Sitework

Question 1

The unauthorized extension of a building, or part thereof, on the property or domain of another.

Answer 1

Encroachment

Question 2

A depression in a curb providing vehicular access from a street to a driveway on private property.

Answer 2

Curb Cut

Question 3

The minimum required distance from every structure to the property lines of a lot, established by a zoning ordinance to provide for air, light, solar access, fire separation and privacy.

Answer 3

Setback

Question 4

A perimeter line established on the drawings or elsewhere in the contract documents defining the boundaries of the site available to the contractor for construction purposes.

Answer 4

Contract Limit

Question 5

Work done at a site in preparation for a construction project, such as excavation, sheeting, shoring, and grading.

Answer 5

Sitework

Question 6

The geographic location of a construction project, usually defined by legal boundaries.

Answer 6

Site

Question 7

A legal right held by specified persons or the public to make limited use of the land of another, such as a right-of-way.

Answer 7

Easement

Question 8

Waste earth and rock overlying a useful mineral, deposit, bedrock, or a deposit of sand, gravel or rock needed for construction.

Answer 8

Overburden, Burden

Question 9

A small pit dug to examine the existing soil conditions and determine the depth of the water table at a proposed building site.

Answer 9

Test pit

Question 10

One of a number of boards set horizontally with vertical stakes to support the strings outlining the foundation plan of a proposed building.

Answer 10

Batter Board

Question 11

The act or ceremony of breaking ground for a new construction project.

Answer 11

Groundbreaking

Question 12

The excavation and embankment of earth in connection with an engineering operation.

Answer 12

Earthwork

Question 13

The digging and removal of earth from its natural position, or the cavity resulting from such removal.

Answer 13

Excavation

Question 14

A steel rod attached to a deadman, a rigid foundation, or a rock or soil anchor to prevent lateral movement of a retaining wall or formwork.

Answer 14

Tieback

Question 15

Any of a number of timber, steel, or precast concrete planks driven vertically side by side to retain earth or prevent water from seeping into an excavation.

Answer 15

Sheet pile, Sheath Pile

Question 16

A number of boards joined together side by side to retain the face of an excavation.

Answer 16

Lagging

Question 17

A steel H-section driven vertically into the ground to support horizontally sheeting or lagging.

Answer 17

Soldier Pile, Soldier Beam

Question 18

A system of shores for bracing or supporting a wall or other structure.

Answer 18

Shoring

Question 19

A temporary supporting strut, esp one placed obliquely against the side of an excavation, formwork, or structure.

Answer 19

Shore

Question 20

An inclined shore for supporting a wall.

Answer 20

Raker, Raking Shore

Question 21

A horizontal strut fixed between and supporting two walls above ground level.

Answer 21

Flying Shore

Question 22

A watertight enclusure constructed underwater or in water-bearing soil and pumped dry to allow access for construction or repairs.

Answer 22

Cofferdam

Question 23

To remove water from an excavated job site, usually by draining or pumping.

Answer 23

Dewater

Question 24

An unwanted flow of water and solid matter into an excavation, due to excessive outside water pressure.

Answer 24

Boil, Blow

Question 25

A perforated pipe driven into the ground for pumping out collected ground water.

Answer 25

Abyssinian Well

Question 26

A perforated tube driven into the ground to collect water from the surrounding area so it can be pumped away, as when loweing a water table or preventing an axcavation from filling with groundwater.

Answer 26

Wellpoint

Question 27

A funnellike device with a pipe or tube for depositing concrete underwater.

Answer 27

Tremie

Question 28

A concrete wall cast in a trench to serve as sheeting and often as a permanent foundation wall, constructed by excavating a trench in short lengths, filling it with a slurry of bentonite and water to prevent the sidewalls from collapsing, setting reinforcement, and placing concrete in the trench with a tremie to displace the slurry.

Answer 28

Slurry Wall

Question 29

To raise an existing grade with earth, stone or other material, or the quantity of material used in building up the level of an area.

Answer 29

Fill

Question 30

Ground that has been raised to a higher level by filling with hard rubble, such as stone or broken brick.

Answer 30

Made Ground, made-up Ground

Question 31

A pit from which sand, gravel or other construction material is taken for use as fill in another location.

Answer 31

Borrow Pit

Question 32

The cutting, filling and shaping of earth in preparation for finish grading.

Answer 32

Rough Grading

Question 33

The precise grading of an area after rough grading to prepare for paving, seeding or planting.

Answer 33

Fine Grading

Question 34

A stake marking the amount of cut or fill required to bring the ground to a specified level.

Answer 34

Grade Stake

Question 35

Fill materail that is placed in layers, compacted, and tested after each compaction for moisture content, depth of lift, and bearing capacity before additional layers are palced.

Answer 35

Controlled Fill

Question 36

A smooth parabolic currve in the vertical plane for connecting two grades of different slope in order to avoid an abrupt transition.

Answer 36

Vertical Curve

Question 37

An embankment constructed across sloping ground with a steep drop on the downside.

Answer 37

Bench Terrace

Question 38

An excavating operation in which the excavated material is moved to another location and used as fill.

Answer 38

Cut and Fill

Question 39

The ground elevation at any specific point on a construction site, esp where the ground meets the foundation of a building.

Answer 39

Grade, Grade line

Question 40

The elevation of the original ground surface before excavation or grading begins.

Answer 40

Existing Grade, Natural Grade

Question 41

The elevation of drives, walks, lawns, or other improved surfaces after completion of construction or grading operations.

Answer 41

Finish Grade, Finished Grade

Question 42

Occurring or situated below the surface of the ground.

Answer 42

Below Grade

Question 43

To refill an excavation with earth, stone, or other material, esp the space around exterior foundation walls.

Answer 43

Backfill

Question 44

The prepared earth surface upon which a pavement, concrete slab, or foundation is built. A subgrade should be stable, drain well, and be relatively free of frost action,.

Answer 44

Subgrade

Question 45

A short beam passed through a wall as a temporary support while the foundation or part beneath is repaired, altered or strengthened.

Answer 45

Needle, Needle Beam

Question 46

An upright timber for supporting a dead load during the structural alteration of a building, esp one of two supports for a needle.

Answer 46

Dead Shore

Question 47

A system of supports that enables an existing foundation to be rebuilt, strengthened, or deepened, esp the additional support required when a new excavation in adjoining property is deeper than the existing foundation.

Answer 47

Underpinning

Question 48

A shallow depression formed by the intersection of two ground slopes, often designed to direct or divert the runoff of surface water.

Answer 48

Swale

Question 49

Something that drains or flows off, such as rain that flows off the land in streams.

Answer 49

Runoff

Question 50

The surface and subsurface drainage of a site in order to prevent the collection of excess surface water or groundwater.

Answer 50

Site Drainage

Question 51

The grading and surfacing of a site in order to divert rain and other surface water into natural drainage patterns or a storm sewer system.

Answer 51

Surface Drainage

Question 52

The water beneath the