AARE flashcards
AARE · Build recall with a focused review session.
33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Net assignable area
- The usable floor area of a building excluding circulation, mechanical, and structural elements; used in programming to determine space needs.
- Life-cycle cost analysis
- Method of evaluating total cost of ownership over time, including initial, operating, maintenance, and replacement costs, discounted to present value.
- Critical path method
- Scheduling technique identifying the longest sequence of dependent activities; delays on critical path delay project completion.
- Design-build delivery
- Project delivery method where a single entity provides both design and construction services under one contract with the owner.
- Sun path diagram
- Graphical plot of the sun's altitude and azimuth throughout the year for a specific latitude; used to design shading and orientation.
- Soil bearing capacity
- The maximum pressure soil can support without failure; determined by geotechnical investigation and used to size foundations.
- Rational method
- Formula Q = CiA for estimating peak stormwater runoff; Q is flow, C runoff coefficient, i rainfall intensity, A drainage area.
- 100-year floodplain
- Area with 1% annual chance of flooding; building codes restrict construction and require elevation or floodproofing.
- Occupant load
- Number of people a space is designed to hold, calculated by dividing floor area by occupancy-specific area per person.
- Travel distance
- Maximum allowed distance from any point to an exit; typically 250 ft unsprinklered and 400 ft sprinklered for business occupancies.
- Daylight factor
- Ratio of interior illuminance to exterior horizontal illuminance under overcast sky; expressed as percentage; target 2% for offices.
- STC rating
- Sound Transmission Class; single-number rating of airborne sound insulation; higher values indicate better sound isolation.
- Dead load
- Permanent static load on a structure from its own weight and fixed building components such as walls, floors, and roofs.
- Live load
- Variable load on a structure from occupancy, furniture, equipment, and environmental effects such as snow or wind.
- Moment of inertia
- Geometric property of a cross-section measuring resistance to bending; for rectangle I = bd^3/12; stiffness increases with depth cubed.
- Euler buckling load
- Critical axial load at which a slender column buckles: Pcr = π²EI/(KL)²; K depends on end support conditions.
- Sensible heat ratio
- Ratio of sensible heat to total heat in an HVAC load; indicates proportion of sensible to latent cooling required.
- Psychrometric chart
- Graph showing relationships among dry-bulb, wet-bulb, dew point, humidity ratio, and enthalpy; used to analyze air conditioning processes.
- Fixture unit
- Unit measure of plumbing demand; one fixture unit approximately equals 1 gallon per minute; used to size water and drain pipes.
- Illuminance
- Amount of light falling on a surface, measured in footcandles (fc) or lux; 1 fc = 10.76 lux; office target about 50 fc.
- Floor area ratio
- Zoning metric: gross floor area divided by lot area; determines maximum allowable building bulk on a site.
- Setback
- Minimum required distance from a property line to a building; established by zoning to provide light, air, and open space.
- Accessible route
- Continuous unobstructed path connecting accessible elements and spaces; minimum 36 inches clear width; must comply with ADA Standards.
- Ramp slope
- Maximum permitted slope for accessible ramps is 1:12 (8.33%); maximum rise per run is 30 inches; landings required at top and bottom.
- Water-cement ratio
- Ratio of water to cementitious materials in concrete mix; lower ratio increases strength and durability but reduces workability.
- MasterFormat
- CSI standard organizing construction specifications into 50 divisions by work type; used for consistent specification writing.
- Submittal
- Shop drawing, product data, or sample submitted by contractor to architect for review to verify compliance with design intent.
- Curing
- Maintaining moisture and temperature of concrete after placement to allow cement hydration and achieve design strength; typically 7 days.
- Request for information
- Formal written question from contractor to architect seeking clarification of contract documents; response becomes part of documents.
- Change order
- Written modification to contract signed by owner, contractor, and architect; adjusts contract sum, time, or both.
- Substantial completion
- Stage when work is sufficiently complete for owner occupancy; triggers warranty start, retainage reduction, and punch list.
- Standard of care
- Legal benchmark requiring architect to perform with reasonable skill and care of ordinary professional under similar circumstances; not a guarantee.
- Conflict of interest
- Situation where professional judgment could be influenced by personal or financial interests; must be disclosed and avoided.