Building Construction Flashcards
1
Q
What converts DC to AC current in a building from PV roof panels
A
an Inverter
2
Q
What is it that ultimately puts out the fire?
A
GPM Delivered
3
Q
Easily disintegrated construction elements for blast protection are called
A
Friable
4
Q
The key to patient safety in hospitals is to move the patient ____ not ______
A
Horizontally
Vertically
5
Q
What is the main source of fuel in a well-involved room
fire?
A
Content
6
Q
Top and Bottom chords are parallel and used for roofs and floors
A
Parallel-chord truss
7
Q
________ construction is sustainable construction
A
Green
8
Q
At what nozzle pressure is the constant-gallonage usually
designed to deliver a specified gallonage?
A
100psi
9
Q
Stairwell support operations firefighters should be staged
A
Every 2 floors to shuttle equipment
10
Q
Wind load is an example of a _____ force
A
Flexural
11
Q
Rapid oxidation reaction that produces heat and visible light
A
Fire
12
Q
What is the key determinant of whether a compartment reaches flashover
A
Heat Release Rate
13
Q
What specifies the load design for specific types of buildings
A
Building code
14
Q
Corridors in hospitals and nursing homes are a minimum of
A
8 feet wide to accommodate width of rolling hospital beds
15
Q
Pallet storage systems provide as much as ____ times the surface area as boxes stacked solid
A
36
16
Q
Hospitals and nursing homes have what in common
A
They are both home to numerous non ambulatory people
17
Q
Fire Safety issues are dealt with by ______ building and fire codes
A
Local
18
Q
Structural steel is made of
A
Iron and carbon
19
Q
A structural member that transmits a compressive force along a straight path in the direction of the member
A
Column
20
Q
Made of wood, frames for poured concrete
A
Falsework/formwork
21
Q
Unprotected steel rods and cables fail at _____
A
800 degrees
22
Q
On average how many FF are killed annually in the line of duty
A
100
23
Q
Most fire codes require a _________ and _________ at a factory
A
Hazardous materials management plan (HMMP, explains how the materials are to be safely used and stored)
Hazardous Materials inventory statement (HMIS, lists the materials present)
24
Q
Fire Dept’s should regularly drill on
A
Evacuating a structure for collapse
25
Impact loads are
Loads delivered in a short time
26
All walls are inherently ______
Unstable
27
If a wall is being breached and is found to be stronger than normal:
Choose another spot, you’re probably under a concentrated load
28
Winds over _____ must be considered from a tactical standpoint
10-20mph
29
2 x 10 exposed solid wood joists last ____ minutes under fire
18
30
Who stated to take no risk for what is already lost?
Alan brunacini
31
Top and bottom members of a truss are called
Chords
32
What is the concentrated load rating given to all roof
surfaces subject to maintenance workers in the Building
Construction and Safety Code?
300 pounds
33
Prevents passengers from opening an elevator door between floors, activates _____ inches above or below the landing area
Door restrictor, 18 inches
34
As a rule of thumb, how many lengths of hose should be
stretched for each floor above or below the level that the
fire is on to avoid stretching short?
One
35
Wind on a highrise with a broken window on the leeward side can cause a
Suction effect
36
What is a beam that spans an opening in a masonry wall?
Lintel
37
Elevator operators should stop how many floors to check conditions
Every 5 floors
38
What makes a load-bearing wall more stable than a
| non-load-bearing wall?
Super imposed load
39
At what ppm will CO be potentially fatal with one breath
12,500ppm
40
What does Chief Alan Brunacini say is the hardest thing to
| do?
Put a firefighter in reverse
41
What are signs of a metal deck roof fire
Dripping tar
| Blue Flames
42
What is Branniganism
Undress the building when analyzing how and where the fire will spread in the building
43
NFPA 5000
Building construction and safety code
44
Usual height limit of a garden style apartment is
3 stories, although 4 is becoming more common place
45
In the typical downtown business or commercial building, the side walls are typically the ______ walls whereas the front and back walls are typically _______
Load Bearing, non load-bearing
46
Diaphragm floors are
Designed to stiffen the highrise building against wind and lateral loads such as earthquakes
47
In which fire stage are most of the elements needed for a
| successful indirect attack present?
Third
48
Warmer interior air to a cold exterior, smoke travels upwards through vertical shafts until it hits the neutral zone then travels out onto floors and pressurizes, spreading downward
Winter stack effect
49
How often are Fire Codes and building codes updated by NFPA and ICC
Every 3 years
50
Limits the size of any building based on the type of construction and occupancy group type
Building codes
51
What are the 2 types of elevators
Hydraulic piston and electric cable
52
Shear is
Occurs within a building member when opposing forces pull the member in opposite directions such as wind loads
53
Timber is _____ or more inches of nominal thickness
5
54
In international building code, building classifications are given ____ instead of names
Numbers
55
Taxpayers are
Early strip malls
56
How long is the ceiling-level attack performed during a
| combination attack on a fire in the free-burning stage?
