09 Flashcards
Effect of relative humidity on comfort sensation
30% change in RH is equal to about 2° F of thermal change. Higher humidity makes hot air more uncomfortable.
Roof Curb
Mechanical equipment mounted on roofs must be placed on curbs so they are level and protected from the precipitation that falls on the roof.
Effectiveness of air filters
Effectiveness is dependent on two factors: efficiency of the collector and the rate of air-circulation.
Adsorption Filters
Used for filtering gaseous contaminants. To adsorb means to hold liquid or gas particles near the surface of a material. They are usually made of charcoal or activated carbon.
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
A condition in which people are sensitive to “normal” amounts of environmental contaminants.
SBS
The term “sick building syndrome” (SBS) is used to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may be widespread throughout the building. In contrast, the term “building related illness” (BRI) is used when symptoms of diagnosable illness are identified and can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants.
The stack effect only works when outside air is ______ (cooler/warmer) than inside air.
Cooler.
Switch
In electrical circuits, switches “make” or “break” a circuit by interrupting the current.
Service Line
The overhead wire from a transformer on a utility pole to the weather head; also called the service drop.
Riser
A vertical pipe or conduit that carries electrical wiring.
Weather Head
The weatherproof head where overhead electrical service enters a building.
True or False? Higher FARs indicate greater building volume on a given parcel of land.
True. The goal of calculating Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is to see how large the footprint of a new building can be on a given lot of land as dictated by the local zoning ordinance.
Identify the following common abbreviations and notations used in construction drawings: PSF, COL, CONT, GYP BD, AFF, HR, VTR, NIC, GALV, GFI, FD, BM, ADJ, BC, EX, RO, MO, RM, SIM, and WF.
PSF = pounds per square footCOL = columnCONT = continuousGYP BD = gypsum boardAFF = above finished floorHR = hourVTR = vent through roofNIC = not in contractGALV = galvanizedGFI = ground fault interrupterFD = floor drainBM = benchmarkADJ = adjustableBC = bottom of curbEX = existingRO = rough openingMO = masonry openingRM = roomSIM = similarWF = wide flange
Keynote
A method for noting details, where items in details are called out by their specification section number.
Composite Construction
A construction system using two or more dissimilar materials; typically refers to concrete and steel used together.
Double Wythe Masonry Wall
A wall formed with two masonry units thick, grouted solid.
Hardwood
Softwood
Mostly harvested from deciduous trees (i.e., oak, maple, birch), hardwoods are often used as finishmaterials and furniture. Typical applications include flooring and millwork. Hardwoods can be painted orstained depending on the desired application.
Mostly harvested from coniferous trees (i.e., Douglas Fir, pine), softwoods are often used as structural lumber. They can also be used for furniture and finishes, but are less dense than hardwoods so they are more prone to damage. Softwoods can be painted or stained but are often left unfinished in hidden applications.
Plastic Laminate
A material constructed using multiple sheets of paper that are impregnated with a resin and glued together. The topmost layer is a finished plastic sheet that provides the desired finish and is resistant to damage. Plastic laminates are often used for countertops and millwork.
Solid Surface
A synthetic, nonporous material that is consistent in finish through the entirety of its thickness. Solid surface is often used as an economic alternative to granite or stone. Solid surface is often used for countertops, windowsills, and benches.
Text size in architectural drawings
Usually 1/8” or 3/32” high.
Kerning
In typography, kerning is the spacing of the letters within a word to achieve a pleasant and readable text.
Plain Sawn
Quarter Sawn
Rift Sawn
The most common and least expensive way to manufacture lumber. Plain sawn lumber is cut in such a way as to keep the annular rings of the wood at an angle of 30° or less to the face of the board. Often referred as tangential grain, this cut results in wood that displays a cathedral pattern on the face of the boards.
Quarter sawn lumber produces more waste than plain sawn lumber, so it is more expensive. It is defined as wood cut at a 60–90° angle to the annular rings. Its name derives from the production process, during which logs are cut into quarters before being sliced into boards.
The most expensive and most wasteful method of lumber manufacturing. In rift sawn lumber, the annular rings are positioned between 30 and 60° to the board face, with 45° being optimum. Because cuts are generally done perpendicular to the log’s annular rings, rift sawn lumber is very dimensionally stable.
Rotary Cutting
A veneer cutting technique in which a log is mounted on a lathe and spun against a blade. The result is a “peeled” wood veneer roll that produces wide sheets with broad grain patterns.
Veneer Matching
When veneer cuts are sliced, rather than rotary cut, veneer boards are kept in the same order they were cut. This allows the faces of adjacent veneer boards to be arranged to achieve certain aesthetic qualities such as book matching, slip matching, or random matching.
Benchmark
A standard point of reference that is fixed in the drawings, as well as in the field. All other building elevations and measurements are based on this point.
Orthographic Drawings
These include plans, elevations, and sections; a method that allows a 3-D object to be represented in 2-D.
Ground Fault Interrupters (GFI)
A type of outlet that can detect small current leaks and will disconnect the power to the circuit if a leak is detected. This type of power outlet is required in bathrooms, laundry rooms, utility closets, and often in kitchens at distances within 10’ of the sink.
Invert
The elevation of the bottom or flow line of a pipe.
Drain Tile
A perforated pipe surrounded by granular fill for relieving hydrostatic moisture at a foundation wall or in a field. Water runs through the gravel, into the pipe, and away. Also called a French drain.
Detention Pond
Retention Pond
A naturally low-lying area that is designed to temporarily hold excess rainwater to help prevent flooding.
Designed to hold a specific amount of water indefinitely.
Catchbasin
A receptacle or reservoir that receives surface water runoff or drainage. Typically made of precast concrete, brick, or CMU with a cast-iron frame and grate on top. Water runoff typically connects to a storm sewer.
Soil Boring
A hole drilled into the ground to obtain soil samples. Borings are used to determine the load-bearing capacity of the soil and the depth of the water table.
Test Pit
A subsurface investigation to determine the nature of the subsoil strata.
Hydrostatic Pressure
Pressure exerted by a fluid, such as that of soil moisture, on a building’s foundation.
Compaction
Increasing the density of the soil by mechanical means, such as with a sheepsfoot roller. Compaction is part of almost any building or paving project. It increases soil bearing capacity and stability, reduces settling of the soil, and provides resistance to water penetration. Four means: vibration, pressure, impact, and kneading. The results of poor compaction include cracks, leaks, and erosion.
Capillary Action
The ability of water to move through narrow spaces without a force acting on it; also called wicking.
Culvert
A tunnel carrying a stream or open drain under a road or railroad.
Riparian Rights
A system for allocating water among those who possess land along its path. It has its origins in English common law. Riparian water rights exist in many jurisdictions with a common law heritage, such as Canada, Australia, and states in the eastern United States.
Plastic Limit
The limit of a soil’s moisture content before it becomes plastic or arrives at a semisolid state. A soil that has a moisture content below the plastic limit is considered a solid.
Sanitary Sewer
Storm Sewer
Combined Sewer
System of underground pipes that carries wastewater from plumbing fixtures to a septic tank or centralized treatment plant before releasing into surface waters.
The storm sewer is a system is composed of gutters, drains, and pipes that take storm water runoff and carry it to a river or stream.
A combined sewer collects sanitary and storm water together in one system. They are no longer used but are found in operation in older cities.
Sheet Piles
For depths of up to 15’, vertical sheets of steel can be driven into the ground before commencing excavations. These individual sections interlock with one another on both sides. The interlocks form a continuous barrier to retain the earth.
Noise and vibration are created in driving them, particularly in stiff soils where the vibratory method is ineffective, and hydraulic hammers must be employed.
Sloped excavation may either be uniformly sloped or stair-stepped. _______ increase slope stability and are easier to compact.
Benched Excavations
Soil Nailing
Means strengthening the soil with closely spaced, almost horizontal steel bars that increase the cohesiveness of the soil and prevent the soil from shearing along an inclined plane.
- Soil is first excavated 5–7’ deep, depending on the ability of the cut face to remain vertical without supports.
- Holes are drilled along the cut face at 3-4’ on centers so that one hole covers approx. 10-15 SF of the cut face.
- Threaded steel bars are inserted into the holes. The length of bars is a function of the soil type but is approx. half the final depth of excavation. Bars protrude a few inches out of the holes.
- The holes are grouted with concrete.
- Welded wire reinforcement is placed over the wall and tied to the protruding bars.
- A layer of shotcrete is applied to the mesh.
- Plates and washers are inserted in the protruding bars and locked in position with a nut.
Types of Footings
- Wall Footings: used for load-bearing wood, masonry, or concrete walls
- Isolated Column Footings: used where columns are lightly loaded or bear on soils with a high bearing capacity
- Combined Footings: combination of two isolated column footings; used when a column must be placed on a property line or adjacent to an existing building
- Mat Footing: all columns and walls of a building bear on one large and thick reinforced concrete slab
- Raft or Floating Foundation: type of mat foundation; consists of a hollow mat formed by a grid of thick reinforced concrete walls between two thick reinforced concrete slabs
Four Major Design Parameters of Footings
- Spread of footing
- Thickness of footing
- Depth below grade
- Amount and location of steel
Settlement of Footings
The settlement can be predicted and accounted for in foundation design of footings. In fine-grained soils, part of the settlement is immediate and the remainder occurs over a period of several months.
Allowable Bearing Capacity of Soil
Obtained by dividing its ultimate bearing capacity by a factor of safety.
Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations
This system has made it possible to use a concrete slab-on-ground foundation in any climate. This system incorporates insulation in the vicinity of the slab foundation and uses the heat escaping from the ground-floor slab of a heated building to keep the foundation perimeter sufficiently warm.
Blind-Side Waterproofing
Refers to waterproofing applied to the outside of the wall that becomes inaccessible after construction.
GWGP
Well-graded gravels and gravel-sand mixtures, little or no finesPoorly graded gravels and gravel-sand mixtures, little or no fines
GMGC
Silty gravels, gravel-sand-silt mixturesClayey gravels, gravel-sand-clay mixtures
SWSP
Well-graded sands and gravelly sands, little or no finesPoorly graded sands and gravelly sands, little or no fines
SMSC
Silty sands, sand-silt mixtures, Poorly graded sands and gravelly sands, little or no fines
MLCLOL
Inorganic silts, very fine sands, rock flour, silty or clayey fine sands
Inorganic clays of low to medium plasticity, gravelly clays, sandy clays, silty clays and lean clays
Organic silts and organic silty clays of low plasticity
MHCHOH
Inorganic silts, micaceous or diatomaceous fine sands or silts, elastic siltsInorganic clays of high plasticity, fat claysOrganic clays of medium to high plasticity
PT
Peat, muck, and other highly organic soils.
Where are expansive soils found?
California, Nevada, Texas, Arizona, and Maryland.
Liquid limit of soil
A measure of the soil’s plasticity. It indicates the behavior of the soil in the presence of water.
Testing for the plastic limit of fine-grained soils
This involves taking a prescribed weight of dry sample and mixing it with water until it is almost saturated.
Testing for the liquid limit of fine-grained soils
This consists of using an apparatus that has a metal cup mounted on a hard rubber base. The motor attached to the cup raises it to a prescribed height and releases it for a free fall on the rubber base.
Plastic limit of soil
When soil changes from a semidry state to the plastic state.
USCS symbols for gravel
G: gravel
S: sand
M: silt
C: clay
Crystalline bedrock allowable bearing capacity
Sedimentary and foliated rock bearing capacity
Soil types GW and GP bearing capacity
Soil types SW, SP, SM, SC, GM, and GC
Soil types CL, ML, MH, and CH
- 0 ksf.
- 0 ksf.
- 0 ksf.
- 0 ksf.
- 5 ksf.
Sump Dewatering
Sump Dewatering
This consists of constructing pits within the enclosure of the excavation. Works well in cohesive soils.
True or false? If a local ordinance or code is stricter than the International Building Code (IBC), the design must comply with the local codes.
True. It is important for the candidate to know that local or state requirements that are stricter than the IBC will trump them. The most stringent of the requirements always applies.
Should a building’s footing be located at the frost line or below it?
Below. In other words, the top of the footing should be at frostline and, therefore, the entirety of the footing is below the frostline.
Tuckpointing
Tuckpointing is a masonry repair process whereby mortar joints are ground down, cleaned out, and filled with new mortar.
Mechanical Louver
Protected openings in the façade of a building for mechanical systems to intake fresh air and exhaust used air. Mechanical louvers often are a system that have built-in drainage and are designed to protect the building from wind and rain.
Non-Load-Bearing Partitions
Interior partitions that are not integral to the structure of the building, and can be altered or removed in the future. Non-load bearing partitions can be made of CMU, metal studs with drywall, wood framing with drywall, etc.
Shaft Wall
Non-load-bearing gypsum wallboard assemblies, used when one side of a shaft cannot be accessed; typically used for vertical penetrations to achieve a fire rating.
Transom Light
Side Light
A window over a door.
Side Light
A window adjacent to a door to introduce light into the room and provide a view.
Muntin
Mullion
Small bars that separate two panes of glass in order to join them together to make a larger expanse of glass.
An element that forms a division between window or door units.
Coordinator
Coordinates the closing sequence of double doors when one has an astragal, so that they close in the proper order and may close completely.
Astragal
A vertical element used between double doors that seals the gaps between the two leaves to act as a doorstop or to give added security.
Waterstop
A continuous piece of neoprene rubber or other material installed in a concrete joint to prevent the flow of water through the joint.
Latch
A latch is required on all fire doors to keep them from blowing open during a fire and allowing smoke and fire to spread.
Undercut
When a door is cut at the bottom to provide clearance for airflow. Undercuts are 3/4” maximum for fire-rated doors.
Swing-Clear Hinges
Allows the door to get completely out of the way of the frame, increasing the clear width of the opening.
Sill Plate
Treated lumber that is attached to the top of the foundation wall as a way to provide a base for the floor framing; fastened with anchor bolts.
Sill Sealer
A material that is inserted between the sill plate and the top of the foundation to provide a seal against air infiltration and moisture wicking.
Termite Shield
In light wood frame construction, a termite shield is a piece of sheet metal that is installed at the top of a foundation to limit termites’ migration from the soil to the wood framing above. Used in areas where risk of termite infestation is high.
Double Egress Doors
Pair of doors that are designed to allow egress in both directions. Each leaf is designed to swing in the opposite direction and is coordinated with the flow of traffic. Typically used in hospital corridors.
Double Acting Doors
A single door that is able to swing in both directions because of pivot hinges or double acting hinges.
Treated Wood
Chemical treatment of lumber for decay, fire, or insect resistance. Chemicals are applied to the lumber under pressure. The chemicals used are always evolving. Copper chromium arsenate used to be widely used to treat lumber but is no longer used because of its high toxicity.
Incising
In treated lumber, little cuts are sometimes made in the wood to improve chemical impregnation. This is called incising.
WPC
Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) is a mix of wood particles and heated thermoplastics used as an alternative to lumber for exterior trim and decks. Examples: Trex and Azek.
Naturally Decay-Resistant Wood
Heartwood of redwood, cedar, black locust, and black walnut are decay resistant per the IBC and redwood and Eastern red cedar are termite-resistant. Specifying all heartwood as sapwood of the same species does not offer this protection.
AWPA
The American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) provides standards for chemically treated wood.
Ventilating of attics and crawlspaces
Attics and crawlspaces must be ventilated to keep moisture from damaging building materials.
Wood that is submerged in water is _________.
Resistant to decay because of lack of oxygen. This does not apply to seawater, only fresh water.
True or false? Automated entrance doors are required where public buildings must be accessible.
False, while helpful, they are not required.
A smooth surface must be provided on the push side of swing doors for a minimum of __ inches AFF.
10 inches. This is because people in wheelchairs often use their toes to help kick a door open. It is not required on sliding doors.
The maximum opening force for interior doors is ____ lbf.
- Exterior doors’ opening force is not specified due to wind loading and air pressure and should be set at the minimum force possible to maintain a latch.
Are doors to pantries and shallow closets required to comply with maneuvering clearances?
No, but walk-in closet and pantry doors are.
Are screen or storm doors considered to be “in series”?
No, and they don’t have to comply with the maneuvering clearances.
Per ADA required clearances at doors, a door can be recessed no more than __ inches beyond the wall it is in.
8 inches. Typically the door would not be recessed at all, but if a door with a deeper recess is needed, 8” is allowed.
Purpose of building joints
Resultant of our need to work with materials that can be easily and efficiently fabricated, transported, and assembled on site. Joints allow for field adjustments in assemblies during construction.
Two different strategies for joining building components
- Static Joint: non-moving joint between the components. In the case of a window, a static joint would result in broken glass, broken frame, or both.
- Movement Joint: allows materials to move independently and, at the same time, hold the window glass securely in the frame.
Construction Joint
A special type of static joint that is provided between two concrete placements.
Types of Movement Joints
Building Joints: joints between different parts of the building as a whole
Component Joints: joints between individual components of an assembly
Spacing between building separation joints
Suggested spacing is 250’ between building separation joints. Most buildings of simple rectangular shape up to 300’ do not need separation joints.
Typical width of a building separation joint
1.5” to 2” running throughout the entire building from floor to floor and from face to face.
Which discontinuities require building separation joints?
- Where a low building mass meets a tall mass
- Where the building changes direction, such as in an L-shape or T-shape building
- Where the building’s structural material changes, such as where a steel frame building meets a concrete frame
Seismic Joint
Similar but also different from a building separation joint. These are also provided where there are major dissimilarities in building form. The purpose is to ensure that one section of the building doesn’t collide with the adjacent section during an earthquake.
Width of a seismic joint
Typically wider than a building separation joint; in highly seismic locations, this joint could be a few feet wide for a tall building.
