BUILDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SYSTEMS (BDCS) Flashcards
Two sheets of glass with an air space between, to insulate against the passage of heat or sound. Also called double glazing.
insulating glass
Soil that is easily crumbled or reduced to powder.
friable
The hard fibrous substance lying beneath the pith and bark of trees.
wood
A groove cut into a member to receive another member.
rabbet
The work of installing glass in a frame.
glazing
The interior trough formed by the intersection of two sloping roof surfaces.
valley
A substance that inhibits the development and action of fungi, borers, and insects that deteriorate wood
preservative
Material used to prevent the passage of liquid across a joint or opening.
sealant
American Society for Testing and Methods.
ASTM
Steel having a carbon content over 0.5 percent. In general, increased carbon content increases strength and hardness, but decreases ductility.
high-carbon steel
Removing and/or adding earth in order to bring the ground surface to a specified elevation or profile. Also called earthwork.
grading
Glass which has four or more layers of glass laminated to three or more layers of plastic, used where strong impacts may occur.
bulletproof glass
The upright or vertical edge of a door or window.
stile
A roofing material applied in several layers to create a built-up composition roof.
asphalt saturated felt
A door that moves horizontally, either on a track in the floor or from rollers at the head.
sliding door
Roofing made up of plies of saturated roofing felts alternated with layers of pitch or hot asphalt cement and surfaced with gravel or a cap sheet.
built-up roofing
A permanently plastic waterproof adhesive material used in sealing joints.
mastic
A small hole near the bottom of a retaining wall, usually backfilled with gravel, to allow water to drain to the outside of the wall and thus avoid hydrostatic pressure against the wall.
weep hole
The driving device of a hydraulic elevator, which is powered by liquid under pressure within a cylinder. Also referred to as a ram.
plunger
The most widely used system for classifying soils. In this system, the soils are primarily classed as coarse-grained (gravels and sands), fine-grained (silts and clays), and highly organic.
Unified Soil Classification System
An elevator operated by fluid pressure from below, which raises or lowers the elevator car.
hydraulic elevator
The lower horizontal member, extending between jambs, which forms the bottom of a window or other frame.
sill
Earth that is removed (cut) and earth that is added (fill) in grading.
cut and fill
A vertical support for a handrail
baluster
The ease with which a metal can be shaped by hammering or by machine.
malleability
A rounded exposed edge, such as a tile or wood trim piece.
bullnose
A ratio used to determine the bearing capacity of a soil, based on a standard test.
California bearing ratio (CBR)
The heart center of a log.
pith
A joint formed when a concrete surface hardens before the next batch of concrete is placed against it.
cold joint
A vertical shaft that accommodates one or more elevators, conveyors, or dumbwaiters.
hoistway
The application of plaster to the back of masonry walls.
parging
The joint between two successive concrete pours. Construction joints are usually located where the shear is minimum, such as at a midspan of beams.
construction joint
Lumber that has not been seasoned and whose moisture content is close to that of the living tree.
green
A metal’s resistance to abrasion and penetration.
hardness
Stripping applied to exterior doors or windows to make them weathertight.
weather stripping
The thermal conductivity of a material.
K-value
The grade of brick used where high resistance to freezing and thawing is required.
grade SW (severe weather)
A test to determine the compressive strength of concrete by subjecting a standard cylinder of hardened concrete to compression in a testing machine.
cylinder test
A wall built of two or more wythes of masonry units with a continuous air space within the wall. The wythes must be tied together with noncorrosive metal ties.
cavity wall
A sprinkler system whose pipes are normally pressurized with only air, thus being invulnerable to freezing temperatures. Upon actuation, the air is vented and supply pressure forces water through the system.
dry pipe sprinkler
The deteriorating reaction between dissimilar metals that are in contact in the presence of moisture. Also called electrolysis.
galvanic action
A door that has a core of solid wood or other solid material.
solid core door
Laminated glass, consisting of a thin sheet of transparent plastic laminated between two layers of clear glass. Also referred to as shatterproof glass.
safety glass
The wood of various coniferous (cone-bearing) evergreen trees, such as cedars, pines, and firs.
softwood
A cellular framework that is filled with rock or soil to retain an earth embankment.
