AB-P02 - BUILDING MATERIALS AND METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION

Design Load

(live loads) for a deck would be done using pounds per square foot. Wood span tables use load calculations based upon pounds per square foot.

Drainage Behind Retaining Walls

-Gravel bed with perforated pipe to daylight / drain -Gravel sump with PVC weep holes , 5' to 6' on center -Filter fabric between gravel and soil

Conductor

A material which offers little opposition to the flow of current. Wires are often referred to as this.

Cove Lighting

A system compromising light sources shielded by a ledge and distributing light over the ceiling and upper wall (usually totally indirect lighting)

Ballast

An electrical device required to operate a fluorescent tube, it limits current flow.

Fire Brick

Composed of clay silica, feldspar and flint. High fuse point, withstands high temperature.

D-C

Current which flows continuously in one direction. Direct Current.

A-C

Current which reverses its direction of flow. Usually at the rate of 120 times per second or 60 cycles per second. Alternating Current.

Balled and burlapped plants

Keep the root ball of these plants moist, but not wet, until they are planted. Lift these plants with the utmost care, being sure to lift them by the root ball, not the trunk. Lifting this plant by the trunk breaks the soil away from the roots, and defeats the purpose of balling. Do not drop the plant, or set it down hard, as this also loosens the soil from about the roots.

Deck and Platform

Railing design codes require rails to be no more than 4 inches on center. This requirement is based upon the size of a baby's head. Rails are to be at least 30 inches high above the adjacent finish grade.

Deck and Overhead Framing Information

The end grain of the wood should be protected from the weather so the wood will not prematurely rot.

Diffuser

Translucent glass or plastic material used to diffuse light. Used beneath or around light sources in portable lamps, fixtures or luminous ceilings.

Compression

a force that acts on an object and tends to shorten the object. Short objects tend to crush, slender objects tend to buckle under ___.

Drag-Line Buckets

are used in underwater situations.

Face Brick

brick which has been treated to show texture

Conduction

relative to fire safety this refers to the direct transfer of heat by objects touching each other. An example would be the transfer of heat from burning plant material to a structure it is planted against.

Convection

relative to fire safety, it is the transfer of heat by atmospheric currents. In windy conditions or steep terrain the effects of this greatly influence flammability and fire behavior.

Glazed Brick

same as enamel brick, but contains no slip.

Color Rendering

the effect of a light source on the color appearance of objects compared to their appearance under a reference light source.

Beams

the major load carrying members in a deck design are these. The joists are either attached to them with joist hangers or set atop them, and their load is transferred to them. Decking, the surface material, transfers the load to the joists. Typically measure 4 x 6 and are usually made by nailing two 2 x 6 pieces back to back. Wood member should be sized according to wood span tables. Size Max. Span Allowed when Laid on Edge 4x4 or two 2x4s 4ft (1m) 4x6 or two 2x6s 6ft (l.Sm) 4x8 or two 2x8s 8ft (2m) 4x10 or two 2x10s 10ft (2.Sm) 4x12 or two 6x10s 12ft (3m) 6x10 or two 2x10s 12ft (3m) 6x12 or two 2x12s 14ft (3.5m)

Convenience Receptacles

the portion of the permanent wiring system mounted in boxes and designed to receive plug-in-equipment. Sizes range from 15 ampere, 125 volt receptacles used in homes to heavy-duty industrial types. May be polarized to accept plugs one way only.

Dimmer

A device used to control the amount of light produced by fixtures, portable lamps or lighting systems by changing the voltage or current applied.

Construction Adhesive

A high performance adhesive for multi-purpose in most interior and exterior construction projects Offers several benefits for a deck construction project: it will bond the wood together; it can be used on dry, wet, or treated wood; and it is not affected by moisture. When applied in a consistent bead it will help create a moisture barrier. Waterproof and weather proof Reduces Nail Pops Permanent bond

Drainage

All walls should be designed with some form of this. The drain may consist of weep holes through a cast-in-place wall, angular backfill, or just natural voids in the rocks or precast units. But all walls need some means of releasing water from the retained soil, to avoid structural failure.

Concrete Reinforcement

Concrete is 10 times stronger in resisting compressive forces than it is in resisting tensile forces. A compressive load applied to a concrete slab becomes a tensile force once the force passes through the neutral axis. Concrete has to be reinforced to help it withstand tensile forces. This is done by adding reinforcing bars as close to the neutral axis as possible. Reinforcing steel is grade 60 billet steel, deformed to help it adhere to the concrete more completely. Reinforcing steel is measured in 1/8" increments (i.e., #3 bar= 3/8", #5 bar = 5/8". Etc.). Welded wire mesh is added to concrete to reinforce, but mainly to distribute loads which may cause cracking in the slab. Welded wire mesh usually comes in a 6" square grid, utilizing a #10 wire in both directions. Temperature change is not a significant factor in our temperature climate, but concrete will expand in freezing temperatures. In California, concrete tends to contract due to the prolonged dry weather.

