Parts of a building Almost everyone has watched building of a house and followed its progress with interest.
First the excavation is dug for the basement, then the foundation walls bellow ground level are constructed; after this the framework is erected and clothed with various finishing materials and protected by several coats of paint.
The part upon which the stability of the structure depends is the framework. It is intended for safely carrying the loads imposed. The floors, walls, roof and other parts of the building must be carefully designed and proportioned.
The architect or designer must decide what the size of the walls, the floors, the beams, the girders and the parts which make up the framework must be, and how they must be placed and arranged. Sometimes it is done by the architect who draws the plans for the house, sometimes by a designer.
are the main parts of a building and their functions. Foundations are to keep the walls and floors from contact with the soil, to guard them against the action of frost, to prevent them from sinking and settling which can cause cracks in walls and uneven floors.
Floors divide the building into stories. They may be either of timber or of a fire-resisting material.
Walls are built to enclose areas and carry the weight of floors and roofs. The walls may be solid or hollow. The materials used for the wall construction can be brick, stone, concrete and other natural and artificial materials.
Roofs cover the building and protect it from exposure to weather. They tie the walls and give the construction strength and firmness.
III. Give Russian equivalents to the following:
progress –
foundation walls –
below ground level –
parts of the building –
the loads –
must be carefully proportioned –
to prevent them from sinking –
fire-resisting material –
the weight of floors –
brick –
to tie the walls –
natural materials –
to protect from exposure to weather –
IV. Translate the text and say whether these statements are true or false:
1. First the excavation is dug for the framework.
2. The foundation walls are constructed above ground level.
3. The framework is clothed with various finishing materials and protected by several coats of paint.
4. The part upon which the stability of the structure depends is the basement.
5. The walls and other parts of the building must be carefully proportioned.
6. The architect must decide what the size of the floors, the beams and the girders must be.
7. Sinking and settling of a construction can cause cracks in walls and uneven floors.
8. Floors may be of timber only.
9. The materials used for the wall construction can be natural only.
10. Roofs cover the building and protect it from settling.
