SITE & FOUNDATION

What is the maximum slope a road should be (for short distances)? What is the preferred slope?

15%, although 10% or less is preferable

What is the minimum distance between an intersection and a project site vehicular entry?

150 ft minimum

What slope should a pedestrian ramp be? What is the maximum distance between landings? What depth should a landing be? What is the maximum rise between landings? What is the maximum length a ramp can be between landings? What is the minimum width a ramp can be? What height should a handrail be?

1:12 30'-0" 5'-0" 30" 30'-0" or 360" 36"* 34" - 38"

What cross-slope should a pedestrian path be for drainage?

2% (1/4" per 1'-0")

For accessible ADA parking spaces, how wide must the adjacent access aisle must be? How about for a van?

5'-0" (60" wide) 8'-0" (96" wide)

How many feet are in 1 mile? How many square feet are in 1 acre? How many square miles are in 1 hectare?

5,280 feet in 1 mile 43,560 sf in 1 acre 10,000 sm in 1 hectare

What is the maximum amount of time to drain an infiltration structure?

72 hours

What is the typical parking size for a standard car? compact car? When estimating area for parking, what is the average area per vehicle?

8'-6" x 18'-0" 7'-6" x 16'-0" 400 sf

What is a dry swale?

A channel created to manage water runoff which helps with drainage by preventing water pooling and erosion

What is a slurry wall? In which condition are they used?

A concrete wall cast in a trench to serve as sheeting during excavation and often kept after excavation as a permanent foundation wall. Used in situations with soft earth or high ground water table

What is a superblock?

A large urban development surrounded by a continuous street; goal is to minimize the impact of the car on housing and allow pedestrian circulation ad park space within the block

What is a gabion?

A wall of wire mesh baskets filled with rocks; can be used to construct retaining walls or as effective bank stabilization gabions are a form of earth reinforcing

Are landowners allowed to construct on a utility easement that runs along their property?

Building on easements could be an issue bc the utility company may want to access them for whatever purpose down the line. It's best for landowners to first contact utility company and ask for permission before doing so. Temporary buildings are better on easements than permanent structures.

list the 7 soil particulates from largest to smallest. which ones are considered cohesionless and which are cohesive?

COHESIONLESS 1. boulder 2. cobble 3. gravel 4. sand COHESIVE 5. silt 6. clay 7. organic soils (peat, soil)

Which is better at mitigating heat island effect in urban areas: EPDM roofing or TPO roofing?

EPDM is typically black TPO is typically white therefore, TPO is better

What is crosslot bracing?

Horizontal bracing which extends across the ground of the site from one wall to the other

What are walers?

Horizontal elements used to support excavation sheeting

What is hydrostatic pressure? How can it be relieved?

Hydrostatic pressure comes from water seeping in through the soils and creating pressure against the walls of your foundation sump pumps, drainage boards around the building, or adding an aggregate base or gravel fill below slabs are some ways that help relieve hydrostatic pressure

What is a PUD?

Planned Unit Development; each large parcel of land is designed to have a mix of uses - residential, commercial, recreational, and open space - and is designed with a variety of lot sizes and densities PUDs must conform to certain standards as communicated by the local planning agency and must be approved by the planning agency typically don't conform to zoning, but aligns with other municipal planning goals (density, sustainability, brownfield redevelopment, etc) often implemented when redeveloping a brownfield

Match the symbol to the soil type: S G O C L P W H M

S = sands G = gravels O = organic soils C = clay soils L = low liquid limit P = poorly graded soils W = well-graded soils H = high liquid limit M = silts

Which utility services take precedence over others when new services must be installed?

Sanitary and storm sewer lines; they must use the flow of gravity and therefore depend on the natural slope of the land

What is sliding?

Sliding is one way that a retaining wall can fail. This occurs when the soil pushes the entire wall out of its original position.

