WGU UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN AND
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE AND BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION STUDIES
BUILDING TECHNOLOGY: CONSTRUCTION SYSTEMS AND ASSEMBLIES
ARCH 626 COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAMINATION
ACADEMIC YEAR: 2025/2026
Turnbuckles
Used for making minor adjustments in cable length and for adjusting cable tension
Cable Clamp
should be used to attach small diameter cable to anchor hardware. There should be at least 3
clamps per anchor and the "U" of the clamp goes on the short end of the cable. same as
Simplex Nails
for holding down canvas, flat head can hold down more surface area, nailed to purlins
Purlins
1|Page
,a horizontal beam along the length of a roof, which rest on the top chord and preferably at the
joints of the truss
Burlap Wall
coarsely woven fabric mad with jute fibers
Wind Load
Pressure from the wind that can cause lateral load (horizontal) as well as upward pressure on
the roof or downward pressure.
Earth and Water Horizontal Loads
hydrostatic pressure
Horizontal Structural Load
VAULTS OR A-FRAMES FOR EXAMPLE
Uplift
the rising of regions of the Earth's crust to higher elevations or foundation floating on
subsurface water
Foundation Loads
2|Page
,Dead
Live
Wind
Earth and Water Horizontal
Horizontal Structural
Uplift
Earthquakes
Major Building Parts
Superstructure
Substructure
Foundation
Superstructure
something built on top of something else; the part of the building that was built on top of the
foundation or base
Depth of Foundation
light framed building foundations must reach through unstable organic soil to stable
undisturbed
soil beneath the local frost line
For large scale heavy framed structures, the foundation often reaches deep into the ground
until it reaches rock or soil stable enough for the massive loads
3|Page
, Frost Line
the maximum depth of ground below which the soil does not freeze in winter
Differential Settlement
Unequal settlement of the various parts of a building, which may cause excessive stresses in the
structural frame or tilting of the building.
Uniform Settlement
Settling occurs at roughly the same rate throughout all parts of a building
Bearing Capacity
The stability of the soil determines the loads it can support per square foot
Bearing Surface
how much surface area the bottom of the footings must cover, determined by bearing capacity
Penetration Test
pin or tube hammered into ground
4|Page
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE AND BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION STUDIES
BUILDING TECHNOLOGY: CONSTRUCTION SYSTEMS AND ASSEMBLIES
ARCH 626 COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAMINATION
ACADEMIC YEAR: 2025/2026
Turnbuckles
Used for making minor adjustments in cable length and for adjusting cable tension
Cable Clamp
should be used to attach small diameter cable to anchor hardware. There should be at least 3
clamps per anchor and the "U" of the clamp goes on the short end of the cable. same as
Simplex Nails
for holding down canvas, flat head can hold down more surface area, nailed to purlins
Purlins
1|Page
,a horizontal beam along the length of a roof, which rest on the top chord and preferably at the
joints of the truss
Burlap Wall
coarsely woven fabric mad with jute fibers
Wind Load
Pressure from the wind that can cause lateral load (horizontal) as well as upward pressure on
the roof or downward pressure.
Earth and Water Horizontal Loads
hydrostatic pressure
Horizontal Structural Load
VAULTS OR A-FRAMES FOR EXAMPLE
Uplift
the rising of regions of the Earth's crust to higher elevations or foundation floating on
subsurface water
Foundation Loads
2|Page
,Dead
Live
Wind
Earth and Water Horizontal
Horizontal Structural
Uplift
Earthquakes
Major Building Parts
Superstructure
Substructure
Foundation
Superstructure
something built on top of something else; the part of the building that was built on top of the
foundation or base
Depth of Foundation
light framed building foundations must reach through unstable organic soil to stable
undisturbed
soil beneath the local frost line
For large scale heavy framed structures, the foundation often reaches deep into the ground
until it reaches rock or soil stable enough for the massive loads
3|Page
, Frost Line
the maximum depth of ground below which the soil does not freeze in winter
Differential Settlement
Unequal settlement of the various parts of a building, which may cause excessive stresses in the
structural frame or tilting of the building.
Uniform Settlement
Settling occurs at roughly the same rate throughout all parts of a building
Bearing Capacity
The stability of the soil determines the loads it can support per square foot
Bearing Surface
how much surface area the bottom of the footings must cover, determined by bearing capacity
Penetration Test
pin or tube hammered into ground
4|Page