Concrete Cracking

Concrete surfaces, even if reinforced, will crack. The largest area you can expect to have that will not crack is +/- 100 sq. ft. therefore, control joints should be placed in concrete to guide the direction of the cracking. Cracking in a slab is controlled with control joints (scorelines). Expansion joints should be placed against other previously constructed elements. Expansion joints should be placed in concrete every 500 sq. ft. The most common location for expansion joints is at the end of a concrete pour, where a temporary header will be placed during construction.

Asphalt

Derived from petroleum. Dark brown to black color. Waterproof resistant to acids, alkalis, and salts. Moves under heat, dissolves when gasoline or similar fluids are spilled on it. The basic semi-solid form is known as asphalt cement. Four types, three of which are further liquefied by cutting back (thinning) with petroleum distillates: 1. Slow curing 2. Medium curing 3. Rapid curing 4. Asphalt emulsion A dark brown to black cementitious material, solid or semisolid, in which the predominating constituents are bitumens which occur in nature. A similar material obtained artificially in refining petroleum; used in roofing systems as a waterproofing agent; it is often mixed with aggregate to create paving surfaces.

Common Nails

Fastener used for rough carpentry and framing. When using it to install decking materials, choose a nail that is roughly 2 ½ times the thickness of the wood member being secured. The nail must penetrate the depth of the wood member and then drive into the framing materials for a secure hold.

Ball and Burlap Trees

For ball-and-burlap trees, the twine, basket, and burlap should be fully removed from the pit - if at all possible without damaging the root ball during the removal process. These materials should not be folded down into the planting pit. Doing so would leave air voids and gaps that would impede root growth and damage the tree's health, since the wire, twine and burlap will not decomposed quickly. During the planting of these materials, the only pruning that should take place is the removal of dead or damaged branches. Removing any other growth will not aid the establishment of these. Native species, however, may flourish with pruning after planting.

Concrete Construction

In general construction it is usual to use 6 x 6 x 10 x 10 wwm in 4" concrete walks, 6 x 6 x 6 x 6 wwm in 5" heavy-duty walks and light drives, and reinforcing bar in all 6" thick concrete used for street pavements and heavy-duty drives. In any area where the frost line goes deeper than the base of the slab, or where there are expansive soils, the rule of 0.0025 of the cross sectional area should be applied as a minimum. Placing the concrete requires the setting of forms that are adjusted to the proper grades, and they assist in the finishing of the surface. After the forms are set and the rough excavation is complete, the forms will be dressed with coarse sand to level the base and ensure that the concrete will be a uniform depth.

Asymmetric Light Distribution

Is that in which the curves or vertical distribution are not the same for all planes; or the redirection of light rays so that variable candlepower is obtained in any horizontal plane.

Brick

It is manufactured from clay or shale which has been mined, pulverized, mixed, formed, cut to size, dried and fired in a kiln for several hours of days at 1600 to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. Standard ones are 2-1/4" thick x 3-3/4" wide x 8" long. They are stronger than any other masonry material except natural stone. A solid or hollow masonry unit of clay or shale, molded into a rectangular shape while plastic, and then burnt in a kiln. Used in many ways but principally in the construction of dwellings and hardscapes. Grade SW Rigorous exposure Grade MW Exposures with average moisture Grade NW Interior masonry

Cantilever Retaining Walls

More complex, reinforcing, concrete or masonry. Medium walls, 8'-20' tall. It is a cast-in-place concrete retaining wall. This wall type is used for moderate to high walls and is very expensive to construct. Also called a rigid wall, is solid concrete and cast-in-place. These are the most costly retaining wall type, but have the greatest potential for height gain and offer options for the finish and design pattern.

Cross Slope

Slope across the short axis of a plane surface. The contour signature on a plane surface having both longitudinal and cross slop has contour lines which cross diagonally. On an accessible walkway without handrails should not exceed 2%. The overall slope should not exceed 1 in 20, or 5%.

