Introduction to Construction

1. Objectives
Students are expected to be able to generally describe about basic construction
activities in civil engineering.
2. Overview
Construction is an important industry for the development of any nation through
which buildings and facilities for the benefit of everyone are produced by design and
construction professionals and workers.
Construction dates back thousands of years ago. There are many historical buildings
and structures that can still be seen today, for example the pyramids (Figure 1) and
buildings in ancient Greece (Figure 2). These civil engineering structures were
constructed at a time when there were no construction equipment and machine that
are necessary in todays construction.

Figure 1: Pyramid of Giza at Egypt Figure 2: Greece ancient building
Sources: http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1950812_2018361,00.html
and http://www.visit-ancient-greece.com/propylaia.html
3. Construction in Civil Engineering
Activities in Civil Engineering construction are those pertaining to the making or
building facilities and the built environment for example houses, high rise buildings,
roads, canals, bridges, airports, etc. that we need and use to live (refer to Figures 3 to
14).
4. Construction activities
There are various and numerous construction activities in Civil Engineering: clearing,
leveling and grading the construction site; fabricating and erecting formwork; cutting,
Mohd Sufian Abdul Karim Introduction to Construction Lecture Notes
CEPB 323 Project Management & Construction Page 2 of 6

bending and fixing reinforcing steel bars; placing, compacting and curing fresh
concrete; etc.

Figure 3: Burj Dubai Figure 4: A highway
Source: http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1950812_2018370,00.html and
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CTjVCtB4mjo/TrPW6mKVEPI/AAAAAAAAAhg/sF-
0c_PvqQk/s1600/Highway.jpg

Figure 5: Highway interchange Figure 6: Bridges and tunnels
Sources: http://library.acaa-usa.org/Manage/ShowImage.Asp?N=20&I=P_IMAGE and
http://www.cepolina.com/photo/transport/road/bridges/5/bridge-highway-traffic-
tunnel.jpg

Figure 7: Airport Figure 8: Runaways
Sources: http://www.airport-technology.com/projects/dubai/images/1_option1persair.jpg and
http://www.missouriinjuryattorneysblog.com/121912%20airport%20runway.jpg
Mohd Sufian Abdul Karim Introduction to Construction Lecture Notes
CEPB 323 Project Management & Construction Page 3 of 6


Figure 9: Railroads Figure 10: Harbors
Sources:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/41/Twin_track_of_train_rails_in_a_wooded_area.J
PG and http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Harbour_ferry_jersey.JPG

Figure 11: Pipelines Figure 12: Canals
Sources:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Bonnington_Hydroelectric_power_statio
n_pipes.JPG and http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/huge/40.jpg

Figure 13: Dams and reservoirs Figure 14: Slope protection works
Sources: http://serc.carleton.edu/images/eslabs/drought/hoover_dam.jpg and
http://www.terraerosion.com/projects/work/slope-stabilization/project5-moyiebluff2/big_j.jpg
Mohd Sufian Abdul Karim Introduction to Construction Lecture Notes
CEPB 323 Project Management & Construction Page 4 of 6

a) Construction site clearing, leveling, grading and setting-out
The construction site must first be cleared from unwanted trees, vegetation and
other materials. Usually heavy earthwork machineries such as dozers and
excavators are used for this activity. The site is then leveled and graded to the
required level before any building foundation and structures are constructed on
them. Grading may be achieved by either cutting or backfilling the ground.
Control and reference points are set-out and located on the ground for the layout
and positioning of the buildings and facilities to be constructed.
b) Formwork fabrication, erection and removal
Formwork is temporary structures that are used to form the concrete
components of buildings and structures. Formwork that is made of timber are
fabricated and erected according to the required configuration by skilled
carpenters. Formwork can also be made of metal that can be reused many times
more than timber formwork.
Formwork is designed to be able to support the pressure due to the weight of
concrete, any embedded items and reinforcing steel bars. The formwork is
treated with formwork oil that will prevent any concrete from sticking to the
formwork surface that may result in unsatisfactory finished surface of the
concrete.
The formwork is removed once the reinforced concrete member has achieved the
required strength to support the design construction load as indicated by the
concrete compressive tests of the sample cubes or cylinders.
The exact positioning of the formwork according to the configuration of the
building and structure is set at site by qualified surveyors (and civil engineers may
also do the job).
c) Cutting, bending and fixing reinforcing steel bars
Reinforcing steel bars (or in short re-bars) are the structural element that basically
strengthens the reinforced concrete structural member against tensile stress and
to control cracking. Bar benders cut and bend re-bars according to the dimension
and shape shown in the Construction Drawings (also known as Shop Drawings)
that are produced by the Contractor. Consequently Bar Fixers would fix the re-
bars inside the formwork for slabs and beams. However for walls and columns
usually re-bars are fixed first and subsequently the formwork is erected to form
the walls and columns.
Mohd Sufian Abdul Karim Introduction to Construction Lecture Notes
CEPB 323 Project Management & Construction Page 5 of 6

d) Placing, compacting and curing fresh concrete
Site engineers and site inspectors are responsible to check and approve the re-
bar, formwork, cleanliness of the place to do concreting, etc. and subsequently
fresh concrete is placed into the formwork. Proper concrete placing, compaction
and curing methods are employed by contractors concreting workers and are
supervised by the site managers and site supervisors for the Contractor and,
inspected and approved by the site inspectors and site engineers for the
Consultants.
5. Group assignment
Every member of the group must view and study the videos below and conduct a
group discussion to further understand about it.
1) Introduction to construction site clearing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm5kD4zFFPo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URtmhEu6lgM
2) Introduction to construction site excavation work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOlPeE_ab_g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxHkPMlr1lg
3) Introduction to construction site grading:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvNW9ZstBqg
4) Introduction to construction site leveling:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=488mBscXv8A&list=PLBEAB8DA29D68
0ACD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stSgXc9eAek&list=PLBEAB8DA29D680
ACD
5) Introduction to construction site preparation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCmu9wQwbx4
6) Introduction to types of building foundation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMIl3krK-GI
7) Introduction to reinforcing steel bars:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNhTkoDGhc
8) Introduction to cutting and bending of reinforcing steel bars:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogdx8Z9EwQ8
9) Introduction to laying out reinforcing steel bars:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCUhZkFuIlM
10) Introduction to fixing reinforcing steel bars:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1URlqUKptM
Mohd Sufian Abdul Karim Introduction to Construction Lecture Notes
CEPB 323 Project Management & Construction Page 6 of 6

11) Introduction to tying reinforcing steel bars:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLoJLm8rqHw
12) Introduction to construction of building foundation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t7We2Cfdws
13) Introduction to construction of slab of a building:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l5UXNjp_dA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70zt3-2GWoA
14) Introduction to concrete compaction:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYS99cPi96E
15) Introduction to concrete finishes work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivLMoVYubJc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-9thAi0NQQ
16) Introduction to scaffolding:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh1Z-i14-h0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCyk_-IrF4k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veF4uSUtrEY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOh_PasM77E
17) Introduction to multistory building construction:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc4_5M1rhFg
18) More online resources about construction at
http://learningconstruction.com/

Latest update: 18
th
June 2013