4.0 Site Planning & Design

The following schematic designs represent a typical floor of a multistory apartment building located along a body of water. Which design would best accomplish the objective of providing a view of the water? Assume an equal number of units in each design.

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4.0 Site Planning & Design

C

In this question we must assume that complete satisfaction of the object is impossible, since every side of the structure cannot be oriented toward the water.

Therefore, the best solution will be the one that allows the greatest number of units to overlook the water. We should also assume that an authentic view is one that encompasses up to a 45 degree angle from any unit.

In design A, exactly half of the units have a view of the water. By rotating the cruciform plan, as in design B, we have not materially changed the relationship of the units to the water; half of the units still have a view. In schematic designs C and D we have a L-shaped structure in which more units can be placed on one side of the corridor than the other. Therefore, the solution in which the long sides face the water (correct answer C) is the one in which the greatest possible number of units have a water view in fact , design C provides a water view for more than half of the units, while design D provides a view for somewhat less than half of the units.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

Which of the following components of life-cycle costs for a building are not with the architect's direct control?

A. Operational costs

B. Taxes and financing

C. Maintenance costs

D. Replacement costs

4.0 Site Planning & Design

B.

Financing costs and taxes are not within an architect's direct control (B is correct). It is worth noting, however, that financing costs may be indirectly affected if an architect's services provide for the acceleration of both the design and construction process.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

As architects for small wood-frame building, you wish to be absolutely certain that the underfloor crawlspace remains as dry as possible. Therefore, which of the following procedures would you select to provide the most practical and effective solution?

• A. Provide a tight and continuous ground cover using polyethylene film of tat leas four mils thickness
• B. Provide underfloor foundation ventilation by means of one-square-foot openings in the foundation wall every 50 linear feet of exterior wall
• C. Provide a vapor barrier of aluminum foil between the sub floor and the finish floor
• D.Paint the girders, floor joist, and underfloor sheathing with two coats of exterior enamel.  

4.0 Site Planning & Design

A.

The answer is provide a tight and continuous ground cover using polyethylene film of at least four mils thickness. When moisture vapor condenses, it changes to water that can cause most organic materials to deteriorate. Underfloor crawlspaces are particularly susceptible to water vapor migration from under ground moisture. That is why a moisture vapor barrier (Choice 3)  would be of limited value. Moisture in the soil can rise well above the water table and introduce several gallons of water each day into the crawlspace through evaporation. This water vapor may even enter wall and move up within stud spaces. The control of ground evaporation, therefore, is the only practical preventive measure (choice 1.) In all cases, this solution should be combined with adequate ventilation (Choice 2), but in the more acceptable ratio of one and one-half square feet of opening for each 25 linear feet of wall. Painting the underfloor construction might be effective, but it would be impractical.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

The well-decomposed, more or less stable part of the organic matter found in mineral soils is______________:

4.0 Site Planning & Design

HUMUS

Questions pertain landscaping may test the candidate's understanding of soils, soils improvement, fertilizers, and various organic and inorganic matter utilized in growing plant material. The definition provided refers to humus.

In contrast, mulch is generally used to help conserve moisture, control temperature, prevent surface compaction, reduce runoff and erosion, improve soil structure, or control weeds.

Muck is combination of soil and water, having a higher mineral content than peat. It is decomposed to the point where the original plant parts cannot be identified.

Compost, when mixed with nitrogen and soil, is used as an organic fertilizer. The principal purpose in making compost is to permit the organic materials to become crumbly and reduce the carbon-nitrogen ratio of the material.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

An elevation symbol indicated on a grading plan and identifying the proposed elevation at a single location is called a _____________.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

SPOT ELEVATION

Spot elevations are used to indicate proposed finished elevations at single points. These indications are typically used to identify the elevation of key structures such as building corners, manholes, catch basins, etc. In contrast, contours are continuous lines that connect multiple points having the same elevation. Benchmarks identify the elevation of single point; however, they identify and existing element that serves a s reference point.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

Which of the building forms shown is the most appropriate for a temperature climate?

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4.0 Site Planning & Design

B.

