Fundamentals of Building Construction
Materials and Methods
8th Edition
Will be published approx. on 18. September 2025
Book
Hardback
928 pages
978-1-394-22012-0 (ISBN)
Description
Discover the big picture on building construction materials and methods in this fully-updated eighth edition of the leading text on the subject
The construction of buildings depends on the contributions of professionals from diverse fields, including architecture, construction management, civil and structural engineering, and more. All of these professionals, however, must understand the principles and materials that underlie the construction process in order to fulfil their roles in the project.
After more than a generation, Fundamentals of Building Construction continues to be the essential introduction to this subject for students in all construction-related fields. Highly readable and based on extensive pedagogical practice, it represents decades of experience in architecture and the building trades. Now updated to reflect the latest methods and industry practices, it promises to remain foundational for another generation of students.
Readers of the eighth edition of Fundamentals of Building Construction will also find:
Significantly expanded treatment of the newest practices for mass timber construction
Expanded discussion of the principles of enclosure design, along with an all-new case study illustrating the practical application of these principles
Continued emphasis on sustainable construction and carbon emissions, extensively updated images and diagrams, and updates through all chapters of the text
Fundamentals of Building Construction is the ideal learning tool and resource for every architect and construction professional to help build a successful career.
The construction of buildings depends on the contributions of professionals from diverse fields, including architecture, construction management, civil and structural engineering, and more. All of these professionals, however, must understand the principles and materials that underlie the construction process in order to fulfil their roles in the project.
After more than a generation, Fundamentals of Building Construction continues to be the essential introduction to this subject for students in all construction-related fields. Highly readable and based on extensive pedagogical practice, it represents decades of experience in architecture and the building trades. Now updated to reflect the latest methods and industry practices, it promises to remain foundational for another generation of students.
Readers of the eighth edition of Fundamentals of Building Construction will also find:
Significantly expanded treatment of the newest practices for mass timber construction
Expanded discussion of the principles of enclosure design, along with an all-new case study illustrating the practical application of these principles
Continued emphasis on sustainable construction and carbon emissions, extensively updated images and diagrams, and updates through all chapters of the text
Fundamentals of Building Construction is the ideal learning tool and resource for every architect and construction professional to help build a successful career.
More details
Edition
8th edition
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 224 mm
Width: 283 mm
Thickness: 55 mm
Weight
2750 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-394-22012-0 (9781394220120)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
08/2025
8th Edition
Wiley
€125.99
Available for download
E-Book
08/2025
8th Edition
Wiley
€125.99
Available for download
Previous edition
Book
11/2019
7th Edition
Wiley
€138.60
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Persons
Edward Allen, FAIA, taught for more than thirty-five years as a faculty member at Yale University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He designed more than fifty constructed buildings and was an invited guest at institutions in the United States, South America, Europe, and Asia.
Joseph Iano is a practicing architect, author, and photographer. He has taught design and technology in schools of architecture throughout the United States and is the founder of a Seattle-based firm that provides technical and quality management consulting to the design and construction industry.
Joseph Iano is a practicing architect, author, and photographer. He has taught design and technology in schools of architecture throughout the United States and is the founder of a Seattle-based firm that provides technical and quality management consulting to the design and construction industry.
