Course Details

Building Materials

Academic Year 2026/27

BJA033-A course is part of 1 study plan

​ BPA-SIS Winter Semester 1st year

Credits

4 credits

Language of instruction

English

Semester

winter

Course Guarantor

doc. Ing. Jiří Bydžovský, CSc.

Institute

Institute of Technology of Building Materials and Components

Forms and criteria of assessment

course-unit credit and examination

Aims

Professional knowledge
  • can describe the basic physical and mechanical properties of basic types of building materials,
  • remembers the basic physical and mechanical properties, specifics, advantages and disadvantages of individual materials,
  • remembers the basic principles of the technology of production, processing and finalization of materials and products,
  • can give examples of the use of selected materials in practice,
  • can reproduce basic technical data and principles of determining the properties of materials,
  • knows the basic principles of work in a laboratory environment,
Professional skills
  • can work with basic measuring instruments for determining dimensions, volume and weight in a laboratory environment,
  • can process measured data in the form of a measurement report,
  • can assess the compliance of the determined results with normative regulations or technical sheets,
  • can determine the basic physical and mechanical properties of building materials by calculation based on the specified inputs,
  • can use theoretical and practical knowledge at a basic level for real application in construction (assessment of the compatibility of building materials when combining them, suitability for use in a given environment, calculation of self-weight, volume, transportation of materials, load-bearing capacity, etc.),
Competencies
  • ability to work and communicate in a team,
  • ability to interpret opinions clearly,
  • ability to formulate conclusions from partial activities,
  • expand theoretical knowledge through self-study.

Basic Literature

EVERETT, A.; BARRITT, C. M. H. Mitchells Materials. Taylor&Francis Group, 5th edition, e-book 2013. pp. 272. ISBN: 9780582219236 (https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781315843902/materials-alan-everett-barritt) – acces trough library and Information Centre (LIC) (en)
Lecture presentations, lab materials, and topic-focused quizzes shared with students registered for the course. (en)

Offered to foreign students

To offer to students of all faculties

Course on BUT site

https://www.vut.cz/en/students/courses/detail/299086

Lecture

13 weeks, 2 hours/week, compulsory

Syllabus

  1. Introduction, generalrequirementsforbuildingmaterials.
  2. Inorganicbinders.
  3. Building stone and stone products.
  4. Aggregatesforconstructionpurposes.
  5. Mortarsformasonry, plastering, floorscreeds and others.
  6. Concrete I – freshconcrete – composition, properties, production, concretespecifications.
  7. Concrete II – hardenedconcrete – types, properties, concreteproducts, specialtypesofconcrete.
  8. Lightweightbuildingmaterials.
  9. Ceramics, ceramicproducts.
  10. Wood, woodproducts and wood-basedmaterials.
  11. Ferrous and non-ferrousmetals in construction, structuralsteel.
  12. Polymers, fiber-reinforcedcomposites.
  13. Insulationmaterials and products.

Exercise

13 weeks, 2 hours/week, compulsory

Syllabus

  1. Introduction, proper laboratorypractice, familiarizationwithinstruments and equipment and theirsafe and correctoperation.
  2. Determinationofbinderproperties.
  3. Determinationofbuilding stone and aggregateproperties.
  4. Concretetechnology - concrete mix design, freshconcrete testing, productionof test specimens.
  5. Mortars - design, freshmortar testing, productionof test specimens.
  6. Determinationofceramicmaterialproperties.
  7. Determinationof metal properties.
  8. Determinationofhardenedmortar and concreteproperties on specimensfromprevioustasks.
  9. Determinationofplastic and insulationproperties.
  10. Determinationofwoodproperties.
  11. Determinationofselectedmaterialproperties in relation to temperature, impact stress and mechanicaldamage.
  12. Calculationofexamplesforthe use ofknowledgeaboutthepropertiesofbuildingmaterials in practice.
  13. Summary, credit.

Self-study

26 weeks, 1 hours/week

Individual preparation for an ending of the course

26 weeks, 1 hours/week