Construction Materials ─ Their Nature and Behaviour

This established textbook provides an understanding of materials’ behaviour through knowledge of their chemical and physical structure. It covers the main classes of construction materials: metals, concrete, other ceramics (including bricks and masonry), polymers, fibre composites, bituminous materials, timber, and glass. It provides a clear and comprehensive perspective on the whole range of materials used in modern construction, to form a must-have for civil and structural engineering students, and those on courses such as architecture, surveying and construction.

It begins with a Fundamentals section followed by a section on each of the major groups of materials. In this new edition:

- Typical questions with answers to any numerical examples are given at the end of each section, as well as an instructors manual with further questions and answers.

- Coverage of sustainability is markedly increased, to include the drivers for sustainable construction and eco-friendly buildings.

- Links are given to free reports from The Concrete Centre, Corus, and others, as well as to material suppliers’ websites.

- The masonry section is entirely overhauled and extended beyond the basics of load bearing masonry, and to include the flexi-arch and hollow core bricks used in mainland Europe for infill walls.

Marios Soutsos is a professor of Structures/Materials at Queen’s University Belfast.

Peter Domone is an honorary senior lecturer at University College London.