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APC > CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY > Flashcards

CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY Flashcards

1
Q

What are Building Regulations and what are they supported by

A

Statutory Documents which set out the minimum performance standards for design and construction
They are supported by the Approved Documents and Codes of Practice

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2
Q

Name the Approved Documents

A

A. Structure.
B. Fire safety.
C. Site preparation and damp proofing.
D. Toxic substances.
E. Sound proofing.
F. Ventilation.
G. Hygiene.
H. Drainage and waste disposal.
I. Not in use.
J. Heating appliances.
K. Protection from falling, collision and impact.
L. Conservation of fuel and power.
M. Disabled access and facilities.
N. Glazing.
O. Not in use.
P. Electrical safety.

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3
Q

What are British Standards

A

Publications issued by the British Standards Institution which give recommended minimum standards for materials, design and construction practices. They have the prefix BS

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4
Q

What are International Standards

A

Publications issued by the International Organisation for Standardisation, which give recommended minimum standards for materials, design and construction practices. They are compatible with the British Standards and have the prefix ISO

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5
Q

What is a party wall

A

In simple terms a party wall divides the buildings of two owners with the boundary between ownerships usually

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6
Q

What is the Party Wall Act

A

• The general principle of the Party Wall Act is that all work which might have an effect upon the structural strength or support function of the party wall or might cause damage to the neighbouring side of the wall must be notified

• A framework for preventing and resolving party and boundary wall disputes, when one owner of the party wall disagrees with works the other owner is undertaking.

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7
Q

What is a site investigation and what are the typical investigations undertaken in a site investigation

A

Collect and record data about the site to aid design and construction decisions
Investigations include
a. Soil Investigations
b. Ground Water Conditions
c. Utilities surveys
d. Existing trees
e. Existing buildings
f. Size, depth and location of services

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8
Q

What is the purpose of a soil investigation

A

They help us to determine soil conditions and assist with identifying a suitable foundation solution for the proposed works

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9
Q

What are some main site considerations

A

a.Access
b. Storage
c. Accommodation
d. Fencing and Hoarding
e. Health and Safety Risks

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10
Q

What is a Borehole

A

A borehole can be used for soil investigation or for geothermal heating solutions (Geothermal boreholes are permanent boreholes that use the Earth’s natural heat to raise the temperature of circulated water which can be used to heat the building above.)
Boreholes are the most suitable method of soil investigation when foundations are over 3m deep.

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11
Q

What is the Substructure

A

All work under the Damp Proof Course (DPC)

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12
Q

What is a foundation?

A

A foundation refers to the lower part of a structure, which is designed to distribute the weight of the new building evenly and provide a firm footing.

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13
Q

What are some foundation types

A

Piled
Strip
Raft
Pad

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14
Q

What are the classified types of foundations

A

Shallow foundations
Are used where the immediate ground conditions (upto 3m) are strong enough to accept the imposed and transferred load of the building. They include foundation structures such as Pad, Strip and Raft Foundations.

Deep foundations
Are used when the immediate ground conditions arent strong enough to accept the imposed or transferred loads, therefore a deeper level of the ground needs being reached that is able to withstand the load. They include foundations such as Pile foundations solutions or deep concrete retaining structures

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15
Q

What are piles

A

A series of columns that are constructed or inserted into the ground to transmit the load of a structure deep into the soil

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16
Q

When would you consider the use of pile foundation solutions?

A

• When the ground water table is high
• When heavy loads are expected to be imposed from the superstructure
• When the soil conditions arent strong enough to accept the loads

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17
Q

What are the different types of piles

A

a. Precast - Produced off site and hammered into the ground
b. Bored (Insitu) - The soil is excavated and concrete is poured in
c. Secant - Interlocking piles to provide a waterproof structure
d. Sheet - A deep trench is excavated and concrete is poured in

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18
Q

What are the methods of installing piles?

