The ramp is an inclined platform, which is used as a connector of the lower and upper level. It is another method of providing a platform of ascent and descent between the landings or floors of a building. The ramp has a sloping surface and can be used as an alternative to stairs.
The following are the significant characteristics and uses of a ramp:
1. The ramps are sloped usually at 1 in 10 to 1 in 15. This method of providing a means of ascent and descent needs a lot of space.
2. The ramp floor should not be too smooth, because it may be a cause for the slippage of users. The finishing of ramp floors is usually provided with non-slippery tiles.
3. The shape of the ramp does not need to be straight. It can be of any geometric shape.
4. The ramp should be provided with handrail on both sides.
5. Ramps are mainly constructed in government buildings(such as hospitals, government offices, school buildings, colleges, etc.) where people’s movement is huge. Successfully ramps have been provided almost in all the governmental buildings at Chandigarh.
Air conditioning is known as the process of creating, controlling and maintaining indoor atmospheric conditions best suited to human or industrial needs. Following are the 8 objectives of air-conditioning.
1. One of the main objectives of providing air conditioning is to control indoor temperature. Air conditioning systems help regulate and maintain a comfortable level of temperature for the occupants., especially during hot weather.
2. Air conditioning not only helps control temperature but also reduces excessive humidity levels and creates a more pleasant and healthy indoor environment.
3. To give pleasant conditions in restaurants, cinema halls, auditoriums, etc.
4. Keeping a comfortable environment through air conditioning can improve productivity, particularly in workplaces. It helps to enhance the efficiency of commercial establishments like offices, shops, stores and banks.
5. To provide comfortable conditions while travelling by car, aeroplane, train, etc.
6. To enhance product quality in manufacturing processes such as cotton cloth, artificial silk, etc.
7. Air conditioning can also enhance the ventilation process by ensuring proper air circulation. It also helps to remove dust, allergens, pollutants, and odours and improves the overall indoor air quality.
8. The air conditioning system helps in improving the comfort level of the residents. And this is the ultimate purpose of providing air conditioning.
There are various methods of damp proofing. Adoption of any specific method depends upon various factors such as
―nature of the surface, ―location of the structure, ―sub-soil water table, ―the amount of dampness to be handled, etc.
Following are the methods or measures adopted to prevent dampness:
1) Surface treatment. 2) Integral waterproofing. 3) Incorporation of a membrane between the source of dampness and the part of the building adjacent to it. 4) Construction of cavity wall. 5) Guniting.
The various causes responsible for the entry of dampness into a structure, following 8 causes of dampness are:
1. Rising of the groundwater table.
2. The entry of rainwater through the unprotected external walls, leakage in roof of a building.
3. Deposition of moisture on walls, floors, ceilings due to condensation of air.
4. The entry of rainwater through the exposed top of walls.
5. Inadequate drainage of rainwater from the roof due to its improper slope.
6. The inadequate drainage system of the surrounding areas where the building is situated.
7. Improper orientation of the building.
8. Bad workmanship at the time of construction such as defective rainwater pipe connections, defective joints in the roof, improper connection of walls, etc.
The door is a framework of timber, steel, glass or a combination of these materials. It serves as a connecting link between various parts of a building. It provides access to the users of the unit.
The window is a framework of timber, steel, glass or a combination of these materials. It provides light and ventilation inside the building.
Size of doors and window
The height of the door is approximately equal to the width of the door plus 1.2 m. In India, a door height of 2 m is considered most suitable. The minimum height of the door is 1.8 m.
The width of the door is approximately equal to 0.4 to 0.6 times of the height of thedoor. The width of the door generally varies from 0.8 m to 1.2 m. The maximum width of the door is generally 3 m.
The height of the window is generally kept at 1.1 m to 1.2 m. The width of the window is generally maintained at 0.9 m to 2 m.
Technical terms used in connection with doors and windows
The following 16 technical terms used are described below
1) Frame
A door frame consists of two vertical members called jambs and a horizontal member called head provided at the top. A window frame consists of two or more vertical members called jambs and two horizontal members provided at the top and bottom. The top horizontal member is called the head and the bottom horizontal member is called the sill.
