5 Flashcards
skylight
An overhead source of natural light, generally installed on a roof.
aggregate
The chemically inert element of concrete, usually consisting of sand, gravel, and/or other granular material.
water-cement ratio
The ratio of water to cement in a concrete mix, the main factor that determines concrete strength.
water table
The level below which the subsoil is completely saturated with water. Also called the groundwater level.
veneer
Masonry finish material which is attached, but not structurally bonded, to the backing. Also, a thin layer or sheet of wood produced by slicing or rotary cutting.
moving stairway
A continuously moving, power-driven mechanical device that transports passengers along an incline from one floor to another. Also referred to as an escalator.
window glass
Clear, flat sheet glass that is most commonly used for glazing.
car bumpers
A device located at the bottom of an elevator hoistway, used to stop a cab’s overtravel at low speed, not to stop a free-falling cab. Also referred to as buffer.
plastic limit
The moisture content at which soil starts to change from a semisolid to a plastic state.
compacted fill
Fill that has been densified by the application of pressure, usually by mechanical equipment, in order to increase it’s strength and stability and reduce it’s settlement. Properly compacted fill is often suitable for the support of building footings.
plywood
A laminated panel of thin wood veneers, or plies, permanently bonded together with an adhesive. The grain of the adjacent plies is usually placed at right angles.
scupper
An opening in a wall or parapet for the drainage of rainwater from a roof.
flight
A continuous series of steps extending from floor to floor, floor to landing, or landing to landing.
foundation
The part of a building’s structure that transmits the building’s load to the underlying soil.
parquet
Describing inlaid wood flooring, generally set in a traditional geometric pattern.
pervious
Permitting leakage or flow of water.
shoring
Temporary support for a portion of a building.
differential settlement
Unequal settlement of the various parts of a building, which may cause excessive stresses in the structural frame or tilting of the building.
reinforced concrete
Concrete containing adequate reinforcing steel and designed on the basis that the concrete and steel act together in resisting forces. The concrete is usually assumed to resist compression, while the reinforcing steel is assumed to resist tension.
wired glass
Sheet glass containing an embedded wire mesh for strength and safety.
elevator
A moveable enclosure that provides vertical transportation for a building’s occupants or freight and that serves two or more floors. The common elevator types are electric and hydraulic.
stacked bond
The masonry bond pattern in which all the head joints form a continuous vertical line and no units overlap.
grubbing
The removal from a site of unwanted roots, stumps, and so on during excavation.
dry pack
To pack a damp concrete mixture into a confined space.
