PDD Extras

Question 1

What is the best method to create a non-slip concrete floor for interior applications?

Answer 1

Machine Troweling

Question 2

What type of concrete reinforcement is best for resisting cracking due to temperature changes?

Answer 2

Synthetic fiber & Light welded wire fabric

Question 3

Most water tight mortar joint profile?

Answer 3

Concave

Question 4

How does Type II Portland Cement cure & how does that influence where it is used?

Answer 4

Cures slower. Good for warm climates where premature curing is a risk.

Question 5

How does Type III Portland Cement cure & how does that influence where it is used?

Answer 5

High Early Strength. Best for applications in cold climates or where formwork needs to be removed quickly.

Question 6

How to find the area of a circle

Answer 6

(Pi) x (r-squared)

Question 7

In fastener-cladding applications where there is galvanic action, which material will corrode?

Answer 7

The anodic material

Question 8

Where is stucco an ideal exterior finish?

Answer 8

Seismic areas

Question 9

What type of nailed connection in wood construction is the strongest?

Answer 9

Face-Nailed

Question 10

What climates are most appropriate for PVC vs. EPDM roofs?

Answer 10

PVC - warm climate
EPDM - cold climate

Question 11

What has higher shear strength, OSB or plywood?

Answer 11

OSB

Question 12

Concrete vs. Steel, which one is considered elastic and which one is plastic?

Answer 12

Concrete = elastic
Steel = elastic & plastic

Question 13

Benefits of heat-strengthened glass

Answer 13

Less optical distortion, used for spandrel, stays in opening when broken, less susceptible to spontaneous breakage

Question 14

Benefits of TPO roof

Answer 14

thermoplastic (can be heat-fused), flexible, and economical

Question 15

How to calculate instantaneous horsepower (for elevators)?

Answer 15

Instantaneous = (HP for each elevator) x (QTY) x (Group Demand Factor)

Question 16

What is the bending stress at the neutral axis of the beam?

Answer 16

Zero, stress is along top (compression) and bottom (tension) but the neutral axis has no stress.

Question 17

How to find shear force per square inch on a bolt when given the total load on the beam and the diameter of the bolt?

Answer 17

V = (total load) / (area of bolt cross section)

F=L/A

Question 18

Ring Shank Nail

Answer 18

Used to attach gypsum to wood studs

Question 19

Casing Nail

Answer 19

Used for trim, frames, and decks

Question 20

Duplex Nail

Answer 20

Used in formwork and scaffolding

Question 21

Fluted Shank Nail

Answer 21

Used to attach wood to concrete / masonry

Question 22

Corrugated, one-piece metal brick anchor

Answer 22

Best for small scale projects made of light wood frame. Only for areas with moderate wind and no seismic activity.

Question 23

What yields the highest R-value for a CMU wall? No infill, perlite, vermiculite, or polyurethane foam?

Answer 23

Polyurethane foam

Then Perlite, then vermiculite (due to size of air spaces)

Question 24

What is the force that causes electrons to flow between positive and negative ends of a battery?

Answer 24

Voltage

Question 25

Biggest concerns with EIFS panels (2)

Answer 25

1. Does not breathe as well as stucco so it is prone to mold growth 2. Low impact resistance

Question 26

List the R-Values of the following insulating materials: SPF, XPS, EPS, and Fiberglass

Answer 26

SPF = 6.8 XPS = 5.0 EPS = 4.0 Fiberglass = 3.4

Question 27

Why is it important to compartmentalize the airspace around a building perimeter?

Answer 27

To make sure that air is not circulating the entire perimeter air space which would negate the pressure equilibrium between airspace and outside.

Question 28

What type of cement is used to make stucco?

Answer 28

Portland

Question 29

Most common type of asphalt roofing in warm climates?

Answer 29

Type III

Question 30

Best material for joint sealants at areas with heavy traffic?

Answer 30

Polyurethane

Question 31

What kinds of plastic pipe can carry hot water?

Answer 31

PEX, CPVC, and PB

Question 32

Two types of hydrated lime

Answer 32

Type N (Normal) Type S (Special) - more water content, therefore more workable

Question 33

Why is low strength mortar preferred for most masonry walls?

Answer 33

Low-strength mortar has more water in it making it more workable and it produces a more water-tight finish

Question 34

When should high-strength mortar be used in masonry walls?

Answer 34

Seismic areas

Question 35

What kind of joint sealant has the lowest water vapor permeability?

Answer 35

Butyl Caulk

Question 36

Benefits of air-entrained concrete (5)?

Answer 36

Workability, less water, durability, water tightness, and freeze-thaw resistant

Question 37

Reference Specification

Answer 37

Establishes industry standards & testing authorities

Question 38

Proprietary Specification

Answer 38

Includes materials, product information, systems required, model numbers, etc.

Question 39

Performance Specifications

Answer 39

Describe the end performance of the product or building component - encourages the most creativity and innovation

Question 40

(6) Types of brick facing geometry

Answer 40

Stretcher Header Solider Sailor Rowlock Shiner

Question 41

What is a purlin?

Answer 41

Intermediate support at roof along the rafter

Question 42

What kind of smoke detector should be avoided for commercial kitchens?

Answer 42

Ionization Smoke Detectors - they react to particles in the air before the fire starts

Question 43

How to find area of cross section of wood post when given the compressive load and compression parallel to grain

Answer 43

Load imposed / compression parallel to grain F=L/A or A=L/F

Question 44

What do steel stirrups do in concrete beams?

