Use of Aluminium In Building Construction

Published on 05 Jul 2021. Written by Vinay Raj

The Aluminium element was discovered 200 years ago. After the technological development, Aluminium alloy is being used in structural applications even in the civil engineering field. It is the 2^nd highly used metal after steel, and it is been used in all sectors from commercial building to a domestic dwelling. In the UK about 40% of Aluminium is used only in the construction industry which will be equal to 150000 tonnes of Aluminium per year.

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The main sectors of the market for Aluminium are roofing, curtain walling, structural glazing, architectural hardware, roofing, prefabricated buildings, Heating & Ventilation, partitions, and shopfitting. Aluminium is also used in ladders and scaffolding. The pure Aluminium has very less strength. For manufacturing different components, it is alloyed with other metals and materials to increase its strength. The wrought Aluminium which is a heavily alloyed still has about 92% of Aluminium content in it.

The applications of the Aluminium range from facades, roof, and walls too. World-class constructors are also planning to use Aluminium in modern doors, balconies, windows, and facades too because Aluminium can be used easily and suitable for surface treatment, and soundproofing, air conditioning, and solar heating.

One of Aluminium’s primary attracting property for its recommendations is its strength to weight ratio. At 2.7g/cm, Aluminium is 66% lighter than steel. It is also far less susceptible to brittle fractures. When Aluminium is compared with steel, it has greater young’s modulus which means the weight ratios of 1:2 can be attained easily.

Requirements:

Use of Aluminium in construction.

Finding modulus of elasticity of Aluminium and Iron (Need Universal Testing Machine)

Project Implementation:

1. Know the properties of Steel and Aluminium
2. Compare the difference in properties.
3. Test the parameters of Aluminium and Steel.

Advantages:

• Aluminium is among one of the lightest materials present in the market.
• The density of aluminium is nearly 1/3^rd of steel or copper.
• Aluminium is a corrosion-resistant metal. A thin layer of aluminium oxide is formed on the surface of the metal when it is exposed to air. This makes Aluminium anti-corrosive.
• Aluminium increases the tensile strength and has good toughness property when subjected to low temperatures, where steel becomes brittle at low temperatures.
• Aluminium can be easily fabricated into different forms such as sheets, rod tube, wire, etc…

Disadvantages:

• Aluminium is a good thermal conductor so it cannot be used for thermal insulation.
• Poor waterproofing due to the inadequately designed/executed joints between the aluminium sheet roof.

Conclusion:

No construction material is perfect. For example, timber can be affected by moisture, it requires maintenance and it cannot be molded to required shapes. Whereas steel has poor strength to weight ratio and rusts when it is not treated.

Kit required to develop Use of Aluminium In Building Construction:

• Universal Testing Machine

Technologies you will learn by working on Use of Aluminium In Building Construction:

• Construction Management

Any Questions?