BCE401 Materials, Testing & Construction Practices Syllabus
AKTU B.Tech · 4th Semester · Unit-wise syllabus (effective 2023-24)
BCE401 Materials, Testing & Construction Practices (also written as KCE401) is a subject in Semester 4 of the AKTU B.Tech programme, prescribed by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University. It carries 4 credits with an L-T-P of 3-1-0. The syllabus is divided into 5 units: Stones and Blocks, UNIT II Paints varnishes and distempers and Glass and Paints, UNIT III Building Construction and Floors, Doors and Windows, Unit V and Plastering and Pointing and Damp proofing. The complete unit-wise topic list, course outcomes and reference books are given below, taken from the official AKTU syllabus effective from 2023-24.
BCE401 Subject Details
| Subject Code | BCE401 / KCE401 |
|---|---|
| Subject Name | Materials, Testing & Construction Practices |
| University | Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU) |
| Course | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) |
| Year / Semester | 2nd Year · 4th Semester |
| Credits | 4 |
| L-T-P | 3-1-0 |
| Total Units | 5 |
| Scheme Effective From | 2023-24 |
| Last Verified | 2026-08-15 |
BCE401 Materials, Testing & Construction Practices Unit-Wise Syllabus
Official AKTU syllabus (effective 2023-24) — 5 units.
Unit 1: Stones · Blocks
Unit 1 Scope of Study of building Materials, economics of the building materials. Stones: Classification of Stones–Properties of stones in structural requirements Bricks: Composition of good brick earth, Various methods of manufacturing of bricks & Testing of Bricks. Blocks: Cement and Concrete hollow blocks, Light weight concrete blocks Cement: chemical composition, Manufacturing process, Types and Grades, Properties of cement and Cement mortar, Hydration, Compressive strength, Tensile strength, Soundness and consistency, Setting time Concrete: compositions and grades of concrete various steps in concrete construction – batching, mixing, transporting, compacting, curing, shuttering, jointing. tests and quality control of concrete. Aggregates –Natural stone aggregates, Industrial by-products (EAF Slag, Steel Slag), Crushing strength, Impact strength, Flakiness, Abrasion Resistance, Grading Wood- Structure–Properties–Seasoning of timber–Classification of various types of woods used in buildings – Defects in timber.
Unit 2: UNIT II Paints varnishes and distempers · Glass · Paints
UNIT II Paints varnishes and distempers: Common constituents, types and desirable properties, Cement paints. Glass: Ingredients, properties types and use in construction. Insulating Materials Thermal and sound insulating material, desirable properties and types. Paints: Purpose, types, technical terms, ingredients and defects, Preparation and applications of paints to new and old plastered surfaces, wooden and steel surfaces. Supplementary cementitious materials: Fly ash, GGBS, Silica fume, Rice husk ash, Calcinated ash (Basic properties and their contribution to concrete strength) Modern Materials: Glass and plastic composites, Plywood, laminates, wall and roof panels, Introduction to noise barrier materials for bridges.
Unit 3: UNIT III Building Construction · Floors
UNIT III Building Construction: Components of building area considerations, Principles of building Planning Foundation: Preliminary investigation of soil, safe bearing capacity of soil, Function and requirements of good foundation , types of foundation Masonry: Definition and terms used in masonry. Brick and stone masonry, Bonds in brick and stone masonry work. Types of walls; load bearing, partition walls, cavity walls. Floors: Requirement of good floor, Components of ground floor, Selection of flooring material Procedure for laying of Concrete (VDF), Mosaic, Kota, Slate, Marble, Granite, Tile flooring, Stairs: Definitions, technical terms and types of stairs, requirements of good stairs; Geometrical design of RCC dog legged and open-well stairs. Construction Principle and Methods for layout. Introduction to Smart Building construction
Unit 4: Doors and Windows
Unit IV Building Components Lintels, arches, stair cases – types. Different types of floors – Concrete, Mosaic, Terrazzo floors, Pitched, flat roofs. Lean to roof, Coupled Roofs. Trussed roofs – King and Queen post Trusses. R.C.C Roofs, Madras Terrace and Pre fabricated roofs. Doors and Windows: Construction details, types of doors and windows Formwork: Introduction to form work, scaffolding, shoring, under pinning.