A rectangular box with its long axis in the east-west direction is the most appropriate for a temperate climate, in which there is too much heat in the summer and not enough heat in the winter. The long east-west axis provides a great deal of southern exposure and a minimum of eastern and western exposure. This best in winter, when predominant heat gain is on the south facade. Conversely, in the summer, the primary gain is on the roof and on the east and west facades, which are minimal in a building with a long east-west axis.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

The Natural Step is an approach to the environment that follows which of the following principles?

1. The biosphere affecting humans is a relatively stable and resilient zone that includes five miles int the earth's crust and five miles into the atmosphere.
2. Improved technologies have dramatically increased the number and quantity of available natural resources.
3. Toxic substances released into either the sea or atmosphere will only influence areas adjacent to the toxic source.
4. Using building materials that are recycled is adequate sustainable design approach.

• A. 1
• B. 2
• C. 2 & 4
• D. None of the above.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

D.

The correct answer is none of the above. Choice 1. is not correct. The zone of the earth that supports human life is an extremely fragile ecosystem. This biosphere, which has evolved over millions of years, has been dramatically affected by the growth of human activity in the last 100 years. While innovative technologies are improving energy efficiency of some building systems, the vast majority of the built environment is energy inefficient (choice 2 is incorrect). Toxic substances have the tendency to expand and affect large areas. For example, the air above the Great Lakes contains evidence of DDT a toxic pesticide banned in the United States decades ago. It was discovered that DDT is captured in the jet stream bringing toxic materials from far away continents that still use the pesticides (choice 3 is incorrect). Finally, while recycling is helpful, it is just the beginning of the sustainable design process. The principles of sustainable design say that we need to have more building products that can be recycled and are biodegradable to create a more sustainable ecosystem.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

Select the INCORRECT statement about life-cycle cost.

• A. Financing costs may be decreased when a fast-track procedure is used.
• B. Construction costs represent about 15 percent of the long-term cost of a project
• C. High quality products usually have a greater long-term cost than products of lower quality.
• D. Life-cycle cost include the costs of replacement and renovation.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

C.

Life-cycle costs include construction cost (around 15 percent), as well as operational and maintenance costs, taxes, financing, replacement, and renovation (B and D are correct). Financing costs may be decreased if the design and construction processes are accelerated using fast-track or other similar delivery systems (A is correct). C. is the incorrect statement we are looking for; although high quality products, resulting in a lower long-term cost.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

Which of the following soils is the most permeable?

• A. Clay
• B. Silt
• C. Sand
• D. Gravel

4.0 Site Planning & Design

D.

Permeability refers to the ability of a soil to permit the passage of water through it and is largely determined by the coarseness of the soil. Therefore, gravel, which comprises the largest soil particles, as well as the largest air voids, is the most permeable soil.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

The contours shown represent a road

1. with crown at the center
2. with a gutter at the center
3. with a six-inch-high curb at each edge.
4. that elevated six inches above the adjacent grade at each edge. 

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4.0 Site Planning & Design

A.

If you cut a section through the road where the 100 contour meets the edges of the road, it will look like the sketch below. Therefore, there is a crown at the center of the road (1) and a 6-inch-high curb at each edge (III).

[image]

4.0 Site Planning & Design

Place the following roadway types in order from smallest to largest based on their traffic carrying capacity.

1. Local access streets
2. Collector streets
3. Expressway
4. Arterial

• A. 1,2,3,4
• B. 2,1,3,4
• C. 1,2,4,3
• D. 2,3,1,4

4.0 Site Planning & Design

C.

Local access streets provide access to low-intensity fronting them such as houses and often take the form of loops and cul-de-sacs. Collector streets serve as the transition between arterial and local access streets. Although intersections with arterial may be controlled with traffic signals, intersections with local streets may have only stop sighs. Arterial streets are continuous vehicular channels that connect with expressways by means of on and off ramps. They are typically two or more lanes wide in each directions. Expressways are designed to allow movement of large volumes of traffic between, around, and through urban centers. Vehicles move at more rapid speeds because access to and access from expressways is limited. Answer C is the correct answer.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

An architect instructs his consulting civil engineer to ensure that the amount of soil removed from one portion of a site is equal to the amount added to another to avoid having to truck soil to or from the job site.

