2 - Structure

Which of the following would more likely indicate an active crack?

a) the corners of the crack are chamfered
b) Recent cracking of patching material
c) the crack is horizontal
d) the corners of the crack are rounded
e) the inside of the crack has paint in it

b recent cracking of patching material

All of the following statements are TRUE of truss uplift EXCEPT

a) the best solution to truss uplift is to conceal the movement

b) truss uplift occurs in the winter

c) truss uplift is a cyclical problem

d) truss uplift is a serious structural problem and is very difficult to deal with

e) trusses in well insulated attics are more likely to suffer uplift

d) truss uplift is a serious structural problem and is very difficult to deal with

Columns may settle because

a) the footing is undersized

b) beam spans are too short

c) the footing is too thick

d) beams are oversized

e) the footing is below the basement floor

a

when it comes to resisting wind loads, wood frame walls can be thought of as

a) collar ties on their ends

b) beam spans are too short

c) the footing is too thick

d) beams are oversized

e) the footing is below the basement floor

c) the footing is too thick

Bridging, blocking, and strapping do all of these EXCEPT

a) spread loads among joists

b) allow thinner sheeting

c) prevent joist twisting

d) damp vibration

b) allow thinner sheeting

Wall-framing issues are often tough to identify because wall-framing details are usually concealed

True or False

True

A horizontal fracture in the foundation

a) reduces the foundation's ability to resist soil pressure

b) is a shrinkage crack

c) is not as serious as a vertical crack

d) cannot be caused by adfreezing

e) is usually a footing failure

a) reduces the foundation's ability to resist soil pressure

Sills forces that are primarily:

a) compression perpendicular to the grain

b) tension perpendicular to the grain

c) compression parallel to the grain

d) tension parallel to the grain

a) compression perpendicular to the grain

Solid masonry walls typically need

a) foundations and footings

b) vented rain screens

c) buttresses

d) pilasters

e) wide soffits

a) foundations and footings

When lowering a basement floor, if the soil is excavated only to the bottom of the footing (i.e. not below the footing), which problem may have been created?

a) insufficient footing width

b) lost lateral support for the footing

c) Disturbed soil below footing

d) inadequate end bearing for floor joists

e) excessive grade height

b) lost lateral support for the footing

A buttress

a) resists vertical forces primarily

b) resists lateral thrust

c) is a type of footing

d) is used with Step footings

e) is not effective in freezing climates

b) resists lateral thrust

Which walls will get taller over time

a) wood frame

b) log

c) concrete block

d) brick

e) poured concrete

d) Brick

The best way to determine whether a crack is active is

a) determine whether the cracks go through the masonry units or the mortar joints

b) if the crack is greater than quarter inch/0.6 cm, it is active

c) determine how many planes of movement there are

d) monitor the crack over time

e) if the cracks form an inverted pyramid, they are active

d) monitor the crack over time

While inspecting the exterior of the house you notice there is a gap between the soffit and exterior wall. The Gap is wider neither midpoint of the wall and closes to nothing at the corner. Which of the following conditions would you expect?

a) Rafters not adequately attached at the Ridge board

b) ceiling joists not tying opposing rafter bottoms together properly

c) purlins not continuous and inadequate splice at the joint

d) rot or insect attack at the soffit

e) Rafters resting on toes rather than heels

b) ceiling joists not tying opposing rafter bottoms together properly

It is acceptable for wood I-joists to lean against each other at the peak the way rafters can

a) True

b) False

b) False

All of these are common joist issues EXCEPT:

Sagging.

Deterioration.

Over spanning.

Joists running parallel to walls below.

Joists running parallel to walls below.

Sills plates not properly anchored are most likely to allow the house to move off its foundations

when the house if is vacant

during construction

if the live loads exceed the design load within the house

during winter months

if the house is located on the side of a hill

during construction

Differential settlement is

when one part of the house settles and the rest does not

settlement that occurs at a control joint

the cause of all horizontal foundation cracks

associated with shrinkage cracks

never a problem in organic soils

when one part of the house settles and the rest does not

The sub-flooring material most likely to fail by swelling is:

Wafer-board.

LVL.

plywood.

Plank.

