Building Tech Assignment 1

Advantages and disadvantages of a concrete frame:

Advantages     | Disadvantages     |
The material is far more fire resistant than the majority of other materials e.g. timber and steel frames.     | It takes a long time to install, because of how the concrete needs to be poured, it becomes a time consuming activity.     |
It has a high compression strength meaning that you can be sure it will take the pressure of the remaining structure.     | It’s a dangerous material to use. The material is difficult to handle in a safe way due to the harmful properties concrete has.     |
The cost of maintenance is low given the long lasting nature of the material.     | The structure will be very heavy as concrete has a greater mass than other frame materials.     |
The material is very sturdy which means it stands up well against weather phenomena.       | The material is very sturdy which doesn’t allow any flexibility. This means you have a lot of work to do should you want/need to change the layout.     |
It can be cast to take the shape that you want which could potentially conserve time.     | It’s a challenge to ensure the concrete is spread evenly. If its uneven the building has a different strength in different areas.     |
Advantages and disadvantages of a steel frame:

Advantages     | Disadvantages     |
The material is fire resistant, not as fire resistant as concrete but is still fire resistant enough to not have to worry about it.     | Steel is a poor insulator so a lot of insulation is needed in order to keep enough heat within the building.     |
Steel frames have more flexibility than other materials such as timber and concrete.       | Steel has a tendency to rust/ corrode over time.     |
Steel is a cost effective material to use as there is no location waste and requires less employees to install     | Steel frames are quite suspect to buckling in comparison to concrete and timber frames.     |
Advantages and disadvantages of a...