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Omar Assoc RICS prep > Construction Technology > Flashcards

Construction Technology Flashcards

1
Q

What is substructure?

A

All structure below the superstructure i.e. all structure below the ground including the ground floor bed.

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2
Q

What is superstructure?

A

All internal and external structure above the substructure.

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3
Q

What is meant by primary superstructure?

A

External walls, stairs, structural walls, roofs

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4
Q

What is meant by secondary superstructure?

A

Raised floors, suspended ceilings, balustrades, doors

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5
Q

What is meant by internal finishes?

A

Paint, tiles, carpet, stair nosing

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6
Q

What is the external envelope of a building?

A

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

May be structural or non structural

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7
Q

What are the building regulations?

A

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

Supported by approved documents A - R & regulation 7.

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8
Q

Name the approved documents.

A

A - Structure

B - Fire safety

C - Site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture

D - Toxic substances

E - Resistance to the passage of sound

F - Ventilation

G - Sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency

H - Drainage and waste disposal

J - Combustion applications and fuel storage systems

K - Protection from falling, collision and impact

L - Conservation of fuel and power

M - Access to and use of building

N - Glazing safety (withdrawn, ss by park K)

P - Electrical safety

Q - Security

R - Physical infrastructure for high speed electronic communication networks

Regulation 7 - Materials and workmanship

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9
Q

What are British Standards?

A
  • Publications issued by British Standard Institution (BS)

- Give recommended minimum standards for materials, components, design and construction practices

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10
Q

What are International Standards?

A
  • Prepared by International Organisation of Standardisation (ISO)
  • Compliment BS
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11
Q

What are the typical components of site investigation?

A

Objective - to collect and record data to help in design & construction

Should include info of adjacent sites that impact:

  • Boundary hedges/fencing
  • Existing trees
  • Size, depth and location of services
  • Existing buildings
  • Ground water conditions
  • Soil investigations (trial pits)
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12
Q

What are soil investigations?

A

Objective:

  • Determine suitability of site for proposed works & adequate and economic foundation design
  • Identify potential issues
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13
Q

What are the main site considerations for a contractor setting up on site?

A
  • Access considerations, approach roads etc
  • Storage considerations
  • Accommodations
  • Temporary services
  • Plant
  • Fencing/hoarding
  • Health and safety
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14
Q

What is a retained facade?

A

Facade of the building is retained whilst everything behind the front wall is demolished.

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15
Q

Why are facades retained?

A
  • Often listed

- Aesthetics

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16
Q

What considerations would you make if you were to retain a facade?

A
  • Temporary support structure

- Cleaning/restoration requirements of facade

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17
Q

What are temporary works?

A
  • May not appear on construction drawings
  • Methods that are required to ensure safe construction, e.g. propping. These will be removed once permanent supports are in place.
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18
Q

What is landfill tax?

A
  • Brought in by govt. in 1996
  • To reduce landfill waste and promote recycling/reuse, & promote research into waste practices
  • Applies to all waste disposed of at licenced landfill sites unless specifically exempt
  • Administered by hm customs and excise
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19
Q

What are the landfill tax rates?

A

£94.15/ tonne for active waste

£3.00/tonne for inactive (inert) waste

(Rates from April 2020 - 2021)

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20
Q

What is active waste?

A
  • Substances that either decay or contaminate land - which includes household waste.
  • Expensive to dispose of.
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21
Q

What is inactive waste?

A
  • Biologically or chemically inactive. Don’t give out harmful residue.
  • Do cause problems with filling up areas.
  • Cheap to dispose of.
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22
Q

What is a tower crane?

A
  • A tower crane is a tall crane used for lifting objects into high places.
  • The boom (arm) allows a longer reach with 360 degree access.
  • A longer boom reduces the payload capability.
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23
Q

How would you erect a tower crane?

A

Using a smaller crane

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24
Q

What issues might cause a tower crane to suspend it’s use?

A

Adverse weather conditions, particularly high winds

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25
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 working above 1.5m high
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26
Q

What is shoring?

A
  • Form of support given to existing buildings.

- Precaution against damage or injury caused by collapse of structure.

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27
Q

What are hoists?

