BArch Bachelor of Architecture Structural Systems in Architecture 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of foundation is most appropriate for a heavy building on soft, compressible soil?
- Spread footing
- Pile foundation
- Mat/raft foundation (Correct answer)
- Grade beam
Correct answer: Mat/raft foundation
A mat or raft foundation distributes the building's load over the entire footprint, reducing bearing pressure on weak soils.
Question 2: What is the primary structural function of a shear wall in a building?
- Support vertical gravity loads only
- Resist lateral (wind and seismic) forces (Correct answer)
- Transfer point loads to foundations
- Provide thermal insulation
Correct answer: Resist lateral (wind and seismic) forces
Shear walls are vertical planar elements designed to resist lateral forces from wind and seismic events by acting as vertical cantilevers.
Question 3: In timber framing, what is the purpose of a king post truss?
- To create a flat roof deck
- To provide a central vertical member suspending the tie beam (Correct answer)
- To allow for roof overhangs
- To carry curtain wall loads
Correct answer: To provide a central vertical member suspending the tie beam
A king post truss uses a central vertical member (king post) connecting the apex to the tie beam, preventing the tie beam from sagging.
Question 4: Which structural concept describes a beam that projects beyond its support without support at its free end?
- Propped cantilever
- Cantilever (Correct answer)
- Continuous beam
- Suspended span
Correct answer: Cantilever
A cantilever is a structural element fixed at one end and free at the other, resisting loads through bending and shear at the fixed support.
Question 5: What does the slenderness ratio of a column indicate?
- Its material strength
- Its susceptibility to buckling failure (Correct answer)
- Its load-carrying capacity under tension
- Its fire resistance rating
Correct answer: Its susceptibility to buckling failure
The slenderness ratio (effective length divided by radius of gyration) indicates how likely a column is to fail by buckling under compressive load.
Question 6: In a Vierendeel truss, how are members connected compared to a conventional truss?
- With pin joints allowing rotation
- With rigid moment-resisting joints instead of triangulation (Correct answer)
- With tension rods and turnbuckles
- With friction bolted slip-critical connections
Correct answer: With rigid moment-resisting joints instead of triangulation
A Vierendeel truss uses rigid orthogonal connections rather than triangulated diagonals, resisting loads through bending moments at the joints.
BArch Bachelor of Architecture Structural Systems in Architecture 2
Which type of foundation is most appropriate for a heavy building on soft, compressible soil?