ARE 5.0 All Divisions

CALCULATING BOARD-FEET

(nominal dimensions)/12 x LENGTH ex. 2 x 6, 10' long board is (2x6)/12 x 10 = 10 board-feet

NOMINAL vs ACTUAL lumber dimensions

1" = 3/4" 2-6" = 1/2" less 8+" = 3/4" less

Three thresholds you should try not to cross in foundation design:

1. Building below the water table. Becomes very expensive to de-water the site, strengthen excavation support systems, waterproof and protect the foundation. 2. Building close to an existing structure. Difficult to avoid disturbance. 3. Increasing column or wall load beyond what can be supported by a shallow foundation. Shallow foundations far less expensive.

SUMP

A pit where liquid collects

ORIENTED STRAND BOARD

A type of engineered lumber similar to particle board, formed by adding adhesives and then compressing layers of wood strands (flakes) in specific orientations. Good sheer strength.

VENEER GRADES

A: smooth & paintable. may be used for natural finish. costly & limited in availability. B: solid surface, some minor splits. used for concrete formwork and less demanding Cplugged: improved C veneer C: may contain knots and knotholes, discoloration and sanding defects, limited splits. D: limited to exposure 1 or interior panels.

MINIPILE

AKA Pin Pile or Micropile Steel bars 2-12" DIA Pressed or rammed into holes drilled in the soil and grouted in place. Useful for when vertical space is limited, ex. working in the basement of an existing building.

SETTLEMENT

All foundations settle to some extent, as the earth compresses and adjusts to the loads imposed by the building above. Settlement must not exceed amounts that would cause structural distress, damage nonstructural components, or interfere with building functions. UNIFORM SETTLEMENT: usually easily controlled and of little consequence to building DIFFERENTIAL SETTLEMENT: occurs when soil types, building loads, or structural systems vary throughout a building. Can lead to distortion of building frame, sloped floors, cracked walls and glass, or inoperable windows and doors.

CRITICAL PATH METHOD (CPM)

Analysis of tasks (order and relationships) that generates the most likely overall duration for project completion. Sequence of activities that determines the least amount of time for a project to be completed / determined by the path requiring the most time to complete. Tasks not on the critical path are called floats; delays with their execution don't necessarily affect project timeline.

BOARDS vs DIMENSIONAL LUMBER vs TIMBER

BOARDS: less than 2" in nominal thickness DIMENSIONAL LUMBER: 2-4" in nominal thickness TIMBER: 5"+ in nominal thickness 1/8" or smaller is VENEER, & produced via rotary slicing

UNIFIED SOIL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM: BOULDERS COBBLES Course Grained Soils: GRAVEL SAND Fine Grained Soils: SILT CLAY

BOULDERS: takes two hands to lift; <12" DIA COBBLES: takes one hand to lift; 3"<DIA>12" Course Grained Soils: GRAVEL: can easily lift one particle at a time .187"<DIA>3" SAND: individual particles are large enough to be seen, but too small to be picked up individually; .003"<DIA>.187" Fine Grained Soils: SILT: particles too small to be seen; not sticky when wet and have little or no cohesiveness when dry; <.003" DIA, roughly spherical in shape CLAY: particles too small to be seen; putty-like when wet and hard when dry; <.003" DIA, though typically at least 10x smaller; typically flat in shape Peat, topsoil, and other organic soils are not suitable for foundations: high organic content makes them spongy and sensitive to changes in water content or biological activity

WOOD-PLASTIC COMPOSITE

Blended plastic and wood or agricultural fibers. More consistent material quality, freedom from defects and distortion, and superior resistance to moisture than its solid wood counterparts. Most often used for exterior decking, railing systems and finish trim. Makes productive use of waste materials/high recycled waste content.

HARDENED CONCRETE NAIL

Can be driven into masonry or concrete for attaching furring strips or sleepers

FINE GRAINED SOILS

Clays and silts Fine particles that generally stick together Cohesive More sensitive to water than course-grained soils.

