What Do You Know About Building Construction?
Written by Tony Conrad
Last updated · 13 min play time
Construction is as much a science as an art. This construction quiz will test your knowledge to see if you appreciate architectural marvels.
From the pyramids of ancient Egypt to the Great Wall of China to modern skyscrapers– civilizations are often judged by the size and quality of their buildings. An effective building is elegant and aesthetically pleasing, but it is important to remember that construction is as much a science as an art. The more you know about building techniques and materials, the better you will understand the requisite skill and effort.
Quiz written by
Tony ConradBuilding Construction Quiz Questions
40 Questions · 156.9K Plays · 4 Comments
Question 1
Spray foam and fiberglass can both ______ a building.
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AInsulate
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BReinforce
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CDecorate
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DDemolish
Insulate
Insulation slows or eliminates air flow between a building's exterior and interior.This limits temperature fluctuations inside the building and can make it much more comfortable to be inside.
Question 2
What material are most I-beams made out of?
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ADilithium
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BTransparent aluminum
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CStructural steel
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DMithril
Structural steel
Structural steel is prized for its tensile strenth and ability to span long distances. This ability means fewer support columns are needed and more space is left open for use below while still supporting a mezzanine floor.
Question 3
The building material made out of laminated sheets of wood is called:
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APlywood
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BLumber
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CStudwood
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DTimber
Plywood
Plywood comes in many grades and is accompanied by letters denoting the quality of the exterior surfaces. Grade A being the best grade and D the worst. ACX plywood would have one surface with the A grade, one with a C grade and the X indication it is laminated with exterior glue.
Question 4
Rebar is steel used to reinforce:
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AGravel
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BVinyl
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CWood
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DMasonry and concrete
Masonry and concrete
Solid filled masonry and concrete have excellent compressive strength but poor tensile strength. Steel has excellent tensile strength. Together as a structural material, you get the best of both worlds.
Question 5
Tongue & groove is a method to ______ pieces of wood.
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AExpand
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BShrink
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CCut
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DFit
Fit
Typically used in flooring and siding applications, tongue and grove makes for a stronger seam and more stable surface.
Question 6
Millwork materials come from a:
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AHammermill
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BGristmill
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CWoodmill
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DMillionaire
Woodmill
Millwork includes moldings, doors and flooring produced by a woodmill and then sold to retailers or consumers.
Question 7
What material is most drywall made from?
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AGypsum
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BGranite
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CQuartz
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DPumice
Gypsum
Gypsum is a calcium sulfate that is widely mined and used in drywall, plaster, and as a fertilizer. The United States and Mexico have some of the highest quality gypsum deposits in the world.
Question 8
Other than asphalt, roofing can be made from all of the following except:
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ASlate
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BSpray foam
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CWood
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DMetal
Spray foam
Granted some companies did try spray foam with an elastomeric coating as a roofing material. Lets just say it did not weather very well and removal and re-roofing was rather problematic.
Question 9
Building structures by bending, cutting, and assembling metal is called:
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AFabrication
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BTreatment
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CFraming
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DEngineering
Fabrication
A metal fabrication crew will take drawings and specifications and then make the desired parts from raw materials or assemble those raw materials into the desired form.
Question 10
To be recycled, concrete cannot contain:
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AGravel
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BWater
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CNone of the Above
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DSand
None of the Above
The most common use for recycled concrete is as road base material. The concrete is broken up into small pieces as it is processed for future use.
Question 11
Double-pane windows contain two glass panels that can be separated by a spacer and:
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ASpray foam
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BArgon or krypton gas
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CBoron or freon
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DLusitanian francesinhas
Argon or krypton gas
Double-pane windows are separated by a spacer filled with a moisture absorbing desiccant and may also be separated by vacuum, ambient air, or rare gasses. Argon and krypton gasses help increase the thermal efficiency of an insulated glass unit.
Question 12
Shiplap is usually used for:
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ATermites
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BSiding
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CSoundproofing
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DFireproofing
Siding
Shiplap is installed where one layer overlaps the layer below it. It can be made from milled wood, fiber products and cementitious material. It is most often installed in a horizontal pattern. Cementitious shiplap sidings are fairly lightweight and provide superior fire resistance to a structure.
Question 13
Walls that separate rooms are known as:
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ADividers
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BAesthetic walls
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CParty walls
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DPartition walls
Partition walls
You might have one, several or none of these dividing walls in your home, but if you work in an office, they will likely be everywhere. These non-bearing walls can be fixed or movable, and are made from building materials such as glass, fabric, and masonry.
