Building Systems and Construction Flashcards
What are dead loads?
dead loads are usually permanent, non-movable loads. Examples are the weight of the building, including the floor, pillars, or roofing structure. These are sometimes also referred to as static loads.
What are live loads
Loads that are non-permanent, movable loads, such as people, furniture, and equipment (like a dense filing system), and other more specific types such as lateral and dynamic loads
What are latera loads?
Loads that exert force from natural occurrences, like wind and earthquakes (seismic), or even explosions. These usually exert force in more directions than downwards.
What are dynamic loads?
Loads created from impacts include moving/stopping elevators, snow loads, or a car driving across a bridge. The difference is that these forces change more quickly than static or other types of live loads.
What is the easiest and least expensive way to achieve a 1-hour rating wall?
a single layer of 5/8” type X wallboard
What makes a partition fire rated?
-The gypsum must be fire rated
-the partition must run slab to slab
-all connections/openings must be sealed with fire-rated caulking material
What are the requirements of a partition for acoustical separation?
-Partion must run slab to slab
-all connections/openings must be sealed with an acoustical caulking material
What is black water?
Contains human waste
What is gray water?
untreated household wastewater that does not contain human waste. may come from lavatories, bathtubs, showers, clothes washers, and laundry trays
What are the three goals of fire protection?
Protection of life, property, and restoration/use of the building after a fire
What are three types of flame detection devices
1.) Optical Detectors = use sensors to detect when flames are present.
2.) UV Detectors = can detect radiation within four milliseconds of ignition. Some have a time delay to prevent accidental triggers from lightning
3.) Infrared Detectors = use thermal imaging to sense the hot gases produced by a fire, like carbon dioxide
For residential spaces, where are smoke detectors required?
-outside and inside of every sleeping room
-at the head of every stairway on every level, including the basement
What is an ionization detector?
This detector responds to the ions formed by combustion instead of smoke, flames, or heat. Because of this, these are not the best detectors for heavy smoke fires.
What is a photoelectric detector?
This detector aims a light beam into the room or space. When smoke blocks the beam, it sets off an alarm. These are best for heavy smoke fires.
What is a rise of temperature detector?
This detector reacts to an increase in temperature within a space. Because rising temperatures indicate flames, this alarm may be too late to stop a fire.
How does a flame detector work?
This detector senses ultraviolet or infrared light from flames. Like the rise in temperature detectors, flames might be detected too late to stop a fire
what is a smoke damper and how does it work?
used in ductwork and air transfer openings and is designed to stop air passage upon detecting smoke in an emergency. Smoke dampers resist the passage of smoke and air. May be used in combination with fire damper.
What is a fire damper and gasket and how does it work?
These are placed within the ductwork and close upon detection of heat. Fire dampers prevent the spread of smoke and fire.
What is the maximum spacing between sprinkler heads?
15’ (for 225 sf coverage)
max distance from a wall being one-half the required spacing
what is a type A fire extinguisher used for?
ordinary combustibles such as wood or paper. primary extinguishing agent is water
What are Type B extinguishers used for?
use with spilled flammable liquids such as grease, oil, or gasoline.
designed to smother
What does transmission loss and noise reduction focus on?
focuses on preventing noise from transmitting from one space to another or between spaces
What does sound absorption focus on?
noise within a space to minimize reflections, reverberation, and improve speech clarity or privacy
What is STC (Sound transmission Class)?
STC is a rating for interior walls
The higher the rating the greater the sound isolation (normal rating 30-60. minimum rating of 50 for sleeping units/dwelling)
Describes how well a wall assembly reduces airborne sound passage between one side to the other
What is IIC (Impact Insulation Class)?
Rates how well the floor-ceiling assembly reduces structure-borne transmission to the room below
The higher the rating the better
(minimum rating of 50 for assemblies separating sleeping and dwelling units)
What is SAC and what does it measure?
Measures the absorption of a material
What is NRC and what does it measure?
Noise Reduction Coefficient
Measures the ability of a wall or ceiling to absorb airborne sound
Measured between 0 and 1
What is AC and what does it measure?
Articulation Class
Measure of the finished ceiling’s absorption and reflection of sound, but specifically affects speech clarity in an open office environment
What is CAC and what does it measure?
Ceiling Attenuation Class
a ceiling system’s ability to reduce sound transmission (not absorption) from one room to another when the rooms share the same plenum space
CAC of at least 30-40 is recommended for closed offices with shared plenums
What is sound masking?
can provide a low level of background sound specifically engineered to increase speech privacy
(ex. system of speakers installed in an open ceiling or plenum)
What are resilient channels used for?
improve the acoustical properties of a wall by separating the wall’s structure from its surface material. They make the wall less stiff, inhibiting the transfer of vibrations through to the other side.
What are the important considerations of light?
-Glare
-Contrast
-Uniformity
-Color
What is direct lighting?
provide all light output on the task. A recessed fluorescent luminaire is an example of direct lighting.
What is indirect lighting?
uses one or more fixtures to aim light onto the ceiling and upper walls, which act as reflectors and distribute the light evenly throughout the room.
What is semi-direct lighting?
put a majority of the light down and a small percentage toward the ceiling.
Fixtures for this type of system must be surface mounted or suspended.
What is semi-indirect lighting?
using a translucent reflector that transmits some primary light (as to the floor) while reflecting most of it (as to the ceiling)
What is direct-indirect lighting?
distribute light up and down about equally. Indirect systems direct all the light toward a reflective ceiling, where the light illuminates the room by reflection.
What is general diffuse lighting?
Diffuse light is emitted from large, luminous surfaces. It produces a soft, uniform lighting with low modeling and brilliance
What is task lighting?
Task lighting provides increased light for specific tasks in a room that may already have some ambient light
What is ambient lighting?
Also called general lighting, ambient lighting provides overall illumination for a room, and is intended to create a uniform light level throughout a space
What is efficacy?
The measure of energy efficiency
Measures lumens per watt
The higher the efficacy, the better
What are different types of incandescents?
Xenons: dimmable but not energy efficent because it gives off more heat.
Halogen: bright but hot. cheap upfront but more cost to operate because they have a short lamp life. dimmable
What are the different types of discharge light sources?
Fluorescents and HIDS
Fluorescents: more energy-efficient because they give off less heat. brighter than LEDs but have harsh white color. Not dimmable. Practical for commercial space where lights stay on
HIDs (High Density Discharge):
They pass an electric current through a gas containing metal vapors and produce an arc of light within a tube. The HID lamp warm-up process can take three to seven minutes, depending on ambient temperature conditions, so this is not appropriate for residential use where someone would want the light to come on instantly
What is the soild state light source?
LEDs (light-emitting diodes)
long-lasting, have lower heat, lower energy use, and have lower operating cost but more expensive upfront. cooler blueish light. required a low-voltage dimmer
Electrical requirements for dwelling units:
-one outlet every 12 feet max along unbroken walls (includes around corners)
- A max of 6 feet from any obstruction or “break” in a wall, such as a door
- No outlet required on an “unbroken” wall (as in between two doors) shorter than 2 feet
- At least one wall-switched electrical out per “habitual” room
-GFCI require in kitchen and bathrooms
-AFCI outlet in living and sleeping areas
How much space is required in front of an electrical panel?
there must be a clear working space at least 3 feet deep by 30 inches wide in front of the panel and clear space above the panel.
