Construction Technology

Question 1

What is the substructure?

Answer 1

All elements of work that are undertaken below the damp proof course that provides the basis for the superstructure to be constructed upon

Question 2

What is the superstructure?

Answer 2

All internal and external elements above the substructure:

Walls (external and structural), stairs, roof, ceilings, floors

Question 3

What are British Standards?

Answer 3

Publications issued by the British Standards Institution prefixed with ‘BS’

They give recommended minimum standards for materials, components, design and construction practices

Question 4

What are the Building Regulations?

Answer 4

Statutory instruments that set out the minimum performance standards for the design and construction of buildings

Supported by the Approved Documents and other codes of practice (including regulation 7 - materials and workmanship)

Question 5

What is the external envelope?

Answer 5

The materials and components that form the external shell or enclosure of a building

These may be load or non-load bearing

Question 6

What is a retained façade?

Answer 6

When the facade (usually front wall) of the building is retained whilst everything behind is demolished - this tends to be for historic/conservation requirements

Allowances needs to be made for a temporary support structure and also cleaning & restoration works to the retained façade

Retained facades are often required as a result of listed building requirements

Question 7

What are temporary works?

Answer 7

Parts of the works that allow or enable the construction by protecting, supporting or providing access to the permanent works - these may or may not remain in place at the completion of the works

Temporary works do not normally appear on construction drawings but may be required depending on the construction methodology being used

Temporary works may also be required as a result of health and safety requirements to ensure a safe method of construction for example temporary propping

Question 8

What is a scaffold?

Question 9

What is shoring?

Question 10

What is a borehole?

Question 11

What are the different types of piles?

Question 12

What are retaining walls?

Question 13

What is a basement and what are the 3 main methods of waterproofing a basement?

Answer 13

A storey constructed below ground level

Question 14

What is difference between a cold roof and a warm roof?

Question 15

What is an inverted flat roof construction?

Question 16

Describe a typical parapet wall – roof abutment detail?

Question 17

What is powder coating?

Question 18

What is intumescent paint?

Question 19

What is an upstand?

Question 20

What is formwork?

Question 21

How big is a brick?

Answer 21

Standard bricks are 215mm (length) x 102.5mm (depth) x 65mm (height)

Question 22

What is the frog and which side does it go on?

Answer 22

The frog is an indentation in one of the bed faces of a brick

Unless specifically stated, bricks should be laid frog (or larger frog) facing up, and with mortar filling the frog

Bricks with two frogs are known as ‘double-frogged’, though these are less common.

This gives a stronger wall and superior sound insulation

Question 23

How many bricks are in a m2?

Answer 23

Approximately 60 bricks in a square metre of wall

Question 24

What are the different types of brick bond?

Answer 24

English bond – with alternating courses of headers and stretchers (garden wall bond has 3 stretchers courses and then a header header)

Flemish bond - alternating headers and stretchers to make a cross like patern (typical of 18th century buildings - if newer the headers would need to be half bricks to create a cavity)

Stretcher bond - no headers - just a line of stretchers (common in modern construction as it allows a cavity - wall ties used to tie the two leaves together)

Header bond - no stretchers - just a line of headers (would indicate that the wall has no cavity and is old - typical of 18th century buildings)

Question 25

What is an air brick?

Answer 25

A perforated brick to allow for ventilation into a room or an underfloor space - seeing an airbrick at low level on an external would point towards a suspended timber floor not a solid concrete floor

Question 26

What is top down construction?

Question 27

What is bottom up construction?

Question 28

Why do we install generators in buildings?

Question 29

Who ensures the building regulations are complied with?

Answer 29

Building Control services such as the Local Authority or Approved Inspectors (private companies set up to specifically regulate building control)