Sand as a building material is virtually any granular material. In soil mechanics, it is mineral-based material 0.074mm – 4.75mm in size. So, the soil mechanics definition is more precise than the building material definition.
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What building materials (e.g. marble) were used to make Amiens Cathedral?
The principal material used in its construction was stone. While documents agree that the stone was quarried locally I’ve never seen anything that was able to identify the type of stone. If you’re not familiar with stone construction it is very similar to brick masonry construction. The stone is shaped and put in place with …
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Why is the water flow more rapid out of a faucet on the first floor of a building than in an apartment on a higher floor?
Unless there is a water tank or booster pump you are going to loose about 0.4 psi per foot vertical. Given that most floors are about 10ft floor-to-floor that is 4 psi loss. So, if a first floor unit has 30 psi water pressure, the fourth floor unit has about 12 psi water pressure if …
Are architects interested in making floating buildings through levitation?
Yes, though it might depend on the definition you’re using for levitation. We float a structure on a liquid like a boat, but I don’t think this is what you mean. Or in a gas like a balloon, but again this requires huge gas bags for buoyancy which will quickly limit your weight. Magnets and …
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What are the primary causes for the wind on Earth?
Short answer; temperature. Air is largely affected by temperature, which causes hotter air to rise above colder air. The sun is always heating a portion of the Earth, but not others, creating a hot spot which change the air temperature. Next major item is humidity or moisture content. the more water vapor present the heavier …
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What is the best way to divert rain water or snow melt from running off the roof above a doorway?
First, let’s assume you can’t change your roof in any significant way. You are looking for an element called a rain diverter. Basically, this is an ‘L’ shaped piece of flashing attached under the trailer edge of your roof tiles/shakes/slats. In most cases it only needs to be 1.5″ to 2″ high to catch the …
What materials is a typical house constructed in your country?
In the US the overwhelming amount of houses are constructed of light frame timber (2×4 or 2×6) then surfaced with either a cementous product like stucco or wood siding of some form. Larger homes and multi-family buildings used to be constructed of brick but modern larger homes and multi-families tend towards wood framing. Multi-families become …
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If you stack two objects, one atop the other and drop them as a unit, do they hold that configuration for the duration of the fall or do they separate at an ever-increasing rate and distance during the fall?
In a vacuum they would stay together as long as there is no spin. In an atmosphere it would depend on the shape and placement of each object. A non-aerodynamic front object or overlapping second object would find the air pressure forcing the two apart.
For decorative rather than structural purposes, how well does concrete made with soil (fine sandy loam) instead of sand hold up over the years? What ratio of soil to gravel to cement should I use for best aging results?
Firstly, you don’t want organic material in your concrete. It will weaken and discolor your concrete. There are mixes that support organics, but they are expensive along with requiring special equipment and knowledge. That said, use about 60% gravel to 40% sand. This will get you close to a “well graded” mix. One part cement …
Why do volcanic hotspots form distinct volcanic islands rather than a somewhat continuous volcanic plateau of sorts?
The resulting formation tells you the frequency, rate, and material of the specific eruptions. Basically, both versions are possible, but the forementioned determines which you get.
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