racing panels
Item 1: manufacturing of materials/ installation

CONSTRUCTION 11
 Wall framing
It utilizes traditional joinery as well as heavy timber for the production of a wooden structure.
They are used for the production of wall frames (Heravi ET AL., 2016).
 Formwork
They are either manufactured from steel, plywood, timber, fiberglass, or precast concrete which
are either separately used or used together. They are used to hold materials such as concrete
 Bracing panels
They are manufactured just like the formwork, by combining steel, plywood, timber, fiberglass,
or precast concrete either separately or together. They assist in distributing the loads as well as
increasing the safety of the structure.
Item 2: how different strengths are obtained
Generally, the strength of the timber products is dependent on the direction in which the
wood product is loaded with regards to the grain. By extension, the strength is affected by the
density of the timber product, such that it is directly proportional to the density of the timber.
The way of determination is similar for the wall framing products, formwork as well as the
bracing panels.
Item 3: structural role and how it is achieved
The structural role of the timber wall framing, formwork, as well as bracing panels needs to be
strong as well as dry. Most of the timber products which have a high moisture content have the
tendency to shrink with time as the water leaves the fiber. The high strength/dryness is achieved
by means of using seasoned timber having more than 15% moisture content that is often treated
with chemicals to enhance its fire, rot and white ants’ resistance (Dias ET AL., 2016).
Analysis: formwork

CONSTRUCTION 12
The concrete rests on the timber formwork, as shown in the figures above.
How many 10x1200x2600mm particle boards in 5 cubic meters?
5 : 0.01 : 1.2 : 2.6 = about 160 boards
12.5x1200x2600mm gypsum plasterboard?
50 x 1.2 x 2.6 = 156 m2
Item 4: Australian standards for various products
wall framing: AS 1684.2-2010 Residential timber-framed construction
formwork: AS 3610-1995 Formwork for concrete
bracing panels: AS 1684.2 Section 8 (Bracing)
Item 5: embodied energy
Timber and timber products result in low embodied energy materials as most of the products
which are used are locally available, natural and can be easily recycled. These materials can also
be reused.

CONSTRUCTION 13
List of references
Dias, A. M. P. G., Skinner, J., Crews, K., & Tannert, T. (2016). Timber-concrete-composites
increasing the use of timber in construction. European Journal of Wood and Wood
Products, 74(3), 443-451.
Heravi, G., Nafisi, T., & Mousavi, R. (2016). Evaluation of energy consumption during
production and construction of concrete and steel frames of residential buildings. Energy
and Buildings, 130, 244-252.
Kremer, P. D., & Symmons, M. A. (2015). Mass timber construction as an alternative to concrete
and steel in the Australia building industry: a PESTEL evaluation of the potential.
International Wood Products Journal, 6(3), 138-147.
Mallo, M. F. L., & Espinoza, O. (2016, January). Cross-laminated timber vs. concrete/steel: cost
comparison using a case study. In WCTE 2016–World Conference on Timber
Engineering.