5-10 seconds
57
What are the 2 ways to carry the wall above an opening
Arches and beams (lintels)
58
Thermoplastics can produce
Flaming, dripping plastic which can produce secondary fires
59
_____ transfer dictates how a fire spreads
Heat transfer
60
Where should work be performed from when asked to clear
| pooled water from a roof?
Ground ladder
61
3 most common gases in smoke
CO, hydrogen cyanide, carbon dioxide
62
Relates the hazards of the building and the type of occupants
Occupancy classification
63
What are 2 liquid particulates found in smoke
Acrolein and halogen acids
64
Where are the connections made when a suspended load is
| being used?
Overhead area
65
What length frontage can a 75-foot (23-meter) elevated
platform cover if it is able to operate in front of the
building?
100 feet
66
What is the most prevalent of smoke gases
CO
67
Transfer loads from the structural element to another
Connections
68
Steel rebar added to concrete at points where tensile stresses develops creates
Composite material
69
What is a beam that supports other beams?
Girder
70
In a collapse, most of the victims will be where at a concrete construction site
On top of the false work
71
Overhanging beam projects beyond its support but not as far as a _____
Cantilever
72
Traditional sprinkler systems have an inability to respond and control a fire more than ______ feet below the sprinkler
150
73
Correct language not only conveys the characteristics of the building but also the ______
Hazards
74
By code definition, ordinary construction buildings are:
Non-fire resistive, they have no designed resistance to collapse in a fire
75
Closely spaced high-rise buildings can create a ______ effect, increasing wind velocity as it squeezes through the narrow opening
Canyon effect
76
Places engineered stresses in architectural and structural concrete to offset the stresses that occur in the concrete when it is under load
Pre-stressing
77
Of the three types of collapse in wood frame buildings, which is the most dangerous
Inward/outward collapse because it gives no warning and can result in simultaneous collapse of 2or more sides
78
ASTM E-119 is
Fire resistance tests
79
When filtered through to ______ natural gas can lose its artificial odorant
Soil/ground
80
Compressive connecting members of a truss are called
Struts
81
Core construction is
Internally braced high rises
82
Rigid frames can stan up to
100 feet
83
Top and bottoms of an I beam are called ______ and the stem is called
Flanges, web
84
A group of PV modules is known as an
Array
85
Regardless of exterior construction, the interior construction of a garden-style apartment is almost totally
Constructed of wood
86
Torque is
A turning force
87
What building classification is the most resistant to collapse and its contents do not contribute to fire
Fire-Resistive
88
If steel is restrained at its ends when its elongating at 1000 degrees what happens
It will buckle or overturn
89
Building code regulations concerning schools have been shaped by one particular fire:
The Our Lady of Angels Fire in Chicago, 1958
90
Modern bunker gear can withstand temperatures above _____
220 degrees
91
What is the recommended flow rate for most commercial
| occupancies today?
0.35 gpm per sq foot
92
Produced by a chemical reaction of Portland cement (primarily limestone) and water to which in turn materials called aggregates are added
Concrete
93
school hall widths are larger than normal, typically
6 feet wide
94
What happens to the load carrying capacity when a column
| is braced at the midpoint?
4 times more than initially
95
Building codes specify _______ systems are to be installed and standards specify _______ the system is to be designed and installed
Where, how
96
Thermosets are
Plastics that char and burn but do not flow
97
In tilt-slab construction what holds the concrete wall panels in place
Roof
98
How many firefighters died in Worcester cold storage warehouse fire in 1999
6
99
Which organization/agency provides information on firefighter deaths and how they occurred
NIOSH
100
Like hospitals, jails are considered
Institutional occupancies
101
What type of fog pattern should be directed into a small
| opening in a window when utilizing an indirect attack?
