Building Construction

Question 1

Building Construction affects

Answer 1

Ladder placement, forcible entry, search and rescue and ventilation feasibility

Question 2

Conventional construction

Answer 2

structural members that depend on size for strength

Question 3

Lightweight construction

Answer 3

Strength comes from multiple members that are in compression and tension

Question 4

Bridge truss roof

Answer 4

primarily constructed during the 30s and 40s. wooden truss members are 2 x 12” lumber

Question 5

Bridge truss rafters

Answer 5

2x6” or larger and covers by 1x6” sheathing (diagonal or straight)

Question 6

Straight sheathing used prior to

Answer 6

1933

Question 7

Diagonal sheathing used after

Answer 7

1933

Question 8

Bowstring Arch Roofs

Answer 8

constructed during the 30s, 40s and 50s

Question 9

Bowstring trusses and rafters

Answer 9

Truss 2x12 or 2x14, rafters 2x6 or larger, covered by 1x6 sheathing

Question 10

Lamella arch

Answer 10

Egg crate, geometric or diamond patterned roof

Question 11

Lamella arch failure

Answer 11

total roof collapse may occur if fire removes more than 20% of roof structure

Question 12

Tied Truss

Answer 12

Uses metal tie rods to offer lateral support for the walls of the building

Question 13

Tie rods in Tied Truss roofs

Answer 13

usually 5/8” in diameter with turnbuckles. Top chord is 2x12” or larger, rafters are 2x10” and covered by 1x6” sheathing

Question 14

Wooden I beam roof

Answer 14

2x3” chords are common,

3/8” plywood or chipboard

Question 15

Nailing blocks

Answer 15

placed perpendicular to the top chords and spaced 4 feet apart, provides nailing surface for 4’x8’ sheets of plywood

Question 16

Open web roof

Answer 16

Steel tube web members are prefabricated from one to two inch cold rolled steel tubing with the ends pressed flat

Question 17

Open web roof spans

Answer 17

Spans to 70’ using a single 2’x4’ or two 2’x’3’ as top and bottom chord members.

Question 18

Metal gusset plate roof

Answer 18

18 gauge steel plates with prongs that produce 3/8” penetration are common.

Question 19

Metal gusset plate spand

Answer 19

up to 80’, decking material is usually 1/2” plywood

Question 20

Panelized

Answer 20

Lam beams 6x36” spaced 12’ to 40’ and can be longer than 100 feet with beams bolted together

Question 21

Panelized purlins

Answer 21

4x12” spaced every 8’

Question 22

Open web bar joist

Answer 22

Top and bottom chords are usually made from 1/8” steel and web supports are solid 5/8” steel bars.

Question 23

Open web bar joist can span

Answer 23

up to 45 feet, Joist are spaced 8’ apart

Question 24

Hazards

Answer 24

Steel begins to lose it strength at 1000 degrees, will expand, twist and possibly fail.

Question 25

Lightweight concrete roof

Answer 25

Air-entrained mixture of sand, cement and pea gravel pumped on top of corrugated metal and 4x4” or 6x6” wire mesh to thickness of 3 to 4 inches.

Question 26

Tilt up

Answer 26

Can be up to 5 stories

Question 27

Pre-33 characteristics

Answer 27

Concrete cap, rafter tie plates, bond beam, lintels, king row, inset windows, 13 inch thick walls

Question 28

Parapet walls on pre 33

Answer 28

parapet walls around the perimeter and can be 3 feet above the roof line and 5 feet or more if used as facade in front

Question 29

“let” in

Answer 29

Floor and roof joist are “let” penetrated or resting in a city into the inside of the exterior walls

Question 30

“fire cut”

Answer 30

Ends were cut with an angel so they would pull loose form the exterior walls during a fire and collapse into the interior of building without pulling down the exterior walls

Question 31

Post 33 (Long Beach)

Answer 31

Exterior walls 9” thick, Masonry walls reinforced with rebar, all joist and rafters anchored to exterior walls by a ledger board

Question 32

Post 1959 (Tehachapi)

Answer 32

4 to 6” concrete bond-beam cap to be laid on top of lowered parapet walls along public ways and exits.

Question 33

Post 1959 parapet walls

Answer 33

not higher than 16 inches including bond beam cap

Question 34

Post 1959 roof rafters

Answer 34

Exterior walls drilled at the roof rafter level and steel anchor bar/ rod installed every 4 feet and attached to the existing roof rafter

Question 35

Post 1971 (Sylmar)

Answer 35

Anchoring walls to floors, strengthening roof with metal straps

Question 36

Metal straps

Answer 36

run across the width of the roof and attached to opposing walls. Straps are usually 1/3 of the length of the building back from the front and rear walls

Question 37

Bungalow and ballon construction

Answer 37

constructed during the 20s, 30s, and 40s

Question 38

Bungalow constuction

Answer 38

“rough-cut” 2x4” studs and rafters. “old type” of lightweight construction

Question 39

Balloon Construction

Answer 39

Does not utilize horizontal fire blocks in the walls and plates between multiple floors separating the attic

Question 40

Platform constructions

Answer 40

utilizes fire blocking in the walls. studs which eliminate open vertical pathways to the attic

Question 41

Curtain Construction

Answer 41

60% faster than conventional construction

Question 42

Wood shake roof

Answer 42

Small pieces of wood nailed to 1x4” spaced sheathing. No top or bottom cut. Two side cuts and J hook