6 Flashcards
frost heave
Uplift of the soil surface or foundations caused by freezing of moisture in the soil.
reflective glass
Glass with a reflective film laminated between two sheets of clear glass, which behaves like a mirror, reflecting heat and glare.
Cor-Ten Steel
A proprietary name for weathering steel.
heavy timber
Referring to construction in which fire resistance is obtained by using wood structural members of specified minimum sizes.
dressed lumber
Lumber that has been surfaced by a planing machine. If all four sides are surfaced (S4S), the net dimensions of the piece are about 1/2” less than the normal dimensions. Also called surfaced lumber.
linoleum
A resilient floor covering formed of burlap or canvas coated with linseed oil, ground cork, and rosin. It is durable, easily maintained, and relatively inexpensive.
latch
A beveled fastening device that automatically slides into position when the door is closed.
low-lift grouting
A method of building reinforced grouted masonry walls in which the grout between the tiers is poured as the units are laid.
broom finish
A scored concrete surface produced by brooming before the concrete has completely hardened.
counterflashing
A strip of impervious material (usually sheet metal) that is fastened at one edge and turned down at the other edge over flashing, to prevent water penetration at flashed joints.
backfill
Earth that is replaced around a foundation or retaining wall after the concrete forms have been removed.
bitumen
A substance derived from petroleum or coal used to resist water penetration, such as asphalt or coal-tar pitch.
gypsum board
A prefabricated form of plaster used in place of conventional three-coat interior plaster.
revolving door
A door that consists of four leaves, at right angles to each other, that rotate about a vertical axis within a cylindrical enclosure. It can carry a continuous, two-way flow of pedestrian traffic with a minimum of interchange of air between inside and outside.
intumescent paint
Paint that swells up when exposed to excessive heat and thus resists flame spread.
hospital tip
The rounded top edge on a hinge, designed for cleanliness and to avoid catching garments.
escutcheon
A protective or decorative metal plate around a knob and/or keyhold of a door.
slurry
A soupy mixture of water and clay or water and Portland cement.
headroom
The minimum clear height available for passage, measured from a stair tread to the overhead construction, including any projection or obstruction.
brick
A solid rectangular masonry unit of clay or shale, which has been burned or fired in a kiln.
tarnish
Discoloration or dullness on the surface of a metal caused by oxidation.
jalousie
A window or door blind made of fixed or moveable horizontal slats.
curtain wall
A nonbearing exterior building wall, composed of metal framework and panels of glass, plastic, and so on, which functions as an enclosing skin.
run
The horizontal distance of a flight of stairs, including landings.
counterweight
A weight on the opposite end of the cables from the elevator cab, which is used to increase traction and reduce power requirements of an electric elevator.
fireproof
Describing construction that will not burn or is highly resistant to fire.
asbestos cement
A material consisting of a mixture of Portland cement and asbestos fiber. Although resistant to fire, it is considered a health hazard.
billet bars
The most commonly used reinforcing steel, rolled from steel billets made by the open-hearth, electric furnace, or acid-bessemer process.
tempered glass
Heat-treated glass that is resistant to impact stresses, thermal stresses, and wind pressures.
glazing gasket
A prefabricated strip of molded or extruded material used in a dry glazing process. Also referred to as a compression zipper gasket.
seasoning
Removing moisture from green wood to improve it’s serviceability.
laminated glass
Glass with a plastic sheet laminated between 2 layers of clear glass (safety glass) or 4 or more layers of glass laminated to 3 or more layers of plastic (bulletproof glass).
welded wire fabric
A type of reinforcement used in reinforced concrete, consisting of a grid of steel wires perpendicular to each other and welded at all points of intersection.
mortise-and-tenon joint
A joint between two wood members, in which a tenon, the projecting end of one piece, is fitted into a mortise, an opening cut into another piece.
sheet piling
A barrier formed by a series of piles placed next to each other, to retain soil or keep an excavation dry.
platform framing
A method of framing wood stud walls in which the studs are one story in height and the floor joists bear on the top plates of the wall below.
stringer
An inclined member that supports the treads and risers of a stairway.
underpinning
Deepening an existing foundation or building a new foundation for an existing building. Underpinning is usually required when excavation for a new building is adjacent to and deeper than an existing foundation.
ductility
The ability of a material to undergo large deformations without fracture.
bearing capacity
The load per unit area that can be safely supported by the ground.
wythe
An individual vertical tier of masonry in a cavity wall. Also called a tier.
standpipe
A vertical supply pipe for firefighting. Dry standpipes are empty and must be connected to a fire hydrant via a Siamese connection and pumper truck. Wet standpipes are pressurized and filled with water, to serve attached hoses within the building, on each floor. Wet standpipes also have Siamese connections to allow the water flow to be augmented from fire hydrants.
durability
Permanence or resistance to deterioration. Frequently used to refer to the resistance to decay of a species of wood.
glue laminated beam
An assembly of laminations of lumber in which the grain of all the laminations is approximately parallel longitudinally. The laminations are bonded with adhesives and fabricated in accordance with certain accepted standards.
kiln-dried
Describing wood that is seasoned in a chamber using artificial heat.
high-early-strength cement
A type of cement (ASTM Type III) that provides earlier strength in concrete than ordinary cements. It is used when forms must be removed quickly or when the structure must be put into service quickly.
riser
The vertical face of a stairstep; it’s height is the vertical distance between treads.
corrosion
The deterioration of metal by chemical action, as a result of exposure to air, water, soil, or other agents.
permeability
The property of permitting passage of water or water vapor through a material without causing rupture or displacement.
