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

PREFACE TO THE FIFTH EDITION

First published almost a quarter century ago, Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods, now in its fifth edition, has wrought a revolution in construction education. It has been instrumental in making a previously unpopular area of study not merely palatable but vibrant and well liked. It has taken a body of knowledge once characterized as antithetical to design excellence and has made it widely recognized as being centrally relevant to good building design. It has replaced dry, unattractive books with a well designed, readable volume that students value and keep as a reference work. It was the first book in its field to be even-handed in its coverage and profusely and effectively illustrated throughout. It was the first to release the teacher from the burden of explaining everything in the subject, thereby freeing class time for discussions, case studies, field trips, and other enrichments.

Gaining a useful knowledge of the materials and methods of building construction is crucial and a necessity for the student of architecture, engineering, or construction, but it can be a daunting task. The field is huge, diverse, and complex, and it changes at such a rate that it seems impossible to ever master. This book has gained its preeminent status as an academic text in this field because of its logical organization, outstanding illustrations, clear writing, pleasing page layouts, and distinctive philosophy:

It is integrative, presenting ...