Functional Requirements in Construction: A Guide to Building Components

There are several specific standards that must be incorporated into every construction project. Explore some basic functional requirements you should follow when building a structure.

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Fire Resistance

The walls ought to provide adequate fire resistance as vertical barriers that impede the horizontal spread of fire. Therefore, they should be constructed using a material that does not catch fire and does not permit the fire to spread through them to any extent.

Privacy and Security

Aside from providing adequate privacy and protection against intruders, the walls, especially those that are external, should also assure security. When designing and building walls, it is essential to strike a balance between two key considerations: the first is strength, and the second is protection against factors such as heat, fire, and weather. In today's world, the construction of building walls typically involves using hollow concrete blocks or perforated bricks because these materials fulfill most of the requirements.

Strength and Stability

Weight, superimposed loads, and lateral pressures, including wind, should not exceed a wall's safe capacity to support. Additionally, it should be stable against overturning induced by lateral forces due to wind load and buckling caused by excessive slenderness.

Durability

Throughout a project, a foundation must continue to serve its intended purpose. Considering that it is buried underground, it is necessary to simultaneously address serious problems such as chemical, physical, and biological processes. The use of chemically resistant concrete, the implementation of a thicker layer of concrete to protect steel reinforcement, and the utilization of insulating elements that will allow the weathering processes to proceed more slowly are all approaches that can be utilized to make the foundation more lasting.

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Tilt

When heave or settlement does not occur uniformly on the foundation of a structure, this might result in the structure tilting. It must reportedly be restricted since it can cause substantial harm to the structure of a building. When it comes to high buildings, the tilt cannot be more than 0.12 degrees from the horizontal level.

Light and Ventilation

The arrangement and dimensions of windows and entrances in every part of the structure should ensure adequate daytime illumination is not obstructed by glare from the appropriate angle. It is essential that each room in the structure receives an adequate amount of daylight to produce an atmosphere that is both pleasant to work in and pleasant to live in. Along with the insulation of the building, the design must take into consideration the lighting requirements.

Moisture or Damp Prevention

Preserving the structural integrity by minimizing moisture ingress is an essential prerequisite for all buildings. In any building, the presence of moisture causes the strength of the materials to decrease, leading to a decline in the structure's endurance and the likelihood that it will fail. Damp-proof courses are installed at several different levels of a building to prevent the introduction of moisture into the structure. Additionally, water infiltration from a structure's cellar, walls, and floors is averted by installing damp-proof courses.

Sound Insulation

Sound insulation is a material that lowers the amount of noise transmitted through it. Accordingly, buildings need to address sound insulation for a number of reasons, such as a growth in population, a shift in the community's routines, an increase in noise pollution, improvements in building construction techniques, and so on. Typically, solid substances are employed in the fabrication of sound-insulating materials.

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