A

Designed for the vertical transportation of materials or people

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28
Q

What are foundations?

A

Foundations provide support for structures, transferring their load to layers of rock and soil that have sufficient bearing capacity.

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29
Q

What is a dead load?

A
  • Permanent and static loads

- Predominately the structure itself

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30
Q

What are live/imposed loads?

A
  • Usually temporary
  • Changeable and dynamic
  • Occupants, furniture, equipment, vehicles
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31
Q

What are wind loads?

A
  • The movement of air against the structure

- Particularly important on tall buildings and buildings with a light-weight dead load

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32
Q

What are the main components of concrete?

A

Water, aggregate (rocks, sand etc), cement

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33
Q

What is aggregate?

A

Natural stone, crushed rock, gravel

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34
Q

What is a borehole?

A
  • A borehole can be used for soil investigations or geothermal heating solutions
  • Boreholes are the most effective solution for soil investigations where the foundations are to be over 3m deep
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35
Q

What are geothermal boreholes?

A

Permanent holes that use the earth’s natural heat energy to warm up circulated water.

This is a closed system that can be used to heat the building above.

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36
Q

What are piles?

A

A series of columns constructed or inserted into the ground to transfer the load of a structure into the soil

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37
Q

What are the different types of piles?

A
  • Replacement/Bored piles (reinforced concrete insitu)
  • Displacement/Driven piles (pre-cast, steel, composite)
  • Basement walls (secant piles, sheet piles)
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38
Q

What are sheet piles?

A
  • Sections of sheet materials with interlocking edges that are driven into the ground to provide earth retention or excavation support.
  • Typically made of steel
  • Often used for retaining walls and underground structures
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39
Q

What are secant piles?

A
  • Intersecting steel reinforced concrete piles
  • Primary female piles are installed first, with secondary male piles installed in between them. Overlap of roughly 3 inches creating a flush finish
  • Useful in top-down construction and temporary waterproofing
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40
Q

What are bored piles?

A
  • Auger is used to excavate soil, then concrete is poured in
  • Variation of this is where a continuous flight auger is used to bore piles and fill core with bentonite slurry. Concrete is then poured into core, displacing the bentonite slurry due to it’s denser makeup. Rarely used now due to environmental impacts of bentonite
  • Minimal vibration
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41
Q

What are pre-cast piles?

A
  • Piles brought to site and hammered into the ground
  • High noise levels associated with installation
  • Lack of flexibility in terms of depth required
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42
Q

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

A
  • End bearing piles: Pass through soft strata onto firm strata. Load transferred through toe of pile
  • Friction piles: Through sheer stress against side of piles
  • Tension piles: Through the length of the pile to reduce overturning moments on the building caused by uplift forces
  • Laterally loaded piles: Horizontal forces in situations such as bridge piers. Similar to above.
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43
Q

When would you use bored piles?

A
  • In cohesive subsoils for the formation of friction piles

- When close to existing buildings due to noise/vibration limitation

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44
Q

When would you use pre-cast concrete piles?

A
  • When there is soft soil deposits lying on firmer strata

- When noise/vibration isn’t a concern

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45
Q

What are the risks for a PQS regarding cost control with piling?

A

End depth of piles are never a certainty, procurement route determines who takes the risk.

Traditional/D&B = Contractor
Management Contracts = Employer

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46
Q

What is a raft foundation?

A

Used to spread the load of superstructure over a large base and reduce load/m2 of area.

Generally reinforced concrete slabs.

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47
Q

When would you use raft foundations?

A
  • In low bearing capacity soils
  • Where settlement is likely
  • Where floor areas are small and structural load low
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48
Q

What is a strip foundation?

A

Shallow foundations used to provide a continuous, level strip to support a linear structure such as a wall

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49
Q

When would you use a strip foundations?

A
  • Most subsoils

- Light structural design

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50
Q

What are pad foundations?

A

A form of spread foundation formed by often square pads that support single-point structural loads such as columns

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51
Q

What are retaining walls?

A

They act as an earth retaining structure for the whole or part of their height

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52
Q

What considerations should a Contractor make when building a retaining wall?

A

Pressure of water/earth acting on wall

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53
Q

What are the main types of excavation?

