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TFD BC > Building Construction/Collapse > Flashcards

Building Construction/Collapse Flashcards

1
Q

What is the life span of a building?

A

75-100 years

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2
Q

24 hours a day ____ is working to pull a building down

A

Gravity

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3
Q

On average, how many firefighters lose their lives each year?

A

110

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4
Q

Since the 1900s, the frequency of fires has gone up or gone down?

A

Gone down

Dropped considerably

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5
Q

Since the 1900s, the frequency of firefighter deaths has…

A

Stayed the same

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6
Q

What are the 4 reasons why it is important for us to speak “building construction language?”

A

Enables us to communicate with other agencies
Enables us to be more specific when speaking to each other
Helps our professional image
Clear and precise communication is essential on the fireground

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7
Q

Forces placed upon structural components are known as ____

A

Loads

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8
Q

Buildings are subject to multiple types of loads. Some are planned for, some are not. These two loads are called….

A

Designed and undesigned loads

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9
Q

When it comes to knowledge of loads in a building, firefighters should have…

A

A basic understanding of them

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10
Q

Firefighters should be able to understand how the building loads will change when…

A

The building is compromised

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11
Q

Buildings are built to withstand ____

A

Gravity

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12
Q

What is the “gravity resistance system” in a building?

A

All structural elements and connections that support and transfer the loads placed on a structure

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13
Q

The “gravity resistance system” in a building is designed to…

A

Transfer all loads placed on the structure down to the ground

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14
Q

Compromise of the gravity resistance system interrupts…

A

Load transfer to the ground

Loads are placed on adjoining structural members which were not designed to handle them

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15
Q

____ is the enemy of all buildings

A

Gravity

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16
Q

What are the 2 basic load categories caused by gravity?

A

Dead loads

Live loads

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17
Q

What are dead loads?

A

The weight of the building and everything permanently attached to it

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18
Q

What are live loads?

A

The weight of all movable things in and on the building

People and furniture

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19
Q

What are the 2 reasons why we care about dead loads?

A

Added dead load such as air conditioners etc may not be planned for structurally

Reductions in dead weight at the top of a building allows the reduction in the overall weight of the gravity resistance system and less mass means less fire resistance

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20
Q

Fire resistance is related to ____ ___ to ___ ratio

A

Surface area

Mass

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21
Q

What are the 4 reasons why we care about live loads?

A

Live loads cannot be specifically calculated
Building codes specify minimum designs for specific uses
If building use changes, the actual live loads may change
Firefighting can add live load to the structure that it is not designed for

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22
Q

A 1000 gpm master stream flowing for 1 minute adds how much weight to a building?

A

Over 8000 pounds

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23
Q

How and where the load or force is applied to the materials determines…

A

What internal stresses the material experiences

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24
Q

Loads placed on a building create…

A

Stress within the materials bearing the load

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25
Q

What are the 3 basic types of stress in materials?

A

Compression
Tension
Shear

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26
Q

What is compression?

A

Squeezing the material together

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27
Q

What is tension?

A

Pulling the material apart

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28
Q

What is shear?

A

Sliding or bending type stress in the member

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29
Q

What is an axial load?

A

Loads applied parallel to the axis of the member and pass through the centroid of the cross section of the member

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30
Q

What are flexural or bending stresses?

A

Force is applied perpendicular to the axis of the member

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31
Q

What is an eccentric load?

A

Loads that are applied parallel to the axis of the member but that do not pass through the center of the cross section of the member

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32
Q

What is deformation?

A

The change in the size and shape of a member under a load

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33
Q

What is elasticity?

A

The ability of a material to return to size and shape after deformation under load

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34
Q

What is a ductile material?

A

Can be subject to large amounts of stress without breaking

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35
Q

What is a brittle material?

A

A material that will break early when subject to large amounts of stress

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36
Q

Concrete is good under which type of load?

It’s not good under which type of load?

A

Good for compression

Not good for tension

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37
Q

Depending on it’s makeup, steel is good for both…

A

Tension and compression

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38
Q

Wood is ____ in compression and as well as tension

A

Decent

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39
Q

What are some examples of environmental loads?

A

Snow
Wind
Earthquakes
Hurricanes

Based on where the building is built, it must be able lto withstand different types of environmental loads

40
Q

The normal live load calculation for snow and rain is…

A

20psf for roofs

41
Q

Rain load depends on…

A

If the water is able to run off or not and how quickly

42
Q

Structural stability depends on what 5 things?

A

Designed/undesigned loads
Dead/Live loads
Method of load transfer

43
Q

Buildings are built to transfer all loads through the _____ to the ____

A

Structure

Ground

44
Q

What is important about the connection of members?

A

The method of the connection

45
Q

A building can be built with super strong materials, but if they are not connected in a way that is as strong as the materials…

A

It will fail when subject to extraordinary loads

46
Q

Structural stability of a building is only as strong as it’s____

A

Connections

47
Q

Structural stability is built to withstand…

A

Normal designed loads

48
Q

As the surface to mass ratio increases, the fire resistance of the structure ____

A

Decreases

49
Q

What is a distributed load?

A

Load distributed over a large area

50
Q

What is a concentrated load?

A

Loads applied in a small area

Point loading

51
Q

What is an impact load?

