ArchitectureLesson 1 of 3 in the course Materials and finishes

Construction Materials: Types, Properties, Costs, and Life-Cycle Impacts

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 4 fill-in sentences · English

Save course
Lesson progress
0 / 5

Your progress is kept in this browser only.Sign up to save it

Summary

Building materials make up the homes, workplaces, and infrastructure people use every day. This lesson introduces the range of materials used in construction and explains why their costs extend beyond the purchase price.

A building material is any material used to construct a building or another structure, such as a bridge. Clay, rock, sand, wood, twigs, and leaves are examples of naturally occurring materials. Manufactured materials include products such as concrete, fired bricks, glass, and plastics.

All flashcards

Building material
A natural substance or manufactured product used to construct a building or other structure.
Initial economic cost
The purchase and installation price of a material.
Initial embodied energy
Energy used to extract, manufacture, transport, and install a material.
Carbon footprint
The total greenhouse gas emissions associated with a material over its life.
Social costs of building materials
Effects on workers’ and occupants’ health, labor conditions, local jobs, skills, and culture.

Quiz questions

  1. Which of these is a manufactured building material?Answer: A kiln-fired clay brick
  2. What does life-cycle analysis assess for a building material?Answer: Impacts across stages from extraction through end-of-life management
  3. Why is steel commonly added to concrete?Answer: To improve concrete’s performance under tension
  4. What is the purpose of vibrating freshly poured concrete?Answer: To remove entrained air bubbles that could weaken it
  5. How does rapid prototyping support material research?Answer: It enables quick testing and revision of material designs

Based on the Wikipedia article Building material, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

More in Architecture

All Architecture lessons
ArchitectureSmart Cities: Technology, Governance, Urban Services, and Risks5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →ArchitectureModern Architecture: Origins, Movements, and Global Adaptations5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →ArchitectureLoad-Bearing Walls: Load Paths, Framing, and Structural Change5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →ArchitectureTransit-Oriented Development: Design, History, Impacts, and Equity5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →ArchitectureGarden Cities: Howard’s Plan, Global Adaptations, and Garden Suburbs5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →