Nevada B-2 Residential and Small Commercial General Building Contractor Examination

Per 2018 IBC Section 1804.4, the ground immediately adjacent to a foundation shall be sloped away from the building at not less than which slope for a minimum distance of 10 feet, unless an approved alternate drainage method is used?

• AOne unit vertical in 50 units horizontal (2-percent slope)
• BOne unit vertical in 20 units horizontal (5-percent slope)
• COne unit vertical in 12 units horizontal (8-percent slope)
• DOne unit vertical in 8 units horizontal (12.5-percent slope)

Structural fill under a B-2 building footing is accepted in the field when in-place dry density is compared to which laboratory standard?

• AOnly the soil's natural moisture content with no density test
• BA specified percentage of maximum dry density from a Standard or Modified Proctor test
• CThe unconfined compressive strength of an undisturbed clay sample only
• DThe liquid limit of the borrow material only

A driveway is graded to drop 2 feet over a horizontal run of 40 feet. What is the slope, expressed as a percent?

• A2 percent
• B4 percent
• C5 percent
• D8 percent

Per 2018 IBC Sections 1809.4 and 1809.5, exterior footings on soil shall be at least 12 inches below the undisturbed ground surface and shall also be protected from frost by which method?

• AExtending below the local frost line, using an approved frost-protected design, or foundi…
• BStopping at the top of the sod layer if the soil is dry
• CUsing a 4-inch mud slab in place of frost depth
• DPlacing rigid insulation only on the top of the footing, with no other frost protection

A 60-foot by 80-foot building pad is cut an average of 9 inches. How many cubic yards of excavation are there, ignoring swell and waste?

• A100 cubic yards
• B133 cubic yards
• C200 cubic yards
• D360 cubic yards

A continuous strip footing is 40 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 12 inches thick. How many cubic yards of concrete are required, ignoring waste?

• A2.0 cubic yards
• B3.0 cubic yards
• C4.0 cubic yards
• D8.0 cubic yards

A 30-foot by 40-foot slab is 4 inches thick. Including 8 percent waste, how many cubic yards of concrete should be ordered?

• A14.8 cubic yards
• B16.0 cubic yards
• C17.8 cubic yards
• D22.2 cubic yards

Per 2018 IBC Section 1907.1, a concrete floor slab supported directly on the ground shall have a vapor retarder that is at least which of the following, unless an approved equivalent is used?

• A4-mil polyethylene with joints butted tight
• B6-mil polyethylene with joints lapped not less than 6 inches
• C10-mil polyethylene placed on top of the finished slab
• DBuilding paper with 2-inch laps and no polyethylene

Per 2018 IBC Section 1907.1, the minimum thickness of a concrete floor slab supported directly on the ground is which of the following?

• A2-1/2 inches
• B3-1/2 inches
• C5 inches
• D6 inches

Per ACI 318 concrete-cover rules referenced by 2018 IBC Chapter 19, what is the minimum concrete cover for cast-in-place reinforcement that is cast against and permanently exposed to earth?

• A3/4 inch
• B1-1/2 inches
• C2 inches
• D3 inches

Ready-mix concrete for a Nevada B-2 footing shall not be placed on which of the following surfaces?

• AA damp, compacted granular base that is free of standing water
• BFrozen soil, ice, or frost
• CA slightly moist subgrade that has been proof-rolled
• DAn approved compacted structural-fill pad

Specified compressive strength of structural concrete (f'c) is verified by standard cylinders tested at which age unless the contract documents specify otherwise?

• A24 hours
• B3 days
• C7 days
• D28 days

Air-entrained concrete is specified for exterior Nevada flatwork primarily to improve resistance to which exposure?

• ASulfate attack from clay soils
• BFreeze-thaw cycling and deicing salts
• CAlkali-silica reaction in all aggregates
• DPlastic shrinkage cracking in hot, dry weather

A 60-foot continuous footing has two continuous No. 4 bars. Each bar has two 18-inch lap splices. Ignoring hooks and waste, what is the total linear feet of No. 4 bar to order?

