Coastal and Floodplain Construction Inspector's Practice Exam

What must wood piles that connect to beams supporting an elevated floor be secured with?

1. 1 bolt only

2. 2 hot dipped galvanized bolts

3. 2 hot dipped galvanized or stainless steel bolts

4. 3 stainless steel bolts

The correct answer is: 2 hot dipped galvanized or stainless steel bolts

The correct answer is that wood piles connecting to beams supporting an elevated floor must be secured with 2 hot dipped galvanized or stainless steel bolts. This requirement ensures that the structural connection between the wood piles and the beams is strong, stable, and resistant to corrosion. Using two bolts provides adequate strength to handle the loads transmitted through the beams while allowing for some redundancy in the connection; if one bolt were to fail, the second provides additional support. The choice of materials—either hot dipped galvanized or stainless steel—offers protection against the environmental factors that could lead to corrosion, especially important in coastal and floodplain areas where moisture and salinity can be detrimental to structural integrity. In contrast, securing the connection with just one bolt would not provide sufficient strength or stability, increasing the risk of failure under load. Similarly, attaching three bolts is typically excessive for such applications and could introduce unnecessary complexity and cost while not significantly enhancing the connection strength compared to using two bolts. Thus, the combination of two bolts made from corrosion-resistant materials is optimal for ensuring longevity and safety in elevated floor constructions.