GATE Architecture & Planning Common Syllabus

What clear floor space (turning circle) is required for a wheelchair to make a 360° turn?

A turning circle of about $1500$ mm diameter (1.5 m), or a T-shaped turning space within a $1500 \times 1500$ mm area.

Define 'building byelaws' and name the document that consolidates them at national level in India.

Building byelaws are local legal regulations governing building activity (setbacks, height, FAR, occupancy, safety). At national level they are guided by the National Building Code (NBC) of India, with local bodies framing their own byelaws.

Define FAR (Floor Area Ratio) / FSI and give its formula.

$\text{FAR (FSI)} = \dfrac{\text{Total built-up (floor) area of all floors}}{\text{Plot (site) area}}$. It limits the total floor area permissible on a plot.

Define ground coverage and how it differs from FAR.

Ground coverage is the percentage of plot area covered by the building footprint at ground level: $\dfrac{\text{Ground floor built area}}{\text{Plot area}}\times 100$. FAR governs total floor area across all storeys, whereas ground coverage governs only the footprint.

Which is the principal national document for fire and life safety, and structural/building standards in India?

The National Building Code of India (NBC), published by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Structural codes include IS 456 (RCC), IS 800 (steel), IS 1893 (earthquake), IS 875 (loads).

What Indian Standard codes govern (a) RCC design, (b) earthquake-resistant design, and (c) design loads on buildings?

(a) IS 456 — plain and reinforced concrete; (b) IS 1893 — criteria for earthquake-resistant design of structures; (c) IS 875 — code of practice for design loads (dead, live, wind, snow) other than earthquake.

In CPM/PERT network analysis, define the critical path.

The critical path is the longest continuous path of activities through the network, determining the minimum project duration. Activities on it have zero float (slack); any delay delays the whole project.

State the formula for the PERT expected (mean) activity time.

$t_e = \dfrac{t_o + 4t_m + t_p}{6}$, where $t_o$ = optimistic, $t_m$ = most likely, and $t_p$ = pessimistic time estimates.

Give the PERT formulas for the standard deviation and variance of an activity.

Standard deviation $\sigma = \dfrac{t_p - t_o}{6}$ and variance $\sigma^{2} = \left(\dfrac{t_p - t_o}{6}\right)^{2}$.

State the key differences between PERT and CPM.

PERT is probabilistic (three time estimates), event-oriented, used for R&D / non-repetitive projects, focuses on time. CPM is deterministic (single time estimate), activity-oriented, used for repetitive/construction projects, and incorporates time–cost trade-offs (crashing).

Define total float and free float in network scheduling.

Total float = $LFT - EST - \text{duration}$ (= LST − EST): the time an activity can be delayed without delaying project completion. Free float is the delay possible without delaying the early start of the following activity.

What is 'crashing' in CPM and what is the cost slope?

Crashing is shortening project duration by adding resources to critical activities at extra cost. Cost slope $= \dfrac{\text{Crash cost} - \text{Normal cost}}{\text{Normal time} - \text{Crash time}}$, i.e., the extra cost per unit of time saved.

Distinguish between an 'estimate' and a 'specification' in construction.

An estimate is the calculated probable quantity and cost of materials, labour and works. A specification is a written description of the quality, type and workmanship of materials and methods to be used. Quantities come from estimates; quality from specifications.

Name common methods of preparing a building cost estimate.

Plinth area (built-up area) method, cubic content (volume) method, unit-base/service-unit method, and detailed/item-rate (quantity) estimate — the most accurate.

What is the 'plinth area rate' method of estimation?

Approximate estimate found by multiplying the plinth (built-up) area of the building by a current plinth area rate (cost per $\text{m}^2$) derived from similar completed projects. $\text{Cost} = \text{Plinth area} \times \text{rate}$.

Distinguish detailed (general) specification from particular specification.

Detailed/general specifications describe the quality, proportion and workmanship of each material and item generally. Particular specifications describe the specific method and materials for a particular item of a particular work in greater detail.

List the main methods of measuring quantities: explain 'centre line' vs 'long wall–short wall' methods.

In the centre-line method, the total centre-line length of walls is multiplied by cross-section to get quantities (deducting for junctions). In the long wall–short wall method, long walls are measured out-to-out and short walls in-to-in (or vice versa) and summed. Both give the same earthwork/masonry volume.

What is a 'Council of Architecture' (COA) and the legal basis of professional practice for architects in India?

The Council of Architecture (COA) is the statutory body constituted under the Architects Act, 1972, which regulates registration, education standards and professional conduct of architects in India. Only registered architects may use the title 'architect'.

State key duties under architectural professional ethics / code of conduct.

Maintain integrity and competence; act as a faithful adviser to the client; avoid conflicts of interest; not supplant another architect; charge fees per scale of charges and not engage in advertising/canvassing; uphold public safety and welfare.

What is the conventional scale of professional fees (total) charged by an architect in India, and what are the broad work stages?

Conventional total architect's fee is about $5\%$–$8\%$ of project cost, released in stages: concept design, preliminary/schematic, drawings/approval, working drawings & tender, and construction/site supervision.

In structural terms, distinguish 'form-active', 'vector-active', 'surface-active' and 'section-active' structure systems (Engel's classification).

Form-active: carry loads through their form (cables, arches). Vector-active: through axial members in tension/compression (trusses). Surface-active: through surface continuity (shells, plates, folded plates). Section-active: through bending of section (beams, frames, slabs).

How does the relationship between form and structure differ for a cable, an arch and a beam under load?

A cable works in pure tension and takes the funicular (catenary) shape of the load. An arch is the inverted funicular working in pure compression. A beam spans straight and resists load by internal bending (combined tension and compression across its section).

What are the basic principles of earthquake (disaster) resistant building configuration?

Regular, symmetric plan and elevation; light weight; low centre of gravity; short spans; continuous, redundant load paths; ductile detailing; avoid soft/weak storeys, re-entrant corners and torsional irregularity; strong-column/weak-beam design.

Name structural measures used to make buildings earthquake resistant.

Shear walls, cross/lateral bracing, ductile RC moment frames with confining reinforcement, base isolation (bearings), tuned mass / energy dampers, ductile detailing of joints, and bands/ties (plinth, lintel, roof) in masonry.

What is base isolation in seismic design?

Base isolation decouples the building from ground motion by introducing flexible bearings (e.g., elastomeric/lead-rubber or sliding bearings) between the superstructure and foundation, lengthening the natural period and reducing transmitted seismic forces.

What are the requirements/characteristics of temporary structures (shelters) for post-disaster rehabilitation?

Rapidly deployable, lightweight, low-cost, locally available/recyclable materials, easy to assemble/dismantle, climate-appropriate, providing safety, privacy and sanitation. Phases: emergency shelter, transitional (temporary) shelter, then permanent reconstruction.

Define an ecosystem and distinguish natural from man-made (artificial) ecosystems.

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with their non-living (abiotic) environment as a system. Natural ecosystems (forest, ocean, pond) self-regulate without human control; man-made ecosystems (cropland, aquarium, city) are created and maintained by humans and depend on human input.

Define a food chain and trophic levels in ecological systems.

A food chain is the linear transfer of energy/food from one organism to another. Trophic levels: producers (autotrophs) → primary consumers (herbivores) → secondary consumers (carnivores) → tertiary consumers → decomposers, each level being a feeding stage.

State the ecological 10% law of energy transfer (Lindeman's law).

Only about $10\%$ of the energy stored at one trophic level is transferred to the next; roughly $90\%$ is lost as metabolic heat. This limits food chains to about 4–5 trophic levels.

Differentiate the ecological terms ecosystem, habitat, niche and biome.

Habitat is the physical place an organism lives. Niche is its functional role/use of resources. Ecosystem is the community plus its abiotic environment. A biome is a large regional ecosystem type defined by climate and dominant vegetation (e.g., desert, tundra, tropical rainforest).