CM - 131: Wood and Masonry Construction Midterm Review

Comprehensive practice flashcard set covering foundational principles, materials, foundation engineering, wood technology, framing systems, and building enclosures from the CM-131 Midterm Study Guide.

Which of the following is not considered a legal constraint faced by an architect or engineer during building design: building codes, environmental codes, cost of borrowing money, or zoning ordinances?

Cost of borrowing money

What primary area of building design and construction does the LEED rating system address?

Sustainability in design and construction

What type of regulatory document is the International Building Code (IBC)?

A building code

According to the U.S. Green Building Council, what percentage range of global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions is attributable to buildings?

$$30\% \text{ to } 40\%$$

How is environmental information regarding recycled material content typically provided in product documentation?

It is self-declared by the manufacturer.

What life cycle stage is included in a cradle-to-grave LCA analysis but excluded from a cradle-to-gate analysis?

Product disposal

In which project delivery method is construction firm expertise typically introduced latest in the planning process?

Design/bid/build

Under which contractual payment arrangement does the building owner assume the highest cost risk?

Cost plus a fee

What characterizes building design completion in a phased construction schedule?

Building design may not be complete before construction begins.

What does the critical path of a construction schedule represent?

The fastest time in which a project can be completed.

Which construction approach does not contribute to lean construction practices: streamlined workflows, sequential construction, decentralized decisions, or BIM?

Sequential construction

What is Building Information Modeling (BIM)?

A data-rich digital building model

Post-construction building settlement is likely to be greatest when the foundation bears on which soil type?

Clay

In which region of the United States are base isolators most commonly installed within foundation systems?

Southern California

Which deep foundation system is specified when bearing strata or bedrock lies at a great depth, such as $300\,\text{feet}$ below the surface?

Friction piles

What process refers to strengthening, stabilizing, or deepening the foundations of an existing structure?

Underpinning

What type of settlement occurs when one side of a building's footing rests on clay and the other rests on dense sand and gravel?

Differential settlement

Earth reinforcing techniques are commonly used as an economical alternative to which retaining system?

Conventional retaining walls

Slurry walls are primarily associated with which building subsystem?

Deep foundations

Which load is typically excluded when performing standard foundation design calculations?

Water in pipes

Which material is suitable for supporting building foundations: peat, gravel, topsoil, or organic soils?

Gravel

Why is relying solely on the watertightness of concrete walls and floors considered inadequate for basement waterproofing?

Concrete alone is not inherently waterproof and can crack or permit moisture penetration without external membranes or treatments.

What type of wood shrinkage causes the radial cracks or checks shown in this log cross-section?

Tangential shrinkage

Scarf joints and finger joints are predominantly used in the manufacture of which engineered wood product?

Laminated wood (glulam)

For the nominal $2 \times 6$ cross section shown, what is the most nearly measured actual perimeter?

$$14\,\text{inches}$$

Which statement is not a reason structural wood panels are preferred over solid boards for rough framing operations?

Panels have a more pleasing grain pattern than solid wood boards do.

What statement regarding glue-laminated beams compared to sawn beams is false according to the midterm guide?

Laminated beams are more dimensionally stable than sawn beams.

What condition is verified when a piece of lumber bears the grade stamp 'S-DRY'?

The piece of lumber was surfaced when in a seasoned condition (moisture content of $19\%$ or less).

What classification is given to sawn lumber whose smallest cross-sectional dimension exceeds $5\frac{1}{2}\,\text{inches}$?

Timber

Why is plainsawed lumber not typically selected for high-end finish flooring, fine furniture, and interior trim?

It is susceptible to distortion and uneven wear during seasoning compared to quartersawn wood.

What term defines the orientation along the long axes of longitudinal wood cells?

Direction of grain

Which property is not an advantage of manufactured wood I-joists over traditional dimension lumber?

They are more fire resistant than conventional dimensional lumber.

Laminated veneer lumber (LVL), parallel strand lumber (PSL), and laminated strand lumber (LSL) belong to what family of wood products?

