MATERIALS ENGINEERING CONCEPTS - Materials for Civil and Construction Engineers - page 26

to fabricate the material into the desired shapes and required specifications.
Construction considerations address all the factors that relate to the ability to
fabricate and erect the structure on site. One of the primary factors is the
availability of a trained work force. For example, in some cities high-strength
concrete is used for skyscrapers, whereas in other cities steel is the material
of choice. Clearly, either concrete or steel can be used for high-rise buildings.
Regional preferences for one material develop as engineers in the region be-
come comfortable and confident in designing with one of the materials and
constructors respond with a trained work force and specialized equipment.

1.5 Aesthetic Characteristics

The aesthetic characteristics of a material refer to the appearance of the mate-
rial. Generally, this characteristic is the responsibility of the architect. How-
ever, the civil engineer is responsible for working with the architect to ensure
that the aesthetic characteristics of the facility are compatible with the struc-
tural requirements. During the construction of many public projects, a certain
percentage of the capital budget typically goes toward artistic input. The col-
laboration between the civil engineer and the architect is greatly encouraged,
and the result can increase the value of the structure (see Figure 1.17).
In many cases, the mix of artistic and technical design skills makes the
project acceptable to the community. In fact, political views are often more

FIGURE 1.17 An exam-
ple of artist-engineer collabora-
tion in an engineering project:
Air Force Academy, Colorado
Springs, Colorado.