A
  • Open
  • Perimeter Trench Excavation
  • Complete excavation
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54
Q

What is open excavation?

A
  • Use battered excavation technique which is excavating the soil with the sides left at a safe angle so as to not collapse
  • Save money on temporary support work
  • Extra excavation costs due to extra soil being removed to ensure sides are at a safe angle
  • Requires free space on site for angled sides. Wouldn’t work on site boundary.
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55
Q

What is perimeter trench excavation?

A

Trenches are dug with required support around basement perimeter. Basement walls are formed, then inside of basement is excavated.

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56
Q

What is complete excavation?

A
  • Centre of basement is excavated
  • Basement slab is cased while sides of excavation are supported by struts
  • Basement walls formed
  • USED WHEN SUBSOILS ARE FIRM
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57
Q

What is a basement?

A

A storey below ground floor.

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58
Q

What are the 3 main types of basement construction?

A

a) Retaining wall and raft (monolithic) - slab raft foundation distributes building load. Basement walls are retaining.
b) Box and Cellular - similar to above but internal structural walls transfer and spread loads over raft, dividing basement into cells
c) Piled - superstructure load carried to basement floor by columns and treasferred into ground via pile caps & piles

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59
Q

What are the 3 main methods of waterproofing a basement?

A

a) Dense monolithic - basement designed to form watertight space
b) Tanking - asphalt or similar resin applied internally or externally to provide continuous membrane to base slab and walls. External better as it protects substructure.
c) Drained cavity - Accepts small about of water seepage, collects and drains this away. Inner non-load bearing wall forms cavity wall for water to drain into, CAN BE USED ON REFURB WORK

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60
Q

What is scabbling?

A
  • Piston driven carbide tipped heads which impact surface at rapid rate
  • Removes thin layer from surface of concrete
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61
Q

Why is scabbling used?

A
  • Roughen surface of concrete for better grip
  • Prepare surface for painting/sealing/coating
  • Reduce levels/level surface
  • Decoration
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62
Q

What are the technical advantages of steel frame construction?

A
  • Quick to assemble
  • Recyclable material
  • High strength to weight ratio
  • Not vulnerable to termites, fungi etc
  • Consistent material quality as produced in strict accordance with national standards
  • Non-combustible so won’t contribute to spread of fire
  • Lighter than concrete
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63
Q

What are the technical disadvantages of steel frame construction?

A
  • Needs fire protection
  • Parts may need replacing
  • Price of steel is variable, could be high market dependent
  • Requires experienced builders
  • Will fail (collapse) before wood in a fire in spite of not being combustible
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64
Q

What are the technical advantages of concrete frames?

A
  • Could be cheaper than steel dependant on market price of steel
  • Doesn’t require additional fire protection
  • Slower construction will help cashflow
  • Low maintenance with insitu concrete frames
  • Cladding can be fixed to it and replaced easily
  • Good sound and heat insulation
  • Insitu allows alteration at later stages
  • Can deal with complex geometry better than steelwork
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65
Q

What are the parts of an I Beam?

A
  • Flange (top and bottom of the “I”)
  • Web (the vertical steel, runs between the two flanges. Long part of the “I”)
  • Root (where the flange and web meet)
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66
Q

What is a steel table?

A

Table that provides standard information on steel sections.

Different table for different beams/columns, e.g. UB and UC.

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67
Q

What is the weight of steel?

A

10mm3 steel = 0.0078kg

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68
Q

What is powder coating?

A
  • A durable factory applied organic coating on metals available in many colours
  • Polyester, acrylic, epoxy spray followed by heat curing
  • Any holes made/cuttings should be done prior to application of coating
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69
Q

What are the advantages of powder coating?

A
  • Stops corrosion
  • Stops abrasive damage
  • Stops metal reacting with other chemicals
70
Q

What is a RHS?

A

Rectangular Hollow Section

71
Q

What is a SHS?

A

Square hollow section

72
Q

What are UBs and UCs?

A

Universal beams & Universal Columns respectively

73
Q

What is intumescent paint?

A

Fire resistant paint

74
Q

What are connections (steel) and what percentage would you expect them to be?