Question 14
Low-emissivity glass contains a metallic coating that reflects:
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AOzone
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BProjectiles
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CVisible light
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DInfrared and Ultraviolet radiation
Infrared and Ultraviolet radiation
Low-e glass coatings come in two types: passive coatings and solar control coatings. The passive coatings are more effective in cooler, heating dominated climates. The Solar control coated glass is more effective in warmer, air conditioning dominated climates.
Question 15
All of the following materials can be wood stain finishing agents except:
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ALacquer
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BAll of the above
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CShellac
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DPolyurethane
All of the above
Preserving and enhancing the color of the wood stain would lead you to choose one of these three top coats. Each has its own particular niche that would make it a good choice depending on the desired use of the product being finished.
Question 16
Parallel strand lumber is a construction material made out of:
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AStrands of oak
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BParallel bamboo and yew strands
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CSynthetic strands
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DWooden strands held together by adhesive
Wooden strands held together by adhesive
Called a parallam in the trades, it is a high strength composite lumber formed under pressure. It is used for columns and beams where those members will be subject to high weight loads and strong bending stresses. Parallams are not subject to shrinkage or warping as is conventional timber framing.
Question 17
A material that contains gravel, sand and a binding substance is called__________.
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AConcrete
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BCement
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CAdhesive
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DGlue
Concrete
While this formula for concrete is one of the most commonly used today, there are many formulations of concrete. For example, light-weight concrete uses perlite, pumice, or other light material in place of a gravel aggregate and achieves a lighter, more insulated, and more sound resistant finished product.
Question 18
The purpose of patterned textures in stucco is:
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ASoundproofing
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BBricklaying
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CDecoration
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DFireproofing
Decoration
Stucco can provide a tough, durable and fire resistant exterior. The top coat is often applied with various decorative textures and in a large variety of colors. Stucco is used in building styles as varied as Tudor and Spanish colonial.
Question 19
Most mezzanine floors have a frame made from:
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ACopper
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BPig iron
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CCold-rolled steel
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DBronze
Cold-rolled steel
Cold finished steel has greater tensile strength, better dimensional tolerance, and is straighter than hot rolled steel, making it a more desirable building material.
Question 20
______ glass helps to soundproof buildings.
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ALow-E
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BAcoustic
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CFiber
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DStucco
Acoustic
This is a form of laminated glass with a sound dampening core. It may be double pane or contain more layers as required to reduce the incoming decibel level.
Question 21
Which of the following is not a benefit of insulated walls?
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AFireproofing
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BEnergy efficiency
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CPest control
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DAll of the above
All of the above
Installing insulation reduces the ability of outside temperatures to affect your interior temperatures. It makes the wall interiors less hospitable to pests like mice and insects. Certain insulations can also reduce the rate at which fire can spread.
Question 22
What does glue lamination help timber do?
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AEnhance flexibility
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BBear heavier loads
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CStick to other materials
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DIncrease embodied energy
Bear heavier loads
Glue laminated timbers are stress rated, engineered wooden members composed of several laminated boards with parallel running grain. They are very strong and highly durable, stronger in fact and steel beams of comparable weight.
Question 23
Which building material is made primarily of earth and organic substances?
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AFiberglass
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BAdobe
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CCement
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DConcrete
Adobe
Adobe as a building material is defined as mud bricks containing substantial amounts of clay and straw that are dried in the sun. It is a very ancient form of building material. Adobe is very energy efficient, sound resistant and durable.
Question 24
To qualify as Type IV, a building must use:
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AHeavy timber
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BFiberglass
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CSpray foam
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DGypsum
Heavy timber
Type 4 buildings are built using heavy timber. You commonly see this in hunting or ski lodges, and in log cabins. Even though combustible, the thickness of the timbers provides resistance to structural collapse.
Question 25
The horizontal members that are attached to girders in a rib-like pattern are called:
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AFrame
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BH-beam
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CJoists
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DI-beam
Joists
Framing members that support floors on a flat plane are called joists. The beams that support the joists are called girders and those on ascending planes that support roofs and ceilings are called rafters.
Question 26
Passive solar building design uses solar energy to:
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AAbsorb heat
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BGenerate electricity
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CSequester carbon
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DStrengthen the structure
Absorb heat
As mentioned earlier, thermal mass often plays a large part in these designs. Windows that can vary how much of the light spectrum is admitted and/or reflected also play a significant part.
Question 27
Construction using termite-resistant material involves all of the following materials except:
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ASteel mesh
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BBamboo
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CConcrete
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DPressure-treated wood
Bamboo
Termites eat cellulose. Whereas bamboo is not their favorite meal, if left no other options, they will eat it.
