Building Construction Flashcards
1
Q
Standard on types of Building Construction
A
NFPA 220
2
Q
Building Construction and Safety Code
A
NFPA 5000
3
Q
The strongest of the structural composite lumber (SCL) used for heavily loaded columns and long spans is
A
Parallel Strand Lumber (PSL)
4
Q
Structural composite lumber that is laminated sheets in parallel alignment and is used in I-joists is
A
Laminated Veneer Lumber
5
Q
Incapable of supporting combustion under normal circumstances
A
Non combustible
6
Q
When a cable is used to support loads, it will assume the shape of a __________.
A
Parabola
7
Q
A vertical supporting member is
A
Column
8
Q
Fire resistance ratings are expressed in _____ and _____ of hours.
A
Hours and Fractions
9
Q
The transfer of heat by the movement of liquids or gases, usually upward is:
A
Convection
10
Q
A twisting effect that creates shear stresses in a material is ________ load.
A
Torsional
11
Q
Steel trusses used to take the place of steel beams as part of the primary structural frame are known as:
A
Joist Girders
12
Q
Why are fire escapes no longer permitted in new construction?
A
Failure from overloading
13
Q
Lightweight wood or metal trusses, known as ______ _______, have become common in floor construction.
A
Truss Joists
14
Q
The age of the building,the fire protection systems, occupancy type, fuel load, type of construction, configuration, building access and exposures are all _______ ________ that affect the course of the fire.
A
Building Variables
15
Q
The _______ of a building refers to its general shape or layout.
A
Configuration
16
Q
Life Safety Code
A
NFPA 101
17
Q
A structural specimen test is continued until the ______ ______ _______ is reached.
A
Specified Fire Endurance
18
Q
To the fire service, the deterioration of the strength of steel at elevated temps is its most significant characteristic. True or False?
A
True
19
Q
Large horizontal structural member used to support joists and beams at isolated points along their length:
A
Girder
20
Q
Outward movement of a foundation is called
A
Lateral displacement
21
Q
Stairs that have an intermediate landing between floors and reverse direction at that point are called:
A
Return stairs
22
Q
The _______ test produces a numerical evaluation of the flammability of interior materials, also known as flame spread rating.
A
Tunnel
23
Q
The expansion of excess water within concrete when it is heated or frozen creates ________ forces.
A
Tensile
24
Q
A low slope roof has a slope of up to ___ to ___.
A
3 to 12
25
A slope of 12 to 12 on a pitched roof equates to a ____ degree angle.
45
26
______ roofs are designed to support the weight of a few workers for maintenance purposes.
Flat roof
27
The only penetrations permitted in the stair enclosure are for:
(There are 3)
1. Lights
2. Fire Protection
3. Environment Control
28
Which type of pitched roof uses inclined joists for support?
Raftered
29
Expansion and contraction of the roof covering will occur with temps:
Over 100 degrees and below 0 degrees
30
This consists of equipment such as automatic sprinkler systems or fire alarms:
Active Fire Protection
31
Foundations are divided into two types:
Shallow and Deep
32
The membrane that most commonly is made from synthetic rubber and accommodates shifting in a building is the _______ membrane.
Single-ply
33
Because steel has lower ______ ______ compared to cast iron, it's more ductile and can be rolled into a variety of shapes.
Carbon Content
34
The material layer in a flat roof that protects the roof from mechanical abrasion is:
Wear course
35
This is produced by joining flat strips of wood with glue.
Laminated Wood Members
36
Beams produced by joining flat strips of wood with glue are called:
Glulam beams
37
A beam that tends to retain its load bearing ability longer under fire conditions is a _________ beam.
Restrained
38
NFPA 256 is also known as:
ASTM E-108
39
Construction material made of many small wooden pieces (strands) bonded together to form sheets
Oriented Strand Board (OSB)
40
A roof that is constructed over an older roof that cannot be easily repaired is known as a _______ roof.
Rain
41
The first digit in NFPA 220 subclass of building types, refers to fire resistance rating (in hours) of:
Exterior bearing walls
42
The second digit in NFPA 220 subclass of building types, refers to fire resistance rating (in hours) of:
Structural frames or columns and girders
43
The third digit in NFPA 220 subclass of building types, refers to fire resistance rating (in hours) of:
Floor construction
44
Stairs that connect two floors in a multistory building and are not part of the means of egress, are:
Convenience stairs
45
Fire intensity causes steel to fail due to the amount of _______ ______ produced.
Thermal energy
46
This is made from wood particles bonded with synthetic resins under heat and pressure. It's used in flooring for manufactured & mobile homes.
Particle board
47
A beam that is supported at one end is:
Cantilever Beam
48
Tension tends to ________ material apart.
Pull
49
The test used to determine flame spread rating is NFPA _____.
255
50
High voltage equipment is defined as operating at _______ volts or higher.
600 volts
51
Loads that are steady, motionless, constant or applied gradually.
Static Loads
52
A coating applied to steel that expands when exposed to heat creating an insulation barrier is:
Intumescent Coating
53
Buildings that contain unstable liquids or hazardous processes are required to be equipped with ______ ______.
Explosion vents
54
Loads that involve motion, also called shock loading.
Dynamic Loads
55
Why is cast iron no longer used in structural framing?
Because its so brittle
56
B.L.E.V.E.
Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion
57
Condition in which the support provided by a structural system is equal to the applied loads.
Equilibrium
58
Beam and girder steel frames can be classified as:
| There are 3
1. Rigid
2. Simple
3. Semi-Rigid
59
One unavoidable problem with standpipe systems is:
The variation of pressure with building height
60
A ______ ______ is taller than the reach of a departments aerial apparatus.
High rise
61
Two common encountered applications of the basic steel truss are:
1. Open web joist
| 2. Joist girder
62
Phase ______ operation is the emergency operating mode for elevators, this operation recalls the car to a certain floor and opens the doors.
Phase One
63
_______ are framed structural units made up of a group of triangles in one plane.
Trusses
64
Two most common methods of constructing Type 1 buildings are by using:
1. Reinforced concrete
| 2. Protected steel frame
65
Capable of being shaped, bent or drawn out is:
Ductile
66
The ability of a structural assembly to maintain its load bearing capacity and structural integrity under fire conditions.
Fire Resistance
67
What types of building configurations can affect fire behavior?
1. Large undivided areas
2. Ceiling heights
3. Vertical openings between stairs
68
_______ are driven into the ground to support loads. _______ are constructed by drilling or digging a shaft then filling it with concrete.
Piles, Piers
69
Two separate sets of stairs constructed in a common shaft is:
Scissor Stairs
70
The space between a suspended ceiling and the roof deck is:
Interstitial space
71
How is fire communicated by radiation?
Transfer of heat energy
72
The thermal decomposition of wood that begins somewhere below 392 degrees is called _________.
Pyrolysis
73
The deadliest Hotel fire in US history
The Winecoff Hotel fire
74
________ are split from the wood by hand or machine and are thicker than _______.
Shakes, Shingles
75
Structural lightweight concrete has a lower _______ and a lower ______ ______ than ordinary concrete.
Density and Thermal conductivity.
76
What are three potential sources of building failure under fire conditions?
1. Structural integrity
2. Building systems
3. Design deficiencies
77
In multistory buildings, skylights may be placed over a:
Stairwell
78
Compression tends to ________ material.
Squeeze
79
The ability of a substance to vaporize easily at a relatively low temperature is:
Volatility
80
Building and fire codes require standpipes be extended before construction reaches?
40' above the lowest level or access
81
The _____ and ______ style trusses are the most common types used for pitched roofs.