2) Hold fast
It is generally made from mild steel. Hold fasts are provided on each side of the door and window frame. They keep the frame in position.
3) Horn
This is a horizontal projection of head or sill beyond the face of the frame. They keep the frame in position.
4) Rebate
The depression made inside the frame to receive the shutter is called Rebate.
5) Transom
It is the horizontal member used to divide a window frame.
6) Shutter
The entire assembly of styles, panels, and rails is known as shutter. Shutters are provided inside the door or window frame.
7) Style
Outside vertical members of a shutter are known as styles.
8) Top rail
The topmost horizontal member of the shutter is known as the top rail.
9) Bottom rail
The lowermost horizontal member of a shutter is known as the bottom rail.
10) Lock rail
This is the middle horizontal member of a shutter where a locking arrangement is provided.
11) Frieze rail
The rail which is provided between the top rail and lock rail is called the frieze rail.
12) Mullion or Munting
The vertical member running through a shutter and sub-dividing the shutter vertically is called mullion.
13) Panel
The area enclosed between the vertical styles and horizontal rails is known as panel.
14) Sash or glazing bar
It is a special type of frame made of light section and designed to carry glass fitted in a shutter.
15) Louver
It is an inclined piece of timber fixed within a frame. Louvers are provided in windows where vision is required to be prevented without affecting the ventilation system.
16) Putty
It is a mixture of white chalk and linseed oil. is used for fixing the glass panels.
Types of door
The common types of doors used in buildings are as follows:
1) Battened and ledged doors. 2) Battened, ledged and braced doors. 3) Battened, ledged and framed doors. 4) Battened, framed and braced doors. 5) Framed and panelled doors. 6) Glazed or sash doors. 7) Sliding doors. 8) Flush doors. 9) Collapsible doors. 10) Revolving doors. 11) Swing doors. 12) Rolling steel doors. 13) Louvered doors.
The common types of windows used in the building are as follows: 1) Casement or ordinary window. 2) Glazed or sash windows. 3) Louvered window. 4) Pivoted window. 5) Corner window. 6) Metal window. 7) Double-hung windows. 8) Gable windows. 9) Dormer window. 10) Bay window. 11) Clerestorey window. 12) Lanterns or lantern lights. 13) Sky light. 14) Sliding window. 15) Circular window.
Types Of Doors at Specific Locations And Their Uses
Following are the 11 types of doors and their uses.
Different Types Of Doors Used in Building And Their Uses
1) Battened and Ledged Doors
Battened and Ledged Door is the simplest type of door. These types of doors are mostly used where the strength of the door, as well as the appearance of the door, is not a vital factor. Economically it is very cheap as it requires fewer numbers of workers, and also there is no need to hire skilled workers. As the name suggests, it consists of wooden battens and ledges. Battens are the verticle boards or members, which are secured by horizontal members know as ledges.
Generally, there are three ledges, namely, lock ledges, middle ledges, and top ledges. Sometimes middle and bottom ledges are wider than top ledges. Battens are usually 10 cm to 15 cm wide and 20 mm to 30 mm thick. Ledges are usually 10cm to 20 cm wide and about 30 mm thick. Usually, the top ledge is kept 10 cm to 12 cm wide whereas the other two are made about 18 cm to 20 cm wide.
The length of the battens is cut as per the requirements of the door height. Door shutter is developed by joining series of battens by means of tongued and grooved joints and held together with the help of ledges. The shutter is hung either by iron T-hinges or cross garnets on the ledges.
2) Battened, Ledged and Braced Doors
This door is similar to the battened and ledged door except that additional diagonal members, called braces, are provided to increase its strength. Generally, the thickness of the braces are 20 to 30 mm. The wide of the braces are Usually 100 to 150 mm.
This type of door can be used for wider opening as compared to battened and ledged doors. These types of doors are widely used in bathrooms, water closets, and some situations where appearance is of secondary importance.
These are the most common types of doors and are widely used in private buildings.
5) Glazed or Sash Doors
These doors are extensively used in posh residential buildings as well as in public buildings.
6) Sliding Doors
The use of hinges to secure the shutters to the frame is completely eliminated by sliding doors. They are frequently used for godown, store, and garage entrances. They are moved using runners that are fixed horizontally at the top and bottom of the door. The lower end of the door slides between guides, preventing the door from moving too far to the side.
