Chapter 3 - Building Construction Flashcards

1
Q

AHJ

A

Authority having jurisdiction. Adopts and amends building codes to meet local requirements.

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2
Q

Type 1 Fire Resistive

A

Provides highest level of protection from from spread as well as structural collapse. Structural members have highest fire-resistive rating thus they do not add to the fuel load. Reinforced concrete, precast concrete, and protected steel frame. Structure will not burn but can degrade from effects of fire.
Compartments can retain heat leading to potential for rapid fire development. Roofs can be extremely hard to penetrate. Windows may be inoperable or hard to access.

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3
Q

Type 2 Non-combustible

A

Will not contribute to fire development or spread. Materials do not meet the stricter requirements of those used in type 1. Materials include metal framing, metal cladding, or concrete block wall and unprotected open web joists supporting metal roof decks. More prone to collapse than type 1 due to lighter-weight materials with lower fire-resistive ratings.

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4
Q

Type 3 Ordinary

A

Common in mercantile, business, residential, and older schools/churches. Exterior walls and structural members constructed of non-combustible or limited combustible materials. Interior walls, columns, beams, floors, and roofs are completely or partially constructed of wood. Void spaces less protected than type 1 and 2. Fire will spread through these spaces unless fire stops are installed. Prefabricated wood truss systems similar to those found in type 5 are found in this type sometimes (fail quickly).

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5
Q

Type 4 Heavy Timber

A

Use of large-dimensioned lumber or laminated wood. Extremely stable and resistant to collapse due to the sheer mass. Exterior walls constructed of non-combustible materials. Interior building elements have no concealed spaces. This lack of void spaces or concealed spaces helps prevent unseen fire travel. Glue laminated beams may fail when exposed to fire because the heat may affect the glue holding the laminates together.

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6
Q

Type 5 Wood Frame

A

Exterior load bearing walls are composed entirely of wood. Veneer of stucco, brick, or stone may be constructed over the wood framing. Common in single family residences and multistory apartment buildings. Studs 2 x 4 or 2 x 6. Modern vinyl siding adds another petroleum based fuel to the fire load which produces dense, dark, oily, toxic smoke and melts away. Prefabricated wood truss systems in place of solid floor joists.

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7
Q

Factory built homes

A

Modular, prefabricated, manufactured (most common factory built home), and industrialized housing. Partially or completely built in factory and shipped to location. Manufactured homes are not required to conform to the model building codes. Fire can spread more quickly due to fewer internal walls to create compartments.

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8
Q

Panelized homes

A

Assembled on site from pre constructed panels made of foam insulation between sheets of plywood.

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9
Q

Floors and ceilings

A

Floors at ground level may consist of concrete slab or a floor assembly made up of joists and decking over a crawl space or basement. Upper floors consist of joists and decking with the ceiling attached over the bottom. Be aware of duct work, electrical, water or natural gas pipes, pipes for suppression systems.

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10
Q

Walls

A

Consist of bottom plate, top plate, vertical studs, and horizontal braces sandwiched between 2 surfaces made of gypsum or lath and plaster.

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11
Q

Basements

A

Fires can damage floor joists and load bearing walls that support the upper floor and structure. Stairs can provide a flow path and can be a fall danger. Can be partially underground, fully, or walk out (daylight). Absence of drywall reduces the fire resistance of the studs and joists.

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12
Q

Access or convenience stairs

A

Not required to be a part of the means of egress system and typically connect no more than 2 levels

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13
Q

Protected stairs

A

Enclosed with fire-rated construction, usually with either a 1 or 2 hour rating. Generally serve 2 stories or more and are part of the required means of egress.

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14
Q

Unprotected stairs

A

Not enclosed with fire-rated construction and they may serve as a flow path for the fire and smoke.

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15
Q

Roofs

A

Protect structure and contents from effects of weather. Shape and construction intended to provide drainage, and support weight of snow and resist effects of wind.
3 prevalent types of roof; flat, pitched, and arched.

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16
Q

Flat roofs

A

Common on commercial, industrial, and multistory. Be aware of water tanks, antennas, signs, hvac equipment, solar panels.

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17
Q

Parapet walls

A

Low walls that surround flat roofs, extend from exterior walls.

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18
Q

Pitched roofs

A

Ridge line with roof deck that slopes down to the eaves along the roof edges. Involved beams or trusses which can be wood or metal. Roof decking or sheathing material usually plywood or oriented strand board (OSB). Open gable and box gable.

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19
Q

Arched roofs

A

Common in late 1800s to mid 1900s. Exterior walls support weight of the roof. (ie bowstring)

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20
Q

Roof supports

A

Beams (box beams and I-beams) and truss assemblies.

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21
Q

Gusset plate

A

Wood trusses assembled using metal plates. As wood burns, plates fall out and no longer a structural support for the truss.

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22
Q

Parallel chord truss

A

Usually constructed of wood or metal and used to support flat roofs and floor assemblies.

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23
Q

Roof deck

A

Portion of the roof between the roof supports and the roof covering.

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24
Q

Purlin

A

Horizontal member between trusses that support the roof.

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25
Q

2 common concrete roofs

A

Cast-in-concrete and pre-cast.

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26
Q

Roof covering

A

Part of the roof that is exposed to the weather.

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27
Q

Cocklofts

A

Concealed space between the top floor and the roof of a structure.

28
Q

Green roof

A

Use of the roof surface of a building for a rooftop garden. Increase load on structure called dead load. Can interfere with ventilation and fire location indicators.

29
Q

Cold roofs

A

Generally found in cold climates to prevent ice damming and icicle formation at the eaves. Prevent interior heat from escaping into the attic space. Can interfere vertical ventilation.

30
Q

Photovoltaic (PV) system

A

Solar energy. Even if power is off to building, panels can retain significant amount of electricity and if light is available, panels can continue to produce power.