SHORING

Construction used to support the sides of an excavation and prevent its collapse. SOLDIER BEAMS AND LAGGING: H-Piles or Soldier Beams driven vertically into the earth at close intervals. As earth is removed, the lagging (usually heavy wood planks) places against the flanges of the column. SHEET PILING/SHEETING: vertical sheets aligned tightly to one another and drive into the earth to form a solid wall before excavation begins. SHOTCRETE: pneumatically applied concrete, stiffens excavated soil where soil is sufficiently cohesive to hold an adequate slope at least temporarily

WALL/STRIP FOOTING

Continuous strip of concrete distributing load from load-bearing wall or closely spaced columns

DAMPPROOFING vs WATERPROOFING

DAMPPROOFING: Moisture-resistant cement plaster or asphalt applied to basement walls where groundwater conditions are mild or waterproofing requirements are not critical. WATERPROOFING: Resists the passage of water even under demanding hydrostatic pressure. More costly/used when conditions are severe. -Liquid applied membrane: applied by spray or roller and cured in place. seamless and easy to form around intricate shapes. may be subject to inconsistent application. -Sheet membrane: manufactured in a factory. more consistent in quality and thickness. careful attention must be given to sealing seams.

BUILDINGS LOADS

DEAD: All permanent components LIVE: Non-permanent components (people, furniture, movable equipment) RAIN/SNOW WIND SEISMIC LATERAL SOIL PRESSURES: horizontal pressures of earth and groundwater against basement walls BUOYANT UPLIFT: from underground water, similar to that which causes a boat to float FLOOD LOADS: lateral forces in areas prone to flooding

CONSOLIDATED ROCK/BEDROCK

Dense, continuous mass. Can only be removed by drilling, fracturing or blasting. Strongest and most stable material to build on.

PILE CAP

Distributes load of column or wall above among piles.

SELF-DRILLING SCREW

Don't require pilot holes and can be installed quickly with power drivers. Used for attaching subflooring to floor framing (rather than nailing, to reduce floor squeaking), mounting Gyp to wall studs, & attaching exterior decking to deck framing (to reduce loosening of deck boards caused by moisture-related expansion and contraction).

BOND CLASSIFICATION [structural wood panels]

EXTERIOR: made with waterproof glues and the highest-quality veneers. most durable. suitable for exterior siding or other applications permanently exposed to weather EXPOSURE 1: waterproof glue but wider range of quality veneers. commonly used for structural sheathing and sub-flooring, which will be protected once the building is finished but must endure long periods of wetting during construction. 95% of structural panel products are Exposure 1.

EMBODIED ENERGY

Energy consumed by all of the processes associated with the production of a building, from the mining and processing of natural resources to manufacturing, transport and product delivery.

GEOTEXTILE

Fabrics made of chemically inert plastics that are resistant to deterioration in the soil. Could be used for earth reinforcement to support retaining walls, or to stabilize engineered fill beneath a shallow footing, acting similar to plant roots to prevent movement of soil particles. Drainage matting is another type of geotextile often used beneath planter boxes or paving tiles on rooftop terraces where it maintains free passage for the drainage of water above a waterproof membrane. Synthetic filter fabrics could be used around stone drainage layers around a foundation drain to keep stone and pipe from getting clogged with fine soil particles carried by groundwater.

FIXED FEE vs. COST PLUS FEE

Fixed Fee: best for well-defined scope, esp. with design/bid/build Cost Plus Fee: best when scope is not fully known, esp. with design build *GMP: max. fee (used with cost plus fee) that limits the owner's risk

COMMON, BOX AND SINKER NAILS

Flat heads, used for structural fastening in light frame construction SINKER: slightly shorter and thinner than common, easier to drive. Coated on shaft to ease installation and bonds with wood after it's set. Smaller structural capacity due to size.

PILE

Forcibly driven into earth instead of drilled then poured (like a caisson). Used where non-cohesive soils, subsurface water, or excessive depth of bearing strata make caissons impractical. END BEARING: Driven until its tip encounters firm resistance FRICTION PILE: Firm bearing layer can't be reached, but load-carrying capacity still achievable through internal resistance.

RADON

Gas that occurs naturally in soil. Where radon risks are high, buildings are constructed with passive radon control methods, ex: -Layer of gravel beneath concrete slab -Gas-impermeable plastic sheet or membrane between gravel and slab -Sealing of all joints -Coating of outside of basement walls with damnproofing or waterproofing -Vent pipe extending vertically from gas-permeable gravel layer through roof of building

SUMMERWOOD vs. SPRINGWOOD

Growth is slower in the summer, so springwood cells are larger and less dense than summerwood. Summerwood is also stronger and stiffer (and typically darker). Proportions of springwood to summerwood have a direct bearing on the structural properties of the wood.

