1.5 building structures and forms

Question 1

what is a cellular construction

Answer 1

a method of building with concrete which involves individual cells/rooms which are set horizontally and vertically together
often prefabricated offsite

Question 2

what sort of buildings are made using cellular construction

Answer 2

low apartment flats
student accommodation
buildings which follow regular grids and repeating floor plans

Question 3

advantages of cellular construction

Answer 3

more efficient
high levels of fire resistance and acoustic separation

Question 4

what is a rectangular frame construction

Answer 4

when the weight of building is supported by a skeleton of columns and beams

Question 5

advantages of rectangular frame construction

Answer 5

allows construction of skyscrapers and very tall buildings with non lead bearing internal walls - this allows for large floor spaces whcih can be easily re arranged

Question 6

what is a portal frame construction

Answer 6

vertical supports connected to horizontal beams by fixed joints

Question 7

what sort of buildings use portal frame constructions

Answer 7

small domestic garages to large storage depots (lots of different buildings)

Question 8

what is secondary framework used for

Answer 8

supports cladding such as profiled sheeting or prefabricated composite metal panels

Question 9

what is secondary framework

Answer 9

• side rails fixed to columns
• purlins fixed to rafters

Question 10

what are portal frame structures made of usually

Answer 10

• structural steel
• precast concrete
• laminated timber

Question 11

advantages of portal frame constructions

Answer 11

• lightweight
• can be made off site allowing for rapid construction on site
• simple, low-cost, weatherproof
• versatile

Question 12

why must heritage and traditional methods be used

Answer 12

• ensure that history of building is preserved
• preserve heritage for present and future generations
• to comply with certain planning regulations

Question 13

what maintenance methods must be carried out on a historic building

Answer 13

• regular preventative maintenance
• efforts to match existing materials
• retaining as much of original building as possible

Question 14

name 5 traditional trades and what they work on

Answer 14

• masonry (stone carving and bricklaying)
• carpentry and joinery (timber framing and repairs)
• thatching and roofing (roof repair using natural shingles)
• plasterwork ( mouldings and repairs)
• blacksmithing (ornamental metal elements)

Question 15

how must mitigation be implemented when renovating a heritage building

Answer 15

• the installation of modern building services may cause damage to the fabric of the building so existing features pre-renovation must be recorded, wires, cameras, alarms must be concealed and when possible, wireless technology should be used

Question 16

what other things need to be considered when installing modern services into historic buildings

Answer 16

• if the appearance of the service is minimised to preserve the buildings fabric
• whether or not the change is reversible so that it can be removed without damaging the building