SPD Flashcards
Name the appropriate term for each of the following definitions
1) soil, sand or mud deposited by flowing water
2) the most stable soil type
3) soft dark soul containing decomposed organic matter, poor bearing capacity
4) rich soil containing equal parts sand, silt, and clay
1) alluvium
2) bedrock
3) humus
5) Liam
1 acre is equal to how many square feet
43,560
The principal purpose of soil testing is to determine what?
Intrinsic character of the soil.
When designing a surface drainage system if it is determined that the system cannot accommodate a certain storm level what would you do
Design for a larger storm which would mean increasing the size of the conduit etc.
Land use development patterns are most frequently determined by
Street systems
Which direction should a building be placed relative to the direction of the contour lines?
Parallel. This minimizes excavation costs.
Suitability of souls for foundations depends primarily on what three things?
Strength, cohesion, consolidation
When is a storm water permit required?
When an acre or more are disturbed in conjunction with a construction project
The federal construction General permit (cgp) has three main requirements. What are they?
1) Submit Storm water pollution prevention plan (swppp)
2) submit notice of intent (noi) -7 days before commencement of site disturbance
3) submit notice of termination(not) - after site is stabilized
One acre equals how many square feet?
43,560 sf
What factors affect the number of test borings?
1) Uniformity of subsurface conditions
2) Building footprint complexity
3) Ground floor area
How does wind flow around a building on the windward side
It generally flows down the face of the building and creates a vortex at the base
Materials that are difficult to damage and easy to repair or clean are called what? These are usually the best way to reduce the results of vandalism
Impact-resistant
Minimum width of Ada parking space?
With of access aisle?
8’-0”, 5’-0”
Term describing distance from the equator
Latitude
Biggest difference between a site with loose silt versus organic soil
Loose silt may be compacted or sometimes used in place. Organic souls must usually be removed and replaced.
The slope of a planted bank
Should not exceed 50%
Compared planted areas to urban areas with regard to micro climate
Urban areas tend to produce extremes of heat and cold (heat absorb/shade). Planting sends to moderate the microclimate
How many square feet must one allow for when designing parking
400
At what speeds are winds considered unnoticeable…. Pleasant?
50 mph, 100 mph
Silt
A fine grained soil whose particles are 0.05-0.002 mils in diameter
Loose fill
Non-compacted soil added to a site
Deed restriction
Restrictions placed in the use of land or property by a private party, sometimes a HOA, or developer. Usually taking the form of covenants, codes, and restrictions (CCR)
Microclimate
The climactic characteristics unique to a small area caused by local features
What is the best way to control ground evaporation in soil under a crawl space
Provide polyethylene film ground cover. Vapor barrier wouldn’t work well because gallons of water per day can be introduced
What building orientation is best suited for a temperate climate (hot summer cold winter)
Rectangular with long axis in east west direction provides southern exposure in winter and minimal east west exposure in summer
Name the three cementitious materials used in masonry in order of least plastic to most plastic
Concrete, grout, mortar
Name a strategy of space heating that considers the building form
Provide the maximum amount of building surfaces exposed to the Suns south exposure
Why are square and circle buildings not desirable as a passive space heating strategy?
Round and square buildings provide a minimum exposure to the south direction
Which parking plan strategy leads to the fastest traffic flow?
Angled parking. Because people backing out of spaces take less time blocking aisles.
When May wood piles be used to support a building?
When their top is below the lowest expected water table level. Wood does not decay when constantly wet. It is the constant wet to dry to wet cycle that causes decay.
How does coarse sand perform as a bearing material?
Whether compacted or loose it has a high bearing capacity.
What is the rule of thumb action one should take if there is any kind of clay under a building?
Drive piles down to more stable materials
What is the prime technique for deterring vandalism in a housing community
Orient doors and windows for visibility of the street. Avoid curving paths as they obstruct visibility
What affects indoor air quality as it pertains to “sick building syndrome”
Usually anything chemical in or around the building that the occupants breathe in such as off-gas and tobacco smoke. Poor ventilation makes this worse
What do solid lines represent on a topo map
Proposed landform modifications. Existing (old) lines are represented with a dash
When is a traffic light required?
When is grade separation required?
When the anticipated volume of traffic at an intersection exceeds 750 cars per hour
Grade separation at 3000 cars per hour
Landscape strips are how wide with trees?… With just grass
7’ , 4’
Accessible parking space dimensions Width? Length? Access aisle standard width Access aisle van accessible width
8 feet minimum
18-20 feet
5 feet
8feet
Test to determine maximum practical compaction of soils and aggregates
Proctor test
Water flows from high to low with what orientation to the contours?
Perpendicular. 90 degrees
What is the max change in level at a door with no threshold?
1/4”
What is the max change in level at a door with a threshold?
1/4”-1/2”. Must bevel edge at 1:2 where level change is more than 1/4”
What is the max slope of the flared sides of a curb ramp if landing is less than 48”?
1:12
What is the minimum clearance between handrails of a ramp?
36”
A square parcel of land 576 square miles in area with 23-mile long sides
Check
A square parcel of land 36 miles in area with 6 mile long sides
Township
A square parcel of land 1 miles in area with 1 mile long sides
Section
A term to describe the whiteness of a material. Ability to reflect sunlight
Albedo
Who prepares best management practices (bmps)?
Civil engineer
Fences, sediment ponds, erosion blankets, temporary seeding are all examples of what
Structural BMPs
What does NPDES stand for?
National pollutant discharge elimination system
What is an Alta survey?
an ALTA survey shows improvements, easements, rights-of-way, and other elements impacting the ownership of land. Alts stands for the American Land Title Association
What types of soils are most likely to cause differential settlement
Expansive and loose or organic soils such as clay or humus
Where can the architect find easement info
In the title report from the owner
Erosion control
The practice of controlling wind or water erosion often involving a physical barrier
What is the minimum depth of a footing relative to frost line?
The bottom of the footing should at a minimum be aligned with the frost line
Retention pond
Holds water on site to evaporate naturally (golf course lake)
Detention pond
Holds water for a short period and releases water either slowly or delayed to storm system
According to the secretary of the interior’s standards, describe the hierarchy of rehabilitation for a historic building
1) identify, retain, and preserve historic character
2) protect and maintain historic character
3) repair only when necessary
4) replace when appropriate
Minimum width for wheelchair passage for two wheelchairs
60”
Minimum width for wheelchair passage (door)
32”
Minimum clearance between two consecutive doors
48” plus width of door
Incentive zoning
Allows waivers from specific restrictions for developments which provide certain public amenities
Accessible route max cross slope
2%
1:50
Ramp slope
1:20 (5%) to 1:12 (8%)
Max ramp rise
30”
When are handrails required at ramp
If rise is more than 6” or run is more than 72”(6ft)
Handrail height
34” (2’-10”) min 38 (3’-2”) max
Stairway min clr between handrails
48”
A practice or divorce to keep eroded soil on site as to keep it from polluting nearby water
Sediment control