A
  • Plates, bolts or welding

- 5%-10% by weight

75
Q

What is an upstand?

A
  • A vertical strip or skirting, such as the weatherproofing where roofing meets an abutment wall.
  • It can be the roofing itself, particularly for mastic asphalt, the top part of a one-piece apron flashing, a mortar skirting or upstand flashing.
76
Q

What is power floated and why?

A
  • Concrete
  • Power float is a hand-operated machine
  • Used to produce smooth, dense level surface finish to insitu concrete beds
77
Q

What is post tensioned concrete?

A
  • Post tensioning is a technique to reinforce concrete formed insitu
  • Can be used to join a series of pre-cast units
  • The concrete is cast around ducts or sheathing in which the tendons are housed
  • Steel tendons are pulled tight once concrete is cured using hydraulic jacks from one or both ends
  • The stretched steel tendons are then capped
  • Essentially, the steel tendons are pulling the concrete slabs together by trying to contract
78
Q

What is formwork?

A
  • Anything that holds in-situ concrete in place until it hardens
  • Can be plywood shuttering, steel pan forms
  • Can be supported by props, centering (formwork for floors/slabs) or falsework
79
Q

What is slip forming?

A
  • A method for constructing repetitive structures such as a core, lift shaft or stairwell
  • Formwork constantly moves upwards at approx. 1 inch every 10 mins
80
Q

What is jump forming?

A
  • A significant height of concrete is cast and left to cure
  • The whole formwork is then moved up and action is repeated
  • Cheaper than slip forming but slower
81
Q

What is A182 mesh?

A

Mesh used to reinforce concrete slabs. Metal lattice.

82
Q

What is a cavity tray?

A

A damp proof course that crosses the 50mm wide cavity of the 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

83
Q

What is a damp proof course?

A

A strip of impervious material the same width as brickwork or block work wall to stop moisture rising from the ground up the external leaf of the wall.

84
Q

In a brick/block wall, how are window openings dealt with structually?

A

Through use of a lintel - a small beam over the window or door head to carry the wall load

85
Q

What is the size of a brick?

A

Standard size - 215mm x 102.5mm x 65mm

86
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
  • Bricks with two frogs are known as “double frogged”, though these are less common
  • Bricks should be laid frog (or larger frog) facing up, with the mortar filling the frog
  • Creates a stronger wall and superior sound insulation
87
Q

How many bricks are in a m2?

A

60 approx.

88
Q

What are the different types of brick bond?

A

Flemish bond - The bond has one stretcher between headers, with headers centred over the stretchers below

Stretcher bond - most common, walls just half a brick wide. Stretcher face side showing.

89
Q

What are the different faces of a brick called?

A

Stretcher = long side of brick face

Header = short side of brick face

Sailor = When bricks are stood up vertically, the wide face is called the sailor

Soldier = When bricks are stood up vertically, the thinner face is called the soldier

Rowlock Stretcher/Shiner = When the brick is sitting on it’s stretcher, the wide face that was previously the top is called the shiner

Rowlock = In the above situation, what was previously the head is called the rowlock

90
Q

What is a rain screen cladding system?

A
  • Non-structural external surface
  • Protects everything inside from external weather
  • Formed of outer protective skin (metal, timber, glass, composite panels), supporting frame, a cavity and water-resistant internal materials which includes a layer of insulation
  • Three basic types are drained and ventilated, vented, and pressure equalised rainscreen systems
91
Q

How are cladding panels fixed to a steel frame?

A
  • Bolted (useful when may require being undone & cheaper than welding)
  • Riveted (fastest, like a nail)
  • Welded (melted together, maximum strength)
92
Q

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

A
  • M&E
  • Roof
  • Frame
93
Q

What is an air brick?

A

A perforated brick to allow ventilation into a room or under a floor space.

NOT A WEEP HOLE

94
Q

What factors may affect the choice for internal partitions?

A
  • Fire rating requirements
  • Noise requirements (Db rating)
  • Visual requirements (glazing etc)
  • Flexibility required (movable/fixed)
  • Strength (to hang things from walls etc)
95
Q

What is a rebate?

A

A cut into a material to house another material e.g. glass

96
Q

How do you construct a glazed partition?

