29 Best Books on Building Materials

“Building Construction” Book review: The book covers numerous topics related to construction of buildings along with the Earthquake Resistant ones. It rolls over all the various methods of Building Construction including sound construction, use of appropriate material according to the need, judging the stability and performance. It starts with the basic introduction, types of buildings, components of a building then explains the details of foundation ,masonry,floor and partitioning in further chapters including the ongoing construction practices in India with the latest norms and standards.There are well labelled diagrams and figures for better understanding of the students and practice exercises at the back of each chapter. The book is designed for all undergraduate Civil Engineering, Architecture and diploma students.

“Building Materials” Book Review: The book is helpful for all the undergraduate students of civil engineering and for diploma courses on concrete technology. The book thoroughly explains the use of different building materials, their mechanical and physical properties,influence of other factors on the properties of these materials, their prevention and remedies. It covers all the new age building materials starting from rocks and stones, wood products, concrete usage, ferrous and non-ferrous metals to miscellaneous materials like gypsum, polymers, ceramic material and paints. There are various exercises, short answers and objective questions for the best practice of the students.

“Building Construction” Book Review: The book is designed for all undergraduate students of civil engineering, for those pursuing diploma courses and for all those working professionals who wish to enhance their knowledge in the field. The book covers all the aspects related to Building Materials and the current practices going in the construction industry. It starts from the very basics components of building, the ways to control the cost and site preparation then moves to specific topics of foundation,masonry, waterproofing, the RCC and the plasters, acoustics and maintenance of buildings. In addition, there are new topics added like subjects of bringing water supply and sewage disposal in the buildings which are far away from the main city. There are some review questions at the back for better understanding.

“Building and Construction Materials:Testing and Quality Control (Lab Manual Series)” Book Review: This lab manual on “Building and Construction Materials” primarily focuses on developing the reader’s ability to conduct various tests on building and construction materials used. It starts from the basic concepts of quality control,cement, building limes, aggregates and then discusses topics like concrete mix design, pavement materials, bricks and tiles, Infrastructural Materials Metals and Investigative tests. There are various tests provided in the manual which will be helpful in guiding the undergraduate civil engineering students, students doing diploma courses in Architecture as well as the working professionals for their daily reference.

“Building Materials and Construction” Book Review: This book is meant for students, teachers of civil engineering and architects. The book covers all the details on various materials required for building construction including the methodology used. It covers both construction practices and building materials (traditional and modern) in one book. Starting from initial planning to selection of the appropriate construction material, construction practices, and even the post-construction stage work it covers all in detail. Apart from the different traditional materials and their construction details, the book also contains many of the latest and advanced materials such as composites, geosynthetics, recycled aggregate, paper as building material, bacterial concrete, nano concrete, geopolymer concrete and various others. The book is useful for all students (undergraduate and postgraduate) of civil engineering and architecture. There are various figures, tables, review questions and multiple choice questions for better understanding of the topic.

“Building Construction 2e:Principles, Materials and Systems” Book Review: The book is basically divided into two parts,i.e. Principles of Construction are covered in the first part and Materials and Systems of Construction in the second. The first part includes an overview of building process, construction standards, loads on Building, properties of materials, principles of joints and sealants and sustainable construction. The second part covers soils and excavation process,concrete construction, masonry materials, Light-Gauge Steel Construction, materials for exterior wall cladding,wood construction, ceilings and floor coverings. There are numerous solved examples,margin notes,key terms, review questions,practice quizzes and suggestions for further reading which help the students overall.

“A Textbook of Building Construction” Book Review: The book is designed for all the undergraduate students of civil engineering. It gives a complete overview of the basic principles as well as ongoing design practices followed during the construction of buildings. The first chapter gives an introduction about classification of buildings, orientation and requirements of buildings and other aspects of building construction for basic understanding of the subject. Then the book covers specific topics like design loads, soils and their investigation, foundations, masonry, partition and cavity walls, damp prevention, wood-work joints,doors and windows, lifts and escalators, roofs, concrete construction, plastering, thermal insulation, acoustics sound insulation and noise control. Then at last it discusses protection techniques for fire control and earthquake protection of the building.

“Building Material and Construction” Book Review: This book is written for all the civil engineering undergraduates and diploma students.The topics covered in the book include building components and type of Structures, stones as masonry material, Mortars, timber based materials and other materials. Furthermore it covers the earth work for foundation, various types of masonry like stone masonry and brick masonry, windows for ventilation, scaffolding and shoring, making of the floors and roofs, waterproofing of the roofs and walls, termite resistance, wall finishing techniques and maintenance of the building. For the better understanding of the topics there are various figures and tables mentioned. At the end of each unit there are a large number of question sets given for giving the students ample practice.

“Materials for Architects and Builders” Book Review: This book is designed for undergraduate students studying building/construction materials modules. The book gives an introduction to the various materials that are being used for the construction industry. It also includes information regarding their manufacturing, key physical properties, specification and uses. This book is updated with the latest developments in materials. It is also updated with appropriate technologies and relevant legislation. The book gives an emphasis on the concern of the ecological effects brought about by the building construction and lifetime use. Regarding this concern, the book includes chapters on sustainability and governmental carbon targets. The book also integrates the changes from British to European building standards. The book is adorned with colourful photographs, diagram to make the students familiar with the subject.

