19/04/2023
12 Basic Components of a Building Structure
The basic components of a building structure are the foundation, floors, walls, beams, columns, roof, stairs, etc. These elements serve the purpose of supporting, enclosing, and protecting the building structure.
1. Roof
The roof forms the topmost component of a building structure. It covers the top face of the building. Roofs can be either flat or sloped based on the location and weather conditions of the area.
2. Parapet
Parapets are short walls extended above the roof slab. Parapets are installed for flat roofs. It acts as a safety wall for people using the roof.
3. Lintels
Lintels are constructed above the wall openings like doors, windows, etc. These structures support the weight of the wall coming over the opening. Normally, lintels are constructed with reinforced cement concrete. In residential buildings, lintels can be either constructed from concrete or bricks.
4. Beams and slabs
Beams and slabs form the horizontal members of a building. For a single-story building, the top slab forms the roof. In the case of a multi-story building, the beam transfers the load coming from the floor above the slab which is in turn transferred to the columns. Beams and slabs are constructed with reinforced cement concrete (R.C.C).
5. Columns
Columns are vertical members constructed above the ground level. Columns can be of two types: Architectural columns and structural columns. Architectural columns are constructed to improve the building's aesthetics while a structural column takes the load coming from the slab above and transfers it safely to the foundation.
6. Damp Proof Course(DPC)
DPC is a layer of waterproofing material applied on the basement level to prevent the rise of surface water into the walls. The walls are constructed over the DPC.
7. Walls
Walls are vertical elements that support the roof. It can be made from stones, bricks, concrete blocks, etc. Walls provide an enclosure and protect against wind, sunshine, rain, etc. Openings are provided in the walls for ventilation and access to the building.
8. Floors
The floor is the surface laid on the plinth level. Flooring can be done with a variety of materials like tiles, granites, marble, concrete, etc. Before flooring, the ground has to be properly compacted and leveled.
9. Stairs
A stair is a sequence of steps that connects different floors in a building structure. The space occupied by a stair is called the stairway. There are different types of stairs like a wooden stairs, R.C.C stairs, etc.
10. Plinth Beam
A plinth beam is a beam structure constructed either at or above the ground level to take up the load of the wall coming over it.
11. Plinth
The plinth is constructed above the ground level. It is a cement-mortar layer lying between the substructure and the superstructure.
12. Foundation.
The Foundation is a structural unit that uniformly distributes the load from the superstructure to the underlying soil. This is the first structural unit to be constructed for any building construction. A good foundation prevents the settlement of the building.
