Topics

Evolution of building construction methods

Classifications of building and infrastructure
works
Functions and structures of buildings
Lecture 1: Overview of Construction Industry Stages of building construction
Building and construction regulations
Design and building team in construction project
Construction drawing types and views, hatching
and symbols
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References
Chudley, R. and Greeno, R., Construction
Technology
Introduction
Chudley, R. and Greeno, R., Building Construction
Handbook Lecture 1: Overview of Construction Industry
Part 1 General Evolution of Building Construction Methods

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The construction of buildings has developed into
two methods:
Conventional or traditional methods
Modern or industrialised methods
Sometimes, both methods are applied on the same
building, e.g. traditional brick facing to a
prefabricated steel framed commercial building.
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Industrialised methods are usually a rationalised
manufacturing process used to produce complete
structural elements, i.e. floors, walls, roof frames, etc.
in standardised dimensions.
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Small scale buildings such as residential unit of
single or double storeys are usually constructed in
traditional methods, which are labour intensive.
Generally it is more economic to construct small
scale buildings by traditional methods.
But when large numbers of similar units are
required on the same site, economies of scale may
required industrialised methods, which used
factory-manufactured or prefabricated structural
elements.
Traditional method:
cast in-situ concrete stair
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 Industrialised method:
precast concrete stair

Lecture 1: Overview of Construction Industry

Classifications of Building &
Infrastructure Works

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Classification of building works

Classification of building works Residential buildings
According to Uniform Building By-Laws (UBBL)
Flats, apartments, condominiums,
1984, different classification of buildings on the
bungalows/detached houses, semi-detached
basis of occupancy are:
houses, terrace houses
Residential buildings
Flats, apartments, condominiums,
bungalows/detached houses, semi-detached
houses, terrace houses
Institutional buildings
Hospital, school, college, university
Business buildings
Office, shop, store 11 12

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Classification of building works Classification of building works
Institutional buildings Business buildings
Hospital, school, college, university Office, shop, store

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Business buildings Classification of building works (cont)

Industrial buildings
Factory, laboratory, assembly plant

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Classification of building works (cont) Classification of building works (cont)
Assembly buildings Storage buildings
Theatres, concert halls, exhibition halls, Warehouse, garage
museums, places of worship (church, temple
and mosque), sport complex, swimming pools

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Classification of infrastructure works

Classification of infrastructure works
Transport infrastructure
Roads, highways, bridges, railways, tunnels/subways,
Energy infrastructure
seaports, airports Electrical power networks, natural gas pipelines

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Classification of infrastructure works Classification of infrastructure works
Water management infrastructure Communication infrastructure
Water supply, drainage, sewerage, reservoirs Telephone networks, internet cables

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Classification of infrastructure works

Solid waste infrastructure
Solid waste landfills

Lecture 1: Overview of Construction Industry

Functions & Structures of Buildings

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Functions of buildings Structures of buildings
A building construction
will consist of
substructure and
superstructure.
Substructure includes all
parts of building in direct
contact with or below the
ground level.
Superstructure includes
all parts of building above
the ground level both
internally and externally.
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Superstructure
Substructure Typical examples:
Typical examples: Frames, e.g. beam & column
Ground floor Upper floor
Foundation or footing Stair
Basement Roof
Ground beam
Internal & external walls,
Column stump
partitions
Underground service
Doors & windows
duct
Floor, wall & ceiling finishes
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 1. Preliminary works
including site exploration,
soil investigation,
excavation and setting out
2. Foundations or footings
including ground beams
Lecture 1: Overview of Construction Industry and column stumps
3. Ground floors
Stages of Building Construction
4. Frames (columns &
beams) and upper floors
5. Stairs

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6. Walls and internal partitions with door and window

frames in position
7. Roofing
8. Mechanical and electrical works such as electrical
wiring, plumbing, telephone trunking and cabling
Lecture 1: Overview of Construction Industry
9. Internal and external floors, walls and ceilings
finishing Building & Construction Regulations
10. External works such as sewerage, drainage and road
works

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 Many statutes made by Act of Parliament affect the
construction of buildings and associated work.
The most important are:
Uniform Building By-Laws 1984
Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514) Lecture 1: Overview of Construction Industry
and Regulations
Design & Building Team
in Construction Project