A

a. Dropping weight (displacement method)
A weight about half the pile is raised and guided to drop on the pile
b. Vibrating method (displacement method)
Vibration is prodcued by an electrically powered tool attached to the pile head which can graulise the soil
c. Augored boreholes (non- displacement method)
A auger can be used to drill a borehole which can then be later filled with steel cage and insitu concrete

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19
Q

What are the different ways that the piles transfer their load to the surrounding ground?

A

a. End bearing piles - through a low bearing capacity soil to a strong material like rock
b. Friction piles - uses frictional resistance between outer surface and soil
c. Tension piles - resist uplifting forces which could cause the structure to lift from the ground e.g. eartchquakes

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20
Q

What is the difference between bored vs.pre-cast piles?

A

Bored is used when forming piles close to existing buildings as it has less vibration that a pre cast pile

Precast piles are used when there is soft soil, and they are driven into rock etc

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21
Q

What are the advantages with Precast Concrete piles?

A

• Can be fast If ordered in advance
• Quality of pile can be controlled
Pre-cast piles can be driven under the water
The piles can be loaded immediately after it is driven up to the required length

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22
Q

What are the disadvantages with Precast Concrete piles?

A

• Breaking during mobalisation and installation
• They need heavy and expensive equipment to drive
Once the length of pile is decided, it is difficult to increase or decrease the length of the pile afterward.

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23
Q

What are the advantages with Insitu Concrete piles?

A

• Can’t break when installed
• Additional piles can be installed easily If required
Length of piles can be varied easily.

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24
Q

What are the disadvantages with Insitu Concrete piles?

A

• Can’t be installed where under ground water has heavy flow
• Installation requires careful supervision and quality control.
Needs sufficient place on site for storage of the materials used for construction.

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25
Q

What is a raft foundation

A

They are a foundation solution to spread the load of the superstructure over a large base
They are usually used in low load bearing soils
Used for light load buildings (eg industrial)
They can be a solid raft slab or a beam and raft slab (ground beam system and suspensed precast concrete ground floor)

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26
Q

What is a strip foundation (How are they formed)

A

Strip foundations are used to accept and transfer the load linear structures
They are formed by excavating a shallow continuous trench, which will support the perimeter and internal walls
Suitable for light structural design e.g. houses

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27
Q

What are pad foundations

A

They work by providing a base for reinforced concrete or steel columns
They spread the load to a layer of load bearing soil below

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28
Q

What are the problems to the PQS regarding cost control with piling? Whose risk is the piling?

A

The end depth of the piles are never a certainty and the procurement route used determines who takes the risk (traditional/ D&B = the main contractor; management contracts = employer)

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29
Q

What are secant piles

A

Secant piles – interlocking piles are bored to provide a combination of foundations and basement walls.

They go someway in providing a waterproof structure.

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30
Q

What is contiguous piles

A

A Contiguous bored pile wall is an earth retention system formed by installing closely spaced Bored piles, with a small gap between adjacent piles.

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31
Q

What are retaining walls

A

They are used to support and retain soils horizontally so it can be retained at two different levels on each side

Retaining wall near to a boundary, it may be subject to the provisions of the Party Wall Act

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32
Q

What is a party wall

A

In simple terms a party wall divides the buildings of two owners with the boundary between ownerships usually

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33
Q

What is the Party Wall Act

A

• The general principle of the Party Wall Act is that all work which might have an effect upon the structural strength or support function of the party wall or might cause damage to the neighbouring side of the wall must be notified

• A framework for preventing and resolving party and boundary wall disputes, when one owner of the party wall disagrees with works the other owner is undertaking.

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34
Q

What are Rights of Light

A

A form of easement to allow an existing building to maintain the same level of light, despite of new developments.

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35
Q

What are the main types of excavation

A

Cut and fill excavation
The material that is cut or stripped is then re-used elsewhere on the site

Trench Excavation
For services or foundations

Basement Excavation

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36
Q

What is a basement

A

A storey constructed below ground level

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37
Q

What are the major/ main risks when constructing a basement?

A

Collapse of excavation
Collapse of existing buildings
Falls from height
Waterproofing failure

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38
Q

What are the 3 main types of excavation to form a basement

A

Open Excavation

Perimeter Trench Excavation

Complete Excavation

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39
Q

What are the 3 different types of basement construction?