Wafer-board.

Horizontal cracks in foundation walls are usually caused by all of the following EXCEPT

improper backfilling

soil pressure

frost

sinking footings

hydrostatic pressure

sinking footings

Solid masonry walls typically need all of these EXCEPT

corbelling

arches or lintels over openings

a way to hold the wythes together

mortar

lateral support

corbelling

Joists notched at their end are weaker than normal joists:

True

False

True

Common truss problems include all of the following EXCEPT

poor end bearing

missing webs

buckled webs

weak connectors

water damage

water damage

Sills may do all of the following EXCEPT

be sealed to minimize air leakage

provide a level surface for wall and floor construction

act as the structural support for framing over basement windows

anchor the superstructure to the foundation

provide a nailing surface for floor joists

act as the structural support for framing over basement windows

Sagging floors:

Indicate undersized sub flooring.

Indicate foundation failure.

Can be reinforced by sistering.

May result from truss uplift.

Can be reinforced by sistering.

Most concrete foundation cracks occur at

wall/floor intersections

changes in foundation height

wall/wall intersections

beam pockets

window corners

changes in foundation height

Purlins are

horizontal members supporting the rafters

part of the framing of a truss roof system

part of the framing of a raised foundation

part of the framing of a fireplace

none of the above

horizontal members supporting the rafters

Walls may perform all of these functions EXCEPT

provide chases for wires and pipes

resist racking

accommodate thermal insulation

act as supply ductwork for heating systems

support exterior and interior finishes

act as supply ductwork for heating systems

Brick ties are

usually aluminum

fastened to studs

visible

fastened to ribbon boards

fastened to sheathing

fastened to studs

In which situation are you most likely to see settlement cracks?

houses with stone or brick foundations

houses built on coarse gravel

houses built on re-claimed land

houses built with slab-on-grade construction

houses built in an area with a very low water table

houses built on re-claimed land

All of the following are dead loads EXCEPT the weight of the

shingles on the roof

structure above the foundation

foundation

snow

soil surrounding the foundation

snow

The top of a column should be:

bonded to a beam with adhesive

fitted with shims for future adjustment

nailed to at least two joists

at least as wide as the beam above it

supported by a diagonal bridging or blocking

at least as wide as the beam above it

One function of floor joists may be to:

Laterally support masonry walls.

Laterally support columns.

Vertically support beams.

Vertically support foundations.

Laterally support masonry walls.

The cause of truss uplift is best explained by

differential humidity levels within the attic

insufficient attic insulation

using kiln dried lumber

improperly attaching drywall to the ceiling of the top floor

mixing different types of trusses in an attic space

differential humidity levels within the attic

It is acceptable to notch a bird's mouth into the bottom plate of an I-joist:

True

False

False

Floor structures may experience what kinds of loads?

live and dead loads

horizontal loads only

vertical loads only

compression loads

live loads only

live and dead loads

Wood floor trusses:

Cannot be supported by beams.

Typically have longer spans than dimensional lumber.

Are often referred to as scissor trusses.

Should always be fire-cut.

Typically have longer spans than dimensional lumber.

Which LEAST load may Floor structures experience?

Compression loads.

Live and dead loads.

Vertical loads.

Horizontal loads.

Compression loads.

The white powder like substance commonly found on foundation walls, as shown, is known as?

Peeling paint

Eppervescence

Effervescence

Efflorescence

Efflorescence

With wood frame walls, the lintel size is independent of the number of stories above:

True

False

False

Which of the following statements is TRUE of a settlement crack?

settlement cracks do not usually have corresponding cracks elsewhere in the building

settlement cracks will occur at weak spots in the foundation wall

control joints are used to prevent settlement cracks from developing

settlement cracks typically do not extend into footings

settlement cracks typically do not go all the way up into the structure above

settlement cracks will occur at weak spots in the foundation wall

Which statement is TRUE?

insulation and ventilation cannot affect the structure of a roof

increasing the insulation makes the attic warmer

if you increase the insulation level in a roof, you should decrease the ventilation

if the attic has too much ventilation, the attic space can freeze and damage the structure

if the attic is cold, warm, moist air leaking into the attic from the house will condense more quickly

if the attic is cold, warm, moist air leaking into the attic from the house will condense more quickly

