Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods, 5th Edition

by Edward Allen, Joseph Iano

Now in its Fifth Edition, this essential textbook has been used by thousands of students annually in schools of architecture, engineering, and construction technology. The bestselling reference focuses on the basic materials and methods used in building construction, emphasizing common construction systems such as light wood frames, masonry bearing walls, steel frames, and reinforced concrete. New introductory material on the processes, organization, constraints, and choices in construction offers a better look at the management of construction. New sections covering the building envelope uncover the secrets to designing enclosures for thermal insulation, vapor retarders, air barriers, and moisture control. The Fifth Edition also features more axonometric detail drawings and revised photographs for a thoroughly illustrated approach and the latest IBC 2006, CSI MasterFormat, ASTM references, and LEED information.

Genres: Architecture, Reference, Construction, Nonfiction, Textbooks, Civil Engineering, Engineering

1008 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

This is Edward^Allen, where ^=space.

Edward Allen has taught for more than thirty years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, and the University of Oregon. He is the bestselling author of Fundamentals of Building Construction, Fifth Edition.

Reviews

[sonya]

thank god its over!!!!

[LS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not know what the earlier editions of this book were like, but the fifth edition is a masterpiece. With merely a grasp of the English language and eyeballs to look at pictures, Allen & Iano take the reader on a journey that starts with "these are the types of nails we use" and ends with an understanding of the components of buildings and how they are constructed from foundation to roof. Or the ability to pause at any construction site and have a general idea of what the workers are doing and what they have left to do. Of course this is done over the course of nearly a thousand pages, but those are probably some of the best pages I have read in my life. Since this book opened up a whole new world of observation for me. Now when I travel down the street I can identify the types of roofs houses have, whether buildings are made from site cast or precast concrete, what type of spandrels the office buildings have in their curtain walls, the patterns the bricks make, etc. People talk about how learning music introduced them to a whole new world, for me it was learning construction from this book. I noticed there was no coverage on concrete slab balconies or any type of balconies though, perhaps there are not very many balconies on the East Coast or in the Pacific Northwest. A book that is definitely worth the reward.

[Laurie Fieldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first day of class, the professor, also the head of the construction/industrial technology department, stated we would read the whole book.

I thought he was dramatizing. He was not.

Learned a lot and grateful he majorly pushed us through the whole book.

Highly recommended.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to fall asleep, read this book.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helped me pass the PDD exam :)

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Skinny: A long and highly detailed textbook that is perfect for anyone who wants to truly understand how buildings are built in more than just a cursory fashion.

The Good: I have been reading this on and off, and it took me years to finish, but I am very glad I did. There is so much detail here, as it is a comprehensive textbook meant to accompany future building engineers and contractors in the classroom. However, even if you are not an aspiring GC and want to learn on a more high-level, you will be able to get whatever you need out of all the detail. The best part is that you when you finish it, you will instinctively know what things are when you walk or drive past buildings and construction sites, and will be able to speak fluently on all key aspects of construction.

The Bad: This is an absolute monster of a textbook. It is not the kind you can ever skim because there is so much information, and you need to find the key details for yourself. There are no "what you need to know" areas; it is all gas and no brakes. However, I highly recommend you do the review exercises to make sure you understand the key takeaways.

[stephanie]

i've been studying for two and a half months straight i've basically read the damn thing

[William Long · Rating 2 out of 5]

bro it’s a textbook of course I didn’t enjoy it

[Ted]

It was a school book.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

a useful guide to understanding the methods behind most contemporary building construction techniques.

[ADD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Packed with information, and useful tables. Although some of the photos are dated, the content and purpose of the photos are still relevant (even if you discount the clear safety violations).

[Henry Moreno]

great bookd