Building Technology Flashcards
What Is meant by the term the substructure?
The foundations below the DPC or ground level
What is meant by the term superstructure?
The building/structure above the DPC or ground level.
What is the purpose of the honeycomb sleeper wall in timber ground floors?
To support the joists at mid-span and provide ventilation to prevent dry rot.
Describe what is meant by the term “Floating Floor”?
A floor that floats and is not fixed to the sub-floor.
Is Block and beam floor construction a sustainable method and why?
No, because it uses concrete needing sand, aggregate and lime in its make-up.
Is concrete a sustainable material?
No, concrete needing sand, aggregate and lime in its make-up, and these are not finite resources.
What roofing components are made in the factory transported to site ready to be erected using bracing materials?
Roof Trusses
What are the advantages of using webbed joists?
They can span greater distances, and services can easily be passed through them, they are also lighter and faster to install.
State three different types of joist available?
Stress graded timber, Web joists, timber I beam or concrete beams.
State three materials that a staircase can be made from?
Timber, concrete or steel.
What defines a flat roof?
A roof of 10 degrees or less.
What type of foundation is normally used for hi-rise buildings?
Pile foundation
What type of foundation is normally used for house extensions?
Narrow deep fill foundation.
Why is deep fill foundations better than wide strip?
It is safer, quicker, and cheaper.
What type of foundation can be used on poor soil conditions and covers the whole footprint of the building?
Raft or slab foundation
What type of foundation are used where there is sloping ground?
Stepped Foundations
What type of foundation is generally used for steel or concrete column construction, used for factories, shops and warehouses?
Pad foundation
What materials are required to make concrete?
Sand, gravel, cement and water.
State three primary elements found in the superstructure of a building?
Floors, Wall, Roofs and Staircase.
State three materials that a internal partition can be made from?
Timber, steel, aluminium, brick, block or paramount.
What are the disadvantages of using trusses over a traditional cut-roof?
Delivery, storage, crane maybe required.
What are the advantages of timber frame construction over traditional brick cavity construction?
Erection is faster, better insulation qualities, sustainable method of construction.
What type of external wall construction was used to build houses before the 1940s?
Solid wall construction
What type of external wall construction was used to build houses from the 1950s?
Cavity wall construction
State three finishing elements found in the super structure?
Plaster, render, paint or wallpaper.
What do the Initials PVA stand for and what is it used for?
Polyvinyl acetate, used as a bonding agent, sealer and adhesive
Describe what “Lath and Plaster” is and where it might be found?
The laths are thin strips of wood, which are fixed to the wall with small gaps between to give the plaster a key, found in buildings before 1950s.
Explain the purpose of using a render coat?
Gives a smooth or textured waterproof finish to external walls
State three different types of paint finish?
Matt, vinyl, gloss, eggshell, Satin, simi gloss
State the procedure to paint wood?
Knotting, primer, undercoat, finish coat.
State three different types of wallpaper available?
Vinyl, blown vinyl, wood chip/pulp, lining, textured, lincrusta
State 3 secondary elements found in the superstructure?
Frames, linings, doors, windows, skirting & architrave
State two differences between a frame and a lining?
Frame external, weatherproof, larger sections, rebated.
Lining internal, smaller sections, loose stop.
State three purposes of an external door?
Access, security, thermal, weather resistant, acoustic properties, privacy, draft proof.
State three purposes of a window frame?
Ventilation, security, thermal, weather resistant, acoustic properties, light, draft proof.
State three different moulding profile available?
Bullnose, chamfer/round, chamfer, ovolo, ogee, torus, pencil round, astra glaze, quadrant and scotia.
What is the purpose of skirting and architrave?
To hide the gaps between floor/lining and wall and protect the plaster.
