CONSTRUCTION METHODS AND MATERIALS: ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SYSTEMS

The responsibility for the design of electrical and mechanical systems rests with the engineering officer. However, as an EA assisting the engineering officer, you should be familiar with the methods, materials, and terminology used in the design and construction of these systems. This chapter provides that familiarity.

This chapter expands on the EA3 TRAMAN discussion of exterior electrical distribution systems. You should find it helpful to review chapter 9 of that TRAMAN before beginning the study of the following text. This chapter also discusses water distribution and sewage collection systems that are exterior to buildings. You will find that some of the materials and terminology used in the design and construction of these systems are the same as those used for building plumbing. Therefore, you also should find it helpful to review chapter 8 of Engineering Aid 3.

Overall, an electrical power system includes the electrical lines, or circuits, and all of the associated equipment that are necessary to supply power from a generation point to the users of the supplied power. Generally, the power system is considered to consist of two parts: the transmission system and the distribution system. Figure 2-1 shows a typical electrical power

Figure 2-1.Typical electrical power system.

system that includes both the transmission and distribution systems. To explain the two systems, we will begin with the transmission system