A
  • Glass is fixed into a frame, steel or wood
  • Glass placed into a rebate, rebate is filled with putty/beading to hold it in place
  • This frame is then placed within walls/columns where required, usually held in with putty
97
Q

What is bonded screed?

A

Laid onto a ready prepared rough, cleaned concrete base

98
Q

What in unbonded screed?

A

Laid onto a sound, clean Bitumen damp proof membrane

99
Q

What is floating screed?

A

Screed laid on acoustic or thermal insulation. This is a type of unbonded screed.

100
Q

What is the purpose of a threshold strip?

A

A metal strip between the floor finishes or coverings that meet under the door leaf

  • Prevents fraying, creates a more fluid look and interrupts the spread of fire for combustible floors.
101
Q

What is a ridge in terms of roof construction?

A

Apex beam in a roof.

102
Q

What is a hip rafter?

A

The rafter extending from the wall plate to the ridge and forming the angle of a hip roof

103
Q

What are the jack rafters?

A

The rafters that runs from the hip to the eaves

104
Q

What are principles/common rafters?

A

Run from the ridge to the eaves. Main structure of the roof.

105
Q

What are wall plates?

A

Receive the feet of the rafters at the top of external wall

106
Q

What are purlins?

A

Horizontal beams that are used for structural support

107
Q

What are battens?

A

Small lengths of wood that run between rafters horizontally. To these, the roof cover is fixed.

108
Q

What are the jack rafters?

A

The rafters that runs from the hip to the eaves

109
Q

What are principles/common rafters?

A

Run from the ridge to the eaves. Main structure of the roof.

110
Q

What are wall plates?

A

Receive the feet of the rafters at the top of external wall

111
Q

What are purlins?

A

Horizontal beams that are used for structural support

112
Q

What are battens?

A

Small lengths of wood that run between rafters horizontally. To these, the roof cover is fixed.

113
Q

What types of roof covering may you find on a pitched roof?

A
  • Slates
  • Pan tiles
  • Zinc
  • Copper
  • Thatched
114
Q

What are the elements of a flat roof?

A

Joists – fixed to wall plates to act as main support

Firrings – fixed to the top of joists to give required incline

Particle board (chipboard) – fixed to top of firrings to give flat surface

Felt – 3 layers bonded with bitumen to give waterproof covering

Stone chipping – To give protection to felt and to reflect sunlight

115
Q

What is a single layer membrane?

A
  • One layer of felt consisting of a base sheet of glass fibre or polyester reinforcement, impregnated with hot bitumen during manufacture
  • Coated both sides with weatherproof bitumen compound
  • Easily punctured and rarely used
  • Cheapest option
116
Q

What is built up felt?

A
  • Constructed using three layers of a single layer membrane.
  • First is laid at right angle to the fall, second laid parallel to fall, third at right angle.
  • Covered with stone chippings
  • Easily punctured if care not taken
  • More common than single
117
Q

What is asphalt roofing?

A
  • Aggregate with bituminous binder which is cast into block ready for reheating at site
  • Heated into cauldrons to 200 degrees Celsius (dangerous)
  • Transported in liquid form to roof
  • Two coats usually required
  • Reduce risks of defects as no risk of damage en route to site
  • Cools quickly, must be heated close to roof
  • Hard wearing and designed to allow transit. Some companies offer 60-year guarantee
118
Q

A door requires a 30 min fire rating. What features would you expect that door to have?

A
  • 3 hinges
  • Intumescent strip around door or frame
  • Self-closing devise
  • 6mm thick glass
119
Q

What is a MF ceiling?

A

Mineral fibre plasterboard suspended ceiling, typically used in office spaces

120
Q

What is a metal grid ceiling and what are the benefits?

A
  • Suspended ceiling system formed by square grid
  • Quick construction
  • Allow services to run through the voids allowing greater floor to ceiling height
  • Easy access to services
  • Damaged tiles can be replaced
121
Q

What are the benefits/disadvantages of rolled carpets?

A
  • Rolled carpets generally better quality
  • More expensive
  • Used in dwellings.
122
Q

What are the benefits/disadvantages of carpet tiles?