What is the appropriate application for the following paver durability grades: NX, MX, SX

NX: interior applications MX: exterior application SX: exterior application where freezing will occur

Which is more effective for sound control: vegetation or grading changes?

The best practice is to use grading; vegetation alone makes a fairly poor noise screen

What is the runoff coefficient?

The fraction of total precipitation that is not absorbed into the ground

What is overturning?

Overturning is one way that a retaining wall can fail. This occurs when the soil pushes against the top of the wall, causing the wall to topple.

What are subdivision exactions?

They are requirements that developers either dedicate some land for public use or contribute cash for the purchase of land and facilities by local governments

What are tiebacks and how are they anchored?

They're used when clearance inside the excavation is tight, because the tiebacks are within the earth Holes are drilled through the excavation walls and then holes are filled with grout and steel rods are inserted in the holes

Which agency keeps topographical information on all parts of the US, including the location of floodplains?

US Geological Survey (USGS)

What is the difference between uniform settlement and differential settlement?

Uniform settlement means the entire building settles evenly Differential settlement means the building does not settle evenly; can pose a structural issue

What is fiber fascine and what is its purpose?

a bundle of live cuttings wired or lashed together and secured, usually at the toe of a bank at or near the water edge used for bank restoration and stabilization

What is a silt fence and what is its relationship to runoff?

a silt fence is a temporary fence designed to allow water to pass through while filtering out sediment and allowing the sediment to settle; constructed of a geotextile or other filter fabric stretched between support stakes sediment-laden runoff is bad for the environment and makes filtering drinking water difficult

what is soil mixing?

a technique of adding a modifying substance to soil and blending it in place this technique can be done to remediate contaminated soil or stabilize weakened soil

What is the difference between a variance and a CUP?

a variance is an allowed deviation from the zoning regulations; usually given if it can be proven site has specific hardship or challenges making following zoning is inhibited a CUP (conditional use permit) is sought when a change of use is desired

Name the site remediation process: chemical treatment to remove chlorine atoms to hazardous chemicals

dechlorination

how do you properly detail a foundation wall to allow for drainage?

drainage consists of some combination of drainage backfill (crushed stone, gravel), drainage mat, and perforated drain pipe

infiltration basin vs catch basin

infiltration basin - depression in the earth from which water can escape only into the soil catch basin - an underground reservoir that temporarily contains excessive runoff until it can flow at a controlled rate into the storm sewer system; debris settles into the sump of the catch basin instead of flowing down the sewer and clogging the pipes (see image)

how do you properly detail a foundation wall to be waterproof using a sheet membrane?

it's important that the vertical and horizontal membranes join to wrap the basement completely in a waterproof enclosure

Liquid Limit vs Plastic Limit vs Plasticity Index

liquid limit (LL) - how much water can the soil take before it flows plastic limit (PL) - how much water can the soil take before it becomes semisolid and expands plasticity index (PI) - the range of moisture in which soil behaves as a plastic material; the difference between LL and PL

Site entrances are most ideally located on which types of roads?

local roads or collector streets

which parking layout is most efficient?

one-way drive lane, 45-75 degree parking stalls

Name the site remediation process: use of selected plants to remove or biostabilze contaminants in soil, sediment or water; not the best solution if time is limited

phytoremediation

What is riprap?

piling loose stone on a body of water's bank to limit erosion

poorly graded vs well graded soils: what is the difference and which application are they best for?

poorly graded is better for drainage, because the soil particles tend to be more similar and therefore more loosely packed well graded is better for buildings, because the soil particles are more varied in size and therefore more densely packed

This practice includes work that is necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity, and material of a historic property. Focuses on protecting the building and focusing on maintenance and repair of historic materials and features rather than extensive replacement and new construction

preservation

This practice is the work of making compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values. It acknowledges the need to alter or add to a historic building to meet continuing or new uses while retaining its historic character.