30 percent
102
If not evacuating completely out of the building occupants should be moved where
5 floors below the fire and sheltered in place
103
When do steel members fail completely
1300 degrees
104
Heavy volumes of boiling smoke that persists even after the visible fire is well controlled means
Fire in a void
105
Ammonia can burn in concentrations as low as
16%
106
When a layer of air in a highrise is warmer than the air below it the condition is caused
Pause
107
Heat impinging on the roof components create a self-sustaining fire from the gasses given off by the tar
Metal deck roof fire
108
What standpipe system is typically at a covered mall
Class 1 system at the entrance to each corridor and exit passageway
109
Structural walls that are common to two buildings
Party wall
110
Maximum height of noncombustible structures
12 stories
111
ASTM stands for
American Society for testing and materials
112
Dead load is
Weight of the building itself and whatever is permanently attached
113
Idle Pallet storage is
Pallets without the product on them
114
Think of ventilation holes as
Exit holes
115
A Load is
An external force that acts on a structure
116
Where fire separations exist in ordinary construction, in the attic spaces they are often _____ or _______
Imperfect or nonexistent
117
Correct language not only conveys the characteristics of the building, but also the _____
Hazards
118
What regulates the level and amount of fire protection in a new structure
Building Code
119
Fire growth and spread are greatly influenced by:
Building construction
120
What is the chief virtue of concrete
Its high compressive strength and low cost
121
Wall that projects above the roof line
Parapet wall
122
Regulates the actual design and construction of new buildings
Building code
123
Last stone placed in an arch center top
Keystone
124
Aluminum front store door as with glass panels needs what method of entry
Through the lock
125
What is the most important metal used in building construction
Steel
126
Which consideration will probably have the greatest effect
| on the fire when putting a line into operation?
Ultimate destination
127
On a metal deck roof fire, only what will prevent the tar from generating gas
Continuous application of water on the underside of the roof
128
What is the distance between the top of one window and the bottom of the one above called
Spandrel space
129
Which method of fire attack serves to not disturb the
| thermal balance in the room too severely?
Combination
130
How many gallons per minute for every 100 square feet of
| space is required for a fire in a high-fire-load-area?
60
131
What type of wall is very dependent on the roof for stability
Precast concrete
132
What may be a clue to a wooden parallel-chord truss roof with attic space
Dormer Windows
133
Nominal Thickness is
The thickness of the lumber prior to drying in a kiln at the lumber mill
134
Fireproofing is applied to meet the standards of
The local building code
135
Hurricane bracing is
Strategically place metal straps to hold roofs in place and bolts to hold the frame to the foundation
136
In a modern office building, what percent or more of the floor volume is located in the ceiling void above the drop ceiling
25 percent
137
Building owners are sometimes less interested in the material of construction than in
Speed and cost of construction
138
Atria that are _____ feet tall do not require sprinklers at the highest level
55
139
What should the objective of the first hoseline placed at
| a heavy fire in a one-story strip mall be?
Cut off/ confine the fire
140
One of the fire protection advantages of concrete construction is its lack of inherent
Voids
141
PV roof panels generate what type of current
Direct Current
142
What are shear walls for
Resist lateral loads from wind and earthquakes
143
Structural steel fails at
1000-1100 degrees
144
What became a serious competitor to steel as a construction material in the post WW2 era
Reinforced concrete
145
What is an inherent part of ordinary construction
Void spaces
146
What does water weigh
8.34 pounds
147
The inversion layer of a highrise is
The layer of air that acts as a roof to rising smoke
148
Old water soluble mortar used in between bricks until Portland cement mortar was invented
Sand-Lime Mortar
149
2 basic types of fire resistive construction:
Reinforced concrete buildings
| Structural Steel buildings
150
In modern high-rise fires, fire operations usually are on what floors
Fire floor, floor above, and 2 floors below (staging)
151
Steel heated to 1,000 degrees elongates ______ per 100 feet
9.5 inches
152
Roughly what percent of fire deaths occur in residential
| buildings?
75%
153
Axial vs eccentric load
Both are perpendicular to the plane of the section but axial is centered, eccentric is not centered
154
A continuous beam is supported
At 3 or more points
155
Used above openings and windows to support the downward force of the wall above them
Lintels
156
What type of load is represented by a rolling bridge crane
| in an industrial plant?
Repeated
157
Non load-bearing enclosing walls on framed buildings
Panel (1 story) or curtain walls (curtain are more than 1 story)
158
Passageway, usually vertical, cut into a masonry wall for a pipe or conduit, can create a plane of weakness in the wall and assist in failure or fire spread
Chase
159
Fire is always looking for the path of _____ ______
Least resistance
160
Underground stilts for buildings built on weak soil
Piles and caissons
161
Vertical shaft with windows that provides light and ventilation to enclosed rooms
Light well
162
When are the forces in a truss reversed
When its cantilevered
163
Ignition temperature of carbon monoxide is
1,128 degrees
164
Void spaces need to be checked immediately after the fire is extinguished to stop or minimize
Structural involvement
165
What is the first tactic that should be attempted when you
| suspect that a backdraft explosion is possible?
Ventilate the affected area
166
Prefabricated sections are combined to build a structure
Modular construction
167
There is a radically different situation from a fire that involves the ______ and that involves the _______.
