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Acoustic Tile
A product used as a finish for ceilings that has the capability to absorb sound
A.I.A.
American Institute of Architects
Arcade
A series of arches supported on columns either freestanding or attached to a wall
Asphalt
A petroleum product that is used as a binder for roofing membranes and in the making of pavements Back to Top
Baluster
A spindle or post supporting a stair handrail or forming part of a balustrade
Balustrade
The entre railing system, with a row of balusters underneath a balustrade
Bas-relief
A carving raised above a background plane
Batten
A cover strip that provides protection against the penetration of water at a splice point in exterior sidings.
Bay
A window element that protrudes from the façade of a building
Beam
A structural section that spans between two supports while supporting loads applied normal to its longitudinal axis.
Bearing capacity
The property of soil that is used to establish the size of footings. It is based on various tests, depending on the type of soil being tested.
Bearing pile
A slender foundation section set vertically in the ground that develops its load capacity by its end resting on a stable layer of soil
Belt
A line of stone trim encircling the exterior of a building
Bench Mark or Datum point
A point of know elevation , established by registered survey and marked by a brass plate on a post or near the ground level
Berm
A dam or stockpile of dirt
Blasting cap
A device used in detonating dynamite
Bond beam
A section of masonry wall that has been reinforced with steal bars and grout to provide additional stability to the wall
Bracket
A small, curved or angular support designed to carry weight
Bulkhead
A temporary barrier placed inside a form at some point where the daily concrete pour is to be terminated.
Bulking
A resulting increase in volume of a material that has been disturbed
Buttresses
Masonry or brick projecting from and build against a building to provide additional strength Back to Top
Cofferdam
A temporary boxlike structure used to hold back water or earth while work is being done inside it
Caisson
A containment vessel used to provide protection for the construction crew during the placement of foundations in unstable soil conditions or in areas having a high water table.
Casement window
A window sash opening outward on side hinges
Chancel
The east end of a church, often containing the main alter
Civil Engineer
Provides administrative and technical services for construction, estimating, design & project management
Column
A structural member used primarily to resist axial compressive loads
Conductivity
The ability of a material to transmit electricity or heat
Construction joint
A break in a concrete pour.
Control joint
A break provided in a concrete component to allow for the change in length due to temperature changes and shrinkage
Coping
Overhanging trim at the top of a wall
Cornice
The uppermost part of a beam carried by columns, used to crown the wall of a structure. Ie: molding used at the edge of a roof.
Course
A horizontal row of bricks, stones and other materials used in masonry
Cross gable
A gable set parallel to the roof ridge
Cruciform
A cross-shaped floor plan used for churches
Cupola
A small domes or pointy structure on the top of a building or turret Back to Top
Dado
In architecture, a term used for the lower portion of an interior wall covered with a special finish such as tile
Decibel
A unit used to describe the intensity of sound
Decking
That portion of a structural frame that spans between supporting beams or walls and serves as a floor or roof.
Density
The amount of material contained within a unit volume, excluding all voids in the material. In metric units it is expressed as mass per unit volume
Design loads
The weight of the building superstructure on the supporting soil
Dewatering system
An arrangement of pipes and pumps used in the lowering of the water table in the vicinity of an excavation.
Dormer
A window that projects from a rood
Dry Concrete
A concrete mix that has little or no water added to the cement and aggregate mixture Back to Top
Elevation
The height of a point with respect to a datum point of known elevation
End plates
Plates welded to the ends of structural steel sections for connection purposes
Estimator
Reviews project drawings and works with subcontractors and suppliers to develop accurate projections of project costs. Back to Top
Façade
The front of a building
Fanlight
A semi-circular window, used above a door, which looks like a fan
Fascia
The vertical finish on a rafter overhang or roof edge
Field Engineer
Lays the groundwork for all projects and coordinates the “nuts and bolts” of work on site including building and site layout.
