Construction Technology Flashcards
1.What are the RIBA stages?
Give a project example
0; Strategic - Site identification 1; Preparation - 2; Concept - Site plan inc indicative layouts 3; Spatial - General arrangements, elevations, 4; Technical - By Contractor if D&B 5; Construction 6; Handover - Practical Completion 7; In-use - Tenanted
- How would the design develop over the stages?
What cost approaches would be taken by the QS at each stage?
0 Strategic - Identify project requirements, feasibility -No design (potential site) Cost Model (£/m2)
1 Preparation - Developer spec, further feasibility, site info and surveys, programme
Order of Cost Estimate
2 Concept - Arch concept design, outline specification
Formal Cost Plan 1
3 Spatial - Developed design and costing
Formal Cost Plan 2
4 Technical - Developed arc, eng, civil design, building systems
Pre Tender Estimate
- What are building regulations?
Provide two examples
Ensure minimum standards for design and construction to ensure the safety of people in and around buildings.
Part L - Conservation of fuel and power
Part M - Facilitate access for disabled people. e.g. ramps, automatic doors
Part B - Fire safety - Sprinklers, risers, smoke alarm, firefighting lift
- Give examples of minimum performance for building regs?
Part B; Fire safety
Advisable to consult with the relevant designer i.e. Architect in respect of detailed requirements required for cost planning.
e.g. FF lift required if the building has a floor 18m above or 10m below vehicle access level.
Previously building Regulations say buildings over 30m constructed since 2007 need sprinklers
*2022 now Blocks of flats with their top storey more than 11m above ground level should be fitted with a sprinkler system throughout the building.
- What are the recent sprinkler changes?
Blocks of flats with their top storey more than 11m above ground level should be fitted with a sprinkler system throughout the building.
6.How would you categorize a building using NRM1?
Give examples of elements in each category
Building Works:
1 Substructure – Foundations, Ground Floor Slab, Piling
2 Superstructure – Frame, Roof, Upper Floors, Walls, Doors
3 Finishes – Wall, Floor, Ceiling
4 Fittings, Furnishings and Equipment (FFE) – Kitchens, Bathrooms, Furniture
5 Services – Heating, Electrics, Ventilation, Lighting, Waste
6 Prefabricated Buildings– Guard House, bath pods (student resi/budget hotel)
7 Work to Existing Buildings – Support to adjacent buildings
8 External Works – Roads, Paving, Planting, External Services (Utilities), Drainage
- How would you build a warehouse?
Ground beams Pad foundations Portal frame Dock levellers Roof sheets Cladding & syphonics Ground floor slab White wall Office fit out M&E Externals: Attenuation Service yard Car park Fencing
- How would you build a house?
Strip foundations DPM Ground floor slab External and internal brick/blockwork Roof Windows & Doors Partitions First fix M&E Plaster Paint Second Fix Kitchen & Bathrooms Externals
- How might ground conditions dictate project foundations?
Weak ground conditions may require specialist foundation solutions
- What are the main types of foundations?
Strip
Pad
Specialist / Piled
- What types of piling are there?
Driven & Bored (Friction & End Bearing), Contiguous, Sheet
- How would you quantify a pile?
mat (m2) Piling rig plant (item) moving rig (nr), piles (nr), testing (item),
- What is prefabrication / MMC?’
What assets is it good for?
What construction needs to be completed prior to any MMC?
Constructed in factories off-site and then are transported to site to be constructed.
Ideal for repetitive structures such as residential, hotels and offices.
Concrete cores and foundations need to be built before any pre-fabrication work can commence.
- MMC Pros?
Program gains can be significant (certainty, not subject to weather, less waste),
Quality is good,
good safety as less people on site.
- MMC Cons?
Larger or individual (not square!) buildings make prefabrication difficult as efficiencies cannot be realised due to transportation.
Offsite production must be perfect or entire process can be undermined (re-building aspect may lose any gains on programme and the process is more expensive than onsite construction).
Only more economical if programme gains are achieved i.e. reduced financing, site preliminaries etc.
- How does it differ to traditional construction? (MMC)
Less trades
Good controlled quality
Good health & safety (less people on site)
- What prefab is used regularly? (Asset class)
Bathrooms for:
Student accommodation
Budget hotel
- Steel pros and cons
Pros;
Fast to construct,
factory quality
castellated beams for services to pass through
Cons;
Poor fire resistance
Long lead times
Can’t be adapted on-site
- Concrete pros and cons
Pros;
Fire resistant
good heat and sound properties
Adaptable on site and is not prone to long lead in times.
