RICS APC > Construction Technology > Flashcards

Construction Technology Flashcards

(64 cards)

Study These Flashcards
1
Q

What RIBA stage is manufacturing and construction?

A

Stage 5 - Manufacturing and Construction.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is buildability?

A

Buildability can be defined as the extent to which a design facilitates the ease of construction.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the benefits of off-site construction as opposed to onsite?

A
  1. Safety - hazards such as falls from height are more likely on site than a factory
  2. Efficiency and Quality - controlled environment
  3. Sustainability - can reduce waste product or facilitates the reuse of waste materials for other works
  4. Speed - work can occur on site at same time
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the difference between building works and civil engineering works?

A
  1. Building works - all types of buildings such as houses, offices, hospital, staff
  2. Civil engineering works - drainage schemes, bridges, roads, retaining walls
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are temporary works?

A

Temporary works are the parts of a construction that are required to facilitate the permanent works, this includes:
1. Formwork
2. Propping
3. Scaffolding
4. Task lighting
5. Hoarding
6. Excavation support

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are hoists?

A

Designed for the vertical transport of goods and/or people.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is shoring?

A

Forms of temporary support given to existing buildings and excavations to prevent collapse or movement.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is a culvert?

A
  • a tunnel like structure than allows water to travel, normally constructed underneath roads, railway lines or similar obstruction
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the purpose of a drainage headwall?

A

They are used to protect the end of the drain and the embankment from corrosion.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the substructure of a building?

A

The substructure is that parts of a building that are in the ground and supports the superstructure. This includes basements, foundations and retaining walls.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is ground heave?

A

Ground heave is usually associated with clay soil which swells when wet and causes the ground to move upwards.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are different types of excavation?

A
  • site clearance
  • stripping topsoil
  • reduced level dig
  • cut and fill
  • excavations for foundations
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What must you consider when excavating?

A

Ground conditions
Underground services
Support systems that may be required
Proximity of other buildings
Depth of excavation
Method of excavation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the techniques to waterproof a basement?

A
  1. Tanking
  2. Cavity drainage system
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Can you detail a road build up?

A

Compacted base
Base course
Binder course
Wearing/Surface course

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the purpose of a foundation?

A

Foundations provide support for structures, transferring their load through the ground.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What would you consider when selecting foundations?

A
  1. Type of the building
  2. Nature of the ground
  3. Weight of the structure
  4. Cost
  5. Construction constraints
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are different foundations

A
  1. Pad foundations
  2. Strip foundations
  3. Raft foundations
  4. Piled foundations
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is a raft foundation?

A

A raft foundation is a continuous slab over the entire footprint of a building

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is a pad foundation

A

Pad foundation is a a square or rectangular on plan and is to support columns.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is a strip foundation?

A

A strip foundation is a linear structure in the ground that is to support walls

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are pile foundations?

A

Pile foundations is a column (usually concrete) that extends into the ground.
This is used when soil capacity is poor.
There are two types:
- end bearing piles
- friction piles
There are two main construction methods:
- bored piles
- driven concrete piles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

When would you use piled foundations?

A
  1. When the structure is heavy and underlying soil is weak
  2. When settlement issues are common
  3. When the water table is high
  4. Load distribution is not uniform
  5. Presence of horizontal forces
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is the difference between bored piles and driven piles?