Common column materials include all of these EXCEPT

steel

masonry

wood

concrete

plywood

plywood

A cold joint is

a result of pouring the concrete when the temperature is below the freezing point

deliberate crack built into the foundation to allow for concrete shrinkage

a weakened joint in concrete blocks caused by installing the concrete block upside down

a joint between concrete blocks where insufficient mortar thickness was used - this joint will be substantially reduced in strength

a result of pouring the concrete foundation at two separate times

a result of pouring the concrete foundation at two separate times

Cracks in brick walls

should always be caulked

always indicate foundation movement

are common

always require repair

always need a structural engineer's analysis

are common

The masonry veneer is a load-bearing part of the structure:

True or False

False

A lack of fire stopping in a platform framed house is most common

on interior walls

at electrical chases

on exterior walls

at electrical chases

around chimneys and pipes

in 3 story homes

?? Not A

Joints in ceiling joists should be securely spliced

to provide a supporting surface for the purlins

to Prevent rafter sag

because if they are firmly attached, collar ties are not required

to Prevent truss uplift

to prevent rafter spread

to prevent rafter spread

Step footings are:

used for underpinning

required when lowering the basement floor below the original footing depth

often used on houses built on sloped lots

required for exterior stairs

the same as bench footings

often used on houses built on sloped lots

Which comment best describes the white powdery deposit that is seen in the image? (Image was showing efflorescence)

That water is currently or has penetrated through the product leaving chemical salt deposits.

It is an indication that moisture that has been in contact with the concrete at interior areas only.

It is an indication of humid areas.

It is fungal growth.

That water is currently or has penetrated through the product leaving chemical salt deposits.

Footing failures can MOST positively be diagnosed by

vertical cracking in foundation walls

bowing foundation walls

basement leakage

sagging floors

horizontal cracking above windows

vertical cracking in foundation walls

Rafter spread can be visually identified by

cracks in the rafters

cracking of interior wall finishes below and parallel to the ceiling joists

a gap between soffit and exterior wall

a wavy appearance to the roof

bUCkIing collar ties

a gap between soffit and exterior wall

Bearing walls and partition walls are built in substantially the same way:

True

False

True

Girts/blocking in a bearing wall are necessary if there is

no finish on either side of the wall

no masonry veneer

only plywood siding on one side of the wall and nothing on the other

only drywall on one side of the wall and nothing on the other

only waferboard sheathing on one side of the wall and nothing on the other

no finish on either side of the wall

Nails should do all of the following EXCEPT

be corrosion resistant in damp environments

have one half their depth go into the second piece of wood

be nailed as close to the edge of the wood as possible to minimize warping and twisting

be staggered to reduce the chance of splitting

be working in shear rather than tension wherever possible

be nailed as close to the edge of the wood as possible to minimize warping and twisting

Rust on steel columns is

due to metal fatigue induced by expansion and contraction

usually found at the top

only common on outdoor columns

usually found at the bottom

rarely a problem

usually found at the bottom

Where you have found evidence of footing settlement, how can you predict whether there will be further settlement?

determine the depth of the footing

determine when cracks were repaired last

count the number of planes of movement

you cannot predict settlement from a single inspection

determine the type of foundation material

you cannot predict settlement from a single inspection

The span of a rafter is defined as the

horizontal projection of the rafters from one side of the house to the other side

distance from the exterior house wall to the ridge board

distance from the center of one rafter to the center of the next; most commonly 40 centimetres (16 inches)

length of the rafter from the collar tie to the ridge board

horizontal projection from one support to another

horizontal projection from one support to another

When MUST you go into crawl spaces?

When you suspect there may be an issue within.

When headroom is greater than 760mm (30 inches).

When it is not dangerous and you will not damage anything.

Wherever you can physically fit.

When it is not dangerous and you will not damage anything.

All of the following could indicate spreading rafters EXCEPT

cracks in interior ceilings running perpendicular to the outside walls

sag in roof or ridge

top of exterior wall bowed out

gap between the soffit and the exterior wall

all of the above could indicate rafter spread

?? Not E