Environmental and Contextual Conditions

Question 1

Catchment Area

Answer 1

In human geography, a catchment area is the area from which a city, service or institution attracts a population that uses its services. For example, a school catchment area is the geographic area from which students are eligible to attend a local school.

Question 2

Proctor Compaction Test

Answer 2

a laboratory method of experimentally determining the optimal moisture content at which a given soil type will become most dense and achieve its maximum dry density.

Question 3

Baseline Survey

Answer 3

In the United States Public Land Survey System, a baseline is the principal east-west line (i.e., a parallel) upon which all rectangular surveys in a defined area are based. The baseline meets its corresponding principal meridian at the point of origin, or initial point, for the land survey

Question 4

Equinox

Answer 4

Winter: December 21
Summer: June 21
Vernal: March 21
Autumnal: September 21

Question 5

Altitude/Azimuth

Answer 5

angle above the horizon/angle north or south from an east-west line

Question 6

Cool Climates

Answer 6

Use compact forms with the smallest surface area possible relative to the volume
Use large, south-facing windows with small windows on the east and west and with minimal or no windows on the north
Use interior materials with a high thermal mass
Include summer shading for glazed areas
Use dark or medium-dark colors for the building exterior

Question 7

Temperate Climates

Answer 7

Plan rectangular buildings with the long direction oriented generally along the east-west axis and facing slightly to the east. for the cooling effects of wind in the summer; block the win.d in the winter.
Use medium colors for the building exterior
Provide shade in the summer, and allow the sun to fall on glazing and the building in the winter.
Use south-facing openings to capture winter sunlight.
Plan

Question 8

Hot-Humid Climates

Answer 8

Provide shade for all openings.
Maximize natural ventilation with large openings, high ceilings, and cross ventilation.
Construct buildings using light materials; minimize thermal mass.
Use light colors for the building exterior.

Question 9

Hot-Arid Climates

Answer 9

Use compact forms with the smallest surface area possible relative to volume.
Minimize opening sizes.
Provide shade for openings.
Maximize thermal mass.
Use light colors for the building exterior.

Question 10

Aboveground Drainage

Answer 10

involves sheet flow, gutters built into roadways and parking area, ground swales as par t of the landscaping, and channels.

Question 11

Underground drainage

Answer 11

utilizes perforated drains and enclosed storm sewers that carry the runoff from the site to a municipal storm sewer system or to a natural drainage outlet such as a river.

Question 12

Sheet flow

Answer 12

water that drains across a sloping surface, whether paved, grassy, or landscaped.

Question 13

Existing Utilities

Answer 13

Sanitary sewers and storm sewers usually take precedence in planning because they depend on gravity flow. The invert, or lowest, elevations of the existing public sewer line should be established, since the effluent must flow from the lowest point where the sewer line leaves the building to the main sewer.

Question 14

Building sewer

Answer 14

the portion of horizontal piping of the sanitary sewer system between the building and the sewer main. Minimum slope of the building sewer is 0.5% to 2.0% depending on the size of the pipe. (1% is 1/8” / ft.)

Question 15

Road slope

Answer 15

15% maximum for short distances, 10% or less preferred. If sloped 10% or more, transition slopes of one-half the maximum slope should be provided. Roads should also have 1/4”/ft slope for drainage from the center of the roadway, called the crown, to the sides, called the gutter.

Question 16

Sidewalk slope

Answer 16

1/4”/ft for drainage across walk, maximum
4% (1/2”/ft) mas at buildings
6% max preferred elsewhere
8% absolute max

Question 17

Exterior Stairs

Answer 17

Minimum 3 risers / Maximum 10 risers between landings
rise 4” min. / 6” max.
run 14” for 6” rise
slope 1/4”/ft. for drainage
provide handrail over four risers or where icy conditions exist

Question 18

Design Guidelines for Service Drives

Answer 18

12' to 14' one way drive
45' outside radius for straight body truck
20' inside radius
35' to 50' reversing drive
10' to 12' loading dock

Question 19

Parking Spaces

Answer 19

9’ x 19’ standard

7.5’ x 15’ compact

Question 20

Parking Lot Layout

Answer 20

1.5% - 5% slope for drainage
(use 2% or 3%)
90 Degree Parking - Most Efficient
62’ minimum double loaded (19’ parking + 24’ aisle)
45 Degree Parking
52.6’ minimum double loaded (19.8’ parking + 13’ aisle)

Question 21

Accessible Parking

Answer 21

Located close tot he building entrance
Identified with international symbol for accessibility
Van-accessible access aisle 96 inches (8’)
Car-accessible access aisle 60 inches (5’)
2% maximum slope

Question 22

Landscaping

Answer 22

7’ median minimum for trees

4’ median minimum for grass

Question 23

Maekawa equation

Answer 23

used to evaluate the reduction in noise decibels (NRdb) from a point source

Question 24

Basic principles for designing outdoor sound barriers

Answer 24

Generally, solid barriers block high-frequency sounds better than low-frequency sounds.
The barrier is best placed as close as possible to either the source of the noise or the receiver.
If the barrier is close to the noise source, it should be at least four times as high as the distance from the source to the barrier.
The greater the effective height (the distance from the acoustic line of sight to the top of the barrier), the greater the attenuation.
For blocking noise from a point source, a short barrier should be at least four times as long as the distance from the barrier to the source or the distance from the barrier to the receiver, whichever is shorter.
A barrier should have a density of at least 5 lbm/sq ft and be solid. However, greater densities than this do not increase sound attenuation significantly.

Question 25

Soil Types

Answer 25

Gravel: well drained and able to bear loads (2 mm)
Sand: well drained and can serve as foundation when graded (> .05 - 2 mm)
Silt: stable when dry, swells when frozen, do not use when wet (.002 - .05 mm)
Clay: must be removed, too stiff when dry and to plastic when wet (< .002 mm)

Question 26

Levels of Soil

Answer 26

A = Topsoil
B = Minerals
C = Partially weathered/fractured rock
D = Bedrock

Question 27

Potential Land Problems

Answer 27

Water within 6’ of land surface: pump out excavation, waterproof basement, resist hydro-static pressure (continuous drain pipe installed at foundation)
Rock at/near surface: use explosive to reduce manual labor
Soil is soft clay, water-bearing sand or silt: construct deeper foundations or drive piles, remove poor soil.
Underground streams: avoid and be cautious of siting of structure
Cut and Fill: balance it. There should not be more taken away than added or vice versa.