WEEK SIX
TOPIC: CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF PARTS OF BUILDING E.G FLOORS, SIMPLE REINFORCEMENT FOR COLUMNS, BEAMS, SLABS ETC.
CONTENT:
(i) Types of floor.
(ii) Reinforcement for columns, beams and slabs.
Floors: There are basically two types of floors and these include solid floors and suspended floors.
Solid floors: There are two types of solid floors and these are solid concrete and solid timber floor respectively. Solid concrete floors could either be reinforced or without reinforcement. For reinforced solid concrete floors, iron rods which are woven into mesh-like formation are used in addition to the sand, cement and granite mixture. The essence of reinforcing a concrete floor is for it to be able to withstand heavy impact without depression. These type of solid floors are used in large warehouses, large workshops with heavy machinery, multi-storey buildings, bridges etc. Solid concrete floors could either be pre-cast or cast in-situ(cast on site). For a solid timber floor, the timber is placed on the floor for finishing.
Suspended or hollow timber floor: Hollow timber floors have sleeper wall plate which carries the floor joist on which the boards are fixed. The diagram below shows a suspended timber floor.
EVALUATION
1. Mention two types of floor and explain each.
2. Draw a labelled diagram of a suspended floor.
Columns( pillars): These are the vertical members of a building made of reinforced concrete. These are cast
from the foundation level to support the weight of the building.
Beams: These are cast just the same way as columns. The only difference is that they are laid horizontally on
columns.
Slabs: These are thick flat concrete mass laid over wall openings. They are either pre-cast or cast in-situ. They are used to cover man-holes and drainage channels and for flat concrete roofs.
GENERAL EVALUATIONS
1. Distinguish between a column and a beam.
2. Distinguish between the following types of concrete. Cast in-situ and pre-cast.
READING ASSIGNMENT
Visit www.google.com for columns, beams and slabs.
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
Objective
1. Which of the following types of floor requires a wall plate for its construction? A. Solid concrete. B. Solid
timber. C. Suspended. D. Plastic.
2. Which of the following is a vertical member of a building? A. Beam. B. Column. C. Lintel. D. Arch
3. Slipper wall is a characteristics of A. hollow timber floor. B. roof. C. staircase. D. foundation.
Use the diagram above to answer Questions 4 and 5.
4. The parts labelled P and R arerespectively A. concrete slab and bitumen felt. B. coping and parapet.
C. flashing and coping. D. slab and coping.
5. The portion labelled T is called A. coping. B. parapet. C. flashing. D. slab.
Theory
1. State two types of floor.
2. Distinguish between a column and a beam.