Fink and Pratt
82
Two general methods can be used to reduce the structural damage from an explosion are:
1. Containment
| 2. Venting
83
As a rule, reinforcing steel should not be cut in the course of fire fighting operations unless to rescue. True or False? Why?
True. Because steel strands are stretched like rubber bands, they could spring out.
84
The most important factor in determining the type of foundation to be used for a building is:
Available work space
85
Concrete is strong in _______ but weak in ______.
Compression, tension
86
A non bearing exterior wall attached to the outside of a building with a rigid steel frame is a _______ wall. This tends to conceal the structural details of a building.
Curtain
87
The single most important factor in determining the ultimate strength of concrete is the:
Water to cement ratio
88
How much does an intumescent coating expand when exposed to heat?
15 to 30 times its original volume
89
In gabled rigid frame structures, the ______ joint between the roof and the wall will be the strongest part and the last to fail.
Knee joint
90
When round bars are used for the diagonal members, the open web uses is known as a:
Bar Joist
91
Three types of joints can be used to join laminated members end to end, they are:
1. Butt Joint
2. Finger Joint
3. Scarf Joint
92
A _______ foundation is a thick slab beneath the entire area of the building.
Mat
93
Structural member subjected to loads, usually vertical.
Beams
94
Stress at the top of the beam is in _______ and the bottom of the beam is in _______.
Compression, Tension
95
Gypsum board consists of 21% water. The water turns to steam upon exposure to fire and absorbs the heat. This process is called:
Calcination
96
On the basis of strength to unit weight, wood has a tensile strength comparable to steel. True or false?
True
97
Most structural lumber has a moisture content of ____ or less.
19%
98
The earliest provisions of building codes were directed at the danger of _____, it occurs when fire is communicated from building to building. Forest fires can also be considered this too.
Conflagration
99
A veneered product made of several thin layers or veneers that are rotary sliced from logs and glued together; also considered a panel.
Plywood
100
A _______ load may create both tension and compression, creating stresses that vary.
Eccentric
101
Two aspects of curtain walls significant to the firefighter are:
1. The degree of fire resistance is very low
| 2. They can permit vertical spread of fire
102
Phase ____ operation is an emergency elevator operating mode that allows emergency use of the elevator with certain safeguards and special functions.
Phase two.
103
Interior walls used to subdivide a floor or area of a building that do not qualify as fire walls are:
Fire partitions
104
Transformers may be high or low voltage and the two most common cooling methods use ______ and _______.
Air and oil
105
The most common elevator in buildings over six stories is _________ _________, because it doesn't have height limitations like hydraulic and drum elevators
Traction Elevator
106
A cause of deterioration unique to wood is:
Shrinkage
107
The transfer of heat energy from one body to another by electromagnetic waves is called:
Thermal radiation
108
When bricks used to construct a masonry wall are placed end to end, they create a ______ course.
Stretcher
109
Weight of the structure, structural members, building components and any other feature permanently attached to the building that is constant and immobile.
Dead load
110
A course of bricks that provide horizontal bonding between two withes is a ________ course.
Header
111
Force placed on a structure by adding people, objects or weather. Any load not fixed or permanent.
Live load
112
What is the difference between wood shingles and shakes?
How they are made
113
The end of a wood joist or beam will be cut at an angle. This allows the beam to fall away freely from a wall without pushing against the masonry. The angle is called:
Fire cut
114
Shear tends to _____ one plane of a material past an adjacent plane.
Slide
115
______are thin, tapered slabs of wood sawn from pieces of a tree trunk.
Wood shingles
116
The causes of non fire building collapse can be put into two broad categories: ________ -caused and ________-caused.
Nature and Human
117
An event that produces a rapid release of energy
Explosion
118
The minimum projection of a parapet above the roof is:
1'
119
Basic property of steel is?
It's resistance to aging
120
Mill construction is classified as ________ construction.
Type 4
121
What distinguishes an explosion from such other occurrences as ordinary combustion is:
The speed at which it occurs
122
The addition of _______ to steel will increase its strength.
