*Architectural material – Wood

Student will learn what types of wood there are, their application in construction, mistakes that occur with wood, modern wood materials, and types of wood protection.

Motivation phase
Student look at the image

Students look at the image and learn about different uses of wood in construction
Photos from:
https://mojtv.net/film/29119/potopljena-istorija--sojenice-u-evropi.aspx
Датотека:Biella-Trecciolino - legna.jpg — Википедија (wikipedia.org)
https://ero.rs/servisi/kata-coming/

Information phase
Student read the text

Student read the text and get the basic info about how wood used in construction

Wood is one of the oldest building materials, which, along with stone, was the basic building material for many years. Today, it is widely used because wood materials have good mechanical properties, they are light, good sound and thermal insulators, they are suitable for processing and connecting, and they are resistant to various aggressive chemical agents and the effects of frost. If it is well structurally and chemically protected, wood can last several hundred years. The method of stacking and the construction provide stability in case of the strongest earthquakes or movements of the ground. Disadvantages are hygroscopicity, shrinkage and swelling, anisotropy, susceptibility to rotting, and flammability. Wood is a very good building material, and the main reason that synthetic materials are replacing it in construction is its ever-increasing price, as well as the need to preserve forests.

As an auxiliary material in construction, it is used for making scaffolding, formwork, and others.

Wood is the only biodegradable and renewable building material and as such is very suitable for sustainable construction. Wood is a heterogeneous and anisotropic material, which means that its physical and mechanical properties are not the same in different directions.

Information phase
Student look at the presentation

Student look at the presentation and get the basic info about various types of trees that are used in construction

Information phase
Student read the text

Student read the text and get the basic info about various types of trees that are used in construction

TYPES OF WOOD

BEECH

The height of the tree reaches up to 40 m, diameter 0.5 m. It is whitish in cross-section, and when it dries, it turns light yellow or pale brown. It belongs to large hardwood, has a large volume mass, and is easily split and processed in all directions. Standing in the water. It is used for the production of parquet and stairs. In carpentry, steamed beech is used to make furniture.

OAK

It is characterized by great strength and hardness, it can grow up to 50 m in height and up to 1 m in diameter. The color of the oak is yellowish, over time it becomes closed red or brown. It is characterized by high resistance to pressure in all directions, is resistant to air, stable in clean water. It is widely used in hydraulic engineering and for making railway sleepers.

ASH TREE

Long-grained wood, hard, very tough, and difficult to split, shrinks very little and functions well. It is unstable in a moist environment. It can grow up to 35 m, and the thickness gradually decreases.

THE ELM FOREST

It has a trunk up to 30 m and belongs to the group of tough trees, the sapwood is whitish-yellow in color, while the core is reddish or dark in color. It has good mechanical properties, it is well-processed and polished.

POPLAR

It is a light wood with a white color. It is used for the production of beds, boards, and similar elements.

SPRUCE

It grows in areas above 1000 m above sea level, the tree reaches a height of up to 50 m. The stem is composed of long fibers, elastic, strong, and long-lasting. It is not used in constructions exposed to moisture. It is used for making roof and mezzanine structures and for carpentry.

PINE TREE

The tree is very straight, up to 40m high. The color is pale yellowish or reddish. It has many resin channels which adds to the durability. White pine is highly valued as a construction wood: it is used for exterior carpentry and for wooden structures.

LARCH

It belongs to the group of softwood, heavier. The pulp is yellowish-white, and the core is darker. The wood is elastic and durable, more valuable than pine. It is used for all types of work (making tall columns, main bridge supports, mezzanine structure supports), for making construction carpentry, veneers, and furniture.

SILVER FIR

It is similar to spruce wood but lasts less due to less resin. Yellowish-white wood, very soft but elastic, with a pronounced texture. It is of medium workability, used for the production of construction carpentry, and wall and floor coverings.

Information phase
Watch the video

Student watch the video and get the overall understanding of processing wood as construction material

Consolidation phase
Student do the quizz

Student do the quiz and check their learning achievements

Resource information

Level: Level 3
Subject: Construction
Language: English
Estimated time to complete: 15+ minutes