Discover published sets by community

Composition: Fired clay or concrete materials. Uses: Walls, pavements, fireplace linings. Advantages: Durable, fire resistant, good thermal mass. Disadvantages: Can be brittle, mortar required for bonding.

Composition: Clay, sand, and water mixture, fired in a kiln. Uses: Flooring, walls, roofing. Advantages: Easy to clean, durable surface. Disadvantages: Hard and cold surface, grout can stain.

Composition: Layers of wood veneers bonded together. Uses: Temporary structures, formwork, flooring. Advantages: Uniform strength, versatile. Disadvantages: Vulnerable to moisture, delamination over time.

Composition: Two or more distinct materials with different properties. Uses: Facades, bridge components, innovative structures. Advantages: Customized properties, innovative applications. Disadvantages: Can be expensive, complex to design.

Composition: Concrete poured into molds off-site. Uses: Walls, stairs, beams, and floor panels. Advantages: Controlled manufacturing conditions, reduced construction time. Disadvantages: Transportation limits, heavy lifting equipment needed.

Composition: Natural rock such as granite, limestone, or marble. Uses: Structural supports, flooring, cladding. Advantages: Natural beauty, high durability. Disadvantages: Heavy, requires skilled labor to install.

Composition: Aggregate mixed with bitumen. Uses: Road surfaces, airport runways, parking lots. Advantages: Smooth finish, easy to repair. Disadvantages: Sensitive to temperature changes, can be slippery when wet.

Composition: Wood from trees. Uses: Structural elements, beams, flooring. Advantages: Renewable, aesthetic. Disadvantages: Vulnerable to termites and rot, requires maintenance.

Composition: Silica-based with various metal oxides. Uses: Windows, facades, skylights. Advantages: Allows natural light, aesthetic variety. Disadvantages: Fragile, poor insulator.

Composition: Gypsum plaster pressed between layers of paper. Uses: Interior walls and ceilings, drywall. Advantages: Easy to install, good fire resistance. Disadvantages: Not suitable for wet areas, low impact resistance.

Composition: Synthetic organic polymers like PVC or polyethylene. Uses: Pipes, insulation, fixtures. Advantages: Lightweight, corrosion-resistant. Disadvantages: Low thermal resistance, can degrade under UV light.

Composition: Concrete with steel reinforcement bars. Uses: Structural components like beams, columns, and slabs. Advantages: High compressive strength, good durability. Disadvantages: Corrosion of steel reinforcement, heavyweight.

Composition: Alloy of iron, carbon, and chromium. Uses: Architectural cladding, handrails, kitchen equipment. Advantages: Corrosion-resistant, maintains luster. Disadvantages: Higher cost, complex fabrication.

Composition: An alloy of iron and carbon. Uses: Steel framing, bridges, industrial facilities. Advantages: High tensile strength, recyclable. Disadvantages: Susceptible to corrosion, requires fireproofing.

Composition: Polymer derived from organic units joined by carbamate links. Uses: Insulation, gaskets, seals. Advantages: High insulation value, water-resistant. Disadvantages: Can emit toxic gases when burned, not breathable.

Composition: Natural fibrous grass. Uses: Scaffolding, flooring, cabinetry. Advantages: Sustainable, strong in tension and compression. Disadvantages: Susceptible to insects and moisture.

Composition: Lightweight, silver-white metal. Uses: Window frames, curtain walling, roofing sheets. Advantages: Lightweight, resistant to corrosion. Disadvantages: Less strength compared to steel, expensive.

Composition: Thermoplastic polymer from petroleum. Uses: Piping systems, geomembranes, plastic lumber. Advantages: High impact resistance, flexible. Disadvantages: Susceptible to stress cracking, degrades under UV.

Composition: Foam blocks or panels that are filled with reinforced concrete. Uses: Walls for residential and commercial buildings. Advantages: Energy efficient, soundproof, resistant to natural disasters. Disadvantages: Higher initial material and labor cost, less flexibility for changes.