Content
Preface to the Eighth Edition xv
About the Companion Website xvii
1 Making Buildings 3
Learning to Build 4
Buildings and the Environment 4
Other Sustainable Building Programs and Standards 8
The Work of the Design Professional 12
The Work of the Construction Professional 20
Trends in the Delivery of Design and Construction Services 27
2 Foundations and Sitework 33
Foundation Requirements 34
Earth Materials 35
Sustainability and Foundations and Sitework 41
Earthwork and Excavation 42
Foundations 50
Foundations as Building Enclosure 63
Sitework 70
Designing Foundations 74
Foundations and the Building Code 74
3 Wood 79
Trees 80
Sustainability and Wood 84
Lumber 84
Wood Fasteners and Adhesives 96
Wood Product Adhesives and Formaldehyde 102
Manufactured Wood Components 103
Protecting Wood from Decay and Fire 112
Chemical Wood Preservative Treatments 113
Factory Prefabrication 114
Case Study 121
French American School
4 Heavy Timber and Mass Timber Construction 125
Building with Large Wood Members 126
Calculating the Fire Resistance of Wood Members 130
Heavy Timber and Mass Timber in the Building Code 130
Connecting Large Wood Members 132
Sustainability and Heavy Timber and Mass Timber Construction 134
Connecting Mass Timber Panels 139
Heavy Timber and Mass Timber Floors and Walls 142
Lateral Stability 144
Accommodating Building Services 145
Mass Timber-Concrete Composite Construction 145
Constructing Mass Timber Buildings 147
Long Spans with Mass Timber Construction 147
Preliminary Design of Heavy Timber and Mass Timber Structures 151
5 Wood Light Frame Construction 155
History 157
The Platform Frame 158
Sustainability and Wood Light Frame Construction 160
Foundations for Wood Light Frame Structures 160
Building the Frame 169
Variations on Wood Light Frame Construction 194
Preliminary Design of Wood Light Frame Structures 203
Wood Light Frame Construction and the Building Codes 204
Uniqueness of Wood Light Frame Construction 206
6 Exterior Finishes for Wood Light Frame Construction 213
Protection from the Weather 214
Roofing 215
Windows and Doors 221
Paints and Coatings 224
Siding 228
Exterior Trim 235
Sealing Exterior Joints 235
Sustainability and Exterior Finishes for Wood Light Frame Construction 237
Exterior Painting, Finish Grading, and Landscaping 237
Protection from Wildfire 237
Exterior Construction 238
7 Interior Finishes for Wood Light Frame Construction 243
Completing the Building Enclosure 251
Sustainability and Insulation Materials for Wood Light Frame Construction 258
Wall and Ceiling Finish 261
Millwork and Finish Carpentry 261
Proportioning Stairs 270
Fireplaces and Stoves 272
Flooring and Ceramic Tile Work 272
Finishing Touches 276
8 Brick Masonry 281
History 282
Mortar 284
Sustainability and Brick Masonry 287
Brick 288
Earthen and Bio- Based Material Construction 294
Brick Masonry 297
Masonry Wall Construction 312
9 Stone and Concrete Masonry 321
Stone Masonry 322
Sustainability and Stone and Concrete Masonry 336
Concrete Masonry 337
Other Types of Masonry Units 347
Masonry Wall Construction 348
10 Masonry Wall Construction 353
Types of Masonry Walls 354
Preliminary Design of Loadbearing Masonry Structures 362
Spanning Systems for Masonry Bearing Wall Construction 362
Detailing Masonry Walls 366
Special Problems of Masonry Construction 369
Movement Joints in Buildings 372
Masonry Paving 376
Masonry and the Building Codes 378
Uniqueness of Masonry 378
11 Steel Frame Construction 383
History 384
The Material Steel 386
Preliminary Design of Steel Structures 389
Joining Steel Members 397
Details of Steel Framing 402
The Construction Process 412
Fire Protection of Steel Framing 426
Longer Spans and Higher- Capacity Columns in Steel 430
Fabric Structures 437
Steel and the Building Codes 440
Sustainability and Steel Frame Construction 441
Uniqueness of Steel 441
12 Light Gauge Steel Frame Construction 447
The Concept of Light Gauge Steel Construction 448
Sustainability and Light Gauge Steel Framing 449
Light Gauge Steel Framing 450
Other Uses of Light Gauge Steel Framing 459