GANTT CHART

Horizontal bars representing duration of tasks

CONSTRUCTION TYPES I-V

IBC Systems of Building Construction, differentiated by relative fire resistance. I: Fire Resistive: concrete and steel II: Concrete and steel, but roof is combustible III: Masonry bearing walls, but roof/floor/framework is combustible IV: Masonry bearing walls, heavy timber frame interior V: Wood

PENTACHLOROPHENOL

Impregnated as an oil solution, can't be painted

SPLIT-RING CONNECTOR

Inserted in matching circular grooves to mate pieces of wood clamped together with a central bolt. Spreads load across larger area of wood.

WANE

Irregular rounding of edges caused by sawing pieces too close to the perimeter of the log.

PERFORATED DRAIN PIPING

Laid around the outside perimeter of the building foundation. 4-6" in DIA, with several rows of perforations that allow the inflow of water that arrives at that level. Water in the pipes flows by gravity either "to daylight" on a sloping site, a sewer system, or a sump pit that can be pumped dry whenever it fills. Perforations face downward so that as the water level in the soil rises, it enters the pipe at the lowest level.

ROOFING NAIL

Large heads to prevent tearing of soft asphalt shingles

LAG SCREW

Larger than wood screws, used for heavier structural connections. Have square or hexagonal heads and are driven with a wrench rather than a screwdriver

GREEN LUMBER

Lumber that hasn't been dried; typically subject to dimensional changes.

LAMINATED STRAND LUMBER and ORIENTED STRAND LUMBER

Made from shredded wood strands, coated with adhesives, pressed and cured under heat and pressure. Weakest and cheapest of the composite lumber products. Used mainly for rim boards and short-span headers. LSL has longer strands.

STRUCTURAL COMPOSITE LUMBER aka ENGINEERED LUMBER

Made from wood veneers or wood fiber strands and glue.

CONTROLLED LOW-STRENGTH MATERIAL (CLSM)

Manufactured fill material made with portland cement and/or fly ash, sand, and water. Used to pour mud slabs (weak concrete slabs used to create temporary, level, dry bases over irregular, often wet excavations), or to replace pockets of unstable soil encountered beneath a substructure or to backfill around basement walls.

LUMBER GRADE STAMP

Manufacturer: Mill's number, name or symbol. (ex. 12) Certification mark: Symbol of agency providing quality control supervision. (ex. WWP®) Grade: Often abbreviated. 1 Common shown. (ex. 1COM) Moisture content (MC): Abbreviations for MC when board surfaced: MC 15 is 15 percent or less; KD or S-DRY is 19 percent or less; S-GRN is green wood with more than 19 percent MC. (Ex. S-DRY) Species mark: Symbol or abbreviation for types of tree. Example shown is Ponderosa pine. (Ex. PP)

LAMINATED VENEER LUMBER and PARALLEL STRAND LUMBER

Most commonly used for longer-span headers and floor beams. LVL: Made from thin wood veneer sheets which are glued and laminated into thicker members. Similar in appearance to plywood but without crossbands. PSL: Long, thin strips of wood arranged more uniformly parallel than in other products. Heaviest, most expensive and strongest of the composite lumbers.

CREOSOTE

Oily derivative of coal used to treat wood in engineering structures. Odor, toxicity and unpaintability make it unsuitable in most construction.

FORMALDEHYDE

Organic compound with many natural sources, including wood. Ingredient in some adhesives and binders. Can cause adverse health effects in humans in high concentrations.

PLAINSAWN

PLAINSAWN: Most economical. But broad, irregular grain pattern. QUARTERSAWN: Tightly spaced, regular grain structure.

STRUCTURAL WOOD PANELS

PLYWOOD: thin layers of wood veneer glued together, always odd number, front and back show grain running in long direction COMPOSITE PANELS: two parallel face veneers bonded to a core of reconstituted wood fibers NON-VENEEREED PANELS -Oriented Strand Board: strongest and stiffest nonveneered panel -Parcicleboard: smaller wood particles than OSB, use mainly as base material for wood veneer or plastic laminate, or underlayment panel used to create a smooth base for resilient flooring -Fiberboard: fine-grained, made of wood fibers and synthetic resin binders. Generally limited to interiors. dimensionally more stable than particleboard. Most common type is Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF) which is used for cabinets, furniture, moldings, paneling, etc. but has poor moisture resistance.

SEQUENTIAL CONSTRUCTION vs. FAST TRACK/PHASED

Phased construction overlaps phases for faster construction timeline.