A
  • Hard wearing
  • Lower quality
  • Individual tiles can be replaced therefore easy to maintain
  • Used on offices
  • Easy access to flooring, useful when raised flooring is used
123
Q

What is top down construction?

A
  • Used to speed up construction for buildings with basement levels
  • Ground floor slab cased with access hatch
  • Ground below excavated and another slab is formed
  • Piles used as foundations and act as retaining walls.
  • Struts/propping required for retaining walls
  • This allows building above to be constructed at the same time as basement
124
Q

What is bottom up construction?

A
  • Forms the basement then works upwards in a traditional manner.
  • Simpler but longer programme
125
Q

How is power distributed to floor boxes in raised floor?

A
  • Power supply connects to low voltage switchboard which in turn connects to a distribution board
  • The distribution board will have under floor busbar connected to it. The busbar has a number of sockets to which the floor box plugs into via a flexible lead.
  • The floor box has sockets which appliances can plug in to
126
Q

What is a switchboard?

A

A devise that directs electricity from one source to supply several smaller currents for further distribution

127
Q

What is a distribution board?

A

A devise that divides electrical power feed into subsidiary circuits while providing a protective fuse or circuit breaker for each circuit in a common enclosure.

128
Q

What is a three phase electrical supply?

A
  • An AC supply that consists of three AC voltages
  • Enables a stronger consistent source of power
  • Used for lifts, big buildings.
  • Small electrical objects and houses do not need three phase electrical supply. Single phase eletrical supply fluctuates 60 times/second, so we do not see bulbs flicker etc.
129
Q

What is an AHU?

A

Air Handling Unit

Used to regulate and circulate air as part of a HVAC unit.

130
Q

What is an FCU and how does it work?

A
  • Fan Coil Unit
  • Condition the local air to suit the temperature requirements of the immediate space
  • Main AHU will feed fresh air through main duct. Branches will flow off main duct into different rooms
  • Air will blow from duct into FCU (not directly connected, gap between duct and FCU allows for recycled air from grille in ceiling to be sucked into FCU also.
  • Air inside FCU gets sucked through fans, through heating or cooling coils, then out the other side
131
Q

How do heating coils work in FCUs?

A

There are many plates in the FCU which pipes of hot water run through. This heats up the coils/plates/pipes. This heat is transferred to the air passing through.

Could be electric rather than water.

132
Q

How do cooling coils in FCUs work?

A

Cold water from the chiller is fed through the cooling coil. The air transfers energy to the cooling coil, cooling itself down before flowing into the space

As the air cools, it condenses. The condensation will run into a drip tray at the bottom of the FCU and a pipe will take it away.

Could be a refrigeration unit instead of chilled water.

133
Q

Does every FCU need to have fresh air supply/

A

No, but each room must have at least one supply of fresh air.

Regulations state a certain amount of fresh air is required, see Building Regs App F for detail for different building types.

134
Q

What are chilled beams?

A

Supply air is usually 100% ventilation air.

  • Air pumped into supply inlet and out of nozzles either side of chilled beam
  • This creates a low pressure zone that draws air into the face of the chilled beam.
  • This air goes through chilled beam (cooling coil similar to in FCU) and flows back out through the nozzle with more ventilated air
135
Q

What are the benefits of chilled beams vs FCUs?

A

Chilled Beam:

  • Lower carbon emissions when first released, however not necessarily anymore due to advancement in FCU technology

FCUs:

  • Cheaper than chilled beams
  • More flexible
  • Can heat and cool air
136
Q

What are the benefits/disadvantages of a steel frame building vs a concrete frame building??

A

Concrete:

  • Waste materials can be included w/in mix, e.g. pulverised fuel ash
  • Short lead time
  • Slower to erect on site, though precast and improving methods are speeding this up
  • Fire protection is inherent
  • Most cost effective depends on the market. Steel fluctuates.
  • Requires steel reinforcement. Good compression strength but requires reinforcement for tensile strength
  • Can be moulded into different shapes but will struggle with open spans and/or high floor-floor height
  • Will not corrode. Steel reinforcement must be sealed/protected.