Preliminary Design of Light Gauge Steel Frame Structures 461
Insulating Light Gauge Steel Frame Structures 461
Finishes for Light Gauge Steel Framing 462
Advantages and Disadvantages of Light Gauge Steel Framing 462
Light Gauge Steel Framing and the Building Codes 462
Metals in Architecture 464
Case Study 470
Camera Obscura at Mitchell Park, Greenport, New York
13 Concrete Construction 475
History 476
Cement and Concrete 477
Sustainability and Concrete Construction 480
Making and Placing Concrete 483
Formwork 487
Reinforcing 488
Concrete Creep 502
Prestressing 502
Concrete Standards 507
Innovations in Concrete 507
14 Sitecast Concrete Framing Systems 513
Casting a Concrete Slab on Grade 515
Casting a Concrete Wall 520
Casting a Concrete Column 524
One- Way Floor and Roof Framing Systems 525
Two- Way Floor and Roof Framing Systems 534
Sitecast Posttensioned Framing Systems 541
Other Types of Sitecast Concrete 542
Cutting Concrete, Stone, and Masonry 548
Longer Spans in Sitecast Concrete 550
Designing Economical Sitecast Concrete Buildings 552
Preliminary Design of Sitecast Concrete Structures 553
Sitecast Concrete and the Building Codes 553
Uniqueness of Sitecast Concrete 553
15 Precast Concrete Framing Systems 559
Precast, Prestressed Concrete Structural Elements 561
Preliminary Design of Precast Concrete Structures 563
Assembly Concepts for Precast Concrete Buildings 563
Manufacture of Precast Concrete Structural Elements 564
Fastening to Concrete 570
Joining Precast Concrete Members 572
Composite Precast/Sitecast Concrete Construction 584
The Construction Process 584
Precast Concrete and the Building Codes 584
Sustainability and Precast Concrete Framing Systems 585
Uniqueness of Precast Concrete 586
16 Designing the Building Enclosure 595
Requirements of the Building Enclosure 596
Keeping Water Out 600
Sustainability and the Building Enclosure 603
Controlling the Flow of Heat 605
Controlling Air Leakage 608
Controlling the Diffusion of Water Vapor 611
Control Layers in the Building Enclosure 615
Sealing Joints 615
Case Study 622
Developing Mass Timber Curtain Wall Systems
17 Roofing 627
Low- Slope Roofs 629
Sustainability and Roofing 634
Steep Roofs 648
Cool Roofs 662
Green Roofs 663
Dissimilar Metals and Galvanic Corrosion 664
Photovoltaic Systems 667
Roofing and the Building Codes 669
18 Glass and Glazing 673
History 674
The Material Glass 677
Sustainability and Glass 677
Other Types of Glass 687
Glazing 687
Glass and Energy 690
Glass and the Building Codes 697
Case Study: 702
Skating Rink at Yerba Buena Gardens
19 Windows and Doors 707
Windows 708
Plastics in Building Construction 715
Sustainability and Windows and Doors 721
Doors 721
Other Window and Door Requirements 727
20 Cladding with Masonry and Concrete 735
Brick and Other Clay Masonry Curtain Walls 736
Stone Curtain Walls 743
Precast Concrete Curtain Walls 747
Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems 750
Case Study 754
Seattle University School of Law
21 Cladding with Metal and Glass 759
Aluminum 760
Sustainability and Cladding with Metal and Glass 765
Aluminum and Glass Framing Systems 766
An Outside Glazed Curtain Wall System 772
Other Metal and Glass Cladding Systems 775
The Curtain Wall Design Process 775
Metal Panel Cladding 776
22 Selecting Interior Finishes 785
Installation of Mechanical and Electrical Services 786
Sustainability and Interior Finishes 788
The Sequence of Interior Finishing Operations 788
Selecting Interior Finishes 789
Other Surface Flammability Criteria 793
Long- Term Trends in Interior Finish Systems 796
23 Interior Walls and Partitions 799
Interior Walls and Fire Criteria 800
Partition Framing 801
Sustainability and Gypsum and Other Wall Covering Products 804
Plaster Partitions 805
Gypsum Board Partitions 815
Plaster Ornament 816
Masonry Partitions 825
Wall and Partition Facings 826
24 Finish Ceilings and Floors 833
Finish Ceilings 834
Types of Ceilings 835
Sustainability and Finish Ceilings and Floors 843
Finish Flooring 844
Finish Flooring Materials 846
Appendix 862