Compaction, Additional Methods to Assist

Soils are quite often alluvial or deposited by erosion, the soil may be relatively uncompacted for quite some depth. If this is the case then several strategies need to be employed to compact the soils adequately to achieve a suitable subgrade. Removal and re-compaction: Soil is removed to a depth specified by a soils engineer. It is placed in uniform lifts with each lift being compacted. Lime treating of soils: Soil with clay or silt composition, having a high cohesive strength are treated with Lime, (CaCO3 Lime*, CaOH2 Hydrated Lime, Cao Quicklime). Lime breaks down the cohesiveness and enables the soils to aggregate, thus assisting the compactive effort. Lime is added in a 3-5% mixture. Soil Cement treatment of soils: Soils which lack cohesive strength can be helped by the addition of cement to the soil in a 3-78% mixture. The cement adds additional compressive strength to the soil. *Lime is not to be confused with Agricultural Gypsum, CaSO4,2H2O

Black Light

That portion of invisible ultraviolet radiation which has the ability to cause certain materials to fluoresce or flow visibly. The popular term for ultraviolet energy near the visible spectrum.

Current

The flow of electrons measured in amperes.

Concrete for Roadway Conditions

The hardness of the rock aggregate will affect the wear of the rock in concrete. This affects the wearing ability of the aggregate.

Absorption

The loss which results when light strikes any object or traverses any medium. The darker the object, the more light it absorbs.

Diffusion

The scattering of light rays, so that the light is emitted or reflected over broad angles. Objects in a room in which the light is completely diffused from the walls, ceiling and floor would cast no shadows.

Compaction Testing

The standard method of laboratory testing is the Proctor Test. The Proctor test utilizes a 5.5 lb. Weight dropped form 12 inches for 25 blows on a 1/30 cubic foot soil sample. There is a Modified Proctor test which uses a 10 lb. Weight from 18 inches for 25 blows. The laboratory test is measured against a specific weight per cubic foot of soil taken from the field. Example: Proctor test determination: Soil sample laboratory tests - 117 lbs. Per cubic foot. Field sample after field compaction: Soil = 114.7 lbs. Per cubic foot 114.7 / 117 = 98% compaction Field test are determined by: Nuclear testing for soil density Sand Cone testing for soil density Water balloon testing for soil density

Candlepower

The unit of luminous intensity. A measure of the illuminating power of light in any given direction from a light source such as a lamp bulb or luminaire.

Brick Mortar

Type S most common. 1 part Portland cement, ½ part lime, 4-1/2 parts sand M Used for it's strength without reinforcement S Used with reinforcement, strong tensile strength N Medium strength O Low strength, non load bearing

Ampere

Unit of measure of electric current; indicates rate of flow of electricity. One is the amount of electricity that one volt will cause to flow through a resistance of one ohm.

Bare Root Plants

Use wet wood shavings, burlap, or sphagnum moss, to keep the roots of these plants moist until they are planted. Evergreens seldom survive this condition.

Continuous Span Beams

a beam that spans more than two posts is considered this. All beams are load bearing.

Concrete Masonry Units (CMU)

a block or brick cast of Portland cement and suitable aggregate, with or without admixtures, and intended for laying up with other units as in normal stone masonry construction.

Concrete

a composite material which consists essentially of a binding medium within which are embedded particles or fragments of aggregate; in Portland cement concrete, the binder is a mixture of Portland cement and water. The three basic types of aggregates found in most standard concrete design mixes are sand, crushed stone, and gravel. Crushed stone can be made from gravel or from quarried rock. the strength of it comes from a direct relation of the cement and the aggregate found in the product. The amount of cement and the hardness of the aggregate combine to create the relative strength of that product. Reinforcing will help the product carry a load, or not fail, but will not strengthen the mix. Too much water can actually weaken the mix. The strength of concrete comes from a chemical process, and concrete gets harder as it ages. Concrete is considered to have reached full strength 28 days after mixing and placing.

Common Nail

a cut or wire low-carbon steel nail, having a slender plain shank, a large circular head and a medium diamond point. Suitable for most landscape applications, particularly where appearance is not a concern, as in framing.

Butt Hinge

a door or window hinge consisting of two rectangular metal plates which are joined with a pin, fastened to butting surfaces such as the face of a jamb and the edge of a door. When the door is closed the two halves are folded tightly. Usually, one half is mortised into the doorframe while the other is recessed in the stile. While ordinary steel ones are cheap and durable ball bearing ones move ore smoothly and quietly

Cement Nail

a nail which is coated with cement to increase its holding power.

Copper Pipe

a pipe constructed of a lustrous reddish material that is highly ductile, malleable, and resistant to corrosion. The pipe has a high tensile strength. It is available in a wide variety of shapes; widely used for down spouts, interior water lines and weep holes in retaining walls.