rehabilitation

This practice is the work of accurately depicting the character of a property as it appeared at a particular period by removing features from other periods in its history and reconstruction of missing features from that particular period. The limited upgrading of MEP systems and other code-required work to make properties functional is appropriate within the work.

restoration

What would warrant underpinning in building foundations?

to provide temporary support while an existing foundation is repaired, strengthened, or deepened to extend a foundation when a new excavation in adjoining property is deeper than the existing foundation

What is a vegetated filter strip used for? What slope should it be designed?

to remove particulates by filtration through the surfaces of the vegetation and promote some infiltration because runoff is slowed minimum 2% slope, maximum 4% slope

What is phytoremediation?

uses plants to remove or decompose contaminants in soil, sediments, or water

what is the relationship between soil grading and sorting?

well graded soil is poorly sorted poorly graded soil is well sorted

what does it mean for a soil to be well graded/poorly sorted? how about poorly graded/well sorted? uniformly graded?

well graded/poorly sorted: coarse grained soils consisting of particles of all sizes poorly graded/well sorted: coarse grained soils with a smaller range of particle sizes uniformly graded: coarse grained soils of mostly one size

in what application is well-sorted, poorly-graded gravel useful? in what application is poorly-sorted, well-graded gravel useful?

well-sorted, poorly-graded: drainage poorly-sorted, well-graded: load-bearing

how does a site's soil type affect settlement?

when a building sits on the same kind of soil, the loads on the building are uniform throughout when soils differ between parts of a building, then the building can experience differential settlement (much more dangerous)

Loading dock berths size requirements: - width - length - vertical clearance - turning radius

width: 10'-12' length: 40' min vertical clearance: 14' min turning radius: 60' min

why would you use a cantilevered retaining wall?

cantilevered retaining walls are used in cases that are subjected to unusual loadings or groundwater, to prevent retaining walls from failing

If a landowner wants a fairly quick and affordable way of site remediation and cleanup, which of the following method should be recommended?

capping is the best solution for quick and cheap remediation, but all contaminated soil stays on the site

What is a coffer dam?

creates dry land where there would otherwise be a body of water

What are soldier beams and lagging planks and when are they used during construction?

(also called soldier piles) Soldier beams and lagging planks are used during shoring; to hold back the surrounding soil during excavation of a site. Soldier piles/beams are steel H-sections driven vertically into the ground to support horizontal lagging Lagging refers to the heavy timber planks joined together side by side to retain the face of an excavation They are used as Excavation Support

How far should retaining walls extend below grade?

- 2ft below grade, or - half the above grade height, or - to the frost line ^ whichever is the greatest

What are the following conversions: feet to yard ft² to yd² ft³ to yd³

1 yard = 3 feet 1 yd² = 9 ft² 1 yd³ = 27 ft³

What are the four categories of roads (smallest to largest)?

1. Local streets 2. Collector streets 3. Minor Arterials 4. Principal Arterials (Expressways)

What are 7 common causes of erosion and sediment control failure?

1. Poor site analysis 2. Design and the site are incompatible 3. Inadequately sized facilities 4. Wrong materials specified or used 5. Poor istallation 6. Poor maintenance 7. Failure to compensate for seasonal differences or extreme weather conditions

What are the 5 solutions if soil on the site has poor bearing capacity?

1. dig deeper to more competent soil 2. drive pilings or dig piers/caissons and rest our building on bedrock 3. drive friction pilings (in sand) 4. replace the soil with gravel or mix it with cement to make it stronger 5. distribute the load over a larger area with larger footings so that each square foot of soil doesn't hold as much of the building's weight

What are the 5 strategies for brownfield projects, listed in order of increasing cost and liability relief? Describe each one.

1. doing nothing (not often an option) 2. using administrative or institutional controls (restricting how the property is use or accessed through zoning, laws, rules, etc) 3. using engineering controls (active/passive remedial strategies; isolating and containing contamination through physical barriers, like capping) 4. on-site remedial action 5. off-site disposal or treatment (the most expensive, last resort)

what are the two approaches to ensuring a basement resists water from entering?

