Untitled Flashcards Set

Exam Prep 

Archtech 207




Similar to last year, but only open ended questions

25 questions worth 4 points each total 100



No word limit but if you write too much you might contradict 



Example Qquestions-



  • Reinforcement steel to connect concrete wall must be stick out vertically. (2) Putting over the prefabricated built up wall with 2 layers of concrete on both sides and cavity with reinforcement in the middle. The reinforcement of the floor plate lays now in between the cavity of the prefabricated wall element. (3) Pouring concrete into the cavity at the top of the prefabricated built up wall, that the reinforcement of the floor plate is in the poured concrete mass and therefore connect both elements to each other.



  • What are the reasons for the ‘leaky home crisis’ in New Zealand? Provide three (4) different reasons through one sentence each describing how they led to the ‘leaky homes crisis’.

(1 mark each correct answer, 4 marks in total)



  • Answer:

  • 01_Buildings suffering from weather-tightness problems

  • 02_Moulds and spores developing within the damp timber framing

  • 03_ Exterior insulation finishing system (EIFS) or Stucco systems allowed for little construction or thermal movement so that fine cracks, allowed continuous ingress of moisture into the framing.

  • 04_Reduced air movement through the prevalence of sheet cladding or sheet insulating materials for the monolithic look cladding, resulted in very damp conditions which are ideal for rot.

  • 05_The change to the New Zealand Standard for Timber Treatment in 1995, allowing the use of untreated Pinus Radiata timber for wall framing. As this timber has little natural resistance to rot when wet, damage occurs more quickly.





Exam Hints:

  • Describe the 4 phases of the assembly process in order, Infill timbers, concrete topping with reinforcing, formstress precast ribs

  • Lecture 12? Facade and cladding windows and roof and in the roof part why how and where we need to add things regarding air tightness and permeability?

  • Another subfloor questions (what is prefabricated concrete and ____ , andlist the unidentified elements from the diagram)

  • Why is it called starter bar and describe its role in the construction process, and in terms of structural stability of the concrete what does it do

  • Stability about concrete blocks stability and bracing, how concrete block walls brace and why cant some masonry ones dont, like why dont you need additional bracing what does it do different to other masonry

  • Lecture about interior lining, GIB easy brace book, topic of adding opening to a GIB board / a bracing element, and have to know about small and large openings

  • What issue can arise at the floorplate to facade connection when the insulation is placed inside the load bearing wall (thermal bridges and stuff) what are the consequences, (increased heat loss and _____ and some others) How can this be prevented in building design (using external insulation)

  • Differences between CLT and light timber frame (advantages and disadvantages)

    • CLT more stable regarding swelling and shrinkage

    • Solid wood panels can be used in multiple situations

    • Fire Resistance is better

    • Although glue is used for CLT

  • Timber weatherboards, small rebate between different cladding panels to avoid damage when they expand and touch each other

  • Study bricks, brick veneer is famous in nz, masonry, differences between concrete blocks and brick veneers, differences and applications

  • CLT again, Andrew french? Guest lecture, Prefabricated using CNC, 4 strategies to improve efficiency of this process, avoid different sizes, make it simple, avoid complex connections, avoid using very unusual thicknesses, thinking about where the timber is going to go so like windows and door panels and if we can use them somewhere else

  • Which number of span directions timber frames and CLT

    • How timber spans one way but CLT spans both ways how u dont need joists

  • About interior lining?, building code clause H1 energy efficiency about putting in insulation inside between studs and ___? question is we need to consider a few things when we put the insulation in, for example gaps edges minimum thickness of insulation, not crushed, not too small

  • Brick veneer we need a cavity behind them and _____ every third row, what are the two reasons we need these holes and what is the reason we need the cavity

  • Another lecture 6 interior ling , what needs to be checked before closing the lining

    • All in wall plumbing needs to be checked and that framing has dried to specific moisture content and the insulation has been installed correctly

  • Steel construction screw piles, datasheet from stockdigging or some company, screw base system maximum spacing in mm if 2 ground screws are connected with bracing and whats the max legnth for the brace, max screw legnth and max plate dimensions

  • What are disadvantages of concerete on ground vs suspended (flooding stuff)

  • Describe characteristics of a specific masonry bond nd its advantage stretcher bond

  • Concrete slab on ground what do u put on the edges, one is a masonry around the edges and one is where you put concrete in the ground? Lecture 6 concrete blocks

  • Similarities and differences between light steel and light timber regarding material and environmental aspects, stronger heavier sustainable better insulation etc

  • CLT consists of timber layers bonded with glue, should know and explain 4 advantages and or disadvantages when comparing to light steel framing construction other question was about environment and characteristics this ones about contrction