“Construction Program Management (Best Practices and Advances in Program Management)” Book Review: This book is designed for the students, practitioners and stakeholders. It discusses the modern management techniques. It also explains the difference between leadership and management skills. Chapters cover the basic definitions of project management and program management. It also provides the applications, advantages and disadvantages of program management.

“Advances in Cement Technology: Chemistry, Manufacture and Testing” Book Review: This book is designed for the students of material science, chemists and researchers. It focuses on the useful aspects of science and technology of cement. The topics which are covered in this book are thermoanalytical techniques, and x-rays. It also explains the mathematical modelling, geology of limestone, raw materials and concrete.

“Advances in Construction Materials 2007” Book Review: This book is designed for the students of civil engineering, researchers and scientists. The topics fibre composite, strengthening methods and corrosion, durability and fire resistance. It also explains the properties, modeling and testing of fresh concrete. Mechanical and thermal properties of materials are also covered in this book. Applications of the non-destructive methods are also explained in this book.

“Advances in Modern Cement and Concrete (Construction Materials and Engineering)” Book Review: This book is designed for the students of civil engineering, researchers and scientists. It is divided into five chapters. The topics which are discussed are design and the concrete development, properties & testing of the concrete. It basically focuses on modern concrete technology. It also discusses the types of cement self-compacting/consolidating concrete, green concrete, and nano cement.

“Earth Construction Handbook: The Building Material Earth in Modern Architecture: 10 (Advances in Architecture)” Book Review: This book is designed for the students of architecture, researchers and scientists. It basically focuses on the physical and structural data of earth as building material. It explains all earth construction techniques. Along with the theoretical portion it also covers the practical applications of modern techniques.

“Advances in Construction Life Cycle Assessment Through Building Information Modelling” Book Review: This book is designed for the students of computer engineering, researchers and scientists. It covers the process of creating and managing digital information. The topics which are covered in this book are embodied impacts, measuring the embodied impacts and building level. It also provides the information of modelling life cycle. It consists of examples, exercises and projects which is beneficial for the readers.

“Advances in Construction ICT and e-Business” Book Review: This book is designed for the students and researchers. It discusses the applications of information and communication technology. It also discusses the BIM, virtual environments and mobile technologies. This book basically deals with the construction of ICT and e-business. It consists of examples, exercises and short questions at the end of the chapter.

“Ethnographic Research in the Construction Industry (Routledge Advances in Sociology)” Book Review: This book is designed for the sociologists, anthropologists, and researchers. It discusses the basic concepts of ethnographic research. The perspective of social science is also covered in this book. This book also helps in understanding the problems faced by the industries. Along with the theoretical portions it also covers the practical applications of ethnography.

“Civil Engineering Materials” Book Review: This book has been rewritten entirely in order to keep up with the modern and latest developments in the field of civil/construction engineering, both in approach and content. The book contains newer illustrations of properties, applications and analysis of important materials of construction/civil engineering in the form of diagrams to make the topic more understandable. Keeping in mind the latest syllabus of various universities in India, topics like physical and mechanical properties of the materials are included in this book and a detailed description is also provided by the author. A large number of solved numerical examples drawn from various university examinations have been given at the end of theoretical part of each chapter.

“Building Construction” Book Review: This book is meant for civil engineers, architects, builders, contractors etc. It explains the basic principles and current practice in the construction of buildings. It deals with methods of sound construction, materials, strength, stability and performance. The construction features and designs are thoroughly sketched neatly. This book talks about the construction practice in India. It describes the latest Indian standard recommendations.

“Building Materials” Book Review: This is a book for undergraduate and diploma students in civil engineering and architecture. It focuses on the uses of materials commonly used in India. It explains the basics and specifications of building materials. It describes the concrete design and repair chemicals. From traditional building materials to current modern materials has been covered in this book. It includes tables and diagrams of designs and models. Review questions are available at the end of each chapter. Anna university model questions are also available.

“Project Management: Techniques in Planning and Controlling Construction Projects” Book Review: It explains the planning, scheduling and control factors of a project. This book contains computer simulation and applications of project management. Planning methods, tools, procedures and cost budgeting are described. It also includes information management and an expert system. It also discusses the total quality management of projects.

“A Study on Risk Management in Execution of Construction Projects” Book Review: This book will be useful for project managers, site supervisors and professionals in the construction industry. It discusses the risk management associated with construction projects. Probability and likelihood of occurrence of risks are discussed and arranged as per their severity. It deals with various risks such as skilled labour risks, procurement risks, operation risks and many more. It also explains the contract management risks, risk impact matrix and overall risk assessment.

“Construction Project Scheduling and Control” Book Review: This book will be useful for students of construction engineering. It deals with scheduling and project control. It explains the concepts of CPM scheduling and precedence networks. Computer programs for construction are also included in this book. It contains solved examples and unsolved questions for students’ practice.

“Construction Project Manager’s Pocket Book” Book Review: This book will be a guide to project managers. It discusses the skills required by managers such as leadership, negotiation, team building and communication. It explains the pre-construction activities and design management and BIM. This book deals with environmental management systems, people skills and occupancy activities.

“Project Management for Facility Constructions: A Guide for Engineers and Architects” Book Review: This book is designed for undergraduate students of architecture, engineering and construction management. It explains the concepts, methods and techniques for project management. It is designed to improve management skills. It teaches how to apply the skills and methods in project management.