11/15 11 — Materials, Construction, and Building Envelopes Free Online FlashCards

How does a material differ from a building assembly?

A building material is a substance used in construction, while an assembly is an organized combination of materials that performs a larger function.

What is included in the building envelope?

The building envelope includes foundations, walls, windows, roofs, and other elements that separate interior conditions from the exterior.

What is a thermal bridge?

A thermal bridge is an interruption in continuous insulation that allows heat to move more easily through framing, fasteners, slabs, or structural connections.

What is the purpose of weep holes in a cavity wall?

Weep holes allow rain that enters a brick cavity wall to drain downward and exit the assembly.

Why is steel added to reinforced concrete?

Reinforced concrete uses steel bars or mesh to resist tension, because concrete alone is weak in tension.

What are three major vulnerabilities of structural steel?

Steel’s main vulnerabilities are corrosion, fire-related loss of strength, and thermal bridging.

What can persistent wetting do to timber?

Persistent wetting can cause fungal decay, insect attack, dimensional movement, and loss of strength in timber.

What do low-emissivity coatings do?

Low-emissivity coatings reduce radiant heat transfer through glazing.

What defines a composite material?

A composite combines two or more materials to obtain properties that a single material cannot provide.

What can a finish do—and what can it not do?

A finish affects appearance, touch, cleaning, wear, and environmental resistance, but it cannot correct a defective underlying assembly.

What is durability in building design?

Durability is the ability of a material or assembly to maintain required performance over time.

What does embodied energy include?

Embodied energy is the energy associated with extracting, processing, transporting, manufacturing, installing, maintaining, replacing, and disposing of materials.