1. Read and translate the text structural performance and requirements

Any building must be able to safely support the weight of its own components with an appropriate reserve of strength and stability. In addition, any building must be capable of resisting likely superimposed or additional gravity loads, as well as other forces that are likely to act upon the walls and roof of the building, such as impact loads and wind loads - again, with sufficient reserve of strength and stability.

Foundation

The structural aspects of the foundations themselves are not normally considered in an assessment as they are assumed to be designed in accordance with normal good practice and in compliance with the National Building Regulations, for the particular site. In the case of buildings of very low mass, however, the ability of the foundation to assist in resisting wind uplift forces or in preventing the building from overturning as a result of wind forces may need to be considered and would then be included in the assessment. 

Walls

The criteria set out in this section relate to measures of building responses that can be used to assess whether the building performance, under the various loads, is adequate. The properties to be assessed for walls are:

• vertical load carrying capacity both against gravity and uplift forces

• horizontal load resistance against in-plane forces and forces transverse to the plane of the wall

• capacity to anchor the roof against uplift forces

• strength of connections and interaction between internal and external walls and between roof and supporting walls

• resistance to accidental loadings - soft body and hard body impacts

• load carrying capacity for fittings attached to walls

• resistance to the effects of door slamming forces

Key words: performance and requirements, strength and stability, loads, foundation, walls, the National Building Regulations, resistance.

 

2. Answer the following questions.

• What must any building be able to support?

• What do you know about foundation?

• What do you know about walls?

• What are the National Building Regulations?

• What are the properties to be assessed for walls?

3. Give the Ukrainian equivalents to the given word-combinations:

to safely support the weight
appropriate reserve of strength and stability
sufficient reserve
foundation
to be designed in accordance with
preventing the building from overturning
to be included in the assessment
to relate to measures of building responses
load carrying capacity
door slamming forces