Building Materials

Description

This course offers a broad introduction to materials used in civil engineering, including cement, concrete, steel, masonry, asphalt concrete, wood and composites. The characteristics of each type of material are discussed in terms of the following aspects: basic structure and properties of the materials, mechanistic behavior of the material and physical properties, environmental influences, engineering applications etc. Acting as a bridge linking fundamental principles to engineering practice, this course emphasizes on the engineering behaviors of these material systems. Understanding of these behaviors will be approached through detailed examination of the ’materials microstructural characteristics and the associated structure performance. The students will derive benefit from this course in terms of fundamental principles, experiences, and skills.