ARE Structural Systems and Technology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which foundation type is used when soil bearing capacity is insufficient and loads must be transferred to deeper, stronger strata?
- Spread footing
- Mat foundation
- Pile foundation (Correct answer)
- Raft foundation
Correct answer: Pile foundation
Pile foundations transfer building loads through weak surface soils down to competent bearing material or rock.
Question 2: What structural phenomenon occurs when a slender column fails by sudden sideways buckling before reaching material strength?
- Shear failure
- Euler buckling (Correct answer)
- Bearing failure
- Tensile rupture
Correct answer: Euler buckling
Euler buckling is the elastic instability failure of slender columns where lateral deflection occurs before the material yields.
Question 3: In a moment-resisting frame, lateral loads are resisted primarily through:
- Diagonal bracing members
- Rigid beam-to-column connections (Correct answer)
- Shear walls at the core
- Tension cables
Correct answer: Rigid beam-to-column connections
Moment frames resist lateral forces through rigid connections that develop bending moments at beam-column joints.
Question 4: What is the function of rebar in reinforced concrete?
- Increase fire resistance
- Resist tensile stresses concrete cannot handle (Correct answer)
- Reduce concrete shrinkage only
- Add compressive strength
Correct answer: Resist tensile stresses concrete cannot handle
Steel reinforcement carries tensile forces in zones where concrete, being weak in tension, would otherwise crack and fail.
Question 5: Which of the following is NOT a type of live load?
- Occupant weight
- Furniture loads
- Roof snow accumulation
- Self-weight of the concrete slab (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Self-weight of the concrete slab
The self-weight of a structural element is a dead load because it is permanent and does not change with occupancy.
Question 6: The stiffness of a structural element is best described as:
- Its ability to absorb energy before fracture
- Its resistance to deformation under load (Correct answer)
- The maximum stress it can sustain
- Its ductility under seismic loading
Correct answer: Its resistance to deformation under load
Stiffness quantifies how much a member resists deflection or deformation when a force is applied.
ARE Structural Systems and Technology 2
Which foundation type is used when soil bearing capacity is insufficient and loads must be transferred to deeper, stronger strata?