Molybdenum
123
The type of frame whose joints are designed primarily to support a vertical force is a _______ frame.
Simple
124
At ______, unprotected steel loses approx 72% of its strength.
1200 degrees
125
The point at which steel undergoes a pronounced deformation is the ______ point.
Yield
126
Standard method of Tests of Fire Endurance of Building Construction and Materials:
NFPA 251
127
There are two characteristics that distinguish mill construction from type 3 masonry construction, they are:
1. The dimensions of the wood
| 2. Concealed spaces are not permitted
128
When concrete absorbs heat, it retains it then releases it slowly, this effect is known as:
Heat sink effect
129
Three dimensional space frames known as Delta trusses because the cross section:
Resembles the Greek letter Delta
130
This creates a force on a building through the weight of the building components and all of its contents.
Gravity
131
Any effect that a structure must be designed to resist:
Load
132
The ______ ______ ______ of a fuel is the total amount of thermal energy that could be released if the fuel were completely burned.
Heat of combustion
133
An axial load is a load applied to the ________.
Center
134
The type of frame whose connections are stiff enough to provide some diagonal support to the structure is a ______ frame.
Semi-rigid
135
A grease duct is installed as part of an ______system.
Exhaust
136
A notch, hole or space cut into a piece of timber to receive the projecting part is:
Mortise
137
The fire retardant treatment of wood will reduce its strength. True or false?
True
138
The ratio of the surface area of the fuel to the mass of the fuel is:
Surface to mass ratio
139
A projecting member in a piece of wood or other material for insertion into a mortise to make a joint is called:
Tenon
140
______ trips will shut down power before a sprinkler discharges.
Shunt
141
Intumescent coatings are applied as paint in a thickness of ____ to _____ inches.
.03 to .4 inches
142
SFRM's that use magnesium oxychloride have densities ranging from _____ to____ lb cu. ft.
40 to 80
143
When determine flame spread rating, the material tested is compared to :
Asbestos cement board and Red Oak wood
144
Operational requirements for an emergency power supply for hospitals and other critical facilities may be up to ____ hours or longer.
48
145
Model building codes define a hi rise building as one that is more than ______' in height.
75'
146
The type of gypsum that contains additives to increase its fire resistance is:
Type X
147
The _____ ratio of a steel column compares the unbraced length of a column to the shape and area of its cross-section.
Slenderness
148
The electricity used by light fixture ballasts is ____ volts.
277 volts
149
Having a fan supply air at one point to pressurize a stairwell is known as the ______ _______ ________.
Single injection method
150
Curtain boards should not be less than ______% of the ceiling height.
20%
151
In slab and beam concrete frames, the two way framing system is used where spans are:
Short and floor loads are high
152
The primary cause of spalling concrete is:
Expansion of excess moisture
153
Foundation for which the volume of earth excavated will be equal to the weight of the building supported:
Floating foundation
154
Vertical reinforcing bars that resist diagonal tension are known as:
Stirrups
155
The ideal temp for curing concrete is ____ to ____.
50 to 70 degrees
156
The heat given off by the gel produced when water combines with particles of cement is known as the heat of _______.
Hydration
157
Protected steel is one method of providing fire resistance for Type ____ construction.
Type 1
158
Two disadvantages of steel are:
1. Tendency to rust
| 2. Loss of strength when exposed to heat
159
Technically a mall is defined as :
A covered pedestrian way.
160
The most important factor in determining the way buildings are built is:
Technology
161
The area of refuge for a stairway serving as an accessible means of egress is generally designed to accommodate ____ wheelchairs.
1 or 2
162
A ______ explosion is the result of a purely physical event.
Boiler
163
Land ______ is simulate to land slides in that the ground gives way, but usually gradual sinking.
Subsidence
164
High strength steel used in reinforcing cables and rods have a yield point temp of approx ____.