Structure, Content
168
Top chord of a truss is under
Compression
169
When there is a temperature difference between the outside and the inside temperatures
Stack effect
170
What is the minimum number of points that the continuous
| beam is supported?
3
171
What is the minimum amount of hose that even relatively
| small commercial buildings can require?
300
172
Large vertical voids that pass through multiple floors
Atria
173
An exterior collapse will usually cause
An interior collapse
174
Generation of carbon monoxide can be ______ times greater in a void space
50 times
175
When the end of the joist is cut off at an angle to permit the joist to fall out of the wall without damaging the wall under fire conditions
Fire cut
176
One of the results in reducing the amount of concrete in high-rise buildings is a loss of valuable
Heat sink
177
A truss is a type of beam that consists of a _____ or group of _______ arranged in a single plane
Triangle, triangles
178
Principal life safety question in any building is not its height but the _______ it takes occupants to reach a _________ environment
Time
| Safe
179
Stairways in modern high rises are typically what type
Scissor stairs (2 stairways in the same shaft)
180
Fire service access elevators are found in buildings
More than 120 feet in height
181
A wall column is designed
To stiffen the wall and support the concentrated load above it
182
Bowstring truss thrust is ______
Outward
183
A firefighter stepping onto a roof as lightly as possible still imposes a momentary load on the roof at least _______ his or her resting weight
Twice
184
Gravity Resistance System is
All the structural elements and the connections that support and transfer the loads
185
When fresh air is drawn into the fire from the doorway is drawn into the fire itself
Entrainment
186
Without a ______, FF are reduced to reacting to a fire rather than being prepared for it
Prefire plan
187
On ordinary construction what is necessary to prevent the a structure from becoming involved
Rapid deployment of an interior line to the seat of the fire
188
How should firefighters move when advancing the hoseline
| into the fire area?
Duckwalk
189
With regards to pre-stressing, _____________ is done at the concrete plant, ________ is done at the job site
Pre-tensioning, post-tensioning
190
Tube Construction is
Externally bracing a high rise building for wind and lateral loads
191
When formwork busts its usually at
The bottom
192
Combustible multiple dwellings such as modern row houses and townhouses and similar structures are called
Garden style apartments
193
Brick height is limited because the walls _____ in thickness as the ______ increases
Increase, height
194
Most common example of the ordinary construction
One story strip mall
195
Strip mall with steel bar joists and a built up roof can be subject to what type of fire
Metal deck roof fire
196
A 1,000 gpm master stream will potentially add how much weight over what timeline
4 tons in 1 minute
197
Why type of collapse is a particular hazard in the construction of concrete frame especially following a lateral impact load
Progressive Collapse
198
Concrete is
A mix of Portland cement, water, and aggregates
199
Bottom chord of a truss is under
Tension
200
Tensile connecting members of a truss are called
Ties
201
Fire walls are example of what type of fire protection
Passive
202
Bowstring truss roofs get their name from
The curved shape of the top chord
203
CO may be hazardous at a 10 minute exposure to what level CO
3500 ppm
204
What often provides the first warning of fires
Smoke
205
A simple beam is supported
At 2 points near its ends
206
Row of bricks turned end on end across the wall and tie it together
Headers
207
How many gallons of steam does each gallon of water
| convert to when fully vaporized during an indirect attack?
1500-2000
208
Large expanse area detector with a single light beam to detect smoke at the top of an atrium
Projected Beam Detectors
209
Cold smoke that falls downward due to cold interior and a hot exterior
Summer stack effect
210
Carbon monoxide flammability range
12.5-74 %
211
In what does a large part of the problem rest when a fire
| is allowed to extend beyond the structure of origin?
Failure to conduct an ongoing size up
212
Fire codes call for firefighter access doors every ____ feet in high-piled stock warehouses
100
213
What is wood that’s 2 inches or less of nominal thickness
Board
214
Modern design often emphasizes an uncluttered _______, with everything packed to the ______
Exterior, core
215
Which operating mode tends to be the best choice in
| situations where there is a possibility of BLEVE?
No attack
216
What building feature can be used to find the fire room
when there is a blackout condition in an apartment
building?
Doors
217
What can be identified by the direction of the trusses on steel frames
The direction the steel will elongate and highest risk of wall collapse in that direction
218
Regulates the use of existing buildings
Fire code
219
Steel is a good _______ ________, can transmit via conduction through walls to combustible materials
Thermal conductor
220
Dimensional lumber is _______ nominal thickness
2-4inches
221
Steels ____ strength is equal to its tensile strength but shear strength is _____ of its tensile strength
Compressive, 3/4