Glossary 864
Index 895
About the Companion Website xvii
1 Making Buildings 3
Learning to Build 4
Buildings and the Environment 4
Other Sustainable Building Programs and Standards 8
The Work of the Design Professional 12
The Work of the Construction Professional 20
Trends in the Delivery of Design and Construction Services 27
2 Foundations and Sitework 33
Foundation Requirements 34
Earth Materials 35
Sustainability and Foundations and Sitework 41
Earthwork and Excavation 42
Foundations 50
Foundations as Building Enclosure 63
Sitework 70
Designing Foundations 74
Foundations and the Building Code 74
3 Wood 79
Trees 80
Sustainability and Wood 84
Lumber 84
Wood Fasteners and Adhesives 96
Wood Product Adhesives and Formaldehyde 102
Manufactured Wood Components 103
Protecting Wood from Decay and Fire 112
Chemical Wood Preservative Treatments 113
Factory Prefabrication 114
Case Study 121
French American School
4 Heavy Timber and Mass Timber Construction 125
Building with Large Wood Members 126
Calculating the Fire Resistance of Wood Members 130
Heavy Timber and Mass Timber in the Building Code 130
Connecting Large Wood Members 132
Sustainability and Heavy Timber and Mass Timber Construction 134
Connecting Mass Timber Panels 139
Heavy Timber and Mass Timber Floors and Walls 142
Lateral Stability 144
Accommodating Building Services 145
Mass Timber-Concrete Composite Construction 145
Constructing Mass Timber Buildings 147
Long Spans with Mass Timber Construction 147
Preliminary Design of Heavy Timber and Mass Timber Structures 151
5 Wood Light Frame Construction 155
History 157
The Platform Frame 158
Sustainability and Wood Light Frame Construction 160
Foundations for Wood Light Frame Structures 160
Building the Frame 169
Variations on Wood Light Frame Construction 194
Preliminary Design of Wood Light Frame Structures 203
Wood Light Frame Construction and the Building Codes 204
Uniqueness of Wood Light Frame Construction 206
6 Exterior Finishes for Wood Light Frame Construction 213
Protection from the Weather 214
Roofing 215
Windows and Doors 221
Paints and Coatings 224
Siding 228
Exterior Trim 235
Sealing Exterior Joints 235
Sustainability and Exterior Finishes for Wood Light Frame Construction 237
Exterior Painting, Finish Grading, and Landscaping 237
Protection from Wildfire 237
Exterior Construction 238
7 Interior Finishes for Wood Light Frame Construction 243
Completing the Building Enclosure 251
Sustainability and Insulation Materials for Wood Light Frame Construction 258
Wall and Ceiling Finish 261
Millwork and Finish Carpentry 261
Proportioning Stairs 270
Fireplaces and Stoves 272
Flooring and Ceramic Tile Work 272
Finishing Touches 276
8 Brick Masonry 281
History 282
Mortar 284
Sustainability and Brick Masonry 287
Brick 288
Earthen and Bio- Based Material Construction 294
Brick Masonry 297
Masonry Wall Construction 312
9 Stone and Concrete Masonry 321
Stone Masonry 322
Sustainability and Stone and Concrete Masonry 336
Concrete Masonry 337
Other Types of Masonry Units 347
Masonry Wall Construction 348
10 Masonry Wall Construction 353
Types of Masonry Walls 354
Preliminary Design of Loadbearing Masonry Structures 362
Spanning Systems for Masonry Bearing Wall Construction 362
Detailing Masonry Walls 366
Special Problems of Masonry Construction 369
Movement Joints in Buildings 372
Masonry Paving 376
Masonry and the Building Codes 378
Uniqueness of Masonry 378
11 Steel Frame Construction 383
History 384
The Material Steel 386
Preliminary Design of Steel Structures 389
Joining Steel Members 397
Details of Steel Framing 402
The Construction Process 412
Fire Protection of Steel Framing 426
Longer Spans and Higher- Capacity Columns in Steel 430
Fabric Structures 437
Steel and the Building Codes 440
Sustainability and Steel Frame Construction 441
Uniqueness of Steel 441
12 Light Gauge Steel Frame Construction 447
The Concept of Light Gauge Steel Construction 448
Sustainability and Light Gauge Steel Framing 449
Light Gauge Steel Framing 450
Other Uses of Light Gauge Steel Framing 459