Caulk

a resilient mastic compound, often containing silicone, bituminous, or rubber base; used to seal cracks and fill joints, in order to prevent leakage and provide waterproofing.

Cobble Rock

a rounded rock that has limited edges and will not interlock. It has little ability to protect against sheer forces such as ice and quickly flowing water.

Brightness

a term usually applied to the intensity of sensation resulting from viewing a surface, opaque or transmitting, from which light comes to the eyes. Everything that is visible has this.

Ceramic Tile

a thin precast product composed primarily of clay that has been fired to a high degree to prevent moisture absorption. It is available in both an unglazed (natural) finish or with a colored finish baked onto its surface. Tile are always used with mortar or grout, and are available in a variety of sizes and shapes. Common applications include paving and pool walls.

Angle Iron

an L shaped iron, steel bar or structural steel member used to make a frame rigid.

Brass Pipe

any pipe constructed from any copper alloy containing zinc as its principal alloying element. Often used in plumbing where rust is a factor.

Boxes, Switch & Outlet

are designed to protect switches and receptacles contained in them. They provide space for making necessary splices and connections, and offer space for mounting devices.

Anchor Bolts

are typically set into concrete. Used to attach a concrete footing to a landscape element. Anchor bolts are cast in place to provide the structural tie to the footing for landscape elements such as benches, light standards, and walls. An anchor bolt is not proper to use for a roof truss or to attach new wood structures to existing wood structures or beams. Long, usually L-shaped, bolt embedded in concrete or another strong material Used to fasten to a foundation or other support

Carriage Bolt Assembly

bolt with nut and washer. Requires a square hole in a metal plate to keep the head from turning. Round head is snag free with clean appearance. A fastener with smooth exposed end of bolt

Common Brick

brick which has a natural surface left by the impression of the mold. 3" wide by 2-1/4" high by 8" long

Admixtures

certain concrete mixes, used for specific needs or purposes, call for the addition of materials other than cement, aggregate or water. Chemical additives included in the mixing batch for concrete manufacture or applied to the surface during the curing or setting process of the concrete to accelerate or retard the curing time, provides coloring, waterproofing, tearing, special aggregate finishes, etc. These materials are used to control hardening and workability, and to boost the cementing properties of the mix.

Enamel Brick

common brick with an opaque covering called glazed on the outside by heat

Compaction Machines

compact the soil by different methods -Ramming or kneading machines (sheeps-foot roller) are best suited to compact clay soils -Vibratory rollers are best suited to sand, clay mixes -Static, rubber-tire, rollers are best suited to sandy soils

Counterfort Retaining Walls

complex, reinforced concrete, tall walls, 20'+

Cast In Place

concrete can be placed on a project in many ways, but the most common method is to cast it in place, pouring or pumping it directly on site. Walls, curbs, sidewalks, patios, footings, are all forms of this.

Deck

design of, when designing a ___, always consider the materials used and how long those materials will last. Also be aware that the framing design may be dictated by materials selection and the maintenance level that the owner can realistically sustain. Staining is considered a maintenance procedure.

Accent Lighting

directional lighting to emphasize a particular area or object. Should be approximately 4 - 5 times the level of ambient light in the area to be effective accent lighting

Asphalt Treated Base (ATB)

for site construction in wet or freezing conditions, the design and use of an asphalt treated base (ATB) can allow for many areas of work to continue despite adverse weather conditions. An ATB can reduce subgrade damage caused by wet conditions. Further, it can reduce erosion (control points stay intact and in place) and reduce costs for storage and site clean up.

Cross Grain, Wood

grain not parallel to sides or axis of member - effects bending and compression.

Box Scraper

in a mass earthwork project, the most cost-effective and fastest method of moving materials. It can remove materials, store them, transport them to another location, and the re-spread them in small lifts, allowing for proper compaction of the materials as they are moved.

Construction Joint

is a break that occurs between concrete pours or sections during installation.

Acrylic Latex Paint

is a water based product and would be best suited to an exterior environment that is not exposed to weather.

Bark

is a wood product and, when decomposed , is a great additive to hold moisture in a soil. The amount of water held within a soil can be affected by adding decomposed wood products such as this, sawdust, and compost.

Air Entrainment

is an additive that produces smoother, longer lasting concrete; it does not reinforce the concrete.

Double Drum Vibrating Roller

is appropriate for asphalt work.

Concrete (asphalt)

is composed of four materials, sand, gravel or crushed stone, water and cement. It is the agent which binds the aggregates together in permanent form. Cement occurs in nature in the form of calcium carbonate, which is the basic material found in cave and ocean formations. The first manufacture of cement began during the Roman Empire.

