Civil Engineering Materials, 2nd edition

This book deals with properties, applications and analysis of important materials of construction/civil engineering. It offers full coverage of how materials are made or obtained, their physical properties, their mechanical properties, how they are used in construction, how they are tested in the lab, and their strength characteristics—information that is essential for material selection and elementary design.

• NEW - Updated code provisions.

• NEW - Introduction to materials science wherever appropriate—From a civil engineering perspective.

• NEW - The chemical nature of a material—Covered briefly in chapters on cement, concrete, masonry and wood.

• NEW - A brief introduction to several important engineering materials—From semiconductors to thermosetting plastics.

  • Helps students identify and understand the basic nature of several new products that are being introduced into the market all the time. Ex.___

• NEW - A detailed discussion on the types and properties of rocks (Ch. 2).

  • Helps students appreciate the importance of these natural materials, which make up a major portion of mortar, portland cement concrete, and asphalt concrete, in the production of a constructed facility. Ex.___

• NEW - Several new sections—e.g., Acceptance Criteria, Durability, and Corrosion.

  • Helps students in the analysis of construction procedure and the material evaluation. Ex.___

• NEW - Rewritten sections on Mortar, Structure of Wood, Physical Properties of Wood, and Reinforcing Steel.

• NEW - Expanded section on effects of variables on compressive strength of portland cement concrete—Covers the effects of nearly aspect of concrete manufacture—ingredients, mix proportions, environment, and construction practice—on the strength properties.

• NEW - Several new tables and figures.

• NEW - Additional illustrative examples.

• NEW - Chapter-end homework or review problems.

• A focus on all common materials of civil engineering/construction— Portland cement concrete, mortar, grout, soil, wood, wood products, asphalt, asphalt concrete, aggregates, masonry, plastics, iron, steel, stone, admixtures, and composites.

• In-depth coverage of each material—e.g., physical properties, mechanical properties, code provisions, methods of testing, quality control, construction procedures, and material selection.

  • Helps students understand how construction materials are different from each other in their physical, mechanical and chemical properties. Ex.___

• Simple presentation—Avoids research ambiguities or summaries and generalizes material behavior as much as possible.

  • Helps students understand the “general characteristics” in terms of properties and uses. Ex.___

• Step-by-step solution technique.

• Self-contained sections and purposeful repetition—Some of the information on properties, specifications, and uses of few materials are repeated at several places within the text.

  • Students understand better through repetition, and, because the course may be taught differently in various schools, the self-contained chapters/sections eliminate the need to go back and forth within the text to over all essential information. Ex.___

• Early coverage of aggregates (Ch. 2)—Before discussion of the composite materials of which they are a part.

• A brief review of properties of soil as a construction material (Ch. 8).

• Laboratory testing procedures for selected tests—Provides step-by-step descriptions of laboratory test procedures to determine properties of materials—at the end of most chapters, instead of as an adjunct to the text. All test procedures are based on relevant ASTM specification, but are presented in a manner that makes them more useful and convenient in a classroom atmosphere.

  • Emphasizes that laboratory testing is an essential part of the study of materials of civil engineering or construction, and facilitates use in both lecture and lab. Ex.___

• Illustrative examples.

  • Helps strengthens students' understanding of theoretical concepts. Ex.___

• Tables and figures from professional organizations.

  • Puts students in touch with industry norms and specifications. Ex.___

• Updated code provisions.

• Introduction to materials science wherever appropriate—From a civil engineering perspective.

• The chemical nature of a material—Covered briefly in chapters on cement, concrete, masonry and wood.

• A brief introduction to several important engineering materials—From semiconductors to thermosetting plastics.

  • Helps students identify and understand the basic nature of several new products that are being introduced into the market all the time. Ex.___

• A detailed discussion on the types and properties of rocks (Ch. 2).

  • Helps students appreciate the importance of these natural materials, which make up a major portion of mortar, portland cement concrete, and asphalt concrete, in the production of a constructed facility. Ex.___

• Several new sections—e.g., Acceptance Criteria, Durability, and Corrosion.

  • Helps students in the analysis of construction procedure and the material evaluation. Ex.___

• Rewritten sections on Mortar, Structure of Wood, Physical Properties of Wood, and Reinforcing Steel.

• Expanded section on effects of variables on compressive strength of portland cement concrete—Covers the effects of nearly aspect of concrete manufacture—ingredients, mix proportions, environment, and construction practice—on the strength properties.

• Several new tables and figures.

• Additional illustrative examples.

• Chapter-end homework or review problems.