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83 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
What is substructure? |
All structure below the superstructure i.e. all structure below ground level including the ground floor bed |
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What is superstructure? |
All internal and external structure above the substructure |
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What is the external envelope? |
The materials and components that form the external shell or enclosure of a building |
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What are the Building Regulations? |
Statutory instruments that sets out the minimum performance standards for the design and construction of buildings |
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What are the approved documents? |
Structure |
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What are British Standards? |
Publications issued by the British Standards Institution – prefixed BS |
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What are international standards? |
Prepared by the International Organisation for Standardisation – prefixed ISO |
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What are the typical components of site investigations? |
Objective is to systematically collect and record data to help in design / construction |
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Tell me more about soil investigations? |
Purpose is to determine the suitability of the site for the proposed works and determine adequate and economic foundation design |
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What are the main site considerations? |
Access considerations – approach roads etc |
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What is a retained façade? |
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What are temporary works? |
Temporary works do not normally appear on construction drawings but demonstrate methods that might be appropriate and resources necessary to ensure safe construction i.e. propping. |
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What is landfill tax? |
Landfill Tax was brought in by the Government on 1 October 1996, to help reduce the amount of waste landfilled in the UK and to promote the reuse and recycling of waste, and research into waste practices. |
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At what rates is landfill tax charged? |
Landfill Tax is charged at 2 rates: |
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What is a tower crane and how do you erect one? What would stop a tower crane from working? |
A tower crane is a tall crane used for lifting objects into high places. The boom allows a longer reach with 360 access. A longer boom reduces the payload capability. |
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What is a scaffold? |
Temporary working platform erected around the perimeter of a building or structure to provide a safe working place at a convenient height |
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What is shoring? |
Form of temporary support given to existing buildings |
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What are hoists? |
Designed for the vertical transportation of materials or people |
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What is a foundation? |
Function is to safely sustain and transmit to the ground on which it rests the combined dead, imposed and wind loads of the structure |
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What are the main components of concrete? |
Cement, aggregate (natural rock, crushed stone, gravel) and water |
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What is a borehole? |
A borehole can be used for soil investigation or for geothermal heating solutions. |
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What are piles? |
A series of columns constructed or inserted into the ground to transmit the load of a structure to a lower level of subsoil |
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What are sheet piles? |
Sheet piles – a deep trench is excavated and concrete is poured in situ. The piles can be used to form basement walls or act as retaining walls. |
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What are secant piles? |
Secant piles – interlocking piles (male and female, often different diameters and hardness) are bored to provide a combination of foundations and basement walls. They go someway in providing a waterproof structure. Secant piles are often seen when a top down construction method is used. |
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What are bored piles? |
Bored Piles – an auger is used to excavate the soil and then concrete is poured in once complete. A variation to this is CFA (Continuous Flight Augered) where the piles are bored, Bentonite slurry is pumped in to stop the core collapsing and then concrete (which is denser than Bentonite) is poured in. Bentonite is environmentally harmful and is not C21st. |
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What are pre-cast piles? |
Pre-cast piles – pre-cast piles are brought to site and hammered into the ground. Not often favoured due to the high noise levels associated with installation and the lack of flexibility in terms of depth required. |
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What are the different ways that the piles transfer their load to the surrounding ground? |
End bearing piles |
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What is the difference between bored/pre-cast piles? |
Bored piles remove the spoil to form the hole by a boring technique. Used in cohesive subsoils forming friction piles and when close to existing buildings where the allowable amount of noise and/or vibration is limited. |
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What are the problems to the PQS regarding cost control with piling? Whose risk is the piling? |
The end depth of the piles are never a certainty and the procurement route used determines who takes the risk (traditional/ D&B = the main contractor; management contracts = employer) |
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What is a raft foundation? |
Used to spread the load of the superstructure over a large base and reduce the load per m2 of the area |
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Under what conditions would you expect a raft foundation to be used for a substructure? |
A raft can be used for lightly loaded buildings on sites with poor soils
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What is a strip foundation? |
Suitable for most subsoils and a light structural design, usually reinforced |
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What are pad foundations? |
Provide a base for reinforced concrete or steel columns |
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What are retaining walls? |
They act as an earth retaining structure for the whole or part of their heights
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What are the main types of excavation? |
Open – use battered excavation sides cut back to a safe angle (no temp. supports), can easily construct basement walls BUT extra excavation costs and need a lot of free site space |
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What is a basement? |
A storey below the ground storey |
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What are the 3 different types of basement construction? |
Retaining wall and raft (monolithic) – slab raft foundation (basement floor) that distributes the load, basement walls are retaining walls
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What are the main methods of waterproofing a basement? (part A) |
Dense monolithic – this is where the basement is designed and built to form a watertight space using high quality reinforced concrete, needs good workmanship and strict control. Success will depend on water / cement ratio and degree of compaction. Joints need to be carefully designed |
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What are the main methods of waterproofing a basement? (part B) |
Drained Cavity – can be used for new or refurbishment work. It accepts a small amount of water seepage will occur, and collects and drains this away. Builds an inner non-load bearing wall to form a cavity. The floor is laid to falls, moisture drains to a sump and is discharged direct or pumped |
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What is scabbling? |
Scabbling utilizes piston driven carbide tipped heads which impact the surface at a rapid rate pulverizing concrete or brittle coatings. Scabbling can be very effective in the removal of slightly bonded coatings or where the coatings are impossible to be removed by the shot blasting process. It can also remove level inconsistencies in concrete floors |
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What are the technical advantages of steel frames? |