cribbing
Synthetic resins applied in liquid form, producing a durable, seamless floor surface.
elastomeric flooring
Removing and/or adding earth in order to bring the ground surface to a specified elevation or profile. Also called grading.
earthwork
A natural material, formed of decomposed and disintegrated parent rock, that can support plant life.
soil
The unit of permeability for a given material, expressing the resistance of the material to the penetration of moisture. One perm is equal to the flow of one grain of water vapor through one square foot of surface area per hour with a pressure difference of one inch of mercury.
perm
The digging or removal of earth.
excavation
A single-number rating for the evaluation of a particular cross-section in terms of its transmission of airborne sound. The higher the STC rating, the more effective the construction is at stopping airborne sound.
sound transmission class (STC)
The load-carrying unit of an elevator, including its platform, frame, enclosure, and door. Also referred to as an elevator car.
elevator cab
The designation of the quality of a manufactured piece of wood.
grade
Round steel bars with surface deformations that are placed in the forms prior to casting of concrete, and that primarily resist tension.
reinforcing steel
A door that slides upward, rolls up, folds up in panels, or rides up and pivots inward.
overhead door
Steel coated with lead and tin, used for roofing and flashing.
terne plate
A continuously moving, power-driven mechanical device that transports passengers along an incline from one floor to another. Also referred to as an escalator.
moving stairway
An alloy of copper and tin.
bronze
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.
veneer
The level below which the subsoil is completely saturated with water. Also called the groundwater level.
water table
The ratio of water to cement in a concrete mix, the main factor that determines concrete strength.
water-cement ratio
Ordinary window glass that has been cooled slowly to avoid locked-in thermal stresses.
annealed glass
An overhead source of natural light, generally installed on a roof.
skylight
The chemically inert element of concrete, usually consisting of sand, gravel, and/or other granular material.
aggregate
Clear, flat sheet glass that is most commonly used for glazing.
window glass
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.
car bumpers
The moisture content at which a soil starts to change from a semisolid to a plastic state.
plastic limit
Fill that has been densified by the application of pressure, usually by mechanical equipment, in order to increase its strength and stability and reduce its settlement. Properly compacted fill is often suitable for the support of building footings.
compacted fill
An arrangement of the elements of a masonry wall to provide strength by lapping the units. Also refers to the pattern formed by the exposed faces of the units.
bond
Granular material, ranging from about 3/8 inch to 1/200 inch.
sand
Tinted glass that absorbs a high percentage of solar radiation. Also referred to actinic glass.
heat-absorbing glass
A vertical member between windows or doors.
mullion
The horizontal mortar joint in masonry work.
bed joint
A material used to prevent or reduce sound transmission or heat flow.
insulation
A fine-grained cohesive soil that undergoes large volume changes with changes in moisture content.
expansive soil
The incorporation of tiny air bubbles into concrete to improve its workability and resistance to frost.
air entrainment
A hollow concrete masonry unit.
concrete block
Sheet steel in a corrugated, ribbed, or cellular form and used for structural load-carrying purposes in floor or roof construction.
metal decking
A large-toothed roller used for the compaction of soil.
sheepsfoot roller
A horizontal member supporting joists
ledger
An alloy of iron and carbon, with a carbon content between 0.1 and 1.7 percent (more than that of wrought iron and less than that of cast iron).
steel
The maximum depth of frost penetration in the ground expected in a given area.
frost line
Reference points offset a given distance from the building line and set prior to excavation.
batter boards
An alloy of copper, zinc, lead, and tin used for moldings and forgings.
architectural bronze
A complete fastening system including lock, knob, escutcheon, and so on.
lockset
Brick, block, tile, stone, or similar materials bonded together with mortar.
masonry
A member beneath a door, to cover the floor joint or provide weather protection. Also called a saddle.
threshold
A solid core used in driving a shell pile into the ground. When the driving is complete, it is removed and the shell is filled with concrete.
mandrel
A door having hardware that permits it to swing in either direction from the plane of its frame.
double-acting door
Timber decay due to fungus, in which pockets of dry powder develop.
dry rot
A device used to support reinforcing bars during the placing of concrete.
