Build a Smart Home

Functional Requirements of Building Walls

Walls serve the vital purpose of keeping a building up and giving it protection against external weather conditions. At the same time, they also divide spaces within the building. They have multiple purposes and correspondingly varied functional requirements. The most important are:

  • Strength 
  • Stability
  • Durability
  • Weather resistance
  • Fire resistance 
  • Heat insulation
  • Sound insulation 
  • Privacy and security

 

Let us look at each requirement in greater detail. 

where to buy gabapentin online Strength Requirements

Strength requirements test a material’s compressive and tensile sturdiness. Checking the ultimate material strengths at failure and applying the strength reduction factor allows builders to derive the allowable material density, which determines its ability to perform under stress. The strength of the wall is determined by its ability to safely manage loads caused by the building’s weight, superimposed loads and lateral pressures like the wind.

buy Pregabalin in mexico Stability Requirements

http://hkbookkeeping.com/tally-training (Source: http://hiperduct.ac.uk/cheap-papers-ghostwriting-website-nyc The Constructor )

Foundation, lateral loads such as wind and earthquake loads, temperature effects, load eccentricity, and changes in moisture, are a few factors that determine the stability of a wall. Eccentric loads that do not act on the centre of the thickness of the wall tend to deform and overturn walls. Protecting the wall against such loads like wind requires stiffening up the height of the wall and using intersections to prevent deformations. Thus, stability involves resistance against lateral forces, causing overturning and excessive slenderness, causing buckling.

Durability Requirements 

Wall durability is determined by the frequency and amount of work required to make the wall functionally and aesthetically pleasing. While the latter is hard to determine with newer materials like plastic and glass, a wall built from good burned bricks or high-quality mortar will always stand the test of time and weather conditions. 

Weather Resistance 

Foundation walls have a horizontal damp-proof membrane 150mm above ground level. This prevents both groundwater and rainwater from seeping into the walls. Depending on the building’s location, using greater thickness or protecting the wall with an outer cladding or plastering is necessary. Glass sheets may also be utilised as curtain walls. 

Fire Resistance 

Walls are vertical barriers against the horizontal spread of fire. They cannot be inflammable. Building regulations state that walls should be strong enough to weather the collapse of the building around them for a specific amount of time to help people escape during a fire breakage. This is also achieved by controlling the flammability of materials covering the wall. 

Heat Insulation

(Source: )

Maintaining comfortable thermal conditions by controlling the heat passing through the building is necessary. Dense, highly conductive materials trap heat, creating a better opportunity for thermal storage. Depending on the thermal containment level required, low or high-density materials are used along with air cavities and double-glazed windows that create air seals, trapping heat better. 

Sound Insulation

Cavity wall construction ensures that the building is insulated against indoor and outdoor sounds. If impact sounds are the dominant kinds, high-density walls are not as effective. Additional padding is required according to the building’s location and foundation. 

Privacy and Security

Maintaining strength and weather resistance are the two primary ways of providing protection. However, security against burglary and other break-ins is also necessary for a secure building. Combined with sound insulation, privacy is also ensured. E.g. having solid instead of glass walls contributes to privacy and, based on client needs, this should be taken into account.

Porotherm clay bricks by Wienerberger bring you durable, reliable and stable walls that weather all external conditions (pun intended)! We give you complete control over thermal regulation while ensuring that you get all the privacy you deserve with expert sound insulation in truly secure buildings!