7

Question 0

water-repellent

Answer 0

Incapable of transmitting water by capillary action, but able to transmit water under pressure.

Question 1

test boring

Answer 1

A hole drilled into the ground at the site of a proposed structure in order to obtain samples of the subsurface soil for examination and testing in a laboratory. Based on these tests, the soil engineer recommends the type of foundation and the allowable soil bearing pressure.

Question 2

collar beam

Answer 2

A horizontal tie beam connecting two opposing rafters at a level above the wall plates.

Question 3

chase

Answer 3

A recessed space or passage through a wall or other element to accommodate pipes or ducts.

Question 4

sleeper

Answer 4

A horizontal member used to support the structure above, such as one of the wood strips between a concrete slab and a finished wood floor.

Question 5

expansion joint

Answer 5

The complete separation, from top of footing to the roof, of adjacent building parts to allow for expansion and contraction caused by temperature changes.

Question 6

conifer

Answer 6

A cone-bearing evergreen tree, such as cedar, pine, or fir.

Question 7

entrained air

Answer 7

Tiny air bubbles incorporated into mortar or concrete during mixing to resist freezing action.

Question 8

gravel

Answer 8

A coarse granular material, with particles varying from about 3” to 3/16”.

Question 9

fire brick

Answer 9

Brick made from fire clay which has great resistance to high temperatures.

Question 10

efflorescence

Answer 10

The whitish powder of crystallization, caused by water soluble salts, which comes to the surface when water evaporates from brick.

Question 11

sherardizing

Answer 11

A method of coating steel with a thin layer of zinc.

Question 12

rise

Answer 12

The distance from floor to floor, or the height of a flight of stairs from one landing to another.

Question 13

saddle

Answer 13

A member beneath a door, to cover the floor joint or provide weather protection. Also called a threshold.

Question 14

wellpoint

Answer 14

A hollow rod with a perforated intake, which is driven into the ground and connected to a header, from which water is pumped out of an excavation.

Question 15

casing

Answer 15

The exposed molding used to trim around doors or windows.

Question 16

faience tile

Answer 16

Ceramic tile having a nonmechanical, highly colored decorative design.

Question 17

sabin

Answer 17

The unit of sound absorption equivalent to the absorption of one square foot of open window.

Question 18

shakes

Answer 18

Hand-split wood shingles.

Question 19

neat

Answer 19

Describing cement or plaster that has been mixed with water only, without sand or lime.

Question 20

traction machine

Answer 20

The hoisting mechanism of an electric motor, which transmits lifting power by means of friction developed by wire cables running over grooves in the machine-driven sheave.

Question 21

jack rafter

Answer 21

A short rafter between hip rafter and eave or between valley and ridge.

Question 22

Kelly ball test

Answer 22

A test to determine the workability of fresh concrete.

Question 23

terra-cotta

Answer 23

A form of clay tile that is used decoratively.

Question 24

kerf

Answer 24

A cut or notch in a material.

Question 25

oxidation

Answer 25

The chemical combination of a substance with oxygen, which may cause corrosion or tarnishing in metals.

Question 26

laitance

Answer 26

A low-strength layer of fine particles that floats to the surface of wet concrete.

Question 27

in situ

Answer 27

In place.

Question 28

glazed tile

Answer 28

Ceramic tile that has ceramic materials fused into the body of the tile, producing an impervious glazed surface finish.

Question 29

liquid limit

Answer 29

The moisture content at which a soil starts to change from a plastic to a semiliquid state.

Question 30

butt

Answer 30

A hinge applied to the edge of a door in which only the butt end remains visible.

Question 31

vibratory compactor

Answer 31

A machine used primarily for the compaction of granular soils, such as sands.

Question 32

coping

Answer 32

A protective cap of brick, stone, or concrete used at the top of a wall to prevent water penetration.

Question 33

cofferdam

Answer 33

A watertight, temporary wall or enclosure, often used underwater to allow construction work to be performed on a dry site.

Question 34

mortar

Answer 34

A mixture of cement, lime, sand, and water used to bond bricks or stone in masonry work.

Question 35

culls

Answer 35

Rejected material whose quality is too low to be used.

Question 36

workability

Answer 36

The ease with which concrete can be placed and consolidated in the forms.

Question 37

latex

Answer 37

An emulsion of finely dispersed particles of rubber or plastic.

Question 38

water-resistant

Answer 38

Having no opening larger than capillary pores that permit leakage of water.

Question 39

acoustic plaster

Answer 39

A mineral-fiber, low-density plaster mixture which is hand-troweled or machine-sprayed to produce a sound-absorbing surface.

Question 40

rowlock

Answer 40

A masonry course in which the units are laid on edge with their ends exposed.

Question 41

magnesite flooring

Answer 41

A plastic composition of magnesium chloride, sand, and magnesite, used as jointless flooring over concrete, wood, or steel decking.

Question 42

shellac

Answer 42

A solution of refined lac resin and denatured alcohol used as a clear coating.

Question 43

U-factor or U-value

Answer 43

The overall rate of heat flow of a particular wall section, expressed in Btus per hour per degree Fahrenheit per square foot.

Question 44

bridging

Answer 44

Cross braces used between joists to stabilize them.

Question 45

rust

Answer 45

A brownish powdery substance (iron oxide) which forms on the surface of iron as a result of oxidation.

Question 46

cut nail

Answer 46

A nail having a tapered, rectangular form with a blunt point, cut from sheet steel.

Question 47

jetting

Answer 47

A method of placing piles using high-pressure water jets.

Question 48

enamel

Answer 48

A smooth and hard pigmented paint that uses varnish as the vehicle.