[T&E2 BF Paper]

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
SCHOOL of ARTS, CULTURE and ENVIRONMENT
ARCHITECTURE
TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT 2
PAPER 2 : BUILDING FABRIC 2
24 April 2008
Chairman:
External Examiner:

09.30 11.30

Answer any FOUR questions

All questions carry equal marks
NB The use of pocket-size electronic calculators is permitted, but you are required to set
down all the steps in algebraic and arithmetical solutions to problems.
Candidates in the third or later years for the degrees of MA (General), BA, BD, BCom, BSc
(Social Science), BSc (Science), BEng and LLB should mark their script book where
indicated.

This examination paper will be marked anonymously.

1. Timber construction
Discuss the main benefits of using glued laminated timber in buildings and the types of
structures and elements that can be formed by this system.
[25 marks]
2. Foundations
Answer both parts of the question
a) Describe the various forms of shallow foundation that are commonly used in buildings and
illustrate your answer with suitable diagrams. What factors are likely to influence their
selection and design?
[13 marks]
b) Explain why it is important to undertake a thorough site investigation during the initial
stages of the design of a building and what kind of information the investigation is expected to
yield.
[12 marks]
3. Continuous Structures
For each of the following structures:
Sketch the deflected shape due to the applied load, showing the points of
contraflexure.
Show the external reactions.
Sketch the approximate shape of the bending moment diagram.
(a)

[8 marks]

(b)

[9 marks]

Legend
Pinned support
Fixed support
Reaction
Point load
Uniformly
distributed
load

(c)

[8 marks]
4. Timber structural design
For the timber frame shown below, determine the suitable rectangular cross section
dimensions of the primary beam under the point load P and uniformly distributed surface load
q and a strength class of softwood solid timber to carry these loads. Demonstrate by
calculation that your selection is suitable in bending, shear and serviceability.
Use the tables provided (tables are on Page 4 and 5 of this exam paper). The strength
modification factor kmod = 0.7, there is load sharing between the primary beams, and the
moisture and creep factor kdef = 0.80
Secondary beams

2m

Primary beams
P
2.7 m

Point load P=2.0 kN

2m
4m

4m

2m

Uniformly distributed
surface load q =3 kN/m2

[ Note: Deflection under a central point load, w = PL3 /(48EI)

Deflection due to a uniformly distributed linear load, w = 5/384 (WL4/EI) ]
[25 marks]
5. Masonry construction
Describe the construction of a load-bearing external masonry wall for a medium sized
building. Your answer should cover among other issues the choice of materials, the types of
joints and wall joints, the detailing for movement, durability and moisture, and the process of
design for stability. Illustrate your answer with suitable construction diagrams.
[25 marks]

6. Qualitative structural analysis

In the following diagrams (page 3 and 4) of buildings select a maximum of three from the five
examples and describe their design and overall form, draw the main load path scheme,
identify the principal structural elements and discuss the behaviour of the building at the
principal connections.

Holyrood Abbey church, Edinburgh

Roof of the National Assembly for Wales

Zarzuela Hippodrome roof

Les Serres, La Villette

Atlantida Church
[25 marks]

Tables for Question 4

Table 1: Strength classes and characteristic values for softwood species
C14
2
Strength properties (N/mm )
Bending
fmk
14
Compression,
fc,0,k 16
parallel
Shear
fv,k
1.7
Elastic modulus
2
(kN/m )

C16

C18

C20

C22

C24

C27

C30

C35

C40

C45

C50

16
17

18
18

20
19

22
20

24
21

27
22

30
23

35
25

40
26

45
27

50
29

1.8

2.0

2.2

2.4

2.5

2.8

3.0

3.4

3.8

3.8

3.8

9.5

10

11

11.5

12

13

14

15

16

Table 2: Recommended limits for the final deflection

Type of member

Roof or floor members with a plastered or plasterboard ceiling

Roof or floor members without a plastered or plasterboard
ceiling

Limiting value for net final deflections of

individual beams
A member of span
A member with a
between two supports
cantilever,
/250
/125
/150
/75

Table 3 Geometrical properties of regularised softwoods

Finished size
(mm)

Area A
3
3
(10 mm )

Section modulus Z
3
3
(10 mm )
About x-x
About y-y
31.1
15.6
56.5
21.0
89.3
26.4
129.7
31.8

