Construction Materials Identification And Properties Training

Learning Outcomes

• Identify common construction materials (e.g., concrete, steel, timber, brick) and their key characteristics.
• Describe the physical and mechanical properties of construction materials, including strength, durability, and workability.
• Apply basic testing methods to assess material quality and suitability for specific construction applications.
• Interpret material data sheets and specifications to select appropriate materials for given construction scenarios.
• Evaluate the impact of environmental factors (e.g., moisture, temperature) on material performance.
• Demonstrate compliance with relevant South African National Standards (SANS) in material identification and usage.

Target Audience

This course is designed for construction workers, site supervisors, and aspiring building inspectors who need foundational knowledge of construction materials and their properties.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment

Course Outline

Practicals

Overview

Hands-on sessions allow learners to physically identify materials, perform simple tests to determine properties, and practice quality assessment techniques. These practicals reinforce theoretical knowledge and develop skills in material selection and inspection.

Practical Activities

• Material Identification and Visual Inspection — Learners examine samples of concrete, steel, timber, bricks, and aggregates, identifying each material and noting visible characteristics. (1h)
• Property Testing: Density and Moisture Content — Learners measure density and moisture content of material samples using scales, ovens, and moisture meters. (1h)
• Mechanical Property Demonstration: Strength and Hardness — Learners perform simple compression tests on bricks and concrete cubes, and scratch tests on metals and timber to evaluate hardness. (1h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total

Component	Out of	Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored)	100%	30%
Daily Average (multiple choice)	100%	20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice)	100%	50%
Final Total	—	100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

How it works

• Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
• Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
• You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
• If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.

Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates	Discount
5	3% off
10	6% off
15	9% off
20	12% off
25	15% off
30	18% off
50	30% off
75	35% off
100	40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.