Commercial Technology Exam Revision

COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGY END OF YEAR EXAM REVISION

1. Where would you use a bolt down cage?
a. Where you attach a steel or concrete column to a reinforced concrete
foundation.
2. What are the two types of timber portal frames?
a. Glued Laminated Portal Frames and Solid Timber Portal Frames
3. What are the two ways of connecting a steel portal frame?
a. Rigid connection
b. Flexible connection
4. What would determine the connection method of members of a portal
frame?
5. A flexible connection would be chosen over a fixed connection if there are
heavy loads on the portal frame, which will result in better fire resistance.
6. What type of structure is a suspension bridge?
a. Wide Span Structure
7. When is a purlin not called a purlin?
a. When it is used as a girt NOT SURE OF THIS ANSWER
8. What are the two types of steel purlins?
a. The two types are C and Z
9. Sketch a castellated beam:
a.

10. What are the advantages of a castellated beam?
a. They can be used where wide spans are essential, they are lightweight
and services can be threaded through with ease. They are also very
strong and cost effective.
11. Name 11 wide span structures:
a. Folded Plate Structures, Funicular Polygons, Cable Roof Structures,
Space Frames, Geodesic Domes, Arched Barrel Roof, Vierendeel
Truss, Membranes, Pneumatic Structures, Balloon Roof, Portal Frames
12. Describe the two main categories of piles and describe in detail their
differences between each other:
a. Bearing Piles: The pile penetrates the soil with little or no bearing
value and is driven into the firm strata below.
Friction Piles: The loads of the building are transmitted to the
foundation by frication of the foundation material
13. Describe in detail the 3 methods of testing piles:
a. Dynamic Load: A high strain test method for assessing pile
performance.
b. Static Load: Direct measurement of pile head displacement in the
response to a physically applied test load.
c. Sonic Integrity: A non-destructive test for quickly and economically
checking the integrity or continuity of an installed pile foundation.
14. Not Included

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15. Describe in detail what the advantage of post tensioned concrete is to
insitu reinforced concrete construction: By laying tensioning cables through
a concrete slab about to be poured, you increase it’s strength and durability.
One end of the cables is firmly secured while the other end is loosely hanging
over the edge of the pouring area. Once the slab has been poured, the cables
are cranked tight and then secured.
16. Sketch a connection detail of a steel rafter to a precast concrete panel:

17. What are the two most common types of footing used for tilt-up or
precast concrete wall panels?
a. Strip Footings and Pad Footings
18. Sketch a section detail of a column supporting a band beam and
suspended concrete slab?


19. Why does a Type A construction have a greater FRL requirement to a
Type C construction?
Rise in Stories
Class of Building
2, 3, 9
5, 6, 7, 8
4 or more
A
A
3
A
B
2
B
C
1
C
C
a.
20. Name 3 methods of dewatering a construction site:
a. Continuous Sheet Piling, Coffer Dam or Puddle Walls, Well Point
Drainage System

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