KNOT

Place where branch had been joined to the trunk of a tree

STRUCTURAL INSULATED PANELS

Plywood or OSB panels adhered to stiff plastic foam core for structural capacity. Popular in high energy-efficient homes and small buildings.

NO-FINES CONCRETE

Porous concrete made without the use of fine aggregate

STRESSED SKIN PANELS

Prefabricated plywood or OSB panels adhered to dimensional lumber framing.

FIRE RETARDANT TREATMENT

Pressurized with chemical salts that greatly reduce its combustibility. Expensive. Used for roof sheathing and framing.

EXPANSIVE SOIL

Prone to expand or contract with changes in moisture content. Small particle size and high liquid limits are most susceptible to this behavior.

DIRECT SHEAR TEST

Rectangular prism of soil placed in a split box and sheered by applying pressure in opposite directions to the two halves of the box

NATURALLY TERMITE RESISTANT

Redwood, Eastern red cedar

NATURALLY DECAY-RESISTANT WOODS

Redwood, cedar, black locust, black walnut

SOIL GRADATION

Refers to range of particle sizes WELL GRADED: broad, well-distributed particle sizes. less empty space, compact more effectively but drain less efficiently POORLY GRADED: limited in range of sizes INFORMALLY GRADED: limited, narrow size range, maximum possible volume of empty space GAP GRADED: broader range, but with certain sizes omitted.

S4S S2S S-DRY S-GRN

Refers to the surfacing (smoothing) of lumber. S4S: 4 sides are surfaced (most lumber) S2S: 2 sides are surfaced (most hardwood) S-DRY: surfaced when dry S-GRN: surfaced while still green

GRADE BEAM

Reinforced concrete beam that transmits load from a bearing wall into spaced foundations such as pile caps or caissons

SLURRY WALL

Relatively complex method of constructing a complete concrete wall in the ground before excavation takes place. Typically only economical if it will remain a part of the permanent structure. Clam shell bucket excavates soil, viscous mixture of bentonite clay and water (slurry) exerts pressure against earth walls, holding them in place. Steel tubes equal to width of trench inserted vertically. Steel cage of reinforcing steel is lowered. Concrete poured from the bottom up using a tremie. Slurry displaced and pumped into holding tanks for reuse. Steel tubes removed and more concrete is poured.

COHESIONLESS SOIL

Rely primarily on internal friction for strength; must be excavated at a shallow angle to avoid collapse of unsupported walls. Ex. Silt is a cohesionless soil; clay is typically cohesive (hard when dry, plastic when moist).

WOOD SCREW

Require pre-drilled pilot holes, used to join cabinetry, wide-plank flooring, mounting of hardware (ex. Hinges), and other finish woodworking

SOIL SHEAR STRENGTH

Resistance to internal sliding; ability to support building loads without shifting depends primarily on friction between the particles to keep them from sliding past one another. Course-grains are densely packed with little space between particles so it's relatively difficult for them to move.

SOFTWOOD vs. HARDWOOD

SOFTWOOD: coniferous. usually less dense and softer. generally course and plain grain structure. HARDWOOD: broad-leafed trees. more complex in structure. finer, more attractive grain patterns. better for millwork.

COURSE-GRAINED SOILS

Sands and gravel High resistance to movement between grains when confined or compressed Cohesionless

SOIL LIQUEFACTION

Saturated soil loses strength and stiffness (usually after earthquake) and causes it to behave like a liquid.

CUT NAIL

Seldom used anymore, used to be used for framing connections and still sometimes used to attach finish flooring where their blunt ends punch through the wood rather than wedge through, lessening splits.

JOIST HANGER

Sheet metal plate device used for joining floor and roof framing members at right angles.

DRAINAGE MAT

Sheet product about 1/2" thick, made of a plastic egg-crate-like structure or other porous material. Faced on the outside with filter fabric that allows water to pass easily but prevents fine soil particles from entering and clogging its drainage passages.

CAISSON

Similar to column footing, except it extends through strata of unsatisfactory soil until it reaches more suitable stratum. Belled caissons are practical only when the bell can be excavated in a cohesive soil Socketed caisson is drilled into rock at the bottom rather than belled. Bearing capacity comes from both the end-bearing as well as friction between the sides of the caisson and the rock.

HELICAL/SCREW PILES

Similar to mini piles but with 1+ helical boring blades. Installed by rotation, causing it to auger into the ground without predrilling.

