KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING
Year & Semester of examinations: YEAR III; SEMESTER I, 2022/2023
Name of programme: BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING IN CIVIL AND
BUILDING ENGINEERING
Course code and name: TCBE 3107

Date: Monday, 05th June 2023 Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 Noon

Instructions to Candidates.

• This examination contains Six (6) questions.

• Attempt four questions (4) only.
• All questions carry equal marks (25 Marks)
• Begin each question on a fresh page.

Question one (25Marks)

a) As the world of construction develops, adapts to the BIM environment, and embraces the
challenges of becoming a digital industry, specification remains a critical part of the
process. It is as essential now as it has ever been, forming an integral part of a building
information model (BIM) and the digital golden thread of information that provides living,
accurate and up-to-date data from asset design through operation and end of life. Give good
reasons to support the statement above. (10 Marks)
b) Define specifications and give reasons for their failure on construction contracts. (10
Marks)
c) In summary, trace the evolution of specification writing in the construction Industry from
1914 up to date. (5 Marks)

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Question two (25Marks)

a) Explore and explain descriptive and performance specifications considering their strength,
limitations, design responsibility and relevant procurement strategies. (15 Marks)
b) Identify the basic types of documents prepared for construction projects. (5 Marks)
c) Contract documents are taken as mutually explanatory of one another. However, these
documents must be considered in a specific sequence when interpreting a construction
contract. Outline five construction contract documents following their sequence of priority
during interpreting a construction contract. ( 5 Marks)

Question three (25Marks)

a) Discuss the relationship between drawings and technical specifications. (10 Marks)
b) Kyambogo University intends to construct a teaching and library facility for the department
of Civil and Building Engineering. The scope of work consists construction of a 6-story
building with lecture rooms, office, laboratories and a library, parking space, boundary
walls, an access road, landscaping with a simple irrigation system, an elevator for vertical
transport, HVAC installations, electrical installations, and installation of laboratory
equipment. Identify ten (10) forms of drawings that are desired for the proper execution of
the project. (10 Marks)
c) Explain four tasks you perform before writing specifications.

Question four (25Marks)

(a) Describe the procedure for writing specifications from the strategic definition stage to the
tender action stage of the project.(10 Marks)
(b) To effectively communicate requirements, specifications must be clear, concise, complete,
correct, and consistent. With examples, explain “five Cs” of good specification writing.
(15 Marks)

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Question five (25Marks)

a) In line with the principles of specification writing, explain the following terms and how
they apply to specification writing. (5 Marks)
i) Voice
ii) Mood
iii) Tables
iv) Units of measurement
v) Abbreviations, initialisms, and acronyms
b) Specifications are commonly arranged in series of sections based on order in which the
various trades appear on the construction project. Outline 10 work sections of a
specification document for a building project. (10 Marks)
c) Using the information provided below, draft a specification for walling. (10 Marks)
Bonding • All blocks shall be properly bonded together and in such a manner that no vertical joint
Walling in any course of blockwork shall be within 155 mm of a similar joint in the courses
immediately above or below. Alternative course of walling at all angles and
intersections shall be carried through the full thickness of the adjoining walls.
• All perpends, reveals, quoins and other angles and joints of the walls, etc. shall be built
strictly true and square.
Damp proof • Bituminous felt damp proof courses shall be Hessian based weighing not less than 3.79
courses Kgs per square metre or other equal and approved material, free from tears and holes,
lapped 150 mm at running joints and for full width of wall at angles and intersections
and bedded on and including a 12 mm levelling screed.
Blocks • Shall be hollow or solid complying with B.S. 2028 Type A and must be obtained from an
approved manufacturer, equal to samples deposited with and approved by the Project
Manager.
• Load bearing blocks shall have a minimum crushing strength of 3.5 N/mm2 of gross
area at 28 days
Samples and • Separate samples of each type of block, taken at random from a load, shall be
handling deposited with and be approved by the Project Manager before being used and all
subsequent deliveries shall generally be up to the standard of the sample approved.
• Blocks shall be handled to minimize damage.
Wall • Wall reinforcement shall consist of two 25 mm wide strips of hoop iron in horizontal
reinforcement joints at approximately 450 mm centers (vertically) for the full length of the walls,
lapped 300 mm at running joints and full width of wall at angles and intersections.
Cement • All cement used for making mortar shall be Portland cement complying with B.S. 12.
Sand • All sand used for making mortar shall be clean well graded sharp siliceous sand of good
quality equal to samples which shall be approved by the Consultant. It shall be free
from lumps or stones, earth, loam, dust, salt, organic matter and any other deleterious
substance, sieved through a fine sieve and washed if so, directed by the Project
Manager.

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Cement • Mortar mix proportions in the Bills of Quantities are given by volume. Cement and
Mortar sand shall be mixed on approved mixing platforms, with water added afterwards until
all parts are completely incorporated and brought to a proper consistency. The use or
retempering of wholly or partially set mortar will not be allowed.
Unit of • Refer to the Standard Method of Measurement for building and associated civil works
measurement for East Africa, 2008, second edition and Use knowledge acquired from measurement
of building works.
Laying and • All blocks to be well wetted before laying and tops of walls where left off shall be well
Jointing wetted before commencing building.
• All joints are to be 10 mm thick and flushed up and grouted in solid as the work
proceeds.
• All exposed faces of walls for plastering are to be left rough and the joints raked out
while mortar is green to form adequate key.
• All other faces shall be cleaned down on completion with a wire brush as necessary and
mortar droppings, smear marks etc., removed and rates must include for this.
Basis of • Use knowledge acquired from measurement of building works.
payment
Protection • The whole of the walling shall be carefully protected, and special care shall be taken in
protecting face work from mortar splashes and the like and making good putlog holes.

Missing • Where no specifications are given, candidates must assume their own.
information

Question six (25Marks)

a) All contract documents must work together. They must network without overlaps or gaps.
In other words, duplication of information should be avoided to avert contradictions and
ambiguity. Enumerate actions you can take to ensure proper coordination of contract
documents. In addition, explain the consequences of poorly coordinated contract
documents on a construction contract. (10 Marks)
b) The PPDA Standard Bidding Document (SBD) for procurement of construction works
(Open and restricted bidding) is organized into different parts and sections. Outline the
structure of the SBD. (5 Marks)
c) Outline the tendering process for soliciting a contractor under open domestic tendering.
(10 Marks)

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