Week 5 Characteristics of new building materials

（Source: Baidu image, 2016）

New type of building materials is compared with the traditional building materials, it mainly includes the new wall materials, heat preservation and insulation materials, waterproof sealing materials and decoration materials. Building material costs accounted for more than 50% of the total cost of basic construction, it is a large proportion. Moreover, the variety and quality level of building materials will restrict the construction structure and construction method. In addition, building materials directly affect the safety and reliability of civil and construction engineering, durability, applicability (economic applicable, beautiful, energy saving) and other performance. Therefore, the development of new building materials is necessary. In general, new building materials should have the following characteristics: 

1.     Composite material: With the development of modern science and technology, materials are required to meet more and more requirements. A single material has difficult to meet all requirements. Therefore, the composite material prepared by using the composite material is produced. The composite technology mixed organic and inorganic materials under certain conditions and according to the appropriate ratio of composite. Then, the composite material with excellent properties can be obtained. Composite technology development is widely used in many fields, such as composite pipe has aluminum-plastic composite pipe, steel plastic composite pipe, copper plastic composite pipe etc.

2.     Multi function: With the improvement of people's living standard and the development of building technology, the requirement of material function will be higher and higher and the new material will be developed from single function to multifunctional direction. Materials should not only meet the requirements of general use, it also requires both breathing, electromagnetic shielding, antibacterial, sterilization, antistatic, anti radiation, waterproof, fire, self clean, intelligence and other functions.

3.     Energy saving and green materials: With the improvement of people's living level and awareness of self-protection, people require materials not only has a good use of the function, but also harmless to human health and the environment. New building materials should be eco building materials or green building materials.

4.     Lightweight and high strength: Light is mainly refers to the material porous, the bulk density is small such as hollow brick. High strength mainly refers to the strength of the material is not less than 60MPa. The application of high strength material in the bearing structure can reduce the section area of the material and improve the stability and flexibility of the building.

Reference List:

Peris Mora, E. (2007). Life cycle, sustainability and the transcendent quality of building materials. Building and Environment, 42(3), pp.1329-1334.

Yu, S. (2013). Development status and application of new building materials. [online] Wenku.baidu.com. Available at:http://wenku.baidu.com/view/acdf8fda102de2bd97058824.html?from=search [Accessed 10 Apr. 2016].