31
Q

Rain or snow roof

A

Pitched roofs built over flat roofs. Void can created can conceal a fire and allow it to burn undetected. Hvac units can also be hidden. Increase dead load. Ventilation problems. FF should not enter the void area to cut a hole in the original roof (can become trapped, overcome by heat and smoke, fall through weakened roof, caught in extreme fire condition).

32
Q

Doors

A

Constructed of wood, metal (aluminum, carbon steel, stainless steel, bronze, copper), and glass.

33
Q

Swinging doors

A

Can be single or double leaf. Usually required as exit doors in a means of egress.

34
Q

Sliding doors

A

Used for elevators, power operated doors in storefront entrances, and fire doors to protect openings that are not a part of the means of egress. Sliding doors are never allowed as part of a means of egress because they slow the travel of people through the opening.

35
Q

Vertical doors

A

Loading dock, garage, freight elevator, fire doors protecting openings that are not part of the required means of egress.

36
Q

Revolving door

A

Designed to minimize air floor through a door opening to reduce building heating or cooling losses. Wings of the revolving door are designed to collapse under pressure and provide an unobstructed opening.

37
Q

Wood panel and flush door

A

Common type of swinging door. Panel, solid core, or hollow core. Flush door (also called slab door) consists of flat face panels which can be attached to a solid or hollow core.

38
Q

Solid core door

A

Interior core of laminated blocks of wood, particleboard, or mineral composition. Core is covered with 2 or 3 layers of surface material, usually plywood. If intended for exterior application, later of sheet metal may be attached. Better fire barrier than panel doors or hollow core doors.

39
Q

Hollow core door

A

Grid or honeycomb of wood, plastic, or fibreboard.

40
Q

Glass door

A

Building codes require glass doors to be made of tempered glass that resists breakage.

41
Q

Metal door

A

Common door is a hollow door made from steel or aluminum. A door made with 2 corrugated sheets has an interior core material such as Styrofoam.

42
Q

Fire doors

A

Protect openings in fire rated walls and block the spread of fire within a structure.

43
Q

Horizontal sliding fire door

A

Often found in old industrial buildings and usually held open by a fusible link. Cannot be used to protect openings in walls that are required parts of a means of egress.

44
Q

Swinging fire door

A

Common in stairwell enclosures or corridors. Fusible link. Slower to operate than devices that react to smoke or rate of temperature increase. A significant amount of smoke may flow through before fusible link can release the door.

45
Q

Windows

A

Consist of a frame, one or more sashes (fixed or moveable framed unit that may be included within a window frame). Frame composed of the sill, side jambs, and head jamb. Sill is the lowest horizontal member of the window frame and supports the weight of the hardware and sash.

46
Q

Glazing

A

All windows contain glass, known as glazing. Can be single, double or tripled glazed.

47
Q

Fixed windows

A

Display windows, picture windows, or deadlights.

48
Q

Double hung

A

2 sashes that can move past each other in a vertical plane

49
Q

Single hung

A

Only 1 moveable sash.

50
Q

Casement

A

Side hinged sash that is usually installed to swing outward. Can be 1 or 2 sashes

51
Q

Awning

A

Has 1 or more top-hinged, outward swinging sashes that are opened by unlatching and pushing or using mechanical crank. Can be open during rain.

52
Q

Jalousie

A

Large number of narrow overlapping glass sections swinging outward (same concept as awning).

53
Q

Security windows

A

Security bars or grills can prevent the escape of trapped occupants or FF and can slow the access time for FF. Must be removed when interior ops begin.

54
Q

Deadload

A

Weight of the structure, structural members, building components, and any other features permanently attached to the building that are constant and immobile.

55
Q

Eave

A

Edge of a pitched roof that overhangs an outside wall. Attic vents in typical eaves provide an avenue for an exterior fire to enter the attic.

56
Q

Joists

A

Horizontal structural members used to support a ceiling or floor. Drywall materials are nailed or screwed to the ceiling joists and the subfloor is nailed or screwed to the floor joists.

57
Q

Masonry

A

Bricks, blocks, stones, and unreinforced and reinforced concrete products.

58
Q

Rafter

A

Inclined beam that supports a roof, runs parallel to the slope of the roof, and to which the roof decking is attached.

59
Q

Load forces

A
60
Q

Safety factors

A

The purpose of a Safety Factor is to allow for unexpected loading, workmanship deficiencies, and material defects. Safety Factors range from at least 2:1 up to as high as 6:1 depending on the structure.

61
Q

Floor materials

A

Poured reinforced concrete
Cellular concrete over metal decking
Finished wood, tile, or carpet over wood subfloor attached to metal or wood joists

62
Q

Ceiling materials

A

Gypsum board Tin tiles
Lath and plaster attached to joists, trusses, or beams

63
Q

Floor And Ceiling Fire Resistance

A

Ceilings in exit or egress passageways
Same fire-resistance rating as walls in that corridor
Material used to cover floors in high occupancy structures. Rated to limit flammability. Ratings indicated in hours.

64
Q

Building Collapse Signs

A
  • Cracks in external walls constructed of brick, concrete, block, stucco, etc.
  • Bulging or leaning of walls.
  • Sounds of structural movement
  • Smoke or water leaking through exterior walls
  • Flexible (spongy) floors or roof
  • Distorted roof lines
  • Bearing walls or support components bending or
    distorting
  • Heavy spalling of concrete members and exposure of reinforcing steel
65
Q

Construction, Renovation, Demolition Hazards

A
  • Occupants may remain in the building
  • Fire alarm and detection systems may be out of service or damaged
  • Construction materials and debris may accumulate
  • Contractors or owners/occupants may not follow local building codes
66
Q
A