NCIDQ - Building Systems & Construction

post and beam construction

Consisting of steel, concrete, or timber columns (posts) supporting a grid of beams on which the flooring is applied most contemporary buildings are made of this

demountable partitions

Consists of a system of individual components that can be quickly assembled, disassembled & reused with nearly total salvageability consists of floor runners, ceiling runners, stud sections with clips to hold panels, & prefinished gyp. wallboard panels uses aluminum for framing

all air system

Cool or heat spaces by conditioned air alone. Heat is transported to the space with supply and return air ducts

plaster

Finish material made from various types of cementing compounds, fine aggregate, and water.

decking

Light-gage sheets of steel that are ribbed, fluted, or otherwise stiffened by shape for use in constructing a floor or roof

Plywood Veneer Grades

N - Natural made from heartwood or all sapwood A - Smooth and paintable with a few knots or other defects B C D - Lowest grade with large, unfilled knotholes

what are the 2 primary test for fire rated doors?

NFPA 80 & NFPA 252

Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF)

Panel product made from wood particles reduced to fibers in a moderate-pressure steam vessel and then combined with a resin and bonded together under heat and pressure. It is the most dimensionally stable of the mat-formed panel precuts.

nonprogressive system

Panels are independent and can be removed or replaced individually.

listed device

Product that has been shown to meet applicable standards for use in fire-rated assemblies or that has been tested and found suitable for use in a specific application.

integrated ceilings

Suspended ceiling systems specifically designed to accommodate acoustical ceiling tile, light fixtures, supply- and return-air grilles, fire sprinklers, and partition attachment in a consistent, unified way.

flat plate construction

The floor slab is designed and reinforced to transfer loads directly to the columns. commonly used in situations where floor to floor height must be kept to a minimum

sheathing

The plywood or particleboard covering placed over exterior studding or rafters of a building that provides strength and a base for the application of wall or roof cladding

under-carpet wiring

Thin, flat, protected wire that can be laid under carpet without protruding

laminated glass

Two sheets of ordinary glass bonded together with a layer of plastic

waffle slab system

(Two Way Joist System) Can Provide support for heavier loads at slightly longer spans than the flat slab system. Often left exposed, with lighting integrated into the coffers.

a building structure can be fire rated from ___ to ___ hours

1 3

standard steel stud depths

1 5/8", 2 1/2", 3 5/8", 4", 6"

two types of plaster construction

1. Metal Lath (expanded diamond mesh, paper, backed diamond mesh, flat-rib lath, or high rib lath). Scratch coat (1/4-1/2"), brown coat (1/4"), finish coat (1/8") 2. Gypsum board lath (16" x 48" applied horizontally to studs or 48" x 96"). 1-2 coats veneer plaster

wallboard is typically ___" thick in residential construction and ___" thick in commercial construction

1/2" 5/8"

in residential construction, electrical outlets can be no more than ___ ft apart

12

typical metal stud spacing

16" and 24" -- narrower for residential construction and wider for commercial construction

the ibc requires that shafts gave ___ hour rated walls

2

in commercial design, there should be how much space between a window and window shade to prevent heat build up?

2"

residential constructed partitions are usually made up of

2" x 4" studs in 16" on center, covered with one layer of 1/2" wallboard on each side

commercial constructed partitions are usually made up of

2-1/2" or 3-5/8" metal studs spaced at 24" on center

core drill

2-4 in round hole drilled through the concrete with a special hollow drill bit

most commercial interior design only requires the use of what kind of fire door assembly?

20 minute door in a 1 hour rated exit access corridor or where smoke and draft assembly is required, a 3/4 hour rated door in a 1 hour occupancy separation, or a 1 hour door in a 1 hour rated exit stair enclosure or for multi-story floor projects, a 1-1/2 hour rated door must be used in a 2 hour rated exit enclosure

solid-core doors are have what fire ratings?

20 minutes, 45 minute, or 90 minute

demountable partition panels are typically what size?