Cons;
Labour intensive / Temporary formwork required
Quality issues from weather & labour quality
Services have to be drilled through.
- What is permeable paving?
Allows water to pass through the gaps between the blocks.The water goes through the subbase which also slows down the water accessing the ground.
Pros;
Decreases the total amount of runoff leaving a site
Cons;
Must be used in conjunction with other SUDs (unable to manage storm runoff volumes).
Expensive £150/m2
Require frequent maintenance.
- What are swales?
Channels are sloped into a ‘V’ shape, which make it easy to maintain i.e. cutting machinery for the grass. The slope delays water runoff and reduce the runoff volumes.
- What are soakaways?
Attenuation crates are dug into the ground which hold water before releasing into the ground
- What are attenuation tanks?
Why are they needed when you build a building?
Is there a component used before water enters into the mains system?
Underground surface water storage tank for when flooding occurs resulting in high amounts of water passing through the system to limit the outflow into the mains drainage system.
Accounts building over land that previously would have naturally absorbed rain. Water must go somewhere.
Hydro Brake – Slows the outflow of water run off to manage high volumes (large pre-cast concrete chamber to take high pressure water impact).
- What is the type of frame for a warehouse? Inc components?
Typically used for industrial/distribution buildings that are low rise with large spans.
The structure comprises of columns and rafter steels with bracing and side rails which are possible given most of the external walls do not require windows unlike say residential or office buildings.
Not suited for multiple stories as structure only suitable for bearing the weight of the roof given its long spans.
- How does it vary to standard steel frames? Why does its design benefit the user?
Portal frames can span up to 50m which creates an expansive space for storage.
This approach is very popular for distribution warehousing.
Traditional frames have much shorter spans as they used over mutiple stories. Span width is not an issue as it is used for offices and flats for example.
- What design assumptions did you make on the retail project (RIBA 3)?
Strip foundations,
slab thickness,
structural frame
- What did you ask the SE?
Asked what foundation would likely be suitable based on the ground investigation report
- How did you include this in the cost plan?
I stated in the basis the email confirmation I received
- How did you cost the GFS/ NRM 2?
excavate dispose compact ground hardcore, insulation damp proof membrane concrete
What is HVAC?
What are the different types?
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems Overview
Fan Coil Units (2 pipe & 4 pipe): (Water based)
- Air brought in and cooled in chiller then mixed with existing air
- Existing air is extracted
- 4 pipe system includes boiler heating air
Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV) OR Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF):
1. Refrigerant vapour is compressed - increase in temperature
a. Condensing - Gives off useable heat through air or water
2. Expansion - refrigerant allowed to expand lowering pressure
a. Evaporation - Low pressure absorbs natural heat
VAV - Variable Air Volume (Suite to high rise due to ease of air distribution)
1. Control heat in rooms
2. Good for high rise offices with different temp
a. Solar gain
b. People gain
c. Laptop gain
d. Above vs cold day minimum people
3. Supply and Return duct
4. AHU - intake and outake
a. Air can be re-circulated
5. Diffuser air out vs return grille
6. Thermostat controls temperature
a. Damper allows 13degree temperature to enter to cool room
b. Electrical re-heater can warm air
- What did you include in the retail project? (M&E)
No allowance as base build only- tenant to complete their own heating
- What did you include on the Kings Tower (M&E)?
TBC – only allowance included
- Why would you advise to use symphonic drainage?
Fewer outlets
No need for gradient pipes (easier to hide)
80% fewer downpipes are required, resulting in cost savings in materials and reducing associated groundwork. Also gives architects more freedom with design
Pipe diameters are smaller
- Why is attenuation stipulated on warehouse schemes?
Underground surface water storage tank for when flooding occurs resulting in high amounts of water passing through system to limit the outflow in the mains system
- What would a typical drainage system comprise of at a warehouse?
TBC
- How would the wall be built up on a warehouse?
Inner cladding sheet
Insulation
Outer cladding sheet
- Wall build for a house?
A cavity wall is composed of:
Two masonry walls separated by an air space.
Outer wall is made of brick
Inner wall constructed of concrete block.
The block and bricks are held together with wall ties
Insulation is added and weep holes are placed at intervals to allow water to drain.
- What is asbestos?
Banned substance which is highly detrimental to long term health and requires specialist removal. Can be found in roofs, ceilings, walls and floors. Types:
- Chrysotile most common type.
- Amosite in cement sheets.
- Crocidolite in pipe insulation.
- What type of survey was it?
TBC - What type of asbestos was it?
TBC
Demolition
Chrysotile