Structural composite lumber products

How are stressed skin panels (SSPs) and structural insulated panels (SIPs) categorized in building construction?

Premanufactured wood building components

Which nail finish or fabrication method provides the highest level of long-term corrosion resistance for exterior applications?

Hot-dipped galvanized

What material is standardly used to produce joist hangers, rafter anchors, post caps, and framing clips?

Sheet metal (light gauge steel)

What is the primary structural application of oriented strand board (OSB) in light wood frame construction?

Wall sheathing (as well as roof and floor sheathing)

What structural characteristic correctly describes the cellular anatomy of softwoods?

Softwoods have a simple and uniform microstructure.

Which native North American wood species exhibits high natural resistance to decay and insect attack?

Western red cedar

How does quartersawn lumber compare in performance to plainsawed lumber?

Quartersawn wood is more dimensionally stable than plainsawn wood.

What is the technical definition of wood moisture content (MC)?

The ratio of the mass of water in the wood to its oven-dry mass.

At what stage does wood undergo physical dimensional shrinkage?

When its bound water within the cell walls begins to dry out (below the fiber saturation point).

What primary factors influence the structural load-carrying capacity of wood framing members?

Species choice, angle between applied load and wood grain, presence of growth defects (like knots), and duration of load application.

Which statement regarding cross-laminated timber (CLT) is false?

Lumber grade is uniform throughout a CLT panel.

What raw constituent provides the bulk wood component in wood-plastic composite (WPC) products?

Wood fibers

How are structural joints in light residential roof trusses typically connected and assembled?

Dimension lumber joined using toothed metal gang-nail plates.

What economic advantage do factory-built modular homes typically offer compared to custom site-built houses of equivalent size?

They are typically cheaper to construct.

Why are the ends of heavy timber beams seated in exterior masonry pockets cut with an angular 'firecut'?

To allow the burning beam to rotate cleanly out of the wall pocket without toppling the masonry wall during a structural fire.

How does Type IV-HT (Heavy Timber) construction achieve its required passive fire-resistance ratings?

By specifying prescribed minimum wood cross-sectional dimensions so that an insulating char layer protects the internal core.

Which decking configuration is prohibited in Type IV-HT (Heavy Timber) construction due to fire-propagation hazards?

Box beams (joists with planking applied on both top and bottom creating concealed hollow cavities)

What assemblies serve as common lateral force-resisting systems in heavy timber buildings?

Knee braces, diagonal timber braces, and structural elevator/stair shaft shear walls.

What installation condition is not permitted for cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels without weather-protective cladding?

CLT cannot be left fully exposed on the exterior of a building.

How are MEP services (piping and wiring) routed through heavy timber buildings lacking concealed stud bays?

They are either housed in a furred space between structural walls and finishes or routed exposed on interior surfaces.

What is the primary function of batter boards during building site layout?

They provide reference marks and hold layout strings for builders during foundation excavation and formwork placement.

Which wall framing assembly is prohibited from use as a structural fire wall?

Wood studs with plywood sheathing

In platform wood framing, which horizontal structural members receive bridging to prevent lateral rotation and distribute concentrated loads?

Floor joists

What framing component is anchored directly to concrete foundation walls using embedded anchor bolts?

Sill plates (mud sills)

Which light wood framing member is routinely required to be pressure preservative treated?

The sill plate in contact with concrete or masonry

In this elevation view of a rough window opening, which letter identifies the header?

D

Hips and valleys are geometric framing components associated with which building subsystem?

Roofs

What category of technical construction drawing is depicted in this plan?

A framing plan

What structural element prevents rectangular exterior wood stud walls from racking under lateral loads?

Exterior structural sheathing (such as OSB or plywood)

What is the key structural distinction between traditional balloon framing and modern platform framing?

In balloon framing, wall studs run continuously from the foundation sill up to the roof rafters, whereas platform framing builds each floor atop the floor platform below.

In this roof framing diagram, which letter denotes the sloped rafter?

A

On which side of a concrete basement foundation wall is asphaltic dampproofing most commonly applied?

