Construction Materials Manual

Which building material is suitable for wich purpose? Which ceramic finishes represent the best solutions for walls, which for floors? Can a composite floor slab span a greater distance than a reinforced contrete floor slab with the same depth? Is it sensible to lay a sisal carpet in the entrance zone or would a velour one be better? Or neither of these? How does one go about developing a "new" building material up to the point of its use in a structure?

The list of questions in the construction process is a long one - and the anwers can be found here in the Construction Materials Manual. In addition, 25 examples of international projects illustrate the aesthetic, sometimes traditional, sometimes innovative, uses of the materials explained in detail in the main body of this new work of reference. This, the latest in the series of Birkhä user Construction Manuals, deals with the follwing:

• The boundary conditions and the significance of the choice of materials for architecture and building
• The influence of the material - application, design, aesthetics
• Detailed informaton on the properties and applications of building materials
• A unique compendium of sustainability parameters for individual building materials and forms of construction
• A list of standards, directives and statutory instruments relevant in Europe
• The effects of building materials, forms of construction and architectural designs in the context of case studies, including large-scale details

Part A: Materials and architecture

Part B: Properties of building materials

Part C: Applications of building materials

Part D: Case studies in detail

Part E: Appendix