Construction Technology Flashcards
What is a Boiler?
- water containing vessel
- uses fossil fuel (gas) to provide steam which in turn heats the water within the boiler system
What is a Chiller?
Classified as a refrigeration system that cools a process fluid or dehumidifies air
- Air
- Water
- Evaporated condensed chiller
Most generally used for air conditioning systems.
Process:
Three stages
Chilled water - coils - cool air
What is a cooling tower?
A process which lowers the temperature of water via evaporation.
The evaporation disposes of unwanted heat.
Used on nuclear sites etc.
Dry Air Cooler?
Same as a cooling tower however doesn’t use water.
Process: Air extracts heat which is released into atmosphere.
Air Handling Unit?
Device used to regulate and circulate air.
Can be part of
- heating
- ventilation
- air conditioning system
Air Conditioning 1
Centralised Air System?
- Constant volume?
- Variable air volume?
- Air is cooled at a central location and then distributed to and from rooms via ductwork
- CAV - flow is constant, can vary temperature eg for home use
- VAV - variable air flow output eg hotels
Air Conditioning 2
Partially Centralised Air/ Water Systems?
- Fan coil units
- chilled beams
- versatemp systems
CIBSE definition - centrally conditioned air is further conditioned when entering the local space.
- coil is heat or cooling exchanger via a fan, more economical to use (due to simplicity)
- HVAC system that is attached or integrated within beams. It that uses pipes of water, can be heated or cooled
- Versatemp is a Distributed Heat Pump System, similar to chilled beams as it also uses water but has individual cool or heating pump units that pumps water around the system
Air Conditioning 3
Local system?
- split systems
- variable refrigerant flow
Local system is a complete package that can contain cooling and heating source, circulation fan, filter and control device. Eg seen used in restaurants above doorways etc.
- split systems use one main unit generally externally to filter to several different rooms (can’t vary temperature in each room)
- VRF - one unit locally externally (generally) that uses a controller which can be split to several spaces but each space can have a diff temp (so split system but functionality to control each space)
HV/ LV Power - Resilience Systems?
- UPS
- Standby Generators
- Busbars
- Uninterruptible Power Supply, provides backup electricity eg data centres etc for a few minutes (generally) until generators kick in
- These are standalone generators that either are powered by fuels or have a certain capacity (eg 24 hours) to provide electricity to the required source
- Used to distribute power efficiently then other methods eg wiring harness, each busbar is designed differently to accommodate a certain electrical load, can come in aluminium/ copper
What is a lighting system?
Types?
A system which provides controls for the lighting of a particular space, home or building. Generally connected to a circuit board.
- General, middle of room
- Task, cooking ventilation system
- Accent, wall side, adds drama
Fire Alarm Systems
Types?
System Classifications?
Under BS5839:
- Category P - protection of property only
P1 - all building
P2 - part of the building - Category L - protection of life
L1 - automatic fire detection all routes spaces etc
L2 - on escape routes and rooms leading to escape routes (high risk areas)
L3 - same as L2 but does not include areas high risk outside the escape route area
L4 - escape route only
L5 - warrants special attention (high risk area, could be automatic and manual) - Category M - manual fire alarm system
General rule of thump, fire alarm should be 9m in distance.
What site surveys will you need to do for existing buildings?
- Measured Survey
- Condition
- Structural
- Ground Investigation to understand the foundations
- Asbestos
- MEP
- Specialist surveys such as windows etc
Surveys required for a green field site?
Greenfield sites are areas of land, usually agricultural or amenity land, which are being considered for urban development.
- SI, understand ground etc
- Ecology
- Arboriculture
- Planning permissions for locale area
- Heritage
- Utility
- Services (GPR)
Surveys required for a brownfield site?
In the UK a brownfield site is defined as “previously developed land” that has the potential for being redeveloped. It is often (but not always) land that has been used for industrial and commercial purposes and is now derelict and possibly contaminated.
