Construction Supervisor License Practice Exam

For steel-to-steel connections in a townhouse, screws must extend through the steel a minimum of what amount?

1. 3/8 inch

2. Three exposed threads

3. Four exposed threads

4. 1/2 inch

The correct answer is: Three exposed threads

In steel construction, particularly for connections, ensuring a secure fastening is crucial for structural integrity. When connecting steel-to-steel, the guideline that screws must extend through the steel a minimum of three exposed threads helps ensure sufficient engagement between the screw and the material, which is essential for load transfer and overall stability. The requirement for three exposed threads assures that there is enough thread engagement for the screw to perform effectively under tension and shear forces. Threads provide the necessary friction and grip, minimizing the risk of loosening over time due to vibrations or other stresses that the structure might encounter. This specification also aligns with standard practice in construction to provide a safety factor in structural connections. Adequate thread engagement reduces the likelihood of failure at the joint and is a crucial consideration in structural design and engineering codes. Other amounts, such as 1/2 inch and the other thread counts suggested, do not provide the same level of assurance regarding structural performance or may lead to insufficient engagement, potentially compromising the connection's integrity.