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Client/Developer
Parties involved in construction project To present the architect on his requirements of
the building, such as function, space, budget
Quantity Surveyor Client/Developer Estate Agent and completion time.
Architect
Consultants
-Structural Engineer Architect To advice the client on the feasibility of project.
-M&E Engineer Clerk of Works/ To prepare the architectural drawings.
Site Supervisor
Main Contractor Consultants (Structural Engineer, M&E Engineer)
To advice the architect on the design of building
Sub-Contractors Suppliers structures and services.
To prepare the structural, infrastructure and
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M&E drawings. 36

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 Quantity Surveyor
To advice architect on the costs and financial
viability of different construction methods and
materials.
To prepare the Bills of Quantities (BQ) based on
the construction drawings.
To prepare the tender and contract documents.
Main Contractor
To undertake the construction of building.
To coordinate construction programme and
resources (labour, plant and materials) with the
architect, sub-contractors and suppliers.
Lecture 1: Overview of Construction Industry
Construction Drawing Types & Views,
Hatching & Symbols
Sub-Contractors
To undertake specialist works, e.g. M&E works.
Suppliers
To supply and deliver building materials, plant
and equipments.
Clerk of Works/Site Supervisor
To represent architect/contractor on
construction site for site supervision.
To ensure compliance of construction works
with construction drawings.
Estate Agent
37 To market properties. 38
Drawing types & views
Drawings are the major means of communication
between the designer and the contractor as to
what, where and how the proposed project is to be
constructed.
Drawings provide information about the size,
shape and construction of a building.
Drawings can be presented as isometric or
orthographic projections such as plans, elevations
and sections.
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 Isometric drawings Orthographic drawings
Most construction drawings are drawn by orthographic
A useful type of pictorial projection.
drawing to show construction Orthographic projection is a means of drawing
details. different views of an object on a plane surface.
In isometric drawings, vertical These views are called plans, elevations and sections.
lines are drawn vertically and
horizontal lines are drawn at an
angle of 30 degrees from
horizontal.
The ability to draw isometric
sketches is a useful skill for
communicating on the
construction site.
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Types of construction drawing Plan views

Architectural drawings
Location and site plan, ground floor plan, upper
floor plans, roof plan, elevations, sections of
building, details of building with enlargement on
specific areas like toilets and staircases.
Structural drawings
Foundation plan and section details, structural plan
and section detail of beams, columns and slabs.
Infrastructure and M&E drawings
Road layout plan and details, drainage and sewerage
layout plan and details, plumbing and sanitary
layout plan and details.
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A plan view shows the layout of an object as
viewed from above.
Floor plan is the most important architectural
drawing, as it contains information about the
design and construction of a building or space.
Floor plan serves as the main drawing to which
many other drawings are referenced.
In multiple-level buildings, a separate floor plan is
drawn for each level.
Floor plans are drawn to scale to show the
positions of walls, doors, windows, stairs, etc.
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Plan views (cont)
A floor plan is visualised as if an imaginary knife
Elevation views
sliced approximately 4 feet (1219mm) above the
floor.
An elevation shows a vertical surface perpendicular
to the viewer.
A simple building consists of four elevations for the
front, rear, and sides.
If the building is very complex, there may be more
than four elevations.
Elevations illustrate the finished appearance of a
building, materials used, particulars of doors and
windows, as well as important vertical dimensions.

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Floor plans & elevations Section views

Because not all construction details can be seen in
floor plans and elevations, many construction
drawings are section views.
A section view shows what would be exposed if a
cut were made through a building or object.
A section cut all the way through a building, called a
building section, or only through an object, such as
foundation, called a foundation section.
Sections can be cut on a vertical or horizontal plane.
They give information on heights between floors
and details of construction methods.
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 Building section Foundation section details

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Section views (cont) Floor plan with sections cut

Two or more sections are often cut at 90 degrees to
one another to give additional information.
Sections should ideally be cut in a continuous and
straight plane without many jogs.
This cut should be taken where it best illustrate
the interior space or object.
The location of this cut is indicated on the floor
plan with a graphical symbol.
This symbol gives the section an identification
number with an arrow that shows the viewing
direction. 51 52

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 Material hatchings
Hatchings & symbols
Hatchings are used to differentiate between the
materials being used thus enabling fast
recognition.
In large areas, it is not always necessary to hatch
the whole area.
Symbols are graphical representations and should
wherever possible be drawn to scale.
Hatchings and symbols must be used consistently
throughout the whole set of construction
drawings.
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Window elevation symbols Door plan symbols

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