Opportunities and Constraints

Question 1

What location specific conditions might be included in an opps and constraints (10)

Answer 1

lot size and shape

historic structues and views to landmarks

significant veg

hyrdrology

gelogy and soils

topo

climatic conditions

widlfires

wildlife habitat

noise and other nuisances

Question 2

what other steps in the design process to opps and constraints ID’d in site analysis inform?

Answer 2

programming - what compatible uses there are on site
may prevent development from proceeding altogether

Question 3

What areas have the highest recharge rates?

Answer 3

areas with high permeability soils, minimal slope. and sparse vegetation

Question 4

With regard to topo - what direction does water always flow

Answer 4

perpendicular to contour lines

Question 5

What is groundwater? What is base flow?

Answer 5

groundwater is subsurface water flow that discharges to streams lakes wetalnds and the ocean.

under normal non storm events - this discharge is called base flow

Question 6

What constraints can high water tables cause?

Answer 6

prevent adequate site drainage

preclude use of septic

complicate subsurface excavation

require water proofing for foundations // subsurface structures

Question 7

What type of grounwater question will you likely get on the exam?

Answer 7

identify high water table as constraint, where only right answer for locating a structure with a subsurface feature will be outside an area with a high water table

Question 8

What is a 100 year floodplain

Answer 8

The area that has a 1% chance to flood in a given year

Question 9

Define permeability infiltration and percolation

Answer 9

Permeability - the rate water moves through soil

infiltration - the rate of speed at which water flows into soil through its pores

percolation - downward movement of water in soil

Question 10

What are 5 soils related risks / site constraints

Answer 10

expansive soils

liquefaction

differential subsidence

settlement

landslides

Bedrock (technically not soil but a geology risk

earthquakes - also techncially not soil but geology

Question 11

What are risks of expansive soils? how can this be remediated?

Answer 11

they swell up and cause ground heave

find a different site

Question 12

what is liquefaction - what is the reltaionship between soil density and liquefaction risk?

Answer 12

liquefaction takes place when loosely pack water logged sidents near the ground surface lose their strength and make solid soils behave like liquids (in response to earthquakes

the greater the soil desity - the lower the risk of liquefaction - desne clay soils are low risk

Question 13

What is subsidence - vs differential subsidence - how is diff subsidence related to soil profiles

Answer 13

subsidence is soil settling and sinking downward due to lack of soil stability

Differential subsidence is when rate or degree of settling is different between points.

a single structure built across two soil profiles can cause differential settling

Question 14

What is settling

Answer 14

building heavy sink soil down

Question 15

For purpose of LARE what should be noted about landslides / landslide risk

Answer 15

landslide risk is related to rainfall unstable soils, extreme topo. veg loss and development activity

roads and major circulation should never be places in areas prone to landslides and areas with highly erosive soils

Question 16

What should be noted about earthquake risk

Answer 16

placing structures parlell to anticipated direction of seismic waves increases risk of damage

Question 17

What is the most imporant factor in determining site design

Answer 17

topography

Question 18

What is color coding for elevations map

Answer 18

cool colors - low elevs
warm colors - high elevs

Question 19

When are RUN-RISE Vs RISE-RUN slopes used

Answer 19

run rise typically denotes a softer slope - 4:1 or 12:1

Question 20

What is a military crest?

Answer 20

The point on a hill just below the top of the hill that offers to greatest visibility of the slope below

Question 21

What microclimate aspects are associated with winds?

Answer 21

northwest - cold winter winds

southwest - cool summer breezes

Question 22

What 5 factors impact the effectiveness of a boise barrier

Answer 22

distance, height, continuity, length and mass

Question 23

at what distance should noise barriers be construced

Answer 23

EITHER AS CLOSSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE source or to the RECIVING LOCATION to max noise diffraction

Question 24

what height should noise barriers be

Answer 24

at a minimum they should block line of sight between source and reciever

Question 25

what level of continuity should a noise barrier have

Answer 25

single and continuous is more effective thatn gapped

Question 26

what length should a noise barrier be

Answer 26

1 to 2 times the distnace between the source and reciever, to minimize diffraction that would travel around the barrier

Question 27

what mass should a noise barrier have?

Answer 27

greater mass has greater noise mitigation