bar chair
Sheet metal or wire fabric into which a base coat of plaster is keyed.
metal lath
Lengthwise separation of wood extending from one face through to the opposite face.
split
The second coat of plaster, in three-coat plastering, which is applied over the scratch coat and beneath the finish coat. The large proportion of sand in this mixture gives the coat its name.
brown coat
Bark or lack of wood on the edge or corner of a piece of wood.
wane
Soil with a high organic content (decomposed vegetable or animal matter). Organic soils are usually very compressible and have very low bearing capacities.
organic soil
A door frame of wood or metal to which the finished frame is attached.
buck
The science of sound and sound control.
acoustics
A lock installed in a rectangular opening cut in the door, rather than on the door’s surface.
mortise lock
A door-latching assembly that will open the door if subjected to pressure.
panic hardware
A fine-grained, cohesive, inorganic soil.
clay
A prefabricated strip of molded or extruded material used in a dry glazing process. Also referred to as a glazing gasket.
compression zipper gasket
A step in a spiral stairway that is wedge-shaped, with its tread wider at one end than the other.
winder
A synthetic resin having excellent adhesive properties.
epoxy
Describing a system composed of standardized units or sections used for simplified construction or flexibility.
-modular
A vertical pipe used to conduct roof water to the ground. Also called a downspout.
leader
A synthetic resin used as a vehicle for paint.
alkyd
The exposed underside of an architectural element, such as a beam or arch.
soffit
An alloy of copper and zinc that is corrosion resistant and very workable.
brass
The moisture content (about 30 percent) above which there is no shrinkage or swelling of wood with variation in moisture content.
fiber saturation point
The persistence of sound in an enclosed space after the source has stopped.
reverberation
Sheet steel that has been formed using heavy rollers at room temperature, to improve its surface finish, hardness, and strength.
cold-rolled steel
A flashing saddle used on a sloping roof to divert water around a chimney.
cricket
A continuously-moving, power-driven device that transports passengers up an inclined plane
horizontally (moving sidewalk). Moving ramps have
continuous tread, rather than the individual steps of an escalator.
movIng ramp
The finely ground material used as the binder for structural concrete.
portland cement
A door lock having the locking mechanism within a cylinder.
cylinder lock
A high slump concrete, consisting of Portland cement, sand, hydrated lime, water, and sometimes pea gravel.
grout
A metal’s ability to withstand shock or impact.
toughness
The systematic review of a project design to obtain
the best value for the money spent, considering first costs, operating costs, and replacement costs.
value engineering
A short, vertical member within a window frame, either vertical or horizontal.
muntin
An assembly of sloping, overlapping slats, fixed or adjustable, which excludes rain but admits air and/ or light.
louver
Bricks with dimensions such that one or more brick courses plus the mortar joints produce courses with an exact dimension, which is usually a multiple of four inches.
modular bricks
A log showing the types of soil encountered in a test boring and other relevant information.
soil boring log
A locking device which is rectangular in a cross section and projected manually.
dead bolt
A wall consisting of small, closely spaced members usually sheathed on both faces with a wall material.
stud wall
The appearance grade used for glued laminated members where appearance is an important requirement.
architectural appearance grade
Lumber with rings 0 degrees to 45 degrees with the wide face. Also called flat-grained Lumber.
slash-grained lumber
A prepared substance added to concrete to alter or achieve certain characteristics.
admixture
Flooring material made from small chips of marble set in cement and polished.
terrazzo
A piece of glass used to glaze a division of a window or door.
pane
A pane of glass, a window, or any subdivision of a window.
light
A gypsum plaster mixture containing lime, which is used on interior concrete surfaces.
bonding plaster
The trim applied to the inside face of a door or window frame against which the door or window closes.
stop
An individual vertical tier of masonry in a cavity wall. Also called a wythe.
tier
A base for plaster consisting of a gypsum core sandwiched between two sheets of heavy, porous paper.
gypsum lath
An exposed aggregate concrete finish obtained by roughening the surface with a power-operated bush hammer, which has a serrated face.
bush-hammered finish
A substance, such as calcium chloride, added to a concrete mix to speed up its setting and strength development.
accelerator