On the outside face of the basement wall

What design strategies are acceptable for managing thermal performance in residential crawlspaces and basements?

Insulating the inside of foundation walls, insulating the outside of foundation walls, or leaving the space uninsulated with dedicated passive ventilation.

What utility installation advantage do open-web floor trusses and wood I-joists offer over solid sawn dimension lumber joists?

They allow for easier, unnotched routing of mechanical ductwork, plumbing lines, and wiring within the floor plane.

Which application is inappropriate for exterior structural wall sheathing panels?

Being left permanently exposed directly to weather as the exterior finished wall surface.

In a structural wood shear wall designed for seismic and wind forces, what hardware resists overturning moments?

Hold-downs (tie-downs)

Which building method is a direct example of prefabricated wood light-frame construction?

Assembling complete wall panels off-site in an enclosed factory environment

What thermal benefit is provided when continuous soffit vents work together with ridge or gable roof vents?

They circulate outdoor air through the attic space to keep the roof deck cool and prevent heat accumulation.

Which of the following is not used as an exterior finished siding material: stucco, masonry veneer, exterior plywood, or EPDM membranes?

EPDM dampproofing membranes

What is the primary performance objective of installing spun-bonded polyolefin housewrap (e.g., Tyvek) over exterior sheathing?

To reduce building air infiltration and drafts while permitting water vapor to escape.

What is the primary role of asphalt-saturated felt (tarpaper) in residential roof construction?

As water-resistive underlayment placed over the roof decking beneath shingles

What is the function of a metal drip edge installed along the eaves and rakes of a roof?

It prevents runoff water from capillary action or running underneath the roof overhang and onto fascia boards.

Which material is not commonly used for fabricating roof drainage gutters: aluminum, copper, wood, or fiber cement?

Fiber cement

What condition in an attic space directly drives the formation of destructive ice dams along the roof eaves?

Warm, heated air trapped in an under-insulated, unvented attic melting underside snow on the upper roof.

In what vertical sequence should exterior weather-resistive flashing and building wraps always be installed?

From bottom to top (shingle-lapped so upper layers overlap lower layers)

Why is it incorrect to install exterior casing and trim before installing window and door units in new construction?

Window and door units must be flashed and sealed directly against rough framing and sheathing prior to the application of exterior casing and trim.

Which element represents a structural framing member rather than a component of exterior trim: fascia, frieze, soffit, or sill?

Sill

Which type of interior passage door is best suited for high-traffic commercial or institutional areas subject to heavy wear and abuse?

Flush solid core door

Which component is associated with rough floor/wall framing rather than finish carpentry on staircases: stringers, risers, blocking, or balusters?

Blocking

With which architectural openings is the term 'casing' most directly associated in finish carpentry?

Doors and windows

Crowns, coves, casings, baseboards, and chair rails are all categories of what construction trade?

Wood interior trim work

What attic design flaw is the primary cause of icicles hanging along the eaves of a wood-framed house in winter?

Lack of proper roof and attic ventilation

Among DWV plumbing, water supply piping, framing, and branch electrical wiring, which trade is typically roughed-in last?

Electrical wiring

What features make loose-fill blown-in cellulose an attractive insulation material for residential attics and wall cavities?

It is low in cost, utilizes recycled paper fibers, and delivers an effective thermal R-value.

Which insulation product does not inherently serve as a vapor retarder: high-density spray foam, unfaced glass fiber batts, or vacuum panels?

Unfaced glass fiber batts

What design strategies can be employed to maximize the overall thermal R-value of exterior wall assemblies?

Applying continuous rigid exterior foam to break thermal bridging, increasing stud depth/insulation thickness, utilizing spray foam, or using vacuum insulation panels.

What moisture failure commonly occurs inside exterior wall cavities when an interior vapor retarder is omitted in cold climates?

Condensation of water vapor inside the insulated wall cavity

Why is gypsum wallboard (drywall) preferred over traditional three-coat plaster as an interior wall and ceiling finish?

It is lower in material cost, requires less skilled labor to install rapidly, and provides inherent fire resistance.