Arch Materials

Table of Contents

Stone 

• Advantages 

  • Stone is durable, strong and weather resistant. 

  • Minimal maintenance required after installment. 

  • Non-combustible material. 

  • High load carrying ability and recommended for buildings with high foot traffic. 

  • Low environmental impact. 

• Disadvantages

  • Heavy material. 

  • Low tensile strength and seismic resistance [1]. 

  • Time consuming construction method that requires skilled labour. 

Concrete

• Advantages 

  • High load carrying ability. 

  • Minimal maintenance required after installment.

  • Non-combustible material. 

  • Concrete is an economical material. The production cost of concrete is low. 

  • The energy required for concrete production is low when compared to materials such as steel. 

  • Concrete can withstand water without serious deterioration. This makes concrete an effective option when encountering a stream or lake. 

• Disadvantages

  • Heavy material. 

  • Long curing time.

  • Relatively low tensile strength.

  • Less ductile.

Steel 

• Advantages 

  • High load carrying ability using minimal material.

  • Steel structures can withstand external pressures from earthquakes.

  • Light weight nature.

  • Scrap value.

  • Water-tight and air tight construction.

• Disadvantages

  • Alloy of iron which makes it susceptible to corrosion [2].

  • High maintenance costs (fireproofing, corrosion control). 

  • Reduced flexibility on site. It's difficult to make field corrections on site. 

  • Buckling. 

References 

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