Second moment of area I

6
4
(10 mm )
About x-x
About y-y
1.12
0.28
2.74
0.38
5.45
0.47
9.53
0.57

Radius of gyration r
(mm)
About x-x
About y-y
20.8
10.4
28.0
10.4
35.2
10.4
42.4
10.4

36 x 72
36 x 97
36 x 122
36 x 147

2.59
3.49
4.39
5.29

38 x 72
38 x 97
38 x 122
38 x 147
38 x 170
38 x 195
38 x 220

2.74
3.69
4.64
5.59
6.46
7.41
8.36

32.8
59.6
94.3
136.9
183.0
240.8
306.5

17.3
23.3
29.4
35.4
40.9
46.9
52.9

1.18
2.89
5.75
10.06
15.56
23.48
33.72

0.33
0.44
0.56
0.67
0.78
0.89
1.01

20.8
28.0
35.2
42.4
49.1
56.3
63.5

11.0
11.0
11.0
11.0
11.0
11.0
11.0

44 x 72
44 x 97
44 x 122
44 x 147
44 x 170
44 x 195
44 x 220
44 x 245
44 x 295

3.17
4.27
5.37
6.47
7.48
8.58
9.68
10.78
12.98

38.0
69.0
109.1
158.5
211.9
278.9
354.9
440.2
638.2

23.2
31.3
39.4
47.4
54.9
62.9
71.0
79.1
95.2

1.37
3.35
6.66
11.65
18.01
27.19
39.04
53.92
94.13

0.51
0.69
0.87
1.04
1.21
1.38
1.56
1.74
2.09

20.8
28.0
35.2
42.4
49.1
56.3
63.5
70.7
85.2

12.7
12.7
12.7
12.7
12.7
12.7
12.7
12.7
12.7

47 x 72
47 x 97
47 x 122
47 x 147
47 x 170
47 x 195
47 x 220
47 x 245
47 x 295

3.38
4.56
5.73
6.91
7.99
9.17
10.34
11.52
13.87

40.6
73.7
116.6
169.3
226.4
297.9
379.1
470.2
681.7

26.5
35.7
44.9
54.1
62.6
71.8
81.0
90.2
108.6

1.46
3.57
7.11
12.44
19.24
29.04
41.70
57.60
100.55

0.62
0.84
1.06
1.27
1.47
1.69
1.90
2.12
2.55

20.8
28.0
35.2
42.4
49.1
56.3
63.5
70.7
85.2

13.6
13.6
13.6
13.6
13.6
13.6
13.6
13.6
13.6

50 x 72
50 x 97
50 x 122
50 x 147
50 x 170
50 x 195
50 x 220
50 x 245
50 x 295

3.60
4.85
6.10
7.35
8.50
9.75
11.00
12.25
14.75

43.2
78.4
124.0
180.1
240.8
316.9
403.3
500.2
725.2

30.0
40.4
50.8
61.3
70.8
81.3
91.7
102.1
122.9

1.56
3.80
7.57
13.24
20.47
30.90
44.37
61.28
106.97

0.75
1.01
1.27
1.53
1.77
2.03
2.29
2.55
3.07

20.8
28.0
35.2
42.4
49.1
56.3
63.5
70.7
85.2

14.4
14.4
14.4
14.4
14.4
14.4
14.4
14.4
14.4

63 x 97
63 x 122
63 x 147
63 x 170
63 x 195
63 x 220

6.11
7.69
9.26
10.71
12.29
13.86

98.8
156.3
226.9
303.5
399.3
508.2

64.2
80.7
97.2
112.5
129.0
145.5

4.79
9.53
16.68
25.79
38.93
55.90

2.02
2.54
3.06
3.54
4.06
4.58

28.0
35.2
42.4
49.1
56.3
63.5

18.2
18.2
18.2
18.2
18.2
18.2

75 x 97
75 x 122
75 x 147
75 x 170
75 x 195
75 x 220

7.28
9.15
11.03
12.75
14.63
16.50

117.6
186.1
270.1
361.3
475.3
605.0

90.9
114.4
137.8
159.4
182.8
206.3

5.70
11.35
19.85
30.71
46.34
66.55

3.41
4.29
5.17
5.98
6.86
7.73

28.0
35.2
42.4
49.1
56.3
63.5

21.7
21.7
21.7
21.7
21.7
21.7