Construction Technology - Docs Flashcards
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What was the structural frame for one of your projects?
Steel frame
Why would a steel frame be chosen over a concrete frame?
Steel frame has a higher stregnth to weight ratio which allows a wider span which benefits offices, allowing them to be more flexible.
Concrete frames would require columns which would impact flexibility
What are the disadvantages of a steel frame?
Requires fire protection such as intumescent paint.
Poor acoustic qualities
How does intumescent paint work?
Paint includes a chemical which reacts to heat, making it expand and form a layer of char which acts as a barrier to fire
What is meant by Modern Methods of Construction?
A process focusing on off-site construction techniques, such as mass production and factory assembly, as alternatives to traditional building.
What is Pre-Fabrication?
Practice of assembling components of a structure in a factory or other manufacturing site and transporting complete assemblies or sub-assemblies to the construction site.
What are the advantages of Pre-Fabrication?
- Time: increased rate of supply for identical units.
- Cost: reduced risk of overspend due to unforeseen site circumstances.
- Quality: controlled conditions with dedicated workforce and less waste.
What are the disadvantages of Pre-Fabrication?
- Long lead time requires careful programming.
- Difficult storage due to size and weight of units.
- Costly design changes require a design freeze before manufacturing.
- Coordination of integration with site-applied services is needed.
- Costly transportation.
What are some examples of building elements that can be Prefabricated?
- Bathroom Pods
- Curtain Walling
What is the purpose of ventilation in a building?
- Air quality regulation by removing pollutants and replacing stale air with fresh air.
- Temperature regulation for heating and cooling.
- Humidity control to avoid condensation and mould.
What types of ventilation systems are there?
- Passive (natural)
- Active (mechanical)
- Mix Mode
What is a Passive ventilation system?
Utilizes natural convection and flow of external air, requiring little energy and having low operational costs.
What is an Active ventilation system?
Mechanically provides air flow for heating/cooling, being energy intensive and essential in areas with noise and pollution.
What is an AHU?
A large metal box that connects to ductwork to distribute conditioned air throughout the building.
What are the advantages of an AHU?
- Constant, reliable rate of ventilation.
- Controlled air flow.
- Ability to recover heat in cold weather.
- Noise is restricted to the AHU location.
What are the disadvantages of an AHU?
- Significant energy consumption.
- Ductwork occupies space and requires maintenance.
- Risk of mechanical/electrical failure.
What methods are you aware of for heating a space?
- Boiler
- GSHP
- ASHP
- Trench Heating
- Radiator
- Convectors
- Underfloor Heating
How many Approved Documents make up the Building Regs?
16
Which regulation covers ventilation?
F - Ventilation
What guidelines does regulation F set?
Sets guidelines for ventilation rates to limit moisture accumulation that could lead to health hazards.
Which regulation covers acoustics?
E - Resistance to Sound
How did you evaluate the costs associated with the structural alterations for the interconnecting helical stair, and what were the main challenges you faced?
Hosted meetings with the stuctural engineer about what was required. Priced temp works, cutting into the slab, secondary beams, the stair carcass and associated finishes. Total cost was c. £500k
What are temporary works?
Parts of a construction project needed to enable the permanent works to be built.
What are some examples of temporary works?
- Scaffold
- Props
- Formwork
What is the purpose of the extract system?
To extract pollutants from the kitchen.
What does a UPS do?
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) maintains power in the event of a failure, commonly including a battery that supplies power when needed.
What is a structural pad?
Formed by square concrete pads that support localized single-point loads such as structural columns. Load of the column is spread by the pad to a load bearing layer
What factors influence the arrangement of structural pads?
- Nature of structure
- Load imposed
- Bearing capacity
- Space availability
What is the difference between a finishing kitchen and a full catering kitchen?
A finishing kitchen focuses on preparing and plating dishes, while a full catering kitchen handles the entire process from raw ingredients to packaged or served food for off-site events.
What plant was required for the kitchen extract system?
Air Handling Unit, Extract Fans within a hood, Filters, Fire-rated ductwork
What is a soft spot?
A designated area where if cut into will not structurally impact the rest of the building
What is the difference between single and double glazing?
single glazing uses one pane, while double glazing uses two panes with an insulating layer of air or gas in between.
How does double-glazing work?
There are two panes of glass absorbing the sound vibrations and the (Argon) gas between the panes which helps to slow and dampen the transmission of sound waves
What is the cost difference between single glazing and double glazing?
Depends on the fire rating requirement and Db requirements.
From the cost exercise I completed it was c. £2.5k per m for double glazed and £3k for single glazed both to meet 45db
Can you explain the structural modifications needed to support the additional load from the UPS?
tructural modifications included a structural pad with steel beams to transfer the load to the existing frame. This ensured the floor plates could support the additional weight.
How much did the structural modifications for the UPS cost?
£60,000
How much did the UPS cost?
£550,000 - Kholer Quote
You mentioned the UPS was built in the basement, how was the basement built for this building?
Ground was excavated, the foundation was piled so secant piles formed the external wall. Drained cavoty system formed to help waterproof the basement. Concrete was poured in and cured over 14 days.
What are secant piles?
Interlocking piles (male and female) are bored into the ground to provide a
combination of foundations and basement walls
What are other types of pile walls?
Contiguous Piles - series of bored piles positioned very close together (not watertight)
Sheet Pile - sections of sheet materials with interlocked edges that are driven into the ground to provide earth retention and excavation support (usually temporary)
How are piles constructed?
Driven or Bored
How does load-bearing capacity differ in piles?
End-bearing capacity - where the load trasfers to the toe of the pile and onto a hard layer of rock/dense gravel or soil
Friction piles - load-bearing through stresses along the sides of the pile causing friction between the pile and soil
What are the different grades of basement?
Grade 1: Basic Utility (e.g. car park)
Grade 2: Improved Utility (e.g. retail storage)
Grade 3: Habitable Space (e.g. residential/office space)
Grade 4: Special areas (e.g. document archiving)
What is a drainage cavity system?
Where water penetration is expected a void former creates a cavity between the external and internal walls where water is collected and pumped away using a sump pump.
What is a sump pump?
Small pump installed in a specially constructed sump pit (to ensure it is the
lowest part of the basement) which when water flows into the pit, it pumps the water out of the pit and away from the building as directed.