- SI, both for foundations and contamination
- Archeology
- Arboriculture
- Ecology
- Air Quality
- Noise
- Transport
- Utility
- Services
Each site is dependent on its surrounding and will have its own requirements. Eg MMIoS required a Electromagnetic survey due to HV cable underground.
Explain how you may tackle Ground Conditions during an SI?
Dependent on the C&S engineers scope that they would provide but can request the following:
- Percussion boring
- Rotary Drilling
- Pitting and trenching
- Sampling & monitoring during investigation
- Probing and cone penetration testing
- Geophysical testing
- In situ
- Instrumentation
- Installation monitoring and sampling
- Geotechnical lab testing
- Geoenvironmental lab testing
Licenses and approvals
- Inner City?
- Highways?
- Railways?
Inner City,
- Planing Application
- s106 agreement, donation
- Building Regulations
Highway,
- s247, stop up or divert existing
- s248, stop up or divert for new highway
- s278, improve highways
Railways,
- BAPA
Each project will encounter its unique licenses/ approvals eg. echo st required footpath license from UoM/ NR and approval from heritage/ conservationist that the existing archways would not be damaged by construction vibration.
Foundations
- Types?
- Factors that influence choice of foundations?
Shallow
- Strip
- Pad
- Raft
Deep
- Piles
- Mini Piles, for underpinning
- Pile Walls, for retaining wall
- Diaphragm Walls, for top down construction
- Caissons, for buildings below water level
- Compensated, can also be used for raft foundations **
- Ground Anchors **
Excavation Techniques?
There are many different types of excavation techniques (16+) - the following are ones that I’ve used:
- topsoil, up to 300mm, for vegetation generally
- earth, removal of soil via machinery (below topsoil)
- cut and fill, match what is taken away eg road etc
- trench, for services
- underground, tunnels and shafts to create sewage systems etc
Retaining Walls?
A retaining wall is generally a rigid wall that is used to support soil laterally so it can be retained at different levels on two sides.
Example, a home on a hillside may require a retaining wall to contain the earth. Can give areas such as Oldham etc.
Basement
- Types
- Waterproofing
Types:
- Masonry Wall, has to be reinforced and waterproofed prior to putting up wall
- Precast Panel, as per No3 but lifted in put in place via cranes
- Poured Concrete Wall, advantages, fire resistance and more resistance to water, less cracks
Waterproofing:
- Tanking (internal)
- External wall to be waterproofed
- Drainage system
Superstructure?
The structure above the sub structure eg above ground level/ the baseline, which could the ground floor slab.
Superstructure - 2
Name the different types of roof structure?
Roof Material types?
There are many variations of roofs - most common ones on the UK:
- Butterfly, aesthetic, costing to maintain drainage
- Flat roof
- Gable roof, upside down V, 2 sides
- Gambrel roof, Dutch barn, has five sides
- Hip roof, 2 Vs and a line, 4 sides
- Shed roof, one side, slightly angled
- M shaped roof (double pitched), used for terraces
Parapet roof, defend buildings from military attack in the past. Now used for safety, guard rails.
- Asphalt Shingles, US
- Wood Shake (similar time a shingle)
- Slate Shingles
- Metal
- Tiles, can be various eg clay, concrete, slate
What are the different types of building frames?
- A Frame, upside down V
- Ballon
- Braced, there are multiple types, eg single, X, K, V
- Concrete, columns and beams, needs to be reinforced with rebar, used for low rise
- Jetty, similar time cantilever, no real reason apart from fashion in 14 to 17th century
- Portal, warehouses
- Skeleton, used in high rise, most common one
General materials are timber, concrete and steel.
Name cladding systems?
Component attached to the primary structure of a building. Generally non structural and is used to create the external surface of a building.
- Curtain
- Sandwich, SIP
- Rainscreen
- Timber
- Metal profile
- Brick slip
What is a partition?
Can be defined as a wall or a division which are non load bearing. Purpose is dividing one room from another.
Can be made from bricks, glass, studding etc.
Can be folding, collapsible or fixed.