A

A load applied while at motion

52
Q

What is a static load?

A

A load that is applied slowly and remains nearly constant

53
Q

Normal structural loading of a building has built in ____ loads

A

Static loads

54
Q

Typically, static loads in the building are unchanged unless…

A

The structural supports fail

55
Q

What are the 2 ways we regulate the construction and maintenance of buildings?

A

Building codes

Fire codes

56
Q

Building codes can be ____ or ____

A

Specific

Generalized

57
Q

What do building and fire codes do?

A

Deliniate the level of risk a community will face in regard to building failure

58
Q

What does a specification code do?

A

Establishes building construction requirements through particular methods and materials

59
Q

What is a performance code?

A

Sets a requirement for performance that must be met

60
Q

Do performance codes limit the selection of materials and systems used?

A

No, as long as they meet the performance requirement

61
Q

Why do we care about the type of code the city is under?

A

Under a specification code buildings were required to use certain sized beams to support certain loads

Under performance code, the builders could use TGI beams in place of a full sized beam and support the same load

62
Q

What year was the Iroquois Theater Fire and how many died?

What kind of code changes did it lead to?

A

1903
602
Panic exit devices for emergency egress

63
Q

What year was the Cocoanut Grove Fire and how many died?

What kind of code changes did it lead to?

A

1942
492
Visible exit signs, outward opening emergency exits, limiting use of flammable decoration

64
Q

What year was the Beverly Hills Supper Club Fire and how many died?
What kind of code changes did it lead to?

A

1977
165
Limiting the use of aluminum wiring, requiring fire alarms for public assembly areas to have audible evacuation tone

65
Q 
What year and how many dead?
Happyland social club
Our lady of angels catholic school
Triangle shirt waist factory
Rhythm nightclub
A

1990 87
1958 95
1911 146
1940 203

66
Q

Does adopting a code guarantee safety?

A

NO

67
Q

___ and ____ are as important as the code itself

A

Education

Enforcement

68
Q

What year and how many died during the Station Nightclub fire?

A

2003 100

69
Q

Before it was a nightclub, the Station was…

A

A restaurant and exempt from sprinkler requirement

70
Q

What did fire inspectors miss when the Station was changed to a nightclub?

A

They missed the sprinkler requirement

71
Q

In Tucson, what is the estimate between fire inspections?

A

10 years

72
Q

For our safety, ___ is a must.

A

Preplanning

73
Q

The IBC classifies buildings in what 2 ways?

A

Occupancy type

Construction type

74
Q

What does IBC stand for?

A

International Building Code

75
Q

In general, the more flammable/dangerous the construction type, the more…

A

Stringent the building and fire code requirements

76
Q

The IBC classifies buildings as 10 different things. Good luck naming them all…

A 
Assembly
Business
Educational
Factory
High Hazard
Institutional
Mecantile
Residential
Storage
Utility and miscellaneous
77
Q

What are the 5 standard types of construction?

A 
Type V Wood Frame
Type IV Heavy Timber
Type III Ordinary Construction
Type II Non Combustible
Type I Fire Resistive
78
Q

Know the difference between balloon and platform type construction…

A

Kaaaay?

79
Q

With heavy timber construction, columns and beams are a minimum of what size?

A

Columns 8x8

Beams 6x6

80
Q

What type of construction is considered “Main Street USA”?

A

Type III

81
Q

What are the 3 types of noncombustible buildings?

A

Metal frame structure covered by metal exterior walls
metal frame structure enclosed by masonry
Masonry bearing walls supporting a metal roof

82
Q

With fire resistive construction, structural elements are…

A

Protected from fire exposure

83
Q

With fire resistive construction, what is encasement?

A

Enclosing in fire resistive enclosure such as fire rated drywall

84
Q

With fire resistive construction, what is encapsulated?

A

Coated with fire resistive material

85
Q

What are 2 examples of encapsulated fire resistive construction?

A

Intumescent paints

Spray on

86
Q

What are the 3 ways structural elements are protected from fire exposure?

A

Encasement
Encapsulation
Membrane

87
Q

What are the 4 size up errors with timber truss roofs?

A

Not recognizing the presence of a truss roof
Lack of heat gives a false sense of safety
Conflicting reports
Low fire load?

88
Q

What did Francis Brannigan say about lightweight truss roofs?

A

If there is enough heat and fire to require ventilation, the roof is unsafe

89
Q

What is a code red?

A

When anyone on the fire ground sees or suspects a building collapse

90
Q

Who initiates a code red?

A

Group/division supervisor or IC

91
Q

During a code red as a firefighter, you should take only the equipment that…

A

You will need to exit the building

Don’t risk your life delaying your exit by removing other equipment

92
Q

What 2 things can an engineer do to signal a code red?

A

15 second blast on air horn

Surge the lines

93
Q

What do captains do during a code red?

A

Conduct a personnel accountability roll call

94
Q

What is the collapse zone of a building?

A

1.5 times the height of a building

95
Q

Never cut…

A

Principle support members

96
Q

Less mass means what when it comes to construction?

A

Less time before a collapse

97
Q

What are the 3 final things to remember listed on the power point?

A

Preplan
Look for voids
Watch the connections

TFD BC (26 decks)

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