The door may slide sideways on one side or both sides, and it may have one or more leaves (or pieces). The runners are attached past the opening for a distance equal to the width of the panel so that when the door is opened, the door shutter stays on the runners at its new position parallel to the face of the wall and clear of the opening. When this door is open, neither does it block traffic nor does it take up any space in the room.
7) Collapsible Doors
These doors are mostly used for schools, sheds, godowns, compound gates etc.
8) Revolving Doors
The Revolving doors consist mainly of a centrally located mullion or pivot in a circular opening. The revolving shutters or leaves which are four or three in number are radially attached to the pivot.
Different Types Of Doors – #8. Revolving doors
The radiating shutters can be completely glazed, fully panelled or partially panelled. The shutters are enclosed in a vestibule. The rubbing ends or edges of the shutters are provided with rubber weathering strippings, which prevent a draught of air.
Simultaneously, these doors provide access to the entrance on one side and the exit on the other, and automatically, keeping the door closed when not in use.
The revolving doors are used in big hotels, banks, office buildings, and other such places where a continuous flow of pedestrian traffic is persistent.
9) Swing Doors
A swing door is such a type of door that can swing in both directions i.e it can be opened either inward or outward direction. This type of door is mainly provided in public buildings like offices, banks, police stations, big hotels, and public toilets. They are also used in residential buildings in the case of kitchen and dining rooms. It may be consists of single leave or double leave. You can easily understand what I am saying by seeing this picture.
Different Types Of Doors – #9. Swing Doors
When the door has to be opened, it has to be push lightly, When it is left from push it will automatically return in the closed position, due to the force of the spring hinges.
These types of doors may be made of wood, steel, or wood with a glass panel. It may create a risky situation If two persons try to open it from opposite directions at the same time.
10) Rolling Steel Doors
These types of doors are generally provided for garages, show roods, shops, godowns e.t.c.
11) Louvered doors
These doors may be provided in sanitary blocks of public buildings, residential buildings.
Louvered doors are also known as Venetian doors. In this type of doors, the shutters are provided with louvers, either fully or partly.
Louvered doors
Thin parallel lovers of timber, steel or glass are placed horizontally one above the other at such an inclination that the horizontal vision is obstructed. The louvers may be movable or fixed.
In the case of the louvered doors with fixed louvers, the upper back edge of any louver is kept higher than the lower front edge of the louver just above it. The louvers should always be kept sloping away from the inner side of the door so that rainwater may not enter through them.
In the case of the louvered doors with movable louvers, a verticle piece of timber is provided to which the louvers are attached through hinges. The louvers can be moved up or down with the help of the vertical piece of timber.
The louvered door allows free passage of air when closed and at the same time maintains privacy. They are used for sanitary blocks of public buildings, residential buildings, etc. The louvered doors should be periodically cleaned.
Plain brick masonry can not take any tensile stress. Reinforced brickwork can withstand tensile and shear stresses quite effectively. First-class bricks are used in this type of work. For embedding the reinforcement, dense cement mortar is used.
Reinforcement to be used in brick walls may consist of Simple iron bars or expanded metal mesh or in the form of hoop iron. The reinforcement may be placed either horizontally or vertically. Reinforced brickwork is adopted under the following circumstances:
1. When the brickwork has to resist tensile and shear stresses.
2. When a structure is to be constructed on soils of unequal bearing capacity.
3. For constructing brick beams/lintels over a large opening.
The treatment which is given to the building at the time of its construction to prevent the entry of damp into the building is known as damp-proofing.
Object/Necessity of damp proofing
Damp free condition is one of the basic requirements of all the building structures. Dampness makes a building unhabitable and structurally unsafe.
Thus, the object of providing a damp proofing course is to prevent the entry of damp into the building and thereby to make the building habitable and structurally safe, damp-proofing is necessary.
Materials Used For Damp Proofing
The following materials are commonly used for damp proofing:
1) Hot bitumen 2) Mastic asphalt 3) Bituminous felts 4) Metal sheets 5) Combination sheets and felts 6) Bricks 7) Stones 8) Mortar 9) Cement concrete 10) Plastic sheets.