Asphaltic concrete paving

is excellent in compressive strength but poor in tensile strength. The base needs to be compacted and verified in order to have durable paving. The edges need support in order to reduce failure from tensile forces. Standard construction practice requires a curb or header at the side of asphalt paving to resist tensile forces on the paving material.

Contraction Joint

is installed to control cracking of the concrete due to shrinkage and swelling, which are caused by exposure to heat or cold. The depth of a this should be no less than 1/6 the depth of the concrete slab.

Asphalt concrete (blacktop)

is the paving mix composed of asphalt cement, coarse and fine aggregate, and mineral filler and dust. The surface drainage for asphalt pavement should never be less than one percent or one-foot drop in every 100 feet. A two percent or 1/4 inch per foot slope is generally considered ideal.

Batter

is the slight tilting of a retaining wall into the slope that the wall is designed to retain. Both the exposed face and back of a wall can have this, depending on the structural design.

Board Foot Measurement

number of pieces x thickness in inches x width in inches x length in feet, all divided by 12.

Compaction

of soil, volume change due to expulsion of air. The process of increasing the density or unit weight of a soil by rolling, tamping, vibrating, or other mechanical means.

Compressive Force

or downward force will reduce the size of construction materials such as soil or aggregates by compacting them. For example, 1 yd² of soil will go from 1 yd² as measured and sold from a supplier to 9/10 yd² after compaction (a 10% compaction rate), resulting in a slightly lower finish grade than when it was first spread. This compaction rate must be realized when calculating volumes of soil on a project.

Dewatering

procedure of pumping water from a construction area to lower the water table in order to obtain a "dry" area.

Corrosion

process in which a metal reacts with water in the presence of oxygen to produce an oxide. Ferrous metals are particularly susceptible to this.

Checks, Wood

separation of wood fibers across annual ring-splits, shakes, and checks do not greatly reduce bending or longitudinal compression.

Cribbing Retaining Walls

simple modular, wood, precast concrete, galvanized steel, up to 40' tall

Deck Materials

sizing of, the information needed to properly size deck materials would be found in a wood span table. This type of table lists various materials available from different areas of the country. Wood span tables will determine the deck material sizes needed, based upon the wood species and other aspects of the deck, such as the spans of joists and beams.

Borrow

soil obtained from an offsite source for use as fill on a construction project.

Concrete Pavers

solid concrete block, in a variety of colors and shapes, used to create a paved surface. They are commonly used in a flexible system without the use of mortar or grout. -small, "hand-size," solid units of high compressive strength

Absorptance

the ratio of the light absorbed by a material to the light falling upon it

Anodize

to coat a metallic surface electrolytically with a protective oxide coating. This can provide a metal with a finished surface with color and/or various degrees of luster.

Backflow Prevention Device

when installing an irrigation system, the landscape architect will be required by local codes to use this (local codes will specify the type), also know as a double-check device. It will keep any water within the system from entering a potable water supply, should a break and back-siphon situation occur.

Crushing

when the load on a wooden deck is exceeded, the deck's posts will be subjected to too much downward force, resulting in the crushing of the support posts.

Binder

which is a type of tack coating, is used to adhere an old and new coat of asphalt.

Deciduous Shrubs

with a few exceptions size-grading for plant material in this grade is according to height and number of canes. Additional size-grading requirements for balled and burlapped, and bare root material are similar to the requirements for shade and flowering trees

Compressed Tooled Joint

with masonry block units, a solid, watertight seal is achieved through a compressed, tooled joint. The mason will install the mortar and then set the block into the mortar. Then, the mason will beat the block down into the mortar and clean the joint with a rounded tool, thereby compressing the remaining mortar into place, creating a solid, watertight seal.

Decking

• Face boards are 2 x 2, 2 x 4, or 2 x 6. • Can be laid flat or positioned on edge • Position the board so its end rings curve up. (bark side up) This orientation allows for cupping, or warping of the decking materials as they shrink and swell over time, without creating a tripping hazard. • Normally 2" x 4" or 2" x 6" lumber • Can nail decking pieces in contact or spaced no farther apart than a nail diameter where pressure preservative treated lumber or unseasoned naturally durable lumber species are used • Can lay kiln dried decking with a maximum spacing of%'' • Must use good quality hot-dipped galvanized, aluminum or stainless steel decking nails • Drive two 16d nails at slight angles to each other at each joist position, • Use three nails for butt joints in 2" x 6" decking