7 Flashcards
water-repellent
Incapable of transmitting water by capillary action, but able to transmit water under pressure.
test boring
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.
collar beam
A horizontal tie beam connecting two opposing rafters at a level above the wall plates.
chase
A recessed space or passage through a wall or other element to accommodate pipes or ducts.
sleeper
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.
expansion joint
The complete separation, from top of footing to the roof, of adjacent building parts to allow for expansion and contraction caused by temperature changes.
conifer
A cone-bearing evergreen tree, such as cedar, pine, or fir.
entrained air
Tiny air bubbles incorporated into mortar or concrete during mixing to resist freezing action.
gravel
A coarse granular material, with particles varying from about 3” to 3/16”.
fire brick
Brick made from fire clay which has great resistance to high temperatures.
efflorescence
The whitish powder of crystallization, caused by water soluble salts, which comes to the surface when water evaporates from brick.
sherardizing
A method of coating steel with a thin layer of zinc.
rise
The distance from floor to floor, or the height of a flight of stairs from one landing to another.
saddle
A member beneath a door, to cover the floor joint or provide weather protection. Also called a threshold.
wellpoint
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.
casing
The exposed molding used to trim around doors or windows.
faience tile
Ceramic tile having a nonmechanical, highly colored decorative design.
sabin
The unit of sound absorption equivalent to the absorption of one square foot of open window.
shakes
Hand-split wood shingles.
neat
Describing cement or plaster that has been mixed with water only, without sand or lime.
traction machine
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.
jack rafter
A short rafter between hip rafter and eave or between valley and ridge.
Kelly ball test
A test to determine the workability of fresh concrete.
terra-cotta
A form of clay tile that is used decoratively.
kerf
A cut or notch in a material.
oxidation
The chemical combination of a substance with oxygen, which may cause corrosion or tarnishing in metals.
laitance
A low-strength layer of fine particles that floats to the surface of wet concrete.
in situ
In place.
glazed tile
Ceramic tile that has ceramic materials fused into the body of the tile, producing an impervious glazed surface finish.
liquid limit
The moisture content at which a soil starts to change from a plastic to a semiliquid state.
butt
A hinge applied to the edge of a door in which only the butt end remains visible.
vibratory compactor
A machine used primarily for the compaction of granular soils, such as sands.
coping
A protective cap of brick, stone, or concrete used at the top of a wall to prevent water penetration.
cofferdam
A watertight, temporary wall or enclosure, often used underwater to allow construction work to be performed on a dry site.
mortar
A mixture of cement, lime, sand, and water used to bond bricks or stone in masonry work.
culls
Rejected material whose quality is too low to be used.
workability
The ease with which concrete can be placed and consolidated in the forms.
latex
An emulsion of finely dispersed particles of rubber or plastic.
water-resistant
Having no opening larger than capillary pores that permit leakage of water.
acoustic plaster
A mineral-fiber, low-density plaster mixture which is hand-troweled or machine-sprayed to produce a sound-absorbing surface.
rowlock
A masonry course in which the units are laid on edge with their ends exposed.
magnesite flooring
A plastic composition of magnesium chloride, sand, and magnesite, used as jointless flooring over concrete, wood, or steel decking.
shellac
A solution of refined lac resin and denatured alcohol used as a clear coating.
U-factor or U-value
The overall rate of heat flow of a particular wall section, expressed in Btus per hour per degree Fahrenheit per square foot.
bridging
Cross braces used between joists to stabilize them.
rust
A brownish powdery substance (iron oxide) which forms on the surface of iron as a result of oxidation.
cut nail
A nail having a tapered, rectangular form with a blunt point, cut from sheet steel.
jetting
A method of placing piles using high-pressure water jets.
enamel
A smooth and hard pigmented paint that uses varnish as the vehicle.
