IDPX 3 - Building Systems and Integration

Question 1

What is displacement ventilation?

Answer 1

This is an air distribution system in which supply air originates at floor level and rises to return air grilles in the ceiling.

Question 2

What is a three-way switch?

Answer 2

This is a device that allows users to control a light from two different locations.

Question 3

What are the two most important variables in controlling sound transmission through a building element?

Answer 3

The two most importan variables affecting this are

• mass
• stiffness

Question 4

What is the sound transmission class (STC) of a partition?

Answer 4

This is a single-number rating of a partition’s ability to reduce sound transmission.

Question 5

In a large room, where is the most effective place to install a sound-absorbing material?

Answer 5

In a large room, the ceiling is the most effective place to install this material.

Question 6

What are five basic ways to control sound transmission through a partition?

Answer 6

Five ways to accomplish this are to

• increase the mass
• provide additional resilience
• insulate the cavity
• seal all creacks between construction components
• provide sealed openings, such as doors and windows

Question 7

What are some ways to increase speech privacy in a large space?

Answer 7

Five ways to accomplish this are to

• use highly absorptive ceiling materials
• use space dividers to reduce sound transmission
• create distance between noisy activities
• arrange hard surfaces to minimize reflected sound
• use a well-designed background masking system

Question 8

What is a daylight factor (DF)?

Answer 8

This is the reatio of the indoor illuminance at a point on a horizontal surface to the unobstructed exterior horizontal iluminance.

Question 9

What type of construction element is shown, and what are teh components labeled A, B and C?

Answer 9

This illustration shows a section of a standard wood doorfram in a wood stud partition, including the stop (component A), the casing trim (component B), and the shim (component C).

Question 10

What are the components of a fire-rated door assembly?

Answer 10

These consist of the door itself (including glazing, if any), the frame, and the hardware.

Question 11

What is a sole plate?

Answer 11

This is a horizontal wood member that serves as the base for the studs in a wood stud partition.

Question 12

What are the common differences between residential and commercial construction of wallboard partitions?

Answer 12

Th first typically uses 2x4 wood studs with 1/2in (13mm) wallboard, while the second typically uses metal studs with 5/8in (16mm) wallboard.

Question 13

In this diagram of a door opening, what are the components labeled A, B, and C?

Answer 13

The three components shown are

(A) a head

(B) jamb

(C) a threshold or sill

Question 14

What type of construction element is shown, and what are the components labeled A and B?

Answer 14

This illustration shows a suspended gypsum wallboard ceiling, including (A) a cold-rolled steel channel, sometimes called a black iron, and (B) a furring channel, sometimes called a hat channel.

Question 15

What four characteristics distinguish a fire-rated, suspended acoustical ceiling from a non-rated standard ceiling?

Answer 15

The distinguishing characteristics of this type of ceiling are

• it is only part of an entire fire-rated floor/ceiling assembly
• its tiles must be rated mineral tiles
• it uses hold-down clips
• it must have expansion slots in the grid

Question 16

What are the two major types of concrete structural systems?

Answer 16

The two major types are

• cast-in-place
• precast

Question 17

What types of concrete system is likely to be found where floor-to-floor heights are kept to a minimum?

Answer 17

A flate plate construction system would probably be used in this situation.

Question 18

What are live loads?

Answer 18

These are the weights of people, furniture, and moveable equipment.

Question 19

What type of load is created on a building by the force of wind or an earthquake?

Answer 19

A lateral load on a building is caused by one of these forces.

Question 20

What is required at the top of a partition to accommodate deflection of the floor above?

Answer 20

A slip joint is required at the top of a partition to compensate for this condition.

Question 21

What is a core drill?

Answer 21

This is a small hole with a diameter of 2in to 4in (50mm to 100mm) drilled through a concrete floor to accommodate conduits for electrical, telephone, and data wiring.

Question 22

Why should post-tensioned conrete slabs never be cut into?

Answer 22

The tendons of this construction element should never be cut becasue they are under high stress.

Question 23

What are joists, and what are they typically made of?

Answer 23

These are horizontal repetitive elements used to support floors. They are typically made from wood members with a nominal width of 2in (50mm).

Question 24

What is the typcial spacing for residential studs and joists?

Answer 24

These construction elements are typically spaced 16in (406mm) on center.

Question 25

What is a chase wall?

Answer 25

This consists of two runs of studs separated by a space large enough to accommodate pipes.

Question 26

What is an access door?

Answer 26

This is an opening used to provide access to mechanical and electrical components behind walls.

Question 27

What is a dedicated circuit?

Answer 27

This is a circuit that contains a single electrical outlet.

Question 28

What is compartmentation in interior design?

Answer 28

This is the practice of separating areas of a building with fire-rated construction in order to contain a fire to one area and limit its spread.

Question 29

What two methods are used to measure speech privacy in open offices?

Answer 29

Two methods used to measure this are

• articulation class
• articulation index

Question 30

What are four types of fire detection devices?

Answer 30

Four types of these are

• Photoelectric detectors
• rise-of-temperature detectors
• ionization detectors
• flame detectors

Question 31

What are five causes of building movement that must be considered when detailing?

Answer 31

This may be caused by

• dead-load deflection
• lateral loading from wind or seismic activity
• water absorption
• live-load deflection
• temperature changes

Question 32

What is a tolerance?

Answer 32

This is the amount of allowable variation from a given line, dimension, or size?