Composition: Sun-dried mud brick, made of clay, sand, water, and organic materials. Uses: Walls for houses and other buildings. Advantages: Biodegradable, excellent thermal mass. Disadvantages: Not water resistant, needs continuous maintenance.

Composition: Dried vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge, rushes, heather. Uses: Roof covering material. Advantages: Natural insulation, aesthetic rural appearance. Disadvantages: Fire hazard, requires maintenance, not water-resistant.

Composition: Cement-based composite material with a high ratio of steel reinforcing mesh. Uses: Thin shell structures, boat hulls, water tanks. Advantages: Flexible, thin-walled, lightweight. Disadvantages: Labour-intensive, prone to cracking if not properly cured.

Composition: Cement reinforced with cellulose fibers. Uses: Roofing, siding, tiles. Advantages: Fire and termite resistant, low maintenance. Disadvantages: Brittle, can absorb moisture.

Composition: Lightweight, precast foam concrete. Uses: Blocks for building walls, floor and roof panels. Advantages: Good insulation, lightweight. Disadvantages: Relatively low strength, requires careful handling.

Composition: Engineered wood panel made by gluing together layers of solid-sawn lumber. Uses: Walls, floors, roofs in multi-story buildings. Advantages: Sustainable, dimensional stability, prefabricated. Disadvantages: Requires protection from moisture, relatively new product may have limited availability.

Composition: Bamboo fibers fused together with adhesives to create a composite. Uses: Flooring, decking, scaffolding. Advantages: Sustainable, high-strength, aesthetically pleasing. Disadvantages: Requires adhesives that can emit VOCs, sensitive to humidity changes.

Composition: Highly porous, lightweight material derived from a gel in which the liquid component has been replaced with gas. Uses: Insulation, skylight systems, energy-efficient glazing. Advantages: Extremely low thermal conductivity, nearly transparent. Disadvantages: Brittle and fragile, high cost.

Composition: Concrete infused with bacteria or microencapsulated healing agents. Uses: Bridges, roads, buildings. Advantages: Increased longevity, reduces maintenance. Disadvantages: Increased initial cost, unproven long-term effectiveness.

Composition: Magnesium oxide, magnesium chloride, water, and some filler, usually a fibrous material. Uses: Sheathing, siding, backer board for wet areas. Advantages: Fireproof, water-resistant, non-toxic. Disadvantages: Can suffer from moisture absorption issues, somewhat brittle.

Composition: Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua (FLAC) is a computer program for simulating the behavior of materials. Uses: Geotechnical, civil, and mining engineering simulations. Advantages: Versatile, can accommodate complex geometries. Disadvantages: Requires extensive computational power, steep learning curve.

Composition: Durable and flexible materials like PVC, ETFE, or PTFE coated fabrics. Uses: Canopies, roofs, facades, shade structures. Advantages: Lightweight, allows for dynamic and organic shapes. Disadvantages: Requires regular maintenance to ensure integrity, can be damaged by sharp objects.

Composition: Glass with integrated technology such as electrochromic devices, liquid crystals, or micro-blinds. Uses: Building facades, interior partitions. Advantages: Energy efficiency, dynamic control of light and heat. Disadvantages: High initial cost, electrical dependency.

Composition: Bark of cork oak trees. Uses: Insulation, acoustic panels, flooring. Advantages: Renewable, good insulator, resilient. Disadvantages: Can be expensive, susceptible to water damage if not properly sealed.

Composition: Embedding optical fibers in concrete. Uses: Decorative walls, pavement, and facades. Advantages: Unique aesthetic, allows for natural light pass-through. Disadvantages: Expensive, challenging to produce consistently.

Composition: A heavy, soft, malleable metal. Uses: Nuclear radiation shielding, roof flashing, electrical power cables. Advantages: Excellent radiation shielding, malleable and can be shaped as needed. Disadvantages: Toxic, poor resistance to organic acids and gasses, must be used with caution in construction.

Composition: Materials using living organisms, like bacteria or fungi, in the fabrication. Uses: Self-healing concrete, mycelium composites. Advantages: Sustainable, can be living or self-regenerating. Disadvantages: Novelty and research phase, uncertain long-term properties.