Barry's Introduction to Construction of Buildings

Preface vii
Acknowledgements ix
About the Companion Website x
1 Introduction 1
1.1 The function and performance of buildings 1
1.2 Environmental factors 4
1.3 General principles of construction 6
1.4 Regulations and approvals 11
1.5 Making choices and sources of information 13
2 Site Analysis and Set-Up 15
2.1 Function of the site analysis 15
2.2 The 'desk-top' study 16
2.3 Site reconnaissance 19
2.4 Soil investigations 23
2.5 The performance appraisal 34
2.6 Site set-up and security 34
3 Groundwork and Foundations 38
3.1 Functional requirements 38
3.2 Bedrock and soil types 39
3.3 Ground movement 41
3.4 Foundation construction 45
3.5 Site preparation and drainage 72
4 Floors 87
4.1 Functional requirements 87
4.2 Ground supported concrete slab 90
4.3 Suspended concrete fl oor slabs 97
4.4 Suspended timber ground fl oors 104
4.5 Resistance to the passage of heat 108
4.6 Reinforced concrete upper fl oors 109
4.7 Timber upper floors 117
5 Walls 128
5.1 Functional requirements 128
5.2 Damp-proof courses (dpcs) 134
5.3 Stone 142
5.4 Stone masonry walls 145
5.5 Bricks and brickwork 160
5.6 Bonding bricks 170
5.7 Blocks and blockwork 177
5.8 Mortar 181
5.9 Loadbearing brick and block walls 186
5.10 Solid wall construction 192
5.11 Cavity wall construction 218
5.12 Timber 246
5.13 Timber-framed walls 252
5.14 Steel frame wall construction 279
5.15 Internal and party walls 279
5.16 Straw wall construction 281
5.17 Earth wall construction 288
6 Roofs 295
6.1 Functional requirements 295
6.2 Pitched roofs 300
6.3 Pitched roof coverings 322
6.4 Sheet metal covering to low pitch roofs 342
6.5 Thermal insulation to pitched roofs 345
6.6 Flat roofs 351
6.7 Timber flat roof construction 353
6.8 Concrete flat roofs 371
6.9 Thermal insulation to flat roofs 374
6.10 Parapet walls 379
6.11 Green roofs 383
7 Windows 389
7.1 Functional requirements 389
7.2 Window types 416
7.3 Window frames 426
7.4 Glass and glazing 452
7.5 Hardware 471
7.6 Window cills 473
8 Doors 480
8.1 Functional requirements 480
8.2 Door types 485
8.3 Door frames and linings 508
8.4 Hardware 524
9 Stairs and Ramps 531
9.1 Functional requirements 533
9.2 Materials, terms and definitions 537
9.3 Types of stair 544
9.4 Timber staircases 547
9.5 Stone stairs 557
9.6 Reinforced concrete stairs 559
9.7 Structural glass stairs 563
9.8 Ramps 564
10 Surface Finishes 567
10.1 Functional requirements 567
10.2 Floor fi nishes 569
10.3 Wall and ceiling finishes 577
10.4 Skirtings and architraves 593
10.5 Painting and decorating 597
10.6 External rendering 603
11 Internal Environment and Energy Supply 608
11.1 Functional requirements 608
11.2 Indoor climate control 609
11.3 Energy sources 612
11.4 Solid fuel-burning appliances 621
11.5 Domestic gas installations 637
11.6 Domestic electrical supply and installations 642
11.7 Artificial lighting 662
11.8 Electronic communication systems: Broadband 664
12 Water Supply and Sanitation 671
12.1 Cold water supply and distribution 671
12.2 Hot water supply and distribution 681
12.3 Water services to multi-storey buildings 689
12.4 Pipes (tubulars) for water supply 698
12.5 Sanitary appliances 704
12.6 Foul drainage 724
12.7 Roof drainage 757
12.8 Surface water drainage and sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) 765
12.9 Refuse storage and recycling 769
13 Heat Loss and Calculations 771
13.1 Principles and performance requirements 771
13.2 Heat loss calculations 773
13.3 Testing and monitoring thermal performance 786
Appendix A: Websites 790
Appendix B: References 791
Index 793