1. drainage 2. waterproofing

List the five storm water management practices for parking lots in order of most to least effective.

1. dry swales 2. sand filters 3. filter strips 4. grass channel 5. roadside ditch

What are the four treatment approaches (ranked from most historically accurate to least)?

1. preservation: maintains and repairs existing historic materials (keeps old building and preserves its character) 2. rehabilitation (adaptive reuse): alters or adds to meet today's needs (turn old building into a tech startup) 3. restoration: depicts a property at a particular time period of time, removing evidence of other periods (restore old building back to its original glory, demolish old additions to the building) 4. reconstruction: recreates non-surviving portions of a property (reconstruct old building after a fire in the same way before the fire)

What are the four primary methods of lead abatement? Which are permanent?

1. replacement (permanent) 2. enclosure (not permanent) cover lead paint with impermeable barrier 3. encapsulation (not permanent) cover lead paint with more paint 4. removal (permanent) remove paint from the surface of the building element

What are the two best methods for dealing with radon?

1. sealing at the slab with plastic polyethylene sheeting 2. venting from below the slab to above the roof

For most paved surfaces a slope of at least what is needed to account for paving roughness?

1.5%

What are some strategies to counter radon entry in a building? which is preferred for new construction?

Active Methods 1. active soil pressurization systems 2. sub-slab pressurization (intentionally, a low-pressure zone is created beneath the slab to create reverse airflow - airflow from building to the soil, not the other way around) 3. crawl space active ventilation via fans Passive Methods 1. install a layer of clean gravel or aggregate beneath the slab or flooring system 2. lay polyethylene sheeting on top of the gravel layer 3. include a gas-tight venting pipe from the gravel level through the building to the roof 4. seal and caulk the foundation thoroughly 5. ventilate the crawl space via openings unless a site exhibits high radon levels, passive radon systems are acceptable for new construction; passive radon systems can always be converted to active radon systems if needed later on

What are rakers?

Angled wood supports which extend from the ground of the excavation site up to the walls

List the unified soil classes from highest shear strength to lowest (lowest compressibility to highest).

Excellent: GW SW Good: GP GC SP Good to Fair: GM SM SC Fair: ML CL Fair to Poor: MH Poor: OL CH OH Pt (the worst!) p229 in SPDH

What is excessive settling?

Excessive settling is one way that a retaining wall fails. This occurs when soil lacks the bearing capacity for the weight of the wall plus the vertical component of the weight of the soil that the wall is retaining.

In a topographic map, which lines are solid and which are dashed?

Existing lines - dashed New lines - solid

What attributes can increase the runoff coefficient? What needs to be done if the runoff is greater than the capacity of the natural or artificial drainage from the site?

Extensive site development may create excessive runoff due to roof areas, roads, and parking lots Holding ponds must be constructed to temporarily collect site runoff and release it at a controlled rate

which resource would you refer to to learn more about potential site flood risks and drainage concerns?

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

What is the difference between zoning and land development regulations?

Local officials may have the authority to waive or modify provisions of the land development ordinance on a case-by-case basis, but zoning regulations are enforceable and cannot be waived without justification and a formal hearing process

What are the layers of a horizontal foundation floor?

Top - Structural concrete slab - Water/air/vapor control layer - Insulation - Capillary break (gravel) - Earth Bottom

What is a TOD?

Transit-Oriented Development; high density of living units, commercial development, and other support services near transit stops to promote transit-oriented lifestyle

What is sheet flow?