Steel:

  • Long lead time
  • Fast to erect on site
  • Needs fire protection, prefab steel can allow for thin application off-site though
  • Lighter, as much as 60% lighter than concrete. Allows for less substantial foundations.
  • Less labour required to install
  • Strong, concrete lacks tensile strength
  • More flexible, good for long open spans due to strength
  • Requires protection from corrosion
137
Q

What is cladding?

A

Components that are attached to the primary structure of a building to form a non-structural, external surface

138
Q

What are common types of cladding?

A
  • Curtain walling
  • Rainscreen Cladding
  • GRC panels
  • Precast concrete cladding
139
Q

What is curtain walling?

A
  • Glazed or opaque infill panels fixed to a lightweight frame
  • Vision panels, spandrel panels, aluminium panels, louvres/vents.
  • Fixed using stick or unitised system
  • Lightweight, maximise daylight, can provide good thermal performance (opaque panels)
  • Installation costs/maintenance costs can be high
140
Q

What are the two methods of fixing curtain walling to a primary structure?

A
  • Stick system or unitised system
  • Stick system is where stick like frames are installed between beams, then panels fixed to them
  • Slow to install and require sealant around perimeter. Quality depends on skill of installers
  • Unitised systems are all-in-one panels that fix together between beams
  • Fast to install but long lead time due to prefabrication process. Cost a lot to ship and store.
141
Q

What is pre-cast concrete cladding?

A
  • Concrete panels are formed off-site
  • Off-site manufacturing means it can be moulded into different shapes, colours, in controlled conditions so less wastage
  • Transported to site, tower/mobile cranes lift them to position
  • Panels can be fixed to frame or can be supporting itself
142
Q

What is GRC?

A

Glass reinforced concrete

  • Glass fibres imbedded in concrete matrix
  • Appears similar to natural stone
  • Can take any form
  • 80% lighter than steel reinforced concrete, therefore reduced installation costs
  • BREEAM A+ rating
  • Fragile in transport
  • Labour intensive to manufacture and can be expensive if bespoke (no economies of scale)
143
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of masonry facades?

A

Masonry facades are generally load bearing facades made from brick/stone/block

Benefits

  • Inexpensive to repair
  • Good to fire resistance
  • Good thermal mass and high acoustic performance

Disadvantages

  • Can be expensive (block dependent)
  • Labour intensive and slow to install
144
Q

What is prefabricated construction?

A

Prefabricationis the practice of assembling components of a structure in a factory or other manufacturing site, and transporting complete assemblies or sub-assemblies to theconstructionsite where the structure is to be located.

145
Q

What is the minimum height for a balustrade?

A

See Building Regulations K

In schools:

Flights of stairs - 0.9m from datum (standing level)

Landings - 1.1m from datum

146
Q

Name some features you may find on a historic facade?

A
  • Cupolas
  • Gargoyles
  • Chimney stacks
  • Cornices
  • Terracotta
  • Portland Stone
147
Q

What is a yard gully?

A
  • Drain in the ground for rainwater to fall into.
  • Maximum paved area per gully should be 400m2
  • Fall should be 1:60
148
Q

What is a drainage channel?

A
  • Long channel for rainwater to fall into
  • Fall should be 1:120
  • Where the fall is all one way, away from a building
149
Q

Which building regulation document covers drainage?

A

Approved document H

150
Q

What is a soil stack?

A

A pipe that takes waste water from toilets, urinals etc away from building. Ventilated.

151
Q

What is a waste pipe?

A

Pipe that wastes waste water from sinks, showers, baths etc.

152
Q

What is an attenuation tank?

A
  • Avoids flooding during heavy rain
  • Overflow of water in underground drainage overflows into perforated pipe
  • Water falls through holes into attenuation tank, where it is stored and slowly released
153
Q

Which building regulation document related to fire safety?

A

Approved Document B

154
Q

What are methods of fire safety?

A
  • Intumescent paint
  • Intumescent strips on doors
  • Sprinklers
  • Fire doors that shut
  • Fire stopping voids between rooms to stop the spread of fire
  • Fire alarms
155
Q

What height must a building be for sprinklers to be compulsory?

A

30m

156
Q

What in an open loop system?

