CE 2155 – Structural Mechanics and Materials

Part I - Civil Engineering Materials

Prof. Zhang Min-Hong, Office E1-07-06, mhzhang@nus.edu.sg

Textbook chapters (In IVLE, Text and readings, library

E-reserve)
– The Science and Technology of Civil Engineering Materials (Chapter 11),
International Edition, by J. F. Young, S. Mindess, R. J. Gray, and A. Bentur,
published by Prentice Hall, 1998.
– Concrete (Chapter 10), 2nd edition, by S. Mindess, J. F. Young, & D.
Darwin, 2003.
– Materials for Civil and Construction Engineers (Chapter 3), by M. S.
Mamlouk and J. P. Zaniewski, published by Adison Wesley Longman, Inc.
1999.
 Class Schedule - Civil engineering materials
• Lectures on civil engineering materials
– Jan 15 – Feb 7 except for Jan 22 (beam design briefing)
– Feb 21 – March 7
• Tutorials & consultation (Dr Padmaja Krishnan and Dr Zhong Rui)
– 1st tutorial: Week 3
– 2nd tutorial: Week 5
– 3rd tutorial: Week 6
– 4th tutorial: Week 8

 Time and venue

 Tue 15:00-16:00, LT1
 Thur 12:00-13:00, LT1
 Lab Classes (concrete mix design and testing)
• EW1, Computer room and lab
– Weeks 5 and 6
• Mon (Feb 11, 2-5pm, Feb 18, 9-12nn)
• Wed (Feb 13, 9-12nn)
• Thur (Feb 14 & 21, 2-5pm)
– Each student is required to attend one 3-hr
session. Please log on to IVLE to enroll into
ONE group
– Teaching assistant: Ms Li Wei
ceeliw@nus.edu.sg
– Lab report
• Submission deadline: see lab manual
• Cabinet marked “CE 2155 Lab Report”
in EW1, outside the Hydraulic Lab
Historical stone structures

Parthenon
in Athens
 Concrete
• History and origins
– Greeks: Addition of
naturally occurring
materials from volcanic
origin to hydraulic
limes

– Romans adopted &

extended Greek
technology (e.g.
Parthenon in Rome)

Pantheon in Rome
 Concrete
• Constituents of concrete
– Coarse aggregate (stone)
– Fine aggregate (sand)
– Cement
– Water
– Mineral admixtures
– Chemical admixtures

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh8OMMTW-eo
Reinforced concrete structures Steel structures

Structural materials: Structural material:

concrete and steel steel
 Topics Covered
• Constituents of concrete
– Aggregates
– Cement & mineral admixtures
– Water & water reducing admixtures

• Fresh concrete
• Strength and deformation of concrete
• Durability of concrete

• Design of concrete mixtures to satisfy workability,

strength and durability requirements

• Properties and corrosion of steel

 Introduction to concrete
• Commonly used materials in construction
-60-90% materials used is concrete
-Other materials: steel, aluminum, bricks, etc.

(Mindess et al 2003)

• 95% of the concrete used is based on Portland cement

• Admixtures
–Chemical: water-reducing admixtures, ,
–Mineral: fly ash, blast furnace slag, silica fume
Advantages/disadvantages and typical properties of concrete
(Mindess et al 2003)