Finial
An ornament used to top off architectural features
Flashing
Light-gauge metal used to cover areas of discontinuity between different building elements
Float
A tool used in the leveling of poured concrete prior to final finishing
Footings
That portion of a structural frame used in the transfer of building loads to the supporting soil
Force
A vector quantity representing the interaction between two objects or masses. A vector quantity has both magnitude and direction
Formwork
A temporary structure used as a mold for plastic concrete
Friction Pile
A foundation section that develops its load capacity from the frictional forces that are developed between the surrounding soil and the surface of the section. Back to Top
Gable
A triangular section of a wall, having a pitched roof
Girder
A main structural section that supports secondary roof or floor beams
Grade
A term used to describe the slope of a roadway, pipeline, or floor beams
Grade Lines
Lines that have a uniform rate of rise throughout their length
Grout
A nonshrink mixture of cement and fine aggregate used in filling fractures in hardened concrete, in rock formations, and under beam-and column-bearing plates
Gusset plate
A plate welded to structural steel sections, normally used for connecting cross-bracing Back to Top
Hardpan
A densely compacted mixture of clay and granular material
Header
The end of a brick Back to Top
Isolation joint
A joint that separates two structural components and allows for movement between them Back to Top
Keystone
A wedge-shaped stone in the center of an arch used to keep the arch from collapsing Back to Top
Laser
Light rays that are concentrated into a controlled beam of light
Lintel
A small beam spanning over a door or window opening
Lite
A sheet or pane of glass enclosed by a frame
Louvers
Vents covering an opening which admit air but no light Back to Top
Mansard roof
A roof with steeply-pitched sloping sides on the top of which is a flat deck
Monolithic
Concrete sections that are poured together without any breaks
Monument
A permanent marker used in designating a point of known elevation
Mudsill
A bearing pad used under a shore to distribute the shoring load over a larger surface Back to Top
Nave
The central portion of a church with aisles on either side Back to Top
Parapet
That portion of a perimeter wall that extends above the roof of a building
Pile
A structural section placed in the ground for the purpose of supporting a superimposed load
Plywood
A sheathing product made of several wood veneers with their grain normal to one another, producing a panel that has uniform properties in both directions
Project Manager
In charge of supervising the business aspects of a construction project including scheduling, budgeting, processing and serving as a liaison between the owner and architect.
Purlin
A secondary structural section that supports a roof deck Back to Top
Quick condition
A loss of bearing capacity that occurs in a saturated, fine-grained soil when it is disturbed
Quoin
Stone trim placed to produce a raised or exposed edge, providing relief to the surface of the wall Back to Top
Rebound
The property of a material to increase in volume when an existing load has been removed.
Resistivity
The nonconductance of a material.
Rustication Strips
Strips placed in the formwork to produce an attractive design in the face of the finished concrete. Back to Top
Saturated, Surface-Dry Aggregates
Aggregates that have all pores completely filled with water, yet are dry on the surface
Scupper
A channel cut into the parapet of a building at the roof elevation to provide a means for roof drainage.
Shore
A vertical structural member that is used for supporting formwork at a predetermined elevation
Sill
The horizontal ledge at the bottom of a window or a flat section serving to distribute concentrated loads over a larger area
SI System of Units: system International d’Unites
The latest version of the metric system
Slab on Grade
A concrete slab that is poured on prepared soil and depends on the base material for its strength
Slurry
A watery mixture of some cementous material used for stabilizing asoils or for sealing fractures in walls.
Soffit
The underside of a roof overhand
Stretcher
The long side of a brick
Structural Slab
A concrete slab that must be able to support its own weight plus any other superimposed load between two points of support
Subfloor
Sheathing that is used to provide a sound surface for finished flooring materials
Subsurface
Below the ground
Superintendent
Oversees all field operations to ensure that all work is in compliance with contract documents and on schedule. Back to Top
T-Bars
Light, metal R-shaped sections used in supporting acoustic panels in suspended ceilings
Till
A mixture of clay, sand, and Boulders
Total Station
Survey instruments that are able to transmit data from the field directly to the office.
Transept
The “arms” part of the flooring of a cross shaped church
Turnbuckle
A steel bar with threaded portions at both ends fitted with eyebolts, so that when turned, will shorten the distance between the two eyebolts. Used in tightening bracing cables in structural steel frames.
Turret
A small tower Back to Top
Underpinning
The process of providing additional support to existing foundations. Back to Top
Wall-point
A perforated pipe, protected by a screen, that is driven into the ground for the purpose of collecting water Back to Top
Yoke
A metal or wooden section placed around a column form to provide support to the form sheathing. Back to Top
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