This practice is called

• A. cutting the site.
• B. filling the site.
• C. balancing the site.
• D. engineering the site.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

C.

In an ideal situation, a civil engineer will try to ensure that the amount of soil removed and added to different areas of a site is equal  so that additional soil does not need to be imported  or exported from the job site. This practice is called balancing the site (C is correct) and is desirable because trucking large quantities of soil can be expensive. Cutting the site is the process of removing the  soil (A is incorrect). Filling the site is the process of adding soil (B is incorrect). Engineering describes, in general terms, the role of the civil engineer (D is incorrect).

4.0 Site Planning & Design

On a topographic survey, lines connecting points of equal elevation are called

• A. contour lines.
• B. property lines.
• C. fall lines.
• D. base lines.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

A.

Lines that connect points of equal elevations are contour lines (A is correct). The other choices are lines that may be found on various types of site drawings, but they are not related to elevations or topography.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

Illustrated below is a proposed retaining wall superimposed on a naturally sloping land. If the area on the west side of the were graded to a constant elevation of 4, what would be the elevation necessary at the highest point along the wall's top in order to retain the natural grade?

[image]

• A. 4 feet
• B. 8 feet
• C. 12 feet
• D. 16 feet

4.0 Site Planning & Design

C.

The answer is 12 feet. What may appear at first to be confusing is actually a simple problem. There is only one factor to consider: Since the south end of the wall terminates at elevation 12, the wall must extend to that elevation in order to retain earth at the east side of the wall, irrespective of the elevation of the level area at the west side. The high end of the wall would extend 8 feet above the adjacent grad at the west (12-4=8), and the elevation at the top of the wall would be 12 feet, or perhaps a few inches higher. Incidentally, the  angle between the wall and existing contours is irrelevant.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

Which of the following surfaces would be considered MOST desirable to accommodate the physically handicapped?

• A. Tanbark
• B. Flagstone
• C. Brick
• D. Asphalt

4.0 Site Planning & Design

D.

According to ADA, ground and floor surfaces along accessible routes including floors, walks, ramps, stairs, and curb ramps, shall be stable, firm, and slip-resistant in order to allow barrier-free movement for the handicapped. This question asks us to evaluate the surface characteristics that provide safety and ease of movement for wheelchairs and people with mobility handicaps. Because of its irregular texture and relative softness, tanbark is the least desirable in such applications (A is incorrect). Although flagstone proves a hard surface, the irregularity of the shapes and resultant wide joints make walking extremely difficult for people with mobility ;handicaps (B is incorrect). Furthermore, the irregular surfaces of such a natural material make movement difficult for wheelchairs. Asphalt and brick in concrete are about equally good hard surfaces for walkways, although asphalt has no joints and, therefore provides the best possible solution where handicapped mobility is a primary consideration. The correct answer is D.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

What is the maximum slope permitted for a handicapped ramp?

• A. 1:20
• B. 1:15
• C. 1:12
• D. 1:08

4.0 Site Planning & Design

C.

Questions on handicapped requirements may appear on almost any part of the exam. Any part of an accessible route (one that is usable by handicapped person) that is steeper than 1:20 is considered a ramp. The maximum slope permitted for handicapped ramp is 1:12, although flatter slopes are preferable (C is correct). Ramp other than those used by the handicapped are usually limited to a slope of 1:8.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

Shown below are the results of three differnt slump tests. In the same order as shown, one should know that the materials indicated are

[image]

• A. concrete, grout, and mortar
• B. concrete, mortoar, and grout
• C. exterior plaster, grout and concrete
• D. mortar, grout, and concrete.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

B.

Concrete and grout are both composed of varying proportions of cement, water, sand, and gravel. Mortar is similar is composition, but instead of gravel, lime is used.  Therefore, all three materials are much alike, except for their plasticity or fluidity in the initial stage. Because the slump tests is used to measure the consistency of a mix, one should know that concrete, with a tightly controlled water-cement ratio, is relatively stiff; mortar, which must by handled by  trowel, is less stiff; and grout. which is poured between wythes in a brick wall or into the cells of hollow concrete masonry units, is actually quite fluid. The correct answer, therefore, is B.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

An ordinance in a small city prohibits new building from exceeding the height of the city hall dome, which is at elevation 168. For the construction of a new five-story office building along Main Street, between 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue, which is the highest site that would comply with the ordinance assuming the owner requires a floor to floor height of 11 feet?