A
  • Retaining wall and raft which consists of a slab raft foundation to serve as the basement floor that
    distributes the building load. The basement walls serve as the retaining walls.
  • Box and Cellular raft which is similar to above however the internal structural walls are used to transmit
    and spread loads over the raft and divides the basement into cells.
  • Piled solution where the main superstructure loads are carried to the basement floor by columns and
    transmitted to the ground via pile caps and bearing piles. In this example the basement has numerous
    columns passing through it.
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40
Q

What are the main methods of waterproofing a basement?

A

Tanking
A continuous waterproof barrier is applied to the inside or outside of the basement structure

Drained cavity
Cavities are formed within between the internal and external wall and floor constructions to collect and drain away water entering the basement using a sump and pump

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41
Q

What are the main methods of insulating a basement

A

Several methods such as
foam insulation,
rigid insulation boards or
fibreglass batts.

42
Q

What form of protection could be best suited for the client incase of any failures?

A

Latent defects insurance

43
Q

What are the different types of screed?

A

Bonded Screeds
Laid on to a ready prepared rough, cleaned concrete base

Unbonded Screeds
Laid on to a sound, clean Bitumen damp proof membrane

44
Q

What is superstructure?

A

All internal and external works above the DPC

45
Q

What is scabbling?

A

Scabbling can be very effective in the removal of slightly bonded coatings or where the coatings are impossible to be removed by the shot blasting process. It can also remove level inconsistencies in concrete floors

46
Q

What are the technical advantages of steel frames?

A

Quick to assemble/ erect on site
100% recyclable
Lighter than concrete
Does not expand/contract with temp/moisture
Consistent quality
Non-combustible
Not vunerable to termites or organisms

47
Q

What are the technical disadvantages of steel frames?

A

Prices fluctuates, reducing cost certanity
Experience builders required to fix frame
Fixing components may need replacement over time
Needs fire protection
Steel components will eventually fail in a fire

48
Q

What are the common components you would expect to see within a steel frame construction?

A

Beams, Columns, Purlins, Rafters, Eaves, Base plate, Cross bracings, Fixings

49
Q

How are steel frames errected?

A

Cranes are predominantly used for the erection of structural steelwork

50
Q

What are the technical advantages of concrete frames?

A

Good sound and heat insulation
Good fire protection
Low maintenance
Good acoustic and heat insulating properties
Cladding can be fixed easily

51
Q

What are the technical disadvantages of concrete frames?

A

Slower to erect than steel
Difficult to construct in cold conditions
Heavier and require larger foundations
Can shrink or expand with moisture
Require steel enforcement

52
Q

What are the benefits of using timber frame construction

A

• Quick to erect
• Recycleable
• Sustainable
• Made off site - better quality control
Low embodied carrbon

53
Q

What are the disadvantages of using timber frame construction

A

• Additional Design and engineering time required.
• Combustible
• Can decay
• Termites

54
Q

What are the different parts of a steel beam?

A

A simple I Beam is made up:
Flange (Top and Bottom of the vertical steel)
Web, which is the vertical steel part of the I
Root, which is where the Flange and the Web join.

55
Q

What is a Steel Table?

A

They provide standard information on steel sections in a tabulated form. For each serial size and Universal beam number.

56
Q

What is powder coating?

A

A tough durable factory applied organic coating on metals, such as aluminium or galvanized stee

It is sprayed on, followed by heat curing to give a film thickness of 50 to 100micorns.

Any holes should be made and any cutting done before the coating is applied.

57
Q

What is an RHS vs. SHS?

A

RHS = Rectangular Hollow Section
SHS = Square Hollow Section

58
Q

What is intumescent paint?

A

Fire resistant paint which stop oxygen reaching the surface of the material
It is sprayed in the factory and touched up by hand on site

59
Q

What is an upstand?

A

A vertical strip or skirting

60
Q

What are the main components of concrete

A

Cement
Aggreggate
Water

61
Q

Why is concrete power floated

A

In order to maintain a flatter surface of lightweight concrete that has been applied at a faster rate

62
Q

What is an A182 mesh?