Note, if they are load bearing then they would be classed as an internal wall.
Define a floor?
The lower surface of a room, on one which may walk.
You can have raised access floors, used for cabling and ventilation in office spaces.
Define a window?
An opening in a wall or roof of a building that has been fitted with glass, to admit light/ air and let one see out.
Define a ceiling?
The upper interior surface of a room/ space.
Can have suspended ceilings - used in office spaces, for acoustics, aesthetics, fire etc.
What is gypsum?
Soft sulphate mineral used in plaster, is fire resistance and good for sound reduction.
What is concrete?
Composite material that is bonded together.
Cement (manufactured via mixing calcium, silicon, aluminium, iron and other) - substance that sets and hardens
Mixed with sand and gravel creates produces concrete.
Notes, Mixed with fine and coarse aggregate creates mortar.
What is steel made of?
Iron and carbon via a blast furnace etc.
What is grey water?
Water used in showers, sinks etc. Can be used again for toilets, washing machines etc.
Can you name the Building Regulation approved documents?
- A - Structure
- B - Fire Safety
- C - Site preparation
- D - Toxic Substances
- E - Resistance to Sound
- F - Ventilation
- G - Sanitation, Hot Water Safety & Water efficiency
- H - Drainage & Waste Disposal
- J - Combustion Appliances & Fuel Storage Systems
- K - Protection from falling, collision & impact
- L - Conservation of fuel and power
- M - Access to and use of buildings
- P - Electrical Safety
- Q - Security
- R - High speed electronic communications networks
- 7 - Material & Workmanship
What is a combined drainage system?
It is a sewer system that collects,
- storm water, grey water, rainwater (run off water)
- domestic sewage
- industrial wastewater (inc sewage)
Taken to treatment facilities.
Difference between drain vs sewer?
Drain - pipe that only serves only one building, goes to the sewers
Sewer - underground network of pipes that leads to treatment facilities for wastewater and water run-off
Backdrop Manhole?
Used for equalising large differences in pipe gradient and surface gradient.
Example used:
- 450mm pipe inlet
- 900mm pipe outlet
- backdrop is the pipe that leads between the two
Rodding eye?
Opening to a drain system.
Pipe curves into system and allows a drain rod (to remove blockages) or a camera to enter it.
Saddle connection?
Allows a connection from a dwelling to a public sewer system.
You make a hole in the sewer pipework and add the connection.
Siphonic drainage system?
Traditional roof systems - works part full.
This systems creates a vacuum - operates a full capacity when water is sucked down into the drainage system at high velocity.
What is an air pressure test and when is it used?
Calculates the air tightness of a building.
Engineer uses a fan to circulate air within a space, all existing ventilation is blocked off or taped up - measures leakage rates via equipment and motioning devices.
What is a 3 phase electrical supply?
Has three 100amp fuses generally - provides more electricity. Used when a higher electricity output is required or more then one meter eg flats etc.
Single phase is just for one domestic home.
Cat 2 lighting?
TBC
Different types of lift available?
- Platform
- Passenger
- Service
- Disabled Access
- Evacuation
- Firefighting
- Hoists
- Home lifts
What is a Paternoster Lift?
A lift that contains open compartments - similar to a conveyor belt.
Used in Austria and Germany.
What is a s38?
A Section 38 agreement (or S38) is a section of the Highways Act 1980 that can be used when a developer proposes to construct a new estate road for residential, industrial or general purpose traffic that may be offered to the Highway Authority for adoption as a public highway.
S104?
A S104 (Section 104 of the Water Industry Act (1991)) agreement is a legal agreement between a developer and a water company, where the developer agrees to build sewers to an agreed standard, which the water company will then adopt.
S247 vs s248?
- 247, stopping up order, existing
- 248, stopping up order under new proposed highway
S278?
Section 278 agreement - works to existing highways. Section 278 of the Highways Act 1980 allows a developer to carry out works to the public highway. This is generally necessary where planning permission has been granted for a development that requires improvements to, or changes to, public highways.
