DRAWINGS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

Location Drawings 

Site Plans - used to locate site, buildings, define site levels, indicate services to buildings, identify parts of site such as roads, footpaths and boundaries and to give setting out dimensions for the site and buildings as a whole. Suitable scale not less than 1 : 2500

Floor Plans - used to identify and set out parts of the building such as rooms, corridors, doors, windows, etc., Suitable scale not less than 1 : 100

Elevations - used to show external appearance of all faces and to identify doors and windows. Suitable scale not less than 1 : 100

Sections - used to provide vertical views through the building to show method of construction. Suitable scale not less than 1 : 50

Component Drawings 

Used to identify and supply data for components to be supplied by a manufacturer or for components not completely covered by assembly drawings. Suitable scale range 1 : 100 to 1 : 1

Assembly Drawings

used to show how items fit together or are assembled to form elements. Suitable scale range 1 : 20 to 1 : 5 All drawings should be fully annotated, fully dimensioned and cross referenced.

Ref. BS EN ISO 7519: Technical drawings. Construction drawings. General principles of presentation for general arrangement and assembly drawings.

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES - THE DOCUMENTATION

ARCHITECTS DRAWINGS
ENGINEERS DRAWINGS
SCHEDULES
SPECIFICATION
BILL OF QUANTITIES OR CONTRACT BILLS
CONTRACT DOCUMENT

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES - THE SITE

A Building or Construction Site can be considered as a temporary factory employing the necessary resources to successfully fulfil a contract.

BUILDING - INTERNAL SEPARATION AND COMPARTMENTATION

Dwelling houses

Flats

Note: Floors within a maisonette are not required to be "compartment". For non-residential buildings, compartment size is limited by floor area depending on the building function (purpose group) and height. Compartment ~ a building or part of a building with walls and floors constructed to contain fire and to prevent it spreading to another part of the same building or to an adjoining building.

Separating floor/wall ~ element of sound resisting construction between individual living units.

BUILDING - EXTERNAL ENVELOPE - FUNCTIONS

External Envelope ~ consists of the materials and components which form the external shell or enclosure of a building. These may be load bearing or non-load bearing according to the structural form of the building.

STRUCTURE - COMPONENT PARTS AND FUNCTIONS

Domestic Structures

Framed Structures

SUPERSTRUCTURE AND PRIMARY ELEMENTS

Superstructure - can be defined as all structure above substructure both internally and externally.

Primary Elements - basically components of the building carcass above the substructure excluding secondary elements, finishes, services and fittings.

Secondary Elements - completion of the structure including completion around and within openings in primary elements.

Finish - the final surface which can be self finished as with a trowelled concrete surface or an applied finish such as floor tiles.

SUBSTRUCTURE - TYPICAL EXAMPLES

Substructure - can be defined as all structure below the superstructure which in general terms is considered to include all structure below ground level but including the ground floor bed.

THE STRUCTURE - BASIC FORMS

SOLID CONSTRUCTION
FRAMED OR SKELETAL CONSTRUCTION
PANEL OR BOX CONSTRUCTION
FOLDED PLATE CONSTRUCTION

Shell Roofs - these are formed by a structural curved skin covering a given plan shape and area.

EXAMPLES

DOME OR ROTATIONAL SHELL
PENDENTIVE DOME
TRANSLATIONAL DOME
BARREL VAULT
CONOID SHELLS
HYPERBOLIC PARABOLOID
SPACE DECK
SPACE FRAME
TENSION CABLE STRUCTURE
TENSION MEMBRANE STRUCTURE

THE STRUCTURE - BASIC TYPES

SIMPLE SUPPORTED BEAM
BUILT-IN BEAM
CANTILEVER BEAM
PROPPED CANTILEVER
STRUT
VERTICAL STRUT
TIE
ARCHES
POST AND LINTEL

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Environment = surroundings which can be natural, man-made or a combination of these.

Built Environment = created by man with or without the aid of thenatural environment.

Environmental Considerations

1. Planning requirements.
2. Building Regulations.
3. Land restrictions by vendor or lessor.
4. Availability of services.
5. Local amenities including transport.
6. Subsoil conditions.
7. Levels and topography of land.
8. Adjoining buildings or land.
9. Use of building.
10. Daylight and view aspects.

Physical considerations

1. Natural contours of land.
2. Natural vegetation and trees.
3. Size of land and/or proposed building.
4. Shape of land and/or proposed building.
5. Approach and access roads and footpaths.
6. Services available.
7. Natural waterways, lakes and ponds.
8. Restrictions such as rights of way; tree preservation and+ancient buildings.
9. Climatic conditions created by surrounding properties, land or activities.
10. Proposed future developments.