24 or 30" wide 4 or 5 ft tall

formula for calculating height of stair riser and width of stair tread

2R + T = 25 in R is riser height T is tread width

two basic sizes of escalators

32" (tread width actually 24") & 48"(tread width actually 40")

Typical sizes of gypsum wall board

4' x 8', 10', 12', 14' 1/4"-5/8" and special 1" (2' wide) thick for shaft walls for 2 hr rating

a slab to slab partition with a single layer of ____" ____ wallboard on each side provides a 1 hour rated partition, while two layers provide a 2 hour rating

5/8" Type X

seismic design category

A classification assigned to a structure based on its occupancy category and the severity of the design earthquake ground motion at the site. A-F A being least restrictive D,E,F are subject to the most stringent requirements

lintel

A horizontal beam used to span an opening.

sole plate

A horizontal wood member that serves as the base for the studs in a stud partition

platform framing

A method of framing where the floor joists form a platform on which the walls rest.

purlin

A piece of timber laid horizontally

wide flange beam

A structural beam of steel having a shape whose cross section resembles the letter H. A wide-flange beam has wider flanges than an I-beam. Wide-flange beams are used for beams as well as columns because their shape gives them approximately equal strength in both directions

cripple stud

A stud above a door opening or below a windowsill

trimmer

A wood member in a floor or roof used to support a header

mixing box

Adjusts the quantity or temperature of air going into a space from the main air supply line(s), reduces the velocity of air, and attenuates noise

Glass-Reinforced Gypsum (GRG)

Broad class of products manufactured from high-strength, high-density gypsum reinforced with continuous-filament glass fibers or chopped glass fibers.

synthetic gypsum

Chemically identical to natural, mined gypsum but is a byproduct of various manufacturing, industrial, or chemical processes.

header

a framing member crossing and supporting the ends of joists, studs, or rafters so as to transfer their weight to parallel joists, studs, or rafters

plywood

a panel product made from an odd number of layers of thin veneer glued together under heat and pressure

label

a permanent identifying mark attached to the door or frame by a testing organization that indicates the component complies with UL tests for fire rated doors and with NFPA 80

wire glass

a wire mesh embedded in the glass for security and safety, but primarily for fire resistance

glued laminated members

also called glulams built up from a number of individual pieces of lumber, which are glues together and finished under factory conditions for use as beams, columns, and purlins used where large wood members are required for heavy loads or long spans and simple sawn timber pieces are not available can be made into arches or tapered forms

displacement ventilation

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

fire-rated glazing

aside from wire glass, there are four additional types of glazing that can be used in fire-rated openings 1. clear ceramic 2. tempered fire rated glass 3. two or three layers of tempered glass with a clear polymer gel between them 4. glass block

why does code require that no combustible material be in the plenum?

bc return air grilles are set in the grid of a ceiling suspension system and return air is passed through the ceiling space and back to a central return air duct or shaft that connects to the HVAC all electrical wires (plastic) be run in metal conduit some codes allow telephone, computer, low voltage lighting and signal systems can be exposed if it is approve plenum rated wiring

why can't single tree and double tree concrete not be cut?

because the tee sections are deep and contain prestressed cable if cutting the floor, openings are limited to the areas between the tee sections

how are gypsum wallboard joints finished?

by embedding paper or fiberglass tape in a special joint compound and allowing it to dry. additional layers of joint compound are applied and sanded after each application

How is gypsum wallboard applied?

by nailing or screwing it to wood or metal framing, or with mastic when applying it to smooth, dry concrete or masonry walls or a base layer of wallboard

particleboard

composed of small wood particles, fibers, or chips of various sizes mixed together with a binder and formed under pressure into a panel

concrete joist system

comprised of concrete members space 24"-36" apart, running in 1 direction, which frame into larger beams -more difficult to drill holes for small pipes & conduit

to prevent injuries, codes require safety glazing in hazardous locations. hazardous locations are those subject to human impact, such as glass in what places? what kind of glass is used?

doors, shower, and bath enclosures tempered or laminated

true or false: glass doors can be fire rated

false

tempered glass

glass that is strengthened by introducing stress through rapid heating and cooling of the glass surfaces

progressive system

in a partition, the first panel must be placed before the second, the second before the third, and so on

when a door must meet the requirements of positive pressure fire testing, it must have approved gasketing and what else?

intumescent material along its edge or frame

When a door opening assembly is sued, the door, frame and closer are required to be ___.

labeled or listed

3 types of suspended acoustical ceilings

lay in exposed grid lay in tegular concealed spline

types of gypsum wallboard

level 0 - no taping, finishing, or accessories level 1 - used for plenums above ceilings & other areas not open to view level 2 - used where water resistant backing board is employed as a substrate for tile and in other areas where appearance isn't important level 3 - used where the surface will receive heavy or medium texture finishes or where heavy grade wallcoverings are to be applied level 4 - used where light textures or wallcoverings will be applied or where economy is of concern. gloss, semi gloss, and enamel paints are not recommended level 5 - used where gloss, semi gloss, enamel, or nontextured flat paints are specified or where severe lighting conditions exist

concrete on metal deck

one of the most common types of floor and roof construction corrugated sheet steel is supported by steel beams and columns and serves as a working platform, the form for the concrete, and part of the structural system. concrete is poured over the decking and leveled to create the final rough floor easy to cut holes through

grounding

providing a path for electric charges to flow safely into the ground

Flat Slab Construction

similar to flat plate, except that drop panels are used in increase strength

what helps a structure from buckling and cracking from deflection and wind sway?