 [image]

• A. Site I
• B. Site II
• C. Site III
• D. Site IV

4.0 Site Planning & Design

C

The answer is site III. By adding the widths of the sites along Main Street, we determine that the block between 1st and 2nd Avenues is 300 feet long. Since Main Street slopes 15 feet downward along its length, from 123 to 108, the slope is calculated to be 15/300= 0.05 percent. Using this slope and moving eastwasrd from the corner at 1st Avenue, the elevations at each of the site corners along MAin Street are 123, 120, 115, 111 and 108 at the 2nd Avenue corner. Therefore, with 11-foot stories, the building height would be 11x5=55 feet. In order not to exceed the City Hall dome elevation of 168 feet, the ground floor elevation of the new 55-foot structure would have to be at 168-55=113 feet, which is the exact midpoint of Site III. If one assumed eight-foot ceiling, Site III would still be appropriate choce. Building on Site IV would comply with the ordinance, but it is not the highest site, while a five-story building on either Site I or Site II would exceed the City Hall dome elevation.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

In a structure located in the southwest desert area of the United States, which of the following design features would most significantly recognize the climatic problems of the area?

• A. Insulated glass windows
• B. Flat roof planes
• C. Fixed vertical louvers
• D. Deeply recessed openings

4.0 Site Planning & Design

D.

The southwest desert location implies that the overwhelming climatic problem in the structure is solar heat gain. In this regard, we can elimimate the flat roof feature (B), since roof shappe alone has little effect in reducing heat gain. Insulated glass (A) windows are helpful, and this is a possible answer. Fixed vertical louvers (C), especially on the south side of building, do little to diminish direct solar heat gain when the sun is high. Horizonatal louvers would be moreefficient, but tha is not one of our choices. Finally, deeply recessed opeings (D) are very effective in shading glass, regardless of their orientaion. In a choice between insulated glass and shaded glass, shaded glass (correct answer D) is preferreed because preventing sun from reaching the glass is allways more effective in reducing solar heat gain than controlling the gain once the glass has been exposed to sun.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

Construction within a floodplain is

• A. never permitted.
• B. limited to nonresidential uses.
• C. usually uneconmical because the land can be used more efficiently for agriculture
• D. generally limiited and elevated above flood level. 

4.0 Site Planning & Design

D.

A flood plain is the relatively flat land within which a stream flows. When the volume of low exceeds the stream's capacity, which occures more or less regularly, it overflows its banks and spreads over the floodplain. Consequently, a flood plain should preferably be limited to uses such as griculture or recreation. In practice, however, this is not always the case (A is incorrect) because of econmic pressure to use the land for construction, rather than for agriculture or recreation (C is incorrect). Limited low-density housing is often permitted (B is incorrect), provided the structures are elevated above flood level (D is correct).

4.0 Site Planning & Design

Select the correct statements about solar radiation.

I.  The south wall of a building receives maximum solar radiation in the winter.

II. The south wall of a building receives maximum solar radiation in the summer.

III. The roof and eas and west walls of a building receive maximum solar radiation in the summer

• A. I and III
• B. I and IV
• C. II and III
• D. II and IV

4.0 Site Planning & Design

B.

By studying a sun chart for a location in the north temperate zone, whchich includes the United States, one can see that in the winter, the sun is low and oriented to the south. Therefore the south wall of a building receives a grea amount of solar radiation (I is correct), while the east and west walls and roof receive verly littlle (III is incorrect). In the summer, the sun is higher and riented more to the east and west. Therefore, the south wall recieves less solar radiation (II is incorrect), while the east and west walls and roof receive more (IV is correct)

4.0 Site Planning & Design

The winter solstice refers to

• A. the day when the length of day and night is equal.
• B. the day with the mimimum hours of sunlight.
• C. the day with the minimum hours of sunlight.
• D. Non of the above.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

C.