Quick to assemble, |
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What are the technical disadvantages of steel frames? |
Needs fire protection |
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What are the technical advantages of concrete frames? |
Examining the impact of the steel price rises has found that the whole project costs for concrete framed buildings are marginally less than for steel framed buildings. |
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What are the technical disadvantages of concrete frames? |
More time consuming. Slower to construct |
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What are the different parts of a steel beam? |
A simple I Beam is made up: |
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They provide standard information on steel sections in a tabulated form. For each serial size and Universal beam number. |
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What is the weight of steel? |
1 cubic inch of steel weight .283 lbs. |
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A tough durable factory applied organic coating on metals, such as aluminium or galvanized steel, available in many colours. |
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What is an RHS / SHS? |
RHS = Rectangular Hollow Section |
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What is intumescent paint? How do you apply intumescent paint? |
Fire Resistant paint, sprayed on in the factory. Touched up by hand on site. |
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What are connections (in relation to steel) and what percentage would you expect them to be? |
Plates, bolts or welding. Usually 5% by weight. |
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What is an upstand? |
A vertical strip or skirting, such as the weatherproofing where roofing meets an abutment wall. |
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What is power floated and why? |
Concrete is power floated in order to maintain a flatter surface of lightweight concrete that has been applied at a faster rate i.e. in commercial offices. |
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What is post tensioned concrete? |
This method is usually employed where stressing is to be carried out on site after casting an insitu component or where a series of pre-cast concrete units are to be joined together to form the required member. |
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What is formwork? |
Anything that holds fresh in-situ concrete in place until it hardens, such as plywood shutters, steel pan forms, fibreglass moulds or profiled decking, as well as its supporting props, centering or falsework, plus accessories like wedges and clips for tightening joints and to make stripping easy. |
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What is slip forming? |
A method for constructing a repetitive structure such as a core, lift shaft or stairwell. |
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What is jump forming? |
Jump forming is where a significant height of concrete is cast and left to cure. |
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The mesh used to reinforce concrete slabs (generally). The mesh is laid down and the concrete poured over it. |
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In a brick/block cavity wall, how are window openings dealt with in terms of closing the cavity, preventing water penetration and structurally? |
Cavity Tray – A damp proof course that crosses the 50mm wide cavity of a cavity wall, stepping up at least 150mm between the outer and inner leaves, to form a gutter that leads to a weephole in the outer leaf. DPC – (Damp Proof Course) – A strip of impervious material the same width as brickwork or blockwork wall to stop moisture rising from the ground up the external leaf. |
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What is the size of a brick? |
Standard bricks are 215mm x 102.5mm x 65mm |
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What is the frog and which side does it go on? |
The frog is an indentation in one of the bed faces of a brick, usually the top. |
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How many bricks are in a m2? |
There are about 60 bricks per m2. |
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What are the different types of brick bond?
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What is a rain-screen cladding system? |
It is a cladding that manages the flow of rainwater on a building. |
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How is composite metal cladding fixed to a steel frame? |
Bolted |
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What other elements will be affected by the type of cladding systems used? |
Frame |
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What is an air brick? |
A perforated brick to allow for ventilation into a room or an underfloor space. NOT a weep hole. |
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What are the factors that might affect the choice materials for internal partitions? |
Fire rating requirements, |
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How do you construct a glass partition? |
The glass is ‘glazed’ or fixed into a frame, be it either a wooden or a steel frame. |
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What are bonded and unbonded types of screed? |
Bonded Screeds - Laid on to a ready prepared rough, cleaned concrete base |
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What are floating and resin bonded types of screed? |
Floating Screed - Laid with steel or fibre reinforcements on to the insulating board, which in turn can be laid on to a suitable damp proof membrane. Sound, clean prepared base. |
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What is the purpose of a threshold strip? |
A lightly rounded metal strip over the joint between the floor finishes or coverings that meet under the door leaf. |
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What are the main components of a hipped end pitched timber roof structure? |
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What are the elements of a flat roof? |
Joists – fixed to wall plates to provide support |
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of the single layer membrane flat roof coverings? |
Single layer membrane – one layer of felt consisting of a base sheet of a base sheet of glass fibre or polyester reinforcement impregnated with hot bitumen during manufacture. It is then coated both sides with a weatherproof bitumen compound. It is then dusted with sand on one layer and a thin layer of polythene on the other and left to cool. After cooling it is cut into strips ready for use. Single layer membrane is too thin and are easily punctured are rarely used. But form the cheapest option. |
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of the built-up membrane system flat roof coverings? |
Built up felt – is constructed using three layers of the above felt. The first is laid at right angles to the fall commencing at the eaves. The next is laid parallel to the fall and the final layer at right angles. It is then covered with stone chippings. Built up felt is more common but can be easily punctured if proper care is not taken. |
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of asphalt roof coverings? |
Mastic Asphalt roofing has an aggregate with a bituminous binder cast block, reheated in cauldrons to 200*C, two coats are required. Reduces defects as it is poured on site rather than rolls which can be damaged in transport. |
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What items would you expect to find on a timber or part glazed door that was required to have a half-hour fire rating? |
3 hinges |
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What is an MF ceiling? |
Mineral Fibre plasterboard suspended ceiling. |
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What is a metal grid ceiling – what are the benefits? |
Suspended ceiling system formed by a square grid. |
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What is the difference between rolled and tiled carpet tiles and why do we use each type? |
Rolled carpets generally better quality and more expensive. Used in dwellings. |
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What is top down construction? |
“Top down” is used to speed up the construction process of a building with basement levels. The ground floor slab is cast with an access hatch. The ground below is excavated and another slab is formed. If there is another level, the process is repeated. Piles are usually used as foundations and also act as retaining walls. It allows the building above and basement to be constructed at the same time . |
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What is bottom up construction? |
“Bottom up” forms the basement and then works upwards in a traditional manner. Simpler but a longer programme. |