A

The mesh used to reinforce concrete slabs (generally). The mesh is laid down and the concrete poured over it.

63
Q

What is formwork

A

Anything that holds concrete in place while it cures

64
Q

What is slip forming

A

A method to build a repetitive structure
e.g. cores The concrete that becomes exposed must cure enough to support the structure above

A method for constructing a repetitive structure such as a core, lift shaft or stairwell.
The formwork is constantly moving upwards, approx. 1” every 10mins.
The concrete that becomes exposed must be cured enough to support.

65
Q

What is jump forming

A

A significant height of concrete is cast and left to cure
The whole formwork module is moved up and repeated
Slower and cheaper than slip forming

Jump forming is where a significant height of concrete is cast and left to cure.
The whole formwork module is then moved up and repeated.
It works in a similar principle to slip forming but is slower and cheaper in process terms.

66
Q

What are the main components of a hipped end (four sided) pitched timber roof structure?

A

a. Rafters
b. Ridge boards
c. Wall plates
d. Purlins
e. Battens
f. Roof coverings

67
Q

What are the elements of a flat roof?

A

Joists - fixed to wall plates and act as main support Firrings - fixed to top of joists to provide incline
Particle Board - fixed to firrings to provide a flat surface
Waterproof covering
Stone chippings to provide protection to roof covering

68
Q

Name the 3 main flat roof coverings

A

a. Single layer membranes
b. Built up felt
c. Asphalt roofing

69
Q

Describe a pitched roof detail

A
  1. Rafters span from the apex of the roof and are fixed to the top of the external wall by a wall plate.
  2. At the apex of the roof are the ridge tiles which are supported by the ridge board.
  3. The roof covering (whether slate or concrete tiles) are typically fixed to roof battens.
  4. Supporting the rafters and roof coverings are the struts, purlins and roof beams.
  5. A soffit and eaves board may be fixed to the end of the rafters along with the guttering
70
Q

Describe a typical Inverted Flat Roof Construction

A

A roof in which the insulation is placed on top of the waterproof membrane.
• No vapour control is needed.
• The roof void and deck are maintained at similar temperature to the room.
• The insulation protects the membrane from damage but must be anchored down.

71
Q

Describe a typical parapet wall

A

It is a wall built around the perimeter edges of the roof, usually around 1.2m.
Flashing or waterproofing is needed where the ext wall intersects the roof

72
Q

What is an MF ceiling?

A

Mineral Fibre plasterboard suspended ceiling

73
Q

What is the external envelope

A

The materials and components that form the outside shell of a building

74
Q

What other elements will be affected by the type of cladding systems used?

A

Frame
Roof
M&E

75
Q

What is a retained façade

A

Façade is kept and everything behind is demolished

It will need a temporary support structure and restoration works to the façade

76
Q

What is Curtain Walling?

A

Curtain walling is a form of vertical building enclosure by use of glazed cladding which supports no load other than its own weight and environmental forces

77
Q

How can curtain walling be fixed

A

Fixed to floors, between floors, edge of beam, wind post etc.

78
Q

What is a rain-screen cladding system?

A

It is a cladding that manages the flow of rainwater on a building.

It is not necessarily waterproof itself, but more serves as a screen and protection against rain for the rest of the building.

79
Q

How is composite metal cladding fixed to a steel frame?

A

Bolted
Riveted
Welded

80
Q

What is the size of a brick?

A

215mmx102mmx65mm

81
Q

How many bricks are in a m2?

A

60

82
Q

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

A

The frog is an indentation in one of the bed faces of a brick, usually the top.
Unless specifically stated, bricks should be laid frog (or larger frog) facing up, and with mortar filling the frog.
This gives a stronger wall and superior sound insulation.

83
Q

What are the different types of brick bond?

A

Stretcher
English
Flemish

84
Q

What is an air brick?

A

Perforated brick which allows for ventilation

85
Q

In a brick block cavity wall, how are window openings dealt with in terms of preventing water penetration and structurally?

