CÓMPUTO Y CERTIFICACION

Learning hours: 60

NQF level 4: BTEC Higher National – H1

Description of unit

This unit provides the learner with an introduction to the scientific principles and a basic knowledge of the properties of materials needed to successfully complete the other core and specialist units.

The unit has been designed to enable learners studying Construction, Civil Engineering or Building Services Engineering programmes to analyse, apply, investigate and evaluate scientific principles and the properties and behaviour of materials in construction related situations.

It is intended that the unit be contextualised for construction, civil engineering or building services engineering and that the delivery and assessment be tailored to the particular vocational needs of the individual learner.

Summary of learning outcomes

To achieve this unit a learner must:

1 Investigate and apply scientific principles to construction, structural, environmental and services operations and determine comfort levels in the design and use of buildings 2 Investigate and evaluate the characteristics, properties and use of materials 3 Analyse the effects of structural behaviour on construction components 4 Use experimentation to model scientific problems and analyse results.

Content

1 Apply scientific principles and determine comfort levels

Principles and factors affecting comfort levels: thermal properties of materials, heat losses and heat gains, heating and ventilating, illumination (natural and artificial, sound

transmission, refrigeration and air conditioning, fluid flow (hydrostatics and fluid dynamics)

Provision of services: water supply and distribution, gas supply and distribution, electrical supply and distribution, chemicals, fluids and oil distribution, safe and effective disposal of waste products, environmental issues relating to all of the above

2 Characteristics, properties and use of materials

Properties, design criteria, specifications and uses: concrete, metals and alloys including, amongst others, iron, steel, zinc, copper, brass, aluminium and lead, timber and timber products, clay products such as bricks and tiles, plastics and other man-made materials, coatings and finishes including paints, insulation materials, vapour barriers and damp-proofing barriers

Specification of materials: need for maintenance and eventual replacement, energy efficiency, environmental issues, renewable resources and sustainable construction

3 Structural behaviour on construction components

Structural behaviour of materials: structural behaviour depending on use, loading and the inherent properties of the material. Good working knowledge of how materials are used in terms of behaviour when formed in beams, columns, structural frames, pads and machine bases, floors, timber, steel and concrete, bridging brackets, supports to equipment, tanking and pressure vessels, machinery bases

4 Model scientific problems

Experiments: associated with scientific principles and services

Calculations: associated with these experiments and conclusions about the results

Outcomes and assessment criteria

Outcomes Assessment criteria for pass

To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate the ability to:

1 Investigate and apply scientific principles to construction, structural, environmental and services operations and determine comfort levels in the design and use of buildings

· relate scientific principles to the specification of construction components and services installations having regard to factors affecting comfort levels

· describe the control of components and services installations in a variety of environments through the selection of materials and construction techniques

· explain the effects that the provision of services and the safe disposal of waste products have on the structural design of a building

· calculate and determine levels of thermal

transmission, heat loss, lighting and illumination, sound transmission, heating and ventilation, refrigeration and air-conditioning

2 Investigate and evaluate the characteristics, properties and use of materials

· describe the properties of materials justifying the reason for their selection and describing their effect on the design of buildings and installations

3 Analyse the effects of structural behaviour on construction components

· apply standard methods to predict the structural behaviour of materials

· explain how the basic principles of structural mechanics and fluid mechanics affect the design of structural members and services installations 4 Use experimentation to

model scientific problems and analyse results

· perform a range of experiments associated with the scientific principles and services covered in this unit

· record the results of the experiments

· perform any necessary calculations associated with the experiments

· analyse the results of the experiments

Guidance

Delivery

Since it is important that learners have a good understanding of the principles of construction and the industry, it is recommended that this unit should be studied with these subjects in the first year. Case studies should be used extensively with a current working knowledge and practice of the construction industry. The unit might usefully benefit from the involvement of practitioners to enhance the learning process.

Assessment

It is recommended that evidence for learning outcomes is achieved through well-planned course work, practical laboratory work, assignments and projects. Assessment may be formative and summative and both may feature as part of the process. Although assessments must be focused on the individual achievement of each learner, group work or experiments may contribute to the assessment. Integrative assignments and project work will help to link this unit with other related units.

Where available, evidence from the workplace can also be incorporated to enhance the learning outcomes, provided that this evidence is appropriate and authenticated as the learner’s own work. The volume of evidence required for each assessment should take into account the overall number of assessments being contemplated within this unit and the design of the overall teaching programme.

Appropriate attention must be given to health, safety and welfare arrangements throughout the delivery of this unit.

In designing the assessment instruments, opportunities may also be included to generate evidence to meet the CIC Common Learning Outcomes and higher level skills appropriate to the outcomes of this unit, see Annex D and Annex F.

Links

This unit provides the learner with an introduction to the knowledge and understanding needed to complete other units in the programme, no matter which discipline learners are following.

Learners should be encouraged to use their wider knowledge and experience gained from other units and/or from practice.

The content of this unit has been designed and mapped against the 1998 CISC Occupational Standards and current NVQs at level 4. The mapping links indicate that the achievement of the

Resources

Learners should have access to a wide range of library resources, including textbooks and journals, government and industry wide publications. It is important that learners have access to a variety of materials and to adequate laboratory facilities and that they use these where

appropriate.

Support materials Textbooks

· Everett, A — Materials 5th Edition — (Longman, 1994)

· McMullan, R — Environmental Science in Building 5th Edition — (Palgrave, 2001)

· RIBA — Plan of Work for Design Team Operation — (RIBA, 1973) Other publications

· ASHRAE Guide

· BRE Digests

· British Refrigeration Association papers

· Cement and Concrete Association papers

· Copper Development Association papers

· Lead Development Association papers

· Technical journals, professional journals and trade literature should be used where appropriate

· TRADA papers