A

Driven pile - manufactured off site
Bored pile - manufactured on site

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What are secant wall piles?
Secant wall piles are interlocking piles which create a solid barrier free of gaps. Typically used to create a retaining wall.
26
What is the superstructure of a building?
The superstructure in the structural components of a building that are above ground level.
27
What is the envelope of the building?
A building envelope is the boundary between the exterior and interior of a building. Normally brickwork, cladding, curtain walls etc.
28
What is retained façade?
When the facade of a building is preserve and the rest of the structure is remodelled.
29
What are the standard brick sizes in the UK?
215 x 102.5 x 65mm
30
How many bricks per m2?
60 bricks
31
How many blocks per m2?
10 blocks
32
What is a weep hole?
Small opening in the outer skin of brickwork to allow water to seep away and provide ventialation.
33
Name two different types of brick bond.
English bond - Alternating courses of headers and stretchers Stretcher bond - Half a brick alternation on each course.
34
What is a movement joint and why is it used?
A movement joint is designed to safely absorb any movement in the structure from settling of seismic activity.
35
What are the main components of concrete?
Cement Aggregate Water
36
What is the difference between dead loads and live loads?
Dead loads are static forces inherent with the structure, walls, ceilings, staircase etc. Where as live loads are dynamic forces inherent with the use of the building, people, furniture, equipment.
37
What are retaining walls?
Walls constructed to hold back earth and resist the lateral force.
38
What is pre-tensioned concrete?
Reinforcement is stretched across the formwork, concrete is then poured, left to harden, and the tendons then released, releasing a compressive force.
39
What is post-tensioned concrete
Reinforcement is placed in the formwork, concrete is poured, once strength is adequate, then tendons are stretched (put into tension) with hydraulic jacks.
40
Why would you use a timber frame building?
1. Construction on site can be quick. 2. Structure is lightweight. 3. Aesthetically pleasing. 4. Sustainability.
41
Why would you not use timber frame?
1. Skilled workmanship is required 2. Risk of wet rot, dry rot and woodworm 3. Extra fire protection is required.
42
Why would you use steel frame?
1. Steel has a high strength to weight ratio. 2. Steel can be pre-fabricated 3. Can be constructed quickly on site 4. Can span large areas 5. Can be recycled
43
Why would you not use steel frame?
1. Fire protection is required 2. Has a lower load bearing capacity compared to concrete 3. Steel costs are volatile 4. Steel does not have the same acoustic and thermal qualities as concrete
44
Why would you use concrete frame?
1. Fire protection is inherent with the structure 2. Cladding can be fixed directly to the frame 3. Good acoustic and thermal properties 4. High compressive strenght
45
Why would you not use concrete frames?
1. Requires formwork 2. Long curing times 3. Slow to construct 4. Concrete does not span as well 5. Is bulky in structure
46
Can you name common types of plasterboard?
1. Standard (grey) 2. Acoustic (blue) 3. Fire boards (pink) 4. Moisture resistant (green)
46
How does planning permission impact on design?
They provide a framework to gauge whether your dream project is acceptable in terms of design, size, impact on neighbouring properties and compliance with local planning policies. The architect will alter the design to meet these requirements and ensure planning permission is granted.
46
What is the difference between 3 phase and single phase?
3 phase has 3 live wires, where as single has one. 3 phase is more reliable.
47
What other legislation impacts on construction?
* Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 * Building Act 1984 * Building Safety Act 2022 * Equality Act 2010 * Party Wall Act 1996
48
How does the age of the building affect construction methods?
The age of a building has an affect on construction methods and the method proposed must not be detrimental to the building fabric, I must also consider if the building is listed.
49
What are the RIBA stages?
0 - Strategic definition. 1 - Preparation and briefing. 2 - Concept design. 3 - Spatial coordination. 4 - Technical design. 5 - Manufacturing and construction. 6 - Handover. 7 - Use.
50
Can you give me examples of 2 alternative air condition systems?
1. Multi split system - number of indoor units linked to the same external unit (condenser), and even allows for different types of indoor unit being run from the same condenser, e.g. a floor mounted unit in one room, ceiling cassette in another and a wall mount in yet another room. 2. Portable air conditioning system - a single unit with all its components enclosed inside, but the difference is that it is a free-standing unit and therefore can be moved from room to room. All it requires is a power outlet to power it up & access to a window where the unit’s air can be exhausted from using its funnel.
51
What do you understand by the term bus bar?
A bus bar is a metal bar constructed from conducting material to serve as an electrical junction between cables.
52
Where would you expect to see such an item?
Bus bars are in switch gear, panel boards and busway enclosures. It can be used in between RCDs and MCDs on consumer units to reduce the amount of cables. RCDs trip because the live current is not equal to the neutral current MCDs trip if there is a short circuit or it is overloaded
53
Can you give me some examples of alternative drainage systems?
1. Swale is simply a long, shallow depression in the ground, designed to collect or redirect water 2. Permeable pavement is a pavement type with a porous surface that is composed of concrete, open pore pavers or asphalt with an underlying stone reservoir
54
What are the advantages of a steel framed building over a concrete frame?
1. Faster to erect than concrete frames, can be pre-fabricated 2. High strength to weight ration 3. Beams can span over long distances
55
What current challenges is Covid and/or Brexit bringing to Construction Technology?
1. Increased Costs 2. Labour shortages
56
Talk me through how you identified the required modifications?
To understand the modifications, I first research the DDA Act to understand the legal requirements for disability toilets, this identified minimum door opening sizes, ramp requirements and sanitary ware. This was fed to the architect who updated their drawing to show new door sizes, ramp requirements with a handrail and proposed sanitary ware specifications.
57
What modifications were required to meet legal requirements?
* Door openings were modified * Ramp was installed with a handrail * Emergency pull in the bathroom * Sanitary ware modifications to meet DDA compliance * Refuge area identified.
58
Where were those legal requirements set out?
DDA Act
59
Was there anything else, above the legal considerations, that might have made the installation more user friendly?
Yes, we ensured the sanitaryware was procured from a supplier who could matched the ages brass finish with the DDA sanitaryware required and this was to ensure it matched the other bathrooms and was a luxury experience for the user.
60
How can you assess whether proposed modifications meet the needs of the intended building users?
This can be assessed through a user survey to enable feedback on the modifications to ensure it met the users needs.
61
Which other competency does this relate to?
* Inclusive environments * Ethics
62
Talk me through how you took the requirements and identified the construction works required?
To understand the requirements, I visited the property with the technical services manager, the contract administrator, and the subcontractors. Through the site visit I identified all required builders work and any limitations.
RICS APC
flashcards
Decks in class (26)
# Cards
Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2026 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions