What is AB Structures?
4) Studying and composing materials data
➢Refers to buildings and structures for the sheets before placing an order.
production, harvesting, processing, storage, 5) Enhancing the performance of the materials
manufacture, preserving, transporting, and by carrying out research activities.
distribution of agricultural and biological
products/materials.
➢To protect animals from rain, wind, or high Factors affecting the selection of materials:
sunlight intensity to keep healthy. ➢Component shape
➢To protect harvested crops from water, ➢Dimensional tolerance
insects, fungi, and extremes of temperature. ➢Mechanical properties
➢To protect farm machinery from rain and dirt ➢Fabrication (Manufacturing) requirements
to keep depreciation levels to a minimum. ➢Service requirements
➢Cost:
Livestock Buildings and Structures ➢Cost of the material
➢ structures used for handling livestock during ➢Cost of processing
various routine management practices or for ➢Availability of the material
housing the livestock.
➢ include crushes, dips, spray race, calf pens,
dairy shed/parlor, poultry houses, rabbit Procedure for materials selection:
hutches, piggery/pig, fishponds, silos, zero ➢Design
grazing unit, bee hives. ➢Material Selection
➢Process Selection
Farm Stores ➢Fabrication
➢ are structures for the storage of seeds, ➢Evaluation
animal feeds, farm tools, chemicals, and crop ➢Possible Redesign or modification
produce that are used in crop and livestock ➢Analysis
production.
➢ There are various farm stores used for
different purposes e.g. grain stores, feed stores,
chemical stores, machinery stores and tool
stores.
Greenhouses
➢ It is an enclosed structure used for raising
tender plants which require a controlled
environment to grow.
Selection for Properties:
Farm-to-market Road 1. What properties are required?
➢ It is a road within the agriculture and 2. What are the processing requirements and
fisheries production areas, coastal landing their implications for the choice of material?
points, and postharvest or processing facilities 3. What is the availability of materials?
that links to local roads, national highways, and 4. What is the cost?
markets.
➢ Refers to the access to transport of products Properties:
to the market outlet. The minimum thickness is 1. What mechanical properties are required?
0.15 m with an ideal width of 4.50 m. 2.What chemical properties are required?
3.What thermal properties are required?
Roles & Responsibilities of Materials Engineer 4.What electrical properties are required?
1) Design Process: a) Drawing the basic design. 5.What magnetic properties are required?
b) Proper selection of materials (Mechanical 6.What dimensional conditions are required?
loads, Wear, Electrical insulations, Thermal
properties, Availability & cost.)
2) Proper choice (selecting) of substitute
(alternative) materials when needed.
3) Contributing and evaluating materials tests
results.
Processing Parameters: Metal Building
1. Are there any special processing ✓serviceable for a long time
requirements which will limit the choice of ✓fire resistant
material? ✓expensive and require special equipment and
2. Are there any material treatment considerable skill to build
requirements? ✓short-lived around manure
3. Are there any special tooling requirements?
Masonry
Availability: ✓cleaned and disinfected easily
1. Is the material readily available? ✓fire resistant
2. Are there any ordering problems for that ✓serviceable for a long time
material? ✓require minimal maintenance
3. What form is the material usually supplied ✓Costly
in? ✓concrete may also require extensive
excavation
Cost: ✓labor intensive
1. What is the cost of the raw material?
2. What quantity is required?
3. What are the cost implications of the Stones and Bricks
process requirements? Advantages
4. What are the cost penalties for over ➢ Stones and bricks are durable, easy to
specification? disinfect, resistant to weather and insects decay
and are easily available.
Methods of Constructions: Disadvantages
➢ They are bulky and require skilled labor to
make them.
Plastic and Synthetic Materials Vinyl, plastics,
glass, asbestos fiber, and polythene materials.
Advantages
➢Light, cheap depending on quality, easy to
disinfect, can be molded into any shape, are
durable, cannot be destroyed by insects and
fungus and are water proof.
Disadvantages
Advantages and Disadvantages of Different ➢easily destroyed, fragile, very expensive, and
Designs require skilled labor.
Wood Frame Structures Wood (Timber)
✓Economical Advantages
✓Easy to partition or expand ➢ They are workable, cheap, can be re-used
✓require more maintenance and are fairly strong.
✓Not durable Disadvantages
✓pose an inherent fire hazard ➢ They can catch fire easily, decay if exposed to
water, are affected by fungus and insects.
Pole
✓constructed rapidly and economically
✓good maintenance and repair
✓Long life span
✓Easy to partition or expand
✓provide inferior weather protection
✓cannot be heated or cooled without
modifications
Strain
➢ is the deformation of a material from stress
Concrete
➢ Is a mixture of cement, sand, aggregate and
water, e.g. in making blocks the ratio is 1:2:3;
one part cement, two parts sand and three
parts aggregate.
Stress
➢is defined as the force per unit area that acts
on a material.