TRIAXIAL LOAD TEST

Soil sample loaded axially by a piston and circumferentially by water pressure in a transparent cylinder; used to determine strength-related soil properties

COLUMN FOOTING

Square block of concrete distributing load to soil below

UNDERPINNING

Strengthens and stabilizes existing foundation. 3 methods: 1. Existing foundation elements enlarged to distribute loads over greater soil area. 2. Deeper foundations can be inserted under existing ones. 3. Soil itself can be strengthened.

PHENOL-FORMALDEHYDE (PF)

Structural adhesive rated for full exterior exposure. Can sometimes be used for interiors because of relatively low emissions.

CROSS-LAMINATED TIMBER

Structural panels laminated from solid lumber, with the orientation of members in each layer alternating from those above and below. Sizes and shapes not otherwise available can be created, and quality can be carefully controlled.

UREA-FORMALDEHYDE (UF)

Structural wood adhesive with less moisture resistance, rated for interiors only. May still emit gas long after manufacturing, so may affect IAQ.

SPREAD FOOTING

Take concentrated loads from above and spread them out across an area of soil

CROSSLOT BRACING

Temporary Steel wide-flange columns driven into the earth at points where braces will cross. As earth is excavated, walers are added (beams that span across face of the sheeting). If excavation is too wide for crosslot bracing, sloping rakers are used insteas, bearing against temporary footings.

FLITCH

The log from which veneer is made.

EQUILIBRIUM MOISTURE CONTENT

The moisture content of wood once it's at equilibrium with its ambient surroundings. Typically dryer when indoors (~8%), more moist when outdoors or in higher humidity/wetter climates (~12%).

HARDBOARD

Thin, dense panel made of highly compressed wood fibers. Used for residential siding and general-purpose panels.

RIFTSAWN

Tightly spaced and uniform grain structure. Used only when the final appearance matters enough to justify the cost.

TEST PIT

Typically used when the foundation will not exceed 16'

SURETY BONDS (Define and List 2 Types)

Typically used with publicly financed or very large projects. Protects an owner from the risk of default. For a fixed fee, a 3rd party (surety) promises to complete contractual obligations of contractor if they fail to do so. PERFORMANCE BOND: assures completion of project PAYMENT BOND: assures payment to suppliers and subs

WATERSTOP

Used at joints in foundation construction (ex. between concrete pours) to ensure watertightness. Made of plastic, synthetic rubber, metal or materials that swell when in contact with water.

BASE ISOLATOR

Used in areas where strong earthquakes are common. Flex or yield to absorb a significant amount of movement.

TIEBACK

Used to support shoring instead of crosslot bracing when soil conditions permit. Steel cables or rods are drilled through holes in the shoring, grouted, then anchored to walers.

MAT/RAFT FOUNDATION

Used when bearing capacity of the soil is low in relation to building loads. Column footings may become so closely spaces that it is more effective to merge them into single foundation that supports the entire building.

FLOATING/COMPENSATED FOUNDATION

Used where settlement must be carefully controlled. Similar to a mat foundation, but placed at a depth so that the weight of the soil removed is close to the weight of the building constructed, so that the load on the underlying soil stays relatively constant.

PLASTIC LIMIT

Water content at which soil transitions from solid to plastic (cohesive soils).

FIBER SATURATION POINT

Water content of wood once the free water has evaporated and only the bound water remains. Typically around 30%

HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE

Water pressure; major cause of basement water problems, can drive ground water in through gaps and cracks in masonry, as well as seepage through solid concrete.

SIEVE

Wire mesh screens of various spacing that determine size of soil particles

NET ZERO ENERGY BUILDING

Zero net energy consumption and zero carbon emissions annually. ENERGY-PLUS: buildings that produce a surplus of energy over a year NEAR-ZERO: consume slightly more energy than they produce.

DEFORMED SHANK NAIL

more resistant to withdrawal; used for attaching sheathing, sun flooring and underlayment

FINISH, CASING AND BRAD NAILS

smaller in DIA than common nails, with smaller heads. Used to fasten finish woodwork. head will be tucked into woodwork and can be painted over. Casing and finish are roughly the same length as common nail; brad is much smaller.

PRESERVATIVE TREATED WOOD (also pressure-treated wood)

used where decay or insect resistance is req'd, ex. Wood that is in or near the ground or that is exposed to moisture in outdoor structures (fences/decks/marine docks)

CHROMATED COPPER ARSENATE

was most common wood preservative, but phased out over toxicity concerns Copper based solutions are relied upon primarily now (ACQ, CBA, and CA) but still need to be handled carefully