Preliminary Design of Light Gauge Steel Frame Structures 461
Insulating Light Gauge Steel Frame Structures 461
Finishes for Light Gauge Steel Framing 462
Advantages and Disadvantages of Light Gauge Steel Framing 462
Light Gauge Steel Framing and the Building Codes 462
Metals in Architecture 464
Case Study 470
Camera Obscura at Mitchell Park, Greenport, New York
13 Concrete Construction 475
History 476
Cement and Concrete 477
Sustainability and Concrete Construction 480
Making and Placing Concrete 483
Formwork 487
Reinforcing 488
Concrete Creep 502
Prestressing 502
Concrete Standards 507
Innovations in Concrete 507
14 Sitecast Concrete Framing Systems 513
Casting a Concrete Slab on Grade 515
Casting a Concrete Wall 520
Casting a Concrete Column 524
One- Way Floor and Roof Framing Systems 525
Two- Way Floor and Roof Framing Systems 534
Sitecast Posttensioned Framing Systems 541
Other Types of Sitecast Concrete 542
Cutting Concrete, Stone, and Masonry 548
Longer Spans in Sitecast Concrete 550
Designing Economical Sitecast Concrete Buildings 552
Preliminary Design of Sitecast Concrete Structures 553
Sitecast Concrete and the Building Codes 553
Uniqueness of Sitecast Concrete 553
15 Precast Concrete Framing Systems 559
Precast, Prestressed Concrete Structural Elements 561
Preliminary Design of Precast Concrete Structures 563
Assembly Concepts for Precast Concrete Buildings 563
Manufacture of Precast Concrete Structural Elements 564
Fastening to Concrete 570
Joining Precast Concrete Members 572
Composite Precast/Sitecast Concrete Construction 584
The Construction Process 584
Precast Concrete and the Building Codes 584
Sustainability and Precast Concrete Framing Systems 585
Uniqueness of Precast Concrete 586
16 Designing the Building Enclosure 595
Requirements of the Building Enclosure 596
Keeping Water Out 600
Sustainability and the Building Enclosure 603
Controlling the Flow of Heat 605
Controlling Air Leakage 608
Controlling the Diffusion of Water Vapor 611
Control Layers in the Building Enclosure 615
Sealing Joints 615
Case Study 622
Developing Mass Timber Curtain Wall Systems
17 Roofing 627
Low- Slope Roofs 629
Sustainability and Roofing 634
Steep Roofs 648
Cool Roofs 662
Green Roofs 663
Dissimilar Metals and Galvanic Corrosion 664
Photovoltaic Systems 667
Roofing and the Building Codes 669
18 Glass and Glazing 673
History 674
The Material Glass 677
Sustainability and Glass 677
Other Types of Glass 687
Glazing 687
Glass and Energy 690
Glass and the Building Codes 697
Case Study: 702
Skating Rink at Yerba Buena Gardens
19 Windows and Doors 707
Windows 708
Plastics in Building Construction 715
Sustainability and Windows and Doors 721
Doors 721
Other Window and Door Requirements 727
20 Cladding with Masonry and Concrete 735
Brick and Other Clay Masonry Curtain Walls 736
Stone Curtain Walls 743
Precast Concrete Curtain Walls 747
Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems 750
Case Study 754
Seattle University School of Law
21 Cladding with Metal and Glass 759
Aluminum 760
Sustainability and Cladding with Metal and Glass 765
Aluminum and Glass Framing Systems 766
An Outside Glazed Curtain Wall System 772
Other Metal and Glass Cladding Systems 775
The Curtain Wall Design Process 775
Metal Panel Cladding 776
22 Selecting Interior Finishes 785
Installation of Mechanical and Electrical Services 786
Sustainability and Interior Finishes 788
The Sequence of Interior Finishing Operations 788
Selecting Interior Finishes 789
Other Surface Flammability Criteria 793
Long- Term Trends in Interior Finish Systems 796
23 Interior Walls and Partitions 799
Interior Walls and Fire Criteria 800
Partition Framing 801
Sustainability and Gypsum and Other Wall Covering Products 804
Plaster Partitions 805
Gypsum Board Partitions 815
Plaster Ornament 816
Masonry Partitions 825
Wall and Partition Facings 826
24 Finish Ceilings and Floors 833
Finish Ceilings 834
Types of Ceilings 835
Sustainability and Finish Ceilings and Floors 843
Finish Flooring 844
Finish Flooring Materials 846
Appendix 862
Glossary 864
Index 895