A

Cavity Tray – A damp proof course that crosses the 50mm wide cavity of a cavity wall, stepping up at least 150mm between the outer and inner leaves, to form a gutter that leads to a weephole in the outer leaf. DPC

(Damp Proof Course) – A strip of impervious material the same width as brickwork or blockwork wall to stop moisture rising from the ground up the external leaf.

Structurally: Lintel – A small beam over a window/door head to carry a wall load only.

86
Q

What is the purpose of a threshold strip?

A

A lightly rounded metal strip over the joint between the floor finishes or coverings that meet under the door leaf
.
Prevents fraying, looks better and interrupts combustible flooring under fire doors

87
Q

What are temporary works?

A

Temporary works do not normally appear on construction drawings

but demonstrate methods that might be appropriate and resources necessary to ensure safe construction i.e. propping

88
Q

What is a tower crane and what are some considerations during its erection and operation?

A

A tower crane is a tall crane used for lifting objects into high places. The boom allows a longer reach with 360 access. A longer boom reduces the payload capability.

You would usually use a smaller crane to erect a tower crane Weather conditions could prevent it from working, in particular high, strong winds

89
Q

What is a scaffold?

A

Temporary working platform erected around the perimeter of a building or structure to provide a safe working place at a convenient height

Usually required for work above 1.5m above ground

90
Q

What is shoring?

A

Shoring is a form of temporary support given to existing buildings.

Its purpose is to provide a precaution against damage or injury due to collapse of the structure.

91
Q

What are hoists?

A

Designed for the vertical transportation of materials or people

92
Q

What is top down construction?

A

“Top down” is used to speed up the construction process of a building with basement levels.
The ground floor slab is cast with an access hatch. The ground below is excavated and another slab is formed. If there is another level, the process is repeated. Piles are usually used as foundations and also act as retaining walls. It allows the building above and basement to be constructed at the same time .

93
Q

What is bottom up construction?

A

“Bottom up” forms the basement and then works upwards in a traditional manner. Simpler but a longer programme.

94
Q

What is a BMS

A

Building Management System
Computer-based systems used to monitor and control building services.

95
Q

What would be a typical construction programme for a new build

A
  1. Site clearance
  2. Enabling work
  3. Site set up
  4. Setting out
  5. Excavation
  6. Piling works
  7. Frame
  8. External walls
  9. Roof
  10. Floors
  11. Services
  12. FFE
  13. Testing & Commissioning
  14. Landscaping
  15. Snagging
96
Q

What is an EWS1

A

 An EWS1 is an External Wall System Fire Review Certificate.
 They are applicable when a multi-storey residential property is either being bought, sold or remortgaged.
 It is not a building safety certificate but a re-mortgaging valuation tool.
 The RICS and mortgage lenders jointly formed the EWS1 form as a way of mortgage lenders
assessing the external wall safety of buildings over 18m in height.

97
Q

What is the sequential process of constructing a building

A
  1. Site clearance
  2. Enabling work
  3. Site set up
  4. Setting out
  5. Excavation
  6. Piling works
  7. Frame
  8. External walls
  9. Roof
  10. Floors
  11. Services
  12. FFE
  13. Testing & Commissioning
  14. Landscaping
  15. Snagging
98
Q

What are modern methods of construction

A

Innovative construction techniques being applied

99
Q

What is prefabrication

A

Making buildings or building components off site

100
Q

What are the advantages of prefabrication

A

• Built in factory - better working conditions and not weather dependent
• Less material waste

101
Q

What are the disadvantages of prefabrication

A

• Cost to transport to site
• Damage to materials - risk
• Specialists required to assemble works
• Parts may not fit with other elements/ be missing

102
Q

How is a basement constructed (on Newton Road)

A
  1. Basement area is marked out and piles set out
  2. Contiguous Piled wall is installed around the perimeter and this forms a retianing wall
  3. Basment is excavated
  4. Basement foundation slab is installed
    Cavity drain installed
  5. Internal walls are erected
  6. Ground floor slab is poured

APC (22 decks)

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