Building Materials in the Light of Physics of Matter

Abstract This paper outlines an approach for joining physics of matter with the knowledge in building materials when teaching students in civil engineering. Students at most universities are schooled in physics and then building materials in separate courses, but nobody teaches them how to join both fields of science in a fruitful understanding. The described method of evaluating material properties and performances facilitates the understanding and judgment of how and what can be done to change and improve materials. The method is here related to iron and steel with special aim to understand the properties of “amorphous steel”, but can easily be used to understand for instance high performance concrete, wood or other materials