A
  • Relates to the electrical control of systems
  • External conditions do not affect systems output, e.g. temperature will not affect whether AC comes on/off. It may be simply a timer.
  • Good because simple, easy to construct and stable
157
Q

What is a closed loop system?

A
  • Relates to electrical control of systems
  • External conditions affect system output, e.g. if the building gets too hot the AC will turn on
  • Good because they are intelligent and more useful, downside is they are more complex/difficult to install/expensive
158
Q

How does AC work?

A
  • Refrigerant is pumped through pipes in liquid form
  • Refrigerant boils at low temp, so at room temp it turns into a gas
  • In turning into a gas, it takes energy from the air
  • The cool air is then blown with a fan into the room
  • The refrigerant gas is then condensed in a condenser (high pressure pushing the gas molecules together until they convert back into a liquid)
  • The now liquid refrigerant goes through an expansion valve to reduce the pressure before entering the loop again.
159
Q

What are the components that make up access control?

A
  • Access Controller (decides whether people are allows in or out)
  • Reader (card, key pad)
  • Door contact (between door and frame, allows door to know whether it’s open or closed)
  • Door strike/magnetic lock
  • REX (request to exit) allows you to leave without any card
160
Q

What’s the difference between end bearing piles and friction piles?

A

End bearing = load transferred to rock/gravel largely at base of pile

Friction = load transferred to ground largely through the sides of the pile (shear force)

161
Q

What is a vented rainscreen cladding system?

A
  • Cavity open at bottom
  • Provides drainage but no ventilation
  • Warm cavity, no ventilation (should be called drained really)
  • Warm cavity provides dew point close to outside
  • Shouldn’t be used above 4 storeys due to higher wind load + greater risk of water penetration
162
Q

What is a drained and vented rainscreen cladding system?

A
  • Not watertight
  • Cavity must be open at top and bottom
  • Cavity must provide drainage and promote ventilation
  • Protect cavity with overhang
  • Protect backing structure with moisture barrier (VCL)
  • Non-hygroscopic or closed cell insulation (PIR or Rockwool)
  • Excessively high D+V systems should be avoided (12m or less)
163
Q

What is a Pressure Equalised rainscreen system?

A
  • Cavities are compartmentalised
  • Openings calculated to allow rapid ingress and egress of air resulting in very low wind load on panel themselves
  • Water ingress reduced by “equalisation” of internal and external pressures
  • Drained above compartment levelsS
  • Suited to tall areas of rainscreen, typically used over 4 storeys
  • Design intensive
  • Compartmentalisation stops spread of fire
164
Q

What are the different grades of waterproofing?

A

1 - Some seepage/damp is tolerable. Car parks etc.

2 - No seepage is acceptable. Some damp is tolerable depending on use. Workshops, boiler rooms etc.

3 - No seepage or damp is tolerable. Offices, homes etc.

165
Q

What is type A waterproofing?

A
  • BS defines as “barrier protection”
  • Material e.g. waterproof concrete applied to walls
  • Called “basement tanking” when applied to cellars/basements
  • Perfect for grade 1 waterproofing
166
Q

What is type B waterproofing?

A
  • BS defines as the structure itself being a waterproof shell
  • a build of reinforced concrete supplemented with a method of controlling water ingress at construction joints (such as a hydrophilic waterbar)
  • Typically achieve grade 2 waterproofing, but that’s not the limit of its application
167
Q

What is type C waterproofing?

A
  • BS defines where a structure itself provides initial resistance against water, but also incorporates a drained cavity to collect groundwater ingress and direct it toward drain/pump for removal
  • Ideal for grade 3 waterproofing
168
Q

What is heat gain?

A

The term given to a temperature rise within a space due to heat from the sun (solar radiation), heat from surfaces (long wave infrared radiation), heat originating from other sources within the space (such as heating appliances, ovens, people, mechanical systems, lights and computers)

169
Q

What weather conditions can affect the way concrete sets?

A
  • below 5 degrees takes longer to set
  • rain water into mix = bad
  • frost = bad
170
Q

What is grey and brown water?

A

Grey water - water from sinks, taps etc

Brown water - water from toilets

Omar Assoc RICS prep (11 decks)

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