Answer 44

Provide shear reinforcement

Question 45

What frequency should column splices be for buildings greater than 3 stories?

Answer 45

Every 2 stories

Question 46

3 methods of joining galvanized steel pipes

Answer 46

threaded connection, unions, and slip couplings

Question 47

3 methods of joining copper pipes

Answer 47

flared fitting, compression fitting, and soldered fitting

Question 48

Types of hydrated lime mortar (2)

Answer 48

Type N = normal Type S = special (more water content / workable)

Question 49

Ionization smoke detector

Answer 49

detects fire at its inception

Question 50

Brick facing rotations (listed in counterparts)

Answer 50

Stretcher - Header Soldier - Sailor Rowlock - Shiner

Question 51

What type of joint sealant has lowest water permeability?

Answer 51

Butyl caulk

Question 52

When should high strength mortar be used at masonry walls?

Answer 52

Seismic areas

Question 53

4 main advantages of air-entrained concrete

Answer 53

workability, less water-to-cement ratio, durability, water tightness, more insulative (resistant to freeze/thaw)

Question 54

Define Softening Point Temperature (SPT)

Answer 54

Roof types are categorized by the temperature at which they become soft. Type I and II are used in cold climates and Type III is used in warm climates.

Question 55

After power has been stepped down at the building transformer, what is the next piece of equipment that the power is sent to?

Answer 55

Main switch board (then distribution panel from there)

Question 56

What does a fuse look like in a one line diagram?

Answer 56

S

Question 57

Reducing water content in concrete mix (increases/decreases) compressive strength

Answer 57

Increases

Question 58

In dimensional lumber, what is the wood grain parallel to?

Answer 58

the axis of the cells (think bundle of straws)

Question 59

What are examples of industrial wood products?

Answer 59

particle board, mdf, hard board

Question 60

What are examples of engineered wood products?

Answer 60

glu-lam, plywood, OSB

Question 61

What are 2 types of exposed insulated cables that do not need conduit?

Answer 61

Romex and BX

Question 62

What role does a gasket reglet play in a dry-glazing unit system?

Answer 62

provides a cavity for the gasket to be inserted

Question 63

What is the main purpose of a rim joist in wood frame construction? (2)

Answer 63

Connect joist ends & prevent lateral buckling

Question 64

What is one of the triangular sections of a truss called?

Answer 64

Panel

Question 65

What is the name of the outer member of a truss?

Answer 65

Chord

Question 66

What is the name of the smaller angular members of a truss?

Answer 66

Web

Question 67

What is the hinge point of a truss called?

Answer 67

Heel

Question 68

T/F, treated wood foundations are appropriate for all sites

Answer 68

False, soil type and drainage conditions will be driving factor in choosing treated wood

Question 69

What type of glass manufacturing is cheapest and more efficient?

Answer 69

Floating, it involves floating molten glass on molten tin to get a perfectly flat finish

Question 70

What is a passive backflow prevention method for protecting the main water supply to the building?

Answer 70

Air gap - involves separating the supply and storage with air

Question 71

Project type that uses 120/240V single phase 3-wire

Answer 71

Small scale residential

Question 72

Project type that uses 120/208V 3-phase 4-wire

Answer 72

Commercial

Question 73

Project type that uses 277/480V 3-phase 4-wire

Answer 73

Very large scale projects

Question 74

What type of mortar is best for applications needing high compressive strength?

Answer 74

Type M

Question 75

What type of mortar is best for applications needing high lateral strength?

Answer 75

Type S

Question 76

What type of mortar is best for exterior veneer applications?

Answer 76

Type N

Question 77

Why is it important to repoint masonry with mortar type that is softer than the stone / brick?

Answer 77

Using mortar that is harder than the stone can cause spalling. Exposed grout is sacrificial and is mainly used to help shed water

Question 78

What spec format organizes sections by material (wood, masonry, concrete, etc)?

Answer 78

MasterSpec

Question 79

Prescriptive specification

Answer 79

Instructs the builder in great detail how to build / assembly something. Not to be used at something standard / typical.

Question 80

What is a slip joint?

Answer 80

A vertical full-separation joint for walls

Question 81

What is a construction joint?

Answer 81

A joint resulting from pours happening on different days. For areas where the concrete area is too large and can't be managed in a single pour

Question 82

What is a pole and what is a throw?

Answer 82

Pole = number of physcial switches Throw = number of positions where it is off

Question 83

When an addition is built onto an existing building, how do we upsize the power to account for the new load?

Answer 83

Increase the amperage (wire size). Voltage will remain the same in most renovation cases.

Question 84

How do you determine the R-value of a tapered insulation roof?

Answer 84

Find the average thickness (avg between thickest and thinnest) and multiply by resistivity of the insulation

Question 85

What types of lamps offer the best CRI?

Answer 85

Incandescent and Halogen

Question 86

What type of light does not function well in cold weather?

Answer 86

Fluorescent

Question 87

When the height of a fixture doubles, what happens to the footcandles at the ground plane?

Answer 87

drops by 4x (the new distance squared)

Question 88

What does horizontal reinforcement do for a masonry wall?

Answer 88

Increases the load bearing capacity

Question 89

What is the benefit of low-iron glass?

Answer 89

Clearer that traditional glass (less green)

Question 90

What is the best acoustical intervention between a busy corridor and a conference room

Answer 90

Resilient channels