BMATWT 390N - Construction Materials & Methods
Syllabus

Download PDF-syllabus from here.

Meetings: Spring Term - Tu, Thu 2:30-3:45, Holdsworth 202
Credits: 3
SPIRE: 52760 (Spring 2008)

Instructor: Alexander C. Schreyer
Office: Holdsworth Hall, Room 125
Office hours: Tue 10:00-11:00 and Wed 12:30-1:30 & by appointment (send email)
Email: schr...@nrc.umass.edu
Phone: (413) 545-1976

This course provides an introductory overview of the various construction materials used in common (and uncommon) structures. After receiving an introduction into fundamental principles of structural, physical and long-term performance, students learn about material and product manufacturing techniques and how they relate to mechanical and nonmechanical properties of the various materials. Students have the opportunity to experience material capacity and behavior in demonstrations and lab experiments. Furthermore, material applications and detailing in structural and non-structural building components are explored. Resulting from this course, students gain a comparative knowledge of material properties and possible applications in construction and architecture.

Students will gain:
1. Comparative knowledge of material properties (physical, structural, ...) for most common and advanced building materials,
2. Understanding of typical and potential applications of these materials,
3. Understanding of relationship between material properties and structural form,
4. Ability to identify crucial problem areas in manufacture and applications of building materials,
5. Understanding of importance of experimental verification of material properties.

Topics:
1. Overview of Materials and Building/Structural Types (Historic, Current)
2. Factors Affecting Choice of Materials and Structural Form
3. Fundamentals - Mechanical Properties (strength, structural performance)
4. Fundamentals - Non-Mechanical Properties (physical properties, durability)
5. Individual Building Materials (Manufacturing, Properties, Comparative Behavior, Applications in Construction): Wood, Stone, Brick, Concrete, Metals, Glass, Plastics, Composites
6. Relation between Materials and their Applications in Buildings / Case Studies / Structural and Non-Structural Applications (Residential, Commercial, Special Construction)

Rules, Exams and Grading:
See the PDF-version of the syllabus for details.

Required Text:
Allen, Iano, "Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods". J. Wiley & Sons, 4th ed., 2003

Copies of this book have been ordered and should be available in the UMass Textbook Annex. The book package sold in the bookstore might also contain an exercise booklet. If you buy your books somewhere else, use the ISBN 0-471-66967-9 for ordering. The package costs the same as the textbook alone.

A reference copy is available in Room 110.

Optional Literature:
See the PDF-version of the syllabus for details.

Note: Amazon.com links are provided for reference only and are not meant to endorse any service.