752 degrees
165
Precast tee slabs are used for spans up to how many feet?
120'
166
This type of joint is easy to produce but cannot be used where tensile forces are transmitted along the length of a beam.
Butt Joint
167
The first digit in NFPA's 220 subclass of building types refers to fire resistance rating of:
Exterior bearing walls
168
Freestanding fire walls are usually found in:
Wood frame buildings
169
The equation P=CWH is used to determine:
Soil pressure
170
Storage racks can reach a total height in excess of _____'.
100'
171
The impact effect the wind has on a surface is:
Direct Pressure
172
The formula E=1/2MV2 describes:
Kinetic Energy
173
The use of ______ is the most common characteristic of unprotected Type 2 construction.
Unprotected steel
174
An eccentric load:
Creates stresses that vary, also creating both tension and compression
175
What should be a primary goal of the demolition process?
To protect surrounding structures
176
Relies on building construction and materials to contain fire. Examples are fire walls or stair closures. What type of fire protection is this?
Passive
177
A form of ground collapse; a sudden event.
Sinkhole
178
Roofs of buildings can be classified into three styles:
1. Flat
2. Pitched
3. Curved
179
Refers to temporary supports:
Shoring
180
Sinkholes occur more often in:
Florida
181
Buildings constructed prior to the ________ are generally more at risk for collapse following an earthquake.
1930's
182
The best FF access to a fire event on an upper floor of a building under construction is:
A construction elevator
183
It may be necessary to strengthen and stabilize,an existing foundation. This is called:
(Also refers to permanent supports)
Underpinning
184
A top exit is provided on all electric _______ elevators.
Traction
185
The type of hoist way shaft with no entrances between main floor and lowest level served by an express elevator and has access doors placed every 3 floors is:
Blind
186
If a building contains ______ or fewer elevators, codes permit them to be placed in one hoist way.
3
187
Applied loads resulting in stresses occurring within the surface is known as a _______ system.
Surface
188
The testing of fire doors includes:
Doors, frames and hardware
189
If a fire wall has a 4-hour rating, the openings usually have a _____ rating.
3 hour
190
The forces that resist the applied loads are:
Reactions
191
Tied fire walls are most often found in buildings of ____ _____ or _____ ______ construction.
Steel frame or concrete frame
192
Because the oil used in oil cooled or oil filled transformers provides electrical insulation, it must have _______ properties.
Dielectric
193
When air is in motion, it possesses _____ energy.
Kinetic
194
A _____ is a structural member used to carry loads across a distance.
Arch
195
Three parts of the means of egress are:
1. Exit access
2. Exit
3. Exit discharge
196
The practical upper limit for hydraulic elevators using single stage ram is about ____ stories.
Six
197
Modern escalators move at ____ feet per min
100
198
The typical heat and smoke vent has a size of ____' in either direction.
4'
199
The most common method used for evaluating surface burning characteristics is the ______ _______ test.
Steiner Tunnel
200
Stairwells in buildings 3 stories or less are required to have a _______ enclosure.
One hour
201
What type of fire doors use door operators?
Sliding only
202
Kalamein doors are wood core covered by:
Galvanized sheet metal
203
Test pits are used to determine soil properties up to a depth of __'.
8'
204
Timbers have a nominal thickness of ___ inches or more.
5"
205
Building codes permit the use of fire retardant treated wood for applications in type ____ construction.
Type II
206
The intense heat used to fire bricks converts them to a ____ material.
Ceramic
207
Steel is basically an alloy of iron and ____.
Carbon
208
Common structural steel is has a carbon content of _______.
Less than 3/10 of 1%
209
The connection used to join steel members that requires the most heat to produce failure is _____.
Rigid
210
Normal design strength of concrete is reached after ____ days.
28
211
In flat slab concrete frames, the concrete varies in thickness from ___ to ___.
6 to 12"
212
In slab and beam concrete frames, the slabs can be as thin as ___ inches.
2
