Definitions Flashcards
Abrasion
Wearing away by friction
Alignment
The course along which the centerline of a roadway or channel is located
Angle of Repose
The angle that the sloping face of a bank of loose earth or gravel or other material makes with the horizontal
Antecedent Precipitation
Rainfall that has recently preceded the storm event being analyzed
Area Drain
A structure for collecting runoff from relatively small, paved areas
Backfill
Earth or other material used to replace material removed during construction, such as in pipeline and culvert trenches and behind retaining walls.
Base (Course)
A layer of specified or selected material of planned thickness, constructed on the subbase or on the natural subgrade to distribute the load and provide drainage, or on which a wearing surface or a drainage structure is placed
Bearing Capacity (Soil)
The load-supporting capacity of a soil
Bench
A horizontal or sloping step in a slope
Bioretention
A technique that uses parking lot islands, planting strips, or swales to collect and filter storm water
Blading
Planning or smoothing the ground surface
Borrow
Fill material imported to a site
Borrow Area
A source of earth fill materials used in the construction of embankments or other earth fill structures
Brushlayering
Live branch cuttings laid in crisscross fashion on benches between successive lifts of soil
Caisson
Similar to pile; however, rather than driven, holes are drilled into the ground and filled with concrete
Catch Basin
A receptacle, with a sediment bowl or sump, for diverting surface water to a subsurface pipe
Centerline
The survey line in the center of a road, ditch, or similar project
Channel
A natural stream, or a ditch or swale constructed to convey water
Cluster Development
A land planning technique to concentrate buildings on a portion of a site in order to preserve open space and environmentally sensitive areas
Compaction
The densification of a soil by a mechanical process
Constructed Wetland
Artificially created wetland primarily to treat point and non-point sources of water pollution
Continuity Equation
A formula expressing the principle of conservation of mass as applied to the flow of water (or other fluids of constant density.) It states that the product of cross section of flow and velocity at any point in a channel is a constant
Contour Line
An imaginary line, or its representation on a map, following all points at the same elevation above or below a given datum
Critical Depth
The depth of flow in an open channel at which critical flow occurs. For a given flow rate, depths greater than critical result in subcritical, or tranquil flow. Those smaller than critical result in supercritical, or rapid, flow
Critical Flow
An unstable flow condition in an open channel that occurs at critical depth
Critical Velocity
The velocity at which unstable flow conditions begin to occur
Crown
The rise or difference in elevation between the edge and the centerline of a roadway
Culvert
Any structure, not classified as a bridge, that provides a waterway or other opening under a road
Cut Section (Or Cut)
The part of the ground surface that, when graded, is lower than the original ground
Datum
A horizontal reference plane used as a basis for computing elevations
Detention Basin (Dry Pond)
An impoundment, normally dry, for temporarily storing storm runoff from a drainage area to reduce the peak rate of flow.
Field Dimension
Dimension that must be measured on site, usually after site elements have been constructed
Fixed Dimension
Dimension that locates site elements with a high level of accuracy
Flexible Dimension
Dimension that has a greater tolerance with regard to acceptable levels of accuracy
Semifixed Dimension
Dimension located in reference to a fixed dimension
Discharge (q)
Flow rate in a culvert, pipe, or channel
Diversion
A channel, with or without a supporting ridge on the lower side, constructed across a slope to intercept surface runoff
Drainage
Interception and removal of groundwater or surface water by artificial or natural streams
Drainage Area
The area drained by a channel or subsurface water by artificial or natural means
Edaphology
The study of the soil from the standpoint of higher plants and crop production
Elevation
(a) The altitude relative to a given datum
(b) A scale drawing of the facade of a structure
Embankment
A bank of earth, rock, or other material constructed above the natural ground surface
Emergency Spillway
A channel for safely conveying flood discharges exceeding the capacity of the principal spillway of a detention or retention pond
Erodibility
Susceptibility of soil material to detachment and transportation by running water or wind
Erosion
Detachment and movement of soil or rock fragments by water wind, ice, and gravity
Excavation
(a) The act of taking out materials
(b) The hollow or depression after the materials have been removed
Fiber Rolls
Prefabricated tubes consisting of biodegradable materials such as coconut fiber or rice and wheat straw
Fill Section (or Fill)
The part of the ground surface that, when graded, is higher than the original ground
Filter Strip
A vegetated buffer zone for removing sediments and pollutants before runoff reaches ponds, waterways, or other drainage facilities
Fine Grade
Preparation of the subgrade preceding placement of surfacing materials
Foundation
The portion of a structure (usually below ground level) that distributes the pressure to the soil or to artificial supports
Free Water
Soil water that moves by gravity, in contrast to capillary and hydroscopic water
French Drain
A trench filled with coarse aggregate (with or without a pipe) for intercepting and conveying groundwater
Gabion
A compartmented rectangular container made of steel wire mesh and filled with stone. Gabions are used for erosion control and retaining wall purposes
Geosynthetics
Degradable and nondegradable products used for a variety of purposes including soil and slope stabilization, erosion and sediment control, soil reinforcement, and subsurface drainage
Geotextiles
Woven and nonwoven permeable fabrics and grids used for soil-related construction projects
Finished Grade
The completed surfaces of lawns, walks, and roads brought to grades as designed
Natural Grade
The undisturbed natural surface of the ground
Subgrade
The grade established in preparation for top surfacing of roads, lawns, etc.
Gradient
The degree of inclination of a surface, road, or pipe, usually expressed as a percentage
Grading
Modification of the ground surface by cuts and/or fills. Fine or finish grading is light or thin grading to finish a prepared earth surface
Grassed Waterway
A natural or constructed channel, usually broad and shallow, covered with erosion-resistant vegetation, used to conduct surface runoff
Gravel
Aggregate composed of hard, durable stones or pebbles, crushed or uncrushed, often mixed with sand
Groundwater
Free subsurface water, the top of which is the water table
Gutter
An artificially surfaced and generally shallow waterway, usually provided at the sides of a roadway for carrying surface drainage
Headwall
A vertical wall at the end of a culvert to support the pipe and prevent earth from spilling into the channel
Hydraulic Radius
The cross-sectional area of flow of a pipe or channel divided by the wetted perimeter
Hydrograph
A graph showing, for a given point on a channel, the discharge, stage, velocity, or other property of water with respect to time
Hydrologic Condition
A term describing the vegetative cover, residue, and surface roughness of a soil as they may affect potential runoff