slip joints

what kind of suspended ceiling system should be used with demountable partitions?

slotted suspended ceiling systems

what usually causes movement at the top of a partition?

structural deflection of the floor above and movement at the perimeter caused by wind sway

what type of door is used for exitdoors?

swing door

positive pressure test

test that simulates actual fire conditions, where there is positive pressure on the fire side of the door above a certain point on the door (called the neutral pressure level) and negative pressure below this point under these conditions, smoke and gas is forced through the crack between the door and the frame

3 components of a door

the door itself, the frame, and the hardware

strike jamb or strike side

the side of the door that closes

true or false, when the building code requires that a partition be fire-rated, then all the openings (doors, glazings, ducts, and louvers) in that partition must also be fire rated

true

true or false: both gypsum wallboard and plaster both need finished with trim

true

true or false: demountable partition systems are only cost effective if they are coordinated with other building systems, including lighting, heating, ventilation, and AC

true

true or false: junction boxes are required where light fixtures are connected to the electrical system

true

nonmetallic sheathed cable (NM)

two or more plastic insulated conductors and ground wire surrounded by a moisture resistant plastic jacket most common in residential (wood) construction and buildings no taller than 3 stories

armored cable (AC)

two or more plastic insulated conductors encased in a continuous spiral wound strip of steel tape often used in remodeling work also used to connect commercial light fixtures so they can be related in a suspended ceiling system

all water heating system

use some type of coil unit called a convector (a unit or device that radiates heat from water to the surrounding air, usually through closed spaced fins placed against a wall under a window) in each space through which hot water is circulated -hot water heats the fins of the coil unit and the air is heated as it is drawn over the fins -for heating & a separate duct system for ventilation and cooling

Hat-shaped furring channels

used for ceiling framing and to fur out from concrete or masonry walls if the walls are uneven or if additional depth is needed for electrical outlets or insulation

resilient channels

used to improve acoustical properties of a wall by isolating the wallboard from rigid attachment to the framing

the ibc requires that interior fire window assemblies be protected by 1/4" ____ glass installed in steel frames or by approved fire resistance rated glazing the maximum glazing cannot exceed ___% of the length of the common wall with any room

wire 25

structural systems for single family residential construction and small commercial construction typically use what kind of products as the primary material?

wood

what type of studs are used in residential construction? commercial?

wood - 2" x 4" or 2" x 6" metal

can suspended ceilings be rated?

yes, if they are, it means they are part of a complete floor ceiling or roof ceiling assembly that is rated they cannot prevent the spread of a fire themselves are composed of rated mineral tiles, rated grid system, hold down clips, and expansion slots to allow the gris to expand when subjected to heat

post tensioned concrete

•Post-tensioning steel is stressed after the concrete had been poured and cured •used where high strength is required and where it may be too difficult to transport precast members to the job site - cannot be cut

float glass

Standard type of glass used in common windows and other applications where additional strength or other properties are not required

junction boxes

Steel or approved plastic boxes to which the conduit or other cable system is attached

seismic design category risk catgegories

I - IV hospitals, fire stations, and power generating stations rank high (IV), while minor storage facilities, small office buildings, and retail stores rank low (I)

core wall

In a high-rise building, the wall generally used as part of the structure of the building and surrounding the common building services, such as elevator and stairway shafts, toilet rooms, mechanical rooms, and the like.

gravity loads

Include dead loads and live loads

Open Web Steel Joist system

Joists span between beams or bearing walls typically in one story or low rise buildings

Beam-and-Girder System

Large members, called girders, span between columns and smaller beams are framed into them. Girders span shorter distances because they carry the weight of the beams commonly found in mid to high rise buildings

hinge jamb

Side where hinge or pivot is installed

precast concrete shapes

Single tree, Double tree, Hollow Core

dedicated circuits

Special power outlets in commercial projects that must be placed on their own circuit. They prevent various types of electrical interference from disturbing sensitive electrical equipment connected to them