Text 10. Floor loads

1 Look up all the new words you will find in the text in the dictionary. Translate the text.

Before calculating the required sizes of beams, girders, or columns to support the weights upon them it is necessary first to determine the weights or loads supported by the structure. These consist of the dead bads and the live loads. By dead load is meant the weight of the construction itself, the walls, floors, ceilings, roof, and permanent partitions. By live load is meant the weight of the furniture, equipment, occupants, stored material, snow on the roof, and movable partitions. The live loads should include all except the dead loads. Wind pressure, really a lateral load, is often classed as a live load but may be considered as producing a separate stress. The various building codes specify the weights per square or cubic foot of wood, stone, steel, concrete, plaster, terra cotta, and other structural materials comprising the dead loads. They likewise regulate the live load per square foot, which depends on the use or occupancy of the building and which must be employed in calculating the weights upon the structural members.

2 Define parts of speech of the underlined words. Make up five sentences with the same words.

Text 11. The properties of building materials

1 Read and translate the text.

Materials that are used for structural purposes should meet several requirements. In most cases it is important that they should be hard, durable, fire-resistant and easily fastened together.

The most commonly used materials are steel, concrete, stone, wood and brick. They differ in hardness, durability and fire-resistance.

Wood is the most ancient structural material. It is light, cheap and easy to work. But wood has certain disadvantages: it burns and decays.

Stone belongs to one of the oldest building materials used by man. It is characteristic of many properties. They are mechanical strength, compactness, porosity, sound and heat insulation and fire-resistance.

Bricks were known many thousands of years ago. They are the examples of artificial building materials.

Concrete is referred to as one of the most important building materials. Concrete is a mixture of cement, sand, crushed stone and water.

Steel has come into general use with the development of industry. Its manufacture requires special equipment and skilled labour.

Plastics combine all the fine characteristics of a building material with good insulating properties. It is no wonder that the architects and engineers have turned to them to add beauty to modern homes and offices.

All building materials are divided into three main groups: 1 Main building materials such as rocks and artificial stones, timber and metals. 2 Binding materials such as lime, gypsum and cement. 3 Secondary or auxiliary materials which are used for the interior parts of the buildings.

We use many building materials for bearing structures. Binding materials are used for making artificial stone and for joining different planes. For the interior finish of the building we use secondary materials. Natural building materials are: stone, sand, lime and timber. Cement, clay products and concrete are examples of artificial building materials.

2 Answer the following questions:

1 What requirements should building materials meet?

2 What do building materials differ in?

3 What properties does wood possess?

4 Why do stone and brick differ from one another?

5 What is concrete made up of?

6 How can we produce steel?

7 What characteristics have plastics?

8 What groups are building materials divided into?

9 What are their purposes?