• A120 linear feet
• B123 linear feet
• C126 linear feet
• D132 linear feet

Saw-cut contraction joints in a 4-inch unreinforced slab-on-grade are commonly spaced at about two to three times the slab thickness in feet. Which spacing range matches that rule of thumb?

• A4 to 6 feet on center
• B8 to 12 feet on center
• C16 to 20 feet on center
• D24 to 30 feet on center

Increasing the water-cement ratio of a concrete mix, with no other changes, generally has which effect?

• AIncreases compressive strength and decreases permeability
• BDecreases compressive strength and increases permeability
• CHas no effect on strength if slump is held constant with a water reducer
• DAutomatically air-entrains the mix

Unless the contract documents specify otherwise, newly placed concrete made with Type I cement is typically kept moist for curing for at least how long?

• A24 hours
• B3 days
• C7 days
• D28 days of continuous water ponding in all cases

For a below-grade loadbearing concrete-masonry foundation wall, which ASTM C270 mortar type is the usual specification when high compressive strength and lateral-load resistance are required?

• AType O
• BType N
• CType S
• DType K

Per 2018 IBC Section 1404.4, weepholes in masonry veneer above flashing shall be at least 3/16 inch in diameter and shall be spaced not more than which distance on center?

• A16 inches
• B24 inches
• C33 inches
• D48 inches

Using nominal 8-inch by 16-inch face dimensions, how many standard concrete masonry units are required for 100 square feet of wall, ignoring waste and openings?

• A75 units
• B100 units
• C112.5 units
• D150 units

An 8-foot-high by 40-foot-long CMU wall is built with nominal 8-inch by 16-inch units. Including 5 percent waste and ignoring openings, how many blocks should be ordered?

• A360
• B378
• C400
• D450

In running-bond masonry, head joints in successive courses are typically offset by what portion of the unit length?

• ANo offset; joints align vertically
• BOne-quarter of the unit length
• COne-half of the unit length
• DThe full unit length

Coarse grout for filling CMU cells is typically placed at which slump so it will flow and consolidate in the cells?

• A1 to 2 inches
• B3 to 4 inches
• C8 to 11 inches
• D14 to 16 inches

Unless otherwise specified, the standard thickness of head and bed mortar joints in concrete masonry is which of the following?

• A1/8 inch
• B1/4 inch
• C3/8 inch
• D3/4 inch

At the base of a drained masonry veneer, flashing and weepholes are provided primarily to do which of the following?

• AIncrease the compressive strength of the first course
• BCollect water that enters the drainage cavity and direct it to the exterior
• CEliminate the need for a weather-resistive barrier on the backup wall
• DServe as the only lateral tie for the veneer

When grouting CMU walls in high lifts, cleanouts are required at the bottom of grout cells primarily so that which condition can be corrected before grout is placed?

• AMortar fins, debris, and excess mortar droppings that would block the cell
• BSlight color variation in the face shells
• CMinor chips on the exterior face that will be painted
• DThe need to wet the units immediately before grouting

A steel lintel over a masonry opening is provided primarily to do which of the following?

• ADrain the veneer cavity at mid-wall height
• BSupport the masonry and loads above the opening and transfer them to the adjacent wall
• CReplace horizontal joint reinforcement in the entire wall
• DServe as the sole flashing at the foundation

A nominal 8-inch by 8-inch by 16-inch concrete masonry unit has which actual specified dimensions?

• A8 inches by 8 inches by 16 inches
• B7-5/8 inches by 7-5/8 inches by 15-5/8 inches
• C7 inches by 7 inches by 15 inches
• D9 inches by 9 inches by 18 inches

Vertical reinforcing steel in a CMU wall must be placed in which of the following?

• AThe mortar bed joint only, without grout
• BGrouted cells or cavities that fully embed the bars
• CThe drainage cavity of a brick veneer
• DSurface-mounted PVC conduit on the exterior face

ASTM A36 structural carbon steel used for plates, angles, and many beams has a specified minimum yield stress (Fy) of which value?

• A36 kips per square inch
• B50 kips per square inch
• C60 kips per square inch
• D80 kips per square inch

In structural steel buildings, high-strength bolted connections (ASTM F3125 Grade A325 or A490) are commonly used instead of field welds primarily because they do which of the following?

• AEliminate all need for inspection
• BAllow reliable field assembly with pretension or slip-critical installation when specified
• CPermit any bolt grade to be substituted without checking the drawings
• DRemove the need for washers, plies in firm contact, or snug-tight criteria

Cold-formed steel studs for a small commercial interior partition are typically which of the following?

• AHot-rolled W-shapes punched for bridging
• BLight-gauge C-shaped members with punchouts, sized and spaced per the approved drawings
• CStandard 2x4 wood studs wrapped in sheet metal
• DUnpunched 1/4-inch steel plate studs at 48 inches on center

Structural steel that will be exposed to weather on a Nevada project is commonly protected from corrosion by which method?

• ALeaving mill scale as the only coating
• BHot-dip galvanizing, a specified paint system, or another approved coating
• CA single coat of form oil
• DWrapping the steel in polyethylene after erection

A W12×50 beam weighs 50 pounds per foot. What is the steel weight of one 20-foot beam, ignoring connections and copes?

• A500 pounds
• B600 pounds
• C1,000 pounds
• D1,200 pounds

Cast-in-place anchor bolts that will receive a steel column base plate should be held in position during the concrete pour by which method?

• APushing them into freshly finished concrete after screeding
• BA rigid template or jig set to the approved layout before the pour
• CWiring them loosely to nearby rebar so they can be moved later
• DDrilling the hardened footing and using any wedge anchor of similar diameter

In platform (western) framing, floor joists typically bear on which of the following at an exterior wall?

• AA doubled top plate of the story below, with the wall studs of the story above starting o…
• BA continuous balloon-frame stud that runs past the floor without a platform
• CThe masonry chimney only
• DA ridge board

Per 2018 IBC Section 2308.5.9, a wood stud in an exterior or other loadbearing wall may be notched to a depth not exceeding which portion of the stud width?

• A10 percent
• B25 percent
• C40 percent
• D60 percent

Per 2018 IBC Section 2308.4.2.4, a hole bored in a floor joist shall not exceed one-third the joist depth and shall not be closer than which distance to the top or bottom of the joist?

• A1/2 inch
• B1 inch
• C2 inches
• D4 inches

How many board feet are in a package of twenty 2x10s that are each 16 feet long?

• A267 board feet
• B320 board feet
• C427 board feet
• D533 board feet

Per 2018 IBC Section 2308.5.3.2, end joints in double top plates of conventional light-frame bearing and exterior walls shall be offset not less than which distance?

• A6 inches
• B12 inches
• C24 inches
• D48 inches

Fireblocking in concealed wood-frame wall cavities is required to do which of the following?

• AIncrease the R-value of the insulation
• BCut off vertical and horizontal concealed draft openings so fire cannot travel inside the…
• CReplace gypsum board as the 15-minute thermal barrier
• DEliminate the need for smoke alarms

A field carpenter needs to run a large plumbing vent through a metal-plate wood truss. What is the correct action?

• ACut the truss chord as needed and sister a 2x4 beside the cut
• BDo not cut, notch, or alter the truss; obtain an engineered repair or relocate the pipe
• CDrill any hole that is less than half the chord depth
• DRemove one web and replace it with a plywood gusset cut on site

Unless the approved drawings specify otherwise, loadbearing 2x4 wood studs in conventional residential construction are most commonly spaced at which interval?

• A12 inches on center only
• B16 inches on center
• C30 inches on center
• D48 inches on center

A rough opening is 6 feet 1 inch wide. Using doubled 2x12 headers that are each 12 feet long before cutting, and ignoring jack-stud material, how many board feet of 2x12 header stock are required for one opening if two 12-foot pieces are purchased?

• A16 board feet
• B24 board feet
• C48 board feet
• D64 board feet