CARTA, MARIA ARABELLA M.

of this kind are finely ground powders that,

INTRODUCTION TO CONSTRUCTION when mixed with water, set to a hard mass.
MATERIALS AND TESTING

WHAT ARE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS?

It is defined as the materials, supplies,
fixtures, or equipment, any combination of such
items, and any other leased or purchased articles
when the materials, supplies, fixtures, equipment
or articles are to be utilized or consumed during
construction or are to be incorporated into 4. Bitumen
construction work pursuant to a bonafide written A black viscous mixture of
construction contract. hydrocarbons obtained naturally or as a
residue from petroleum distillation. It is used
Samples of Common Construction Materials for road surfacing and roofing.
1. Aggregates
Construction aggregate is a broad
category of particulate material used in
construction, including sand, gravel, crushed
stone, slag, recycled concrete and
geosynthetic aggregates. Aggregates are the
most mined materials in the world. They are
divided into two categories—fine aggregates
and coarse aggregates. 5. Concrete
Concrete is a composite material made
of fine and coarse aggregate (think gravel,
crushed stone, recycled concrete, and
geosynthetic aggregates) bound together by a
liquid binder such as cement that hardens or
cures over time.

2. Steel Rod/Steel
Steel is a metal alloy of iron and carbon
and often other alloying material in its
composition to make it stronger and more
fracture-resistant than iron.
6. Asphalt
Asphalt is a mixture of aggregates,
binder and filler, used for constructing and
maintaining roads, parking areas, railway
tracks, ports, airport runways, bicycle lanes,
sidewalks and also play- and sport areas.

3. Cement
Cement, in general, adhesive
substances of all kinds, but, in a narrower
sense, the binding materials used in building
and civil engineering construction. Cements
7. Hollow Blocks/Masonry
Masonry construction uses individual
units (such as bricks or hollow blocks) to build
structures that are usually bound together by
some kind of mortar. The strongest and most
commonly used masonry unit now is a
concrete block, which may be reinforced with
steel.

11. Rocks/Stones
Rocks are solid cumulative of minerals
located in the Earth’s lithosphere. Rocks are
used in various purpose in construction site
such as dam, railway ballast, building,
skyscraper building etc.
8. Lumber
Lumber is a wood product, sawn and
shaped from timbers of harvested trees.
Lumber is assigned a grade which establishes
a measure of consistency in the final products
produced by mills.

WHAT IS MATERIALS TESTING?

Materials testing is a respected and
established technique which is used to ascertain
both the physical and mechanical properties of
raw materials and components. It can be used to
examine almost anything from human hair to
steel, ceramics or composite materials.
9. Glass
A durable but brittle material that is valued for Five Major Categories of Materials Testing
its optical properties such as its ability to 1. Mechanical Testing
refract, reflect and transmit lights. Also known as destructive testing,
reveals the properties of a material under
dynamic or static force. Designed to ensure
that materials are suitable for their intended
applications.

10. Ceramics
Ceramics are a broad category of hard
inorganic material manufactured using 2. Testing for Thermal Properties
minerals. Modern ceramics is usually used in Testing for thermal properties is used
countertops, sinks, tubs, bathrooms and to measure materials’ ability to transfer heat
kitchen tiles. since it differs with each substance and may
depend on structure, density, humidity,
pressure and temperature.
 b. Sieve Analysis
c. Water Absorption
d. Uniformity
e. Aggregate Impact Value Test
f. Aggregate Abrasion Value Test
g. Aggregate Crushing Value Test

2. Bitumen
3. Testing for Electrical Properties
a. Determining bitumen content
Materials are subjected to electrical
b. Determining flash and fire point of bitumen
stresses under a variety of controlled
c. Determining penetration of bitumen
conditions, including liquid contaminants, dust
d. Determining softening point of bitumen
and fog, dry air electrical arc, or high voltage
e. Determining specific gravity of bitumen
dielectric breakdown conditions.
f. Determining ductility of bitumen
g. Determining marshal stability of bitumen

3. Cement
a. Fineness Test
b. Soundness Test
c. Consistency Test
d. Setting Time Test
4. Testing for Resistance to Corrosion,
Radiation and Biological Deterioration 4. Fresh Concrete
Testing for breakdown or deterioration of a. Slump Test
materials under exposure to a particular type b. Compacting Factor Test
of environment has greatly increased in recent c. VeBe Test
years. d. K-Slump Test

5. Hardened Concrete
a. Compression Strength Test
b. Flexural Strength Test
c. Rebound Hammer Test
d. Ultrasonic Pulse velocity Test

6. Steel Reinforcement
5. Non-destructive testing
a. Tensile Strength Test
A testing and analysis technique to
b. Bend Test
evaluate the properties of a material,
c. Re-bend Test
component, structure or system for
d. Shear Test
characteristic differences or welding defects
e. Brinell Hardness Test
and discontinuities without causing damage to
f. Impact Test
the original part.
g. Torsion Test

WHY IS CMT IMPORTANT?

Because it is critical for the viability and
safety of a construction project. CMT can reveal
any number of issues related to construction
quality. It can highlight future risks, help classify
Tests Carried Out on Different Construction a building site, and assist with engineering
Materials decisions. Without CMT, engineers and builders
1. Aggregates may not know if the quality of the construction
a. Specific Weight and Density meets the requirements.