Unit 5: Unit V · Plastering and Pointing · Damp proofing
Unit V: Plumbing Services: Water Distribution, Sanitary – Lines & Fittings; Ventilations: Functional requirements systems of ventilations. Air-conditioning - Essentials and Types; Acoustics – characteristic-absorption – Acoustic design; Fire protection – Fire Hazards – Classification of fire resistant materials and constructions. Plastering and Pointing: Mortar and its types. Purpose, materials and methods of plastering and pointing: Sand faced plastering, Stucco plastering, lathe plastering, and defects in plastering. Water proofing with various thicknesses. Damp proofing: causes, effects and methods. Principles & Methods of building maintenance Introduction to current construction practices such as :Expanded Polystyrene ( EPS), 3D Printing, Pre-Fabricated Panel System Books and References 1. SK Duggal, “Building Materials” New Age International 2. Purushothama Raj, “Building Construction Materials & Techniques” Pearson Edu. 3. PC Varghese, “Building Materials” PHI 4. Rangwala, “Building Materials” Charotar Publishing House. 5. Sushil Kumar, “Building Construction” Standard Publisher. 6. Domone, “Construction Materials” 4/e, CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group. 7. Adams, “Adams’ Building Construction Adams” CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group. 8. BC Punmia, “Building Construction” Laxmi Publication. 9. Jha & Sinha, “Building Construction” Khanna Publishers 10. Sahu, “Building Materials and Construction” Mc Grew Hill Education 11. Deodhar, “Civil Engineering Materials” Khanna Publishers 12. Mehta, “Building Construction Principles, Materials & Systems” 2/e, Pearson Education Noida. 13. Sandeep Mantri, “Practical building Construction and its Management” Satya Publisher, New Delhi. 14. Khanna S. K., Justo C.E.G, & Veeraragavan A., “Highway Materials and Pavement Testing”, Nem Chand and Bros. 15. Various related updated & recent standards of BIS, IRC, ASTM, RILEM, AASHTO etc. 16. Chudley, R. Greeno, Building Construction Handbook, Butterworth 17.Building Construction : Dr Rinku Kumar ( Avilable on aicte ekumbh portal) Link for aicte book portal : https://ekumbh.aicte-india.org/allbook.php
BCE401 Course Outcomes
- 1. Explain various building materials based on their properties.
- 2. Explain use of non-conventional civil engineering materials.
- 3. Select suitable type of flooring and roofing in the construction process.
- 4. Characterize the concept of plastering, pointing and various other building services.
Frequently Asked Questions about BCE401
What is the syllabus of BCE401 Materials, Testing & Construction Practices?
The AKTU BCE401 Materials, Testing & Construction Practices syllabus is divided into 5 units: Stones and Blocks; UNIT II Paints varnishes and distempers and Glass and Paints; UNIT III Building Construction and Floors; Doors and Windows; Unit V and Plastering and Pointing and Damp proofing. The complete topic list for each unit is published on this page, taken from the official Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University syllabus effective from 2023-24.
How many units are there in BCE401?
BCE401 Materials, Testing & Construction Practices has 5 units in the AKTU syllabus, with an L-T-P (Lecture-Tutorial-Practical) structure of 3-1-0 and 4 credits.
Is BCE401 the same subject as KCE401?
Yes. AKTU renumbered its B.Tech subject codes from the 2022-23 session onwards, so the same subject appears as BCE401 and KCE401 depending on the scheme year. The syllabus content is the same.
Which semester is BCE401 taught in?
BCE401 Materials, Testing & Construction Practices is taught in Semester 4 of the 2nd year of the AKTU B.Tech programme.
How many credits is BCE401 worth?
BCE401 Materials, Testing & Construction Practices carries 4 credits in the AKTU evaluation scheme, with an L-T-P of 3-1-0.
Where can I download BCE401 previous year question papers?
All AKTU BCE401 Materials, Testing & Construction Practices previous year question papers are available to download free on Ryzenstudy, with no login or registration required.
Is this the official AKTU syllabus for BCE401?
Yes. Every topic on this page is taken from the official Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University syllabus document (AKTU B.Tech 2nd Year Civil Engineering Syllabus), effective from 2023-24. A direct link to the original AKTU PDF is provided at the top of this page. Last verified on 2026-08-15.
Related AKTU Syllabus
Source: Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University official syllabus — AKTU B.Tech 2nd Year Civil Engineering Syllabus, effective from 2023-24. Ryzenstudy is not affiliated with AKTU. Content last verified on 2026-08-15.