The winter solstice refers to the day with minimum hours of sunlight, which usually occurs on December 21 in the northern hemisphere (C is correct). Choice A describes both the autumn and spring equinox, which occur around September 21 and March 21 respectively. Choice B describes the summer solstice which usually occures on June 21. Therefore, C is th ecorrect answer.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

If a building were to be planned with regard to the sun's impact on space heating, the most desirable forms of the building would be which of the following?

I. Circular

II. Square

III. Elongated on the north-south axis

IV. Stacked vertically

• A. I and III
• B. IV and V
• C. I, II, and IV
• D. II, III, IV, and V

4.0 Site Planning & Design

B.

Buildings that disregared the sun's impact frequently requrire large amounts of energy to heat and cool. When deteremining a building's shape, designers should consider the solar orientation that will mimimize the use of energy. In general, the optimum shape of a building is one that loses a minimum amoutn of heat in the winter and gains a minimum amount of heate in the summer. Considering the choices of this question, a circular or square shape (I and II) are not desireable, since they have the least amount of enclosing walls for the area. This means that sunlight will strike an absolute minimum amount of exterior surface. The very best shape is a form elongated in the east-west direction (not the north-south as stated in III), as this form will derive maximum heat gain during the wintermonths, while exposing the shorter east and west sides to minimum heat gain in the summmer. Staggered or stacked buildings (IV and V) can also be beneficial. since direct sunlight will strike lsrge surface areas, especially if the building's longer dimensions are oriented to the south. The correct combination of choicres is found in correct answer B.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

Prior to the placing of concrete for footings, you observe that the footing excavation is frozen. What is the BEST procedure to follow?

• A. Place the concrete on the frozen ground
• B. Provide a temporary heated enclosure for thee excavation and then place the concrete.
• C. Thaw the frozen ground by steaming
• D. excavate the frozen ground and place the concrete against earth which is not frozen.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

D.

This is a question requiring constuction experience and judgement. First of all, concrete should never be placed on frozen ground (A), because when the ground thaws, it shringks, which is likely to cause cracking. Waiting for warm weather (B) is an impracticall choice because of the resultant delay. Thawing the ground (C) is a possibilitiy if the depth of frozen ground is not very great. However, excavationg the frozen ground (D) is the best choice. This not only solves the present construction problem. but it also places the bottom of the footings below the zone of frost penetration, thus preventing frost damage in the future.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

A Five story reinforced concrte office building is planned for a site. A soil boring log for the site is shown below. Which of the follwing foundation types is likely to be econmical and appropriate?

[image]

A.  Grade beams on piles

B.  Spread footings

C.  Spread footings on recompacte fill

D.  Mat foundation

4.0 Site Planning & Design

A.

Spread footing (B) are appropriate where good soils are found at a  shallow depth. Since the site in this question is underlain by 20 feet of loose fill, spread footings would be inappropriate. Placing spread footings on recompacted fill (C) is often econmical where the maximum depth of fill is about five feet, and would therefore be uneconomical in this case. A mat foundation (D), which is essentially one large footing under the entire building, is sometimes used where soil conditions are fair to poor. But since we have no information about the loose fill close to the the surface, we cannot assume that tit would be adequate to support building loads. A better solution would be grade beams supported on piles that extend into the sand layer (correct choice A)

4.0 Site Planning & Design

Vehicles entering a parking lot from the steet generally have a differnt effective turning radius than vehicles existing from the same lot. The reason for this is because:

• A.  drivers entering a parking lot are usually less familiar with the lot layout than those exiting.
• B.  drivers entereing a pariking lot are ususally moving at a faster rate than those exiting.
• C.  Driveres entering a parking lot usually take less care than those exiting.
• D. enterance driveways are usually wider than exit driveways, since it is assumed that those exiting greater control than those entering.

4.0 Site Planning & Design

B.

Vehicles entering a parking lot from the street are invariably traveling at a faster rate than those exiting (correct answer B), since they are in the process of slowing down from normal street speeds. Those exiting are moving along a restricted aisle with and are, therefore, traveling more slowly. In addition vehicles exiting generall slow ore even stop completely when they approach the street. This slower speed enables a driver to turn with a radus somewhat smaller than one traveling at a greater speed.