Develop your knowledge and understanding of the interaction and placement of structural and non-structural components of a residential building.

Assignment Portfolio - A Social housing Development.

Learning outcome 1: Develop your knowledge and understanding of the interaction and placement of structural and non-structural components of a residential building.

Learning outcome 2: Develop your subject specific skills that relate to the chemical and biological reactions that can adversely affect building materials and thermal efficiency.

Your Brief:

As a senior partner of an architectural and structural engineering consultancy, you have been approached by a prospective client with no prior knowledge of new-build construction namely; Senenmut Housing. Their intention is to purchase this brownfield` site to have 120 identical energy efficient units (houses) built for social housing use.

Archival records and a full site investigation report have concluded that a disused quarry was used during the Victorian period as a landfill site. Industrial units where constructed over it in the 1920`s but these were demolished in the late 1970`s, only their foundations and the concrete carpark remain.

The gently sloping site consists of cohesive soil around the perimeter of the site which is prone to flooding. There are also pockets of compressible land-fill materials of varying depths (maximum depth of 6.50 metres) encountered at intervals across the centre of the site.

Senenmut Housing has commissioned you to prepare a detailed report of the suggested substructure and superstructure. Additionally, you are to advise on alternatives to traditional brick and block wall construction methods, and, to establish the potential heat loss from each unit and the entire site.

Your report should consist of two sections:

Part A. Construction choices (approximately 1,750 words)

1).Based upon the site conditions above, identify three suitable foundation types utilised for low rise, masonry cavity wall construction; briefly explain the key factors that may influence their selection. Using a ruler and drawing pens, hand-draw these three foundation types and annotate to help you to describe their components. As a guide, each foundation drawing should fill one sheet of A4 paper, this will allow the drawings to be annotated with their component names and approximate (proportional) dimensions.

2).2a). To a suitable scale, each on one side of A4 (aim to fill the page), draw and annotate a cross Part through a traditional brick and block masonry cavity wall at window cill level. Additionally, draw and annotate a cross Part of a typical Eaves` and Ridge` detail including the location of any insulation.

2b). Draw a silent joist` and briefly explain how they are made and the rationale for their use. You may wish to test your C.A.D. skills although this is not compulsory.

3).3a). As an alternative to traditional construction, identify two prefabricated types of residential wall assembly made from sustainable materials. What would the technical and financial advantages be of using these methods assembly for the client?

3b).The assembly technique of pre-fabricated timber walls is derived from two walling systems; which do you recommend, and why?

4).Explain to your client the difference between erecting a Purlin` cut roof and Trussed` roof; justify which method you would use for this project.