Building Materials, Physics & Construction
Niveau
Introduction
Learning outcomes of the courses/module
The participants:
• identify and describe fundamental properties, fields of application and environmental impacts of common building materials.
• explain building-physics principles such as thermal, moisture, sound and fire protection in the context of building performance.
• apply simple calculation and analysis methods to assess building physics requirements.
• evaluate the suitability of construction and material solutions from technical, economic and sustainability perspectives.
• document and visualize building-technology relationships in an audience-appropriate way in plans, sketches or short reports.
• identify and describe fundamental properties, fields of application and environmental impacts of common building materials.
• explain building-physics principles such as thermal, moisture, sound and fire protection in the context of building performance.
• apply simple calculation and analysis methods to assess building physics requirements.
• evaluate the suitability of construction and material solutions from technical, economic and sustainability perspectives.
• document and visualize building-technology relationships in an audience-appropriate way in plans, sketches or short reports.
Prerequisites for the course
none
Course content
- Building materials science: mineral, metallic, organic and hybrid building materials
- Fundamental building physics processes: heat conduction, moisture diffusion, sound propagation, fire-protection principles
- Fundamentals of building construction: load-bearing principles, component assemblies, interfaces between materials
- Sustainability and life cycle aspects of building materials
- Introduction to simple calculation and verification methods (U-value, moisture, sound level)
- Material testing and evaluation
- Documentation and interpretation of technical data (tables, diagrams, drawings)
- Fundamental building physics processes: heat conduction, moisture diffusion, sound propagation, fire-protection principles
- Fundamentals of building construction: load-bearing principles, component assemblies, interfaces between materials
- Sustainability and life cycle aspects of building materials
- Introduction to simple calculation and verification methods (U-value, moisture, sound level)
- Material testing and evaluation
- Documentation and interpretation of technical data (tables, diagrams, drawings)
Recommended specialist literature
- Allen, E., & Iano, J. (2019). Fundamentals of building construction: Materials and methods (Seventh edition). Wiley.
- Ching, F. D. K. (2019). Building construction illustrated (Sixth edition). Wiley.
- Hens, H. (2024). Building physics - heat, air and moisture: Fundamentals, engineering methods, material properties and exercises (Fourth, revised edition). Ernst & Sohn. https://doi.org/10.1002/9783433611821
- Hens, H. S. L. C. (2011). Applied building physics: Boundary conditions, building performance and material properties. Ernst & Sohn.
- Lloyd Thomas, K. (2022). Building materials: Material theory and the architectural specification. Bloomsbury Visual Arts.
- McSorley, S. M., Tyler, R. J., Krejci, E. E., & American Bar Association (Eds). (2021). Construction defects: Assessment, analysis, and resolution (Second edition). American Bar Association.
- Mehta, M., Scarborough, W., & Armpriest, D. (2018). Building construction: Principles, materials, and systems (Third edition). Pearson.
- Ching, F. D. K. (2019). Building construction illustrated (Sixth edition). Wiley.
- Hens, H. (2024). Building physics - heat, air and moisture: Fundamentals, engineering methods, material properties and exercises (Fourth, revised edition). Ernst & Sohn. https://doi.org/10.1002/9783433611821
- Hens, H. S. L. C. (2011). Applied building physics: Boundary conditions, building performance and material properties. Ernst & Sohn.
- Lloyd Thomas, K. (2022). Building materials: Material theory and the architectural specification. Bloomsbury Visual Arts.
- McSorley, S. M., Tyler, R. J., Krejci, E. E., & American Bar Association (Eds). (2021). Construction defects: Assessment, analysis, and resolution (Second edition). American Bar Association.
- Mehta, M., Scarborough, W., & Armpriest, D. (2018). Building construction: Principles, materials, and systems (Third edition). Pearson.
Assessment methods and criteria
Portfolio assessment
Language
English
Number of ECTS credits awarded
5
Semester hours per week
Planned teaching and learning method
Lectures, discussions, case studies, group work
Semester/trimester in which the course/module is offered
1