Water that drains across a sloping surface

What are the requirements for a curb cut: a. minimum width of curb cut b. minimum sidewalk width behind curb cut c. maximum slope of curb in long dimension d. maximum slope of curb in short direction e. maximum slope of curb flare f. minimum landing at top of curb cut

a. minimum width of curb cut: 36" b. minimum sidewalk width behind curb cut: 36" c. maximum slope of curb in long dimension: 1:12 or 8.3% d. maximum slope of curb in short direction: 2.08% e. maximum slope of curb flare: 1:10 or 10% f. minimum landing at top of curb cut: 5'-0" x 5'-0"

What are access easements? utility easements? support easements? joint use easements? scenic easements? conservation easements?

access - If a parcel of land is not served by a public road, an access easement may be granted that gives the landowner and the public the right to cross an adjacent property utility - Privately owned land that public utility companies are permitted to use for the installation and maintenance of their lines support - allows for construction of common party walls between properties joint use - allows two or more property owners to share a common feature such as a driveway scenic - protects views and development in scenic areas conservation - limit land use in large areas

Name the site remediation process: microorganisms used to degrade organic compounds in soils or groundwater. may be done in situ

bioremediation

what would warrant using blind-side waterproofing in a foundation?

blind-side waterproofing is installed prior to the pouring of concrete walls this occurs most commonly when a substructure wall is built close to a property's edge, and excavation cannot be enlarged beyond the property line to permit workers access to the outer face of the wall after its construction

What are live stakes and branch packing? What are they used for?

both are used to help establish stream bank vegetation live stakes are living woody plant cuttings that will tolerate cutting and still be capable of quickly establishing a new root system along a stream bank branch packing involves filling out a small washed out or excavated area with alternating layers of soil and live branches

What are the differences between a dry well and an infiltration trench?

both use similar principles, but they differ in size and location... infiltration trenches (for site): - located parallel to the contours and extend along a certain point in the site to intercept runoff - collect runoff from larger surfaces like the site itself - follow topo to create ditches to collect runoff water typically 2'-10' deep dry wells (for roof): - are designed to collect runoff directly from a roof drain or outfall - collect runoff from small areas such as roofs or sections of roofs - more vertical, excavated pits

What is a restrictive covenant vs affirmative covenant vs conditional covenant?

restrictive covenant - places restrictions on what the owner of the land can do with their property (i.e. architectural guidelines, parking restrictions, fence height, single family only, etc.) affirmative covenant - requires the *buyer* to perform certain duties in the future. i.e. maintain/constructing a fence around the property) conditional covenant - permits the title of the property to revert to the original owner if the restrictions prescribed in the deed are not followed

Common slopes: - sewers (2" pipe vs 3'-6" pipe) - site drainage away from (a) buildings, (b) impervious surfaces, and (c) grass areas) - paved parking lots

sewers: - 2" pipes = 2% - 3'-6" pipes = 1% site drainage: - 5% away from buildings - 2% for impervious surfaces - 1.5-10% for grass areas paved parking lots: - 2-3%

which soil type is most sensitive to water content and can change state from solid to liquid, and swells and heaves when frozen?

silts

What is a check dam?

slows down stormwater once its in the swale; used in hilly sites

Name the site remediation process: removes VOCs from soils, sometimes used in conjunction with air injection systems

soil vapor extraction

what is liquefaction? which soil types are most susceptible?

temporary change from solid to liquid state during cyclic shaking sands and silts with high water content are most susceptible

What is a catchment area? What determines a catchment area?

the geographical region a population resides within a catchment area may be determined by physical features, political boundaries, or other nebulous demarcations (ethnic divisions)

What is a right-of-way?

the legal right of one party or the public to traverse land belongings to another; most commonly refers to the public land used for streets and sidewalks

What is eminent domain?

the right of government to take private property for public use and public good government will pay the owner of the private property for the property; if the owner refuses to sell, the government will force you to sell

What are easements?

the right to use another's land for a specific purpose, or to prevent the land's owner from using it for a particular purpose

What is the angle of repose?

the steepest angle at which loose material remains stable cohesionless/frictional soil has a narrower angle of repose than highly cohesive soil

What is the water table?

the underground level below which the soil is saturated with water