Question 28
3-tab asphalt roofing should be replaced approximately every __ years.
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A30
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B10
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C40
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D20
30
3-tab asphalt roofing can have 20, 25, or 30 ratings. Wind and other weather conditions will determine the actual life expectancy of the shingle. Architectural shingles are also made of asphalt but are rated for higher wind exposures and are available in 30, 40, and 50-year ratings.
Question 29
What is hydraulic cement?
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AA cement brand distributed by Hydros, LLC
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BCement that holds moisture
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CCement that is used for hydraulic fracturing
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DCement that hardens by chemical reaction with water
Cement that hardens by chemical reaction with water
Hydraulic cement is a mixture of ground limestone, gypsum and clay that is heated and re-ground. This is mixed with water and other materials to form concrete, mortar, stucco, or grout. Another formulation of hydraulic cement is quick drying and used in waterproofing masonry.
Question 30
Spray-applied fireproof coating protects a building’s:
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AEnergy efficiency
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BVoIP call quality
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CStructural integrity
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DCurb appeal
Structural integrity
Typically applied to steel members, fireproofing will limit the amount of heat the steel is subjected to. Steel will soften and deform if subjected to too much heat. This could lead to a disastrous structural failure.
Question 31
This type of paint helps slow the spread of fire?
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AIntumescent paint
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BInsulated paint
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CLead paint
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DAluminum paint
Intumescent paint
Intumescent coatings swell up to 25 times their original size when subjected to fire. This decrease in density shields the underlying material from the effects of the fire, prevents the underlying material from deforming or being consumed as quickly ,and reduces the risk of structural failure.
Question 32
______ refers to any type of binding material.
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ACement
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BConcrete
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CBinder
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DPaste
Binder
There are many binding materials used to bond different materials together. You probably used rubber cement to repair a book-binding at some point. If you ever mixed any type of concrete, you used a mixture containing hydraulic cement.
Question 33
Thermal mass building materials are materials that can:
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AGrow heavier with heat
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BFacilitate changes in temperature
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CBlock heat
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DStore heat
Store heat
Passive solar systems use thermal mass to achieve a very energy efficient design by using and storing the sun's radiant energy.
Question 34
All of the following are advantages of using rammed earth in construction except:
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AMinimal labor
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BSimplicity
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CCombustion resistance
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DDurability
Minimal labor
One of the most ancient forms of construction that is still used today. Parts of the great wall of China are rammed earth.
Question 35
Thermal barriers slow the spread of:
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AAll of the above
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BTemperature
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CFire
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DSmoke
All of the above
Thermal barriers are a material applied between foam plastics and interior spaces. These are designed to delay the temperature rise of the foam during a fire.
Question 36
A wall that separates two buildings or distinct units within a building is a ______ wall.
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APrivacy
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BParty
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CInsulation
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DFamily
Party
This is a form of occupancy separation wall often found in apartments, duplexes and between tenants in commercial spaces. Party walls must be of fire rated construction to limit damage between units.
Question 37
How tall is the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building?
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A828 meters
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B932 meters
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C781 meters
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D1 kilometer
828 meters
Located in Dubai, this monumental structure was completed in 2009. It consists of 163 floors above ground and 2 below ground parking levels. The building use includes shops, hotels, residences, offices, restaurants and tourist areas.
Question 38
What is the tallest building in the world that is made primarily from concrete?
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AThe Burj Khalifa
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BThe Trump International Hotel & Tower
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CThe Empire State Building
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DThe Torre dos Clérigos
The Trump International Hotel & Tower
At 423 meters, the Trump Tower tops the list of buildings that use reinforced concrete as the main structural elements for horizontal support, vertical support, and floors.
Question 39
Wood-framed buildings are Type:
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AI
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BIII
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CIV
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DV
III
This designation would apply to most single family homes and many light commercial buildings. These buildings can have wood, stucco, and sometimes metal exteriors. Homes with masonry walls and wood framed roofs fall into class 3.
Question 40
High-rise structures are classified as Type _ buildings.
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AIII
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BII
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CI
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DA
II
The fire code breaks down buildings by type and assigns them a rating based on the buildings susceptibility to fire. Type 1 buildings are high rises and classed as fire resistive construction. They are constructed with steel frames that are coated with a fire resistant coating.
Comments (4)
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That was a good quiz 👌
Not tech.enough
Good Questions.
Well done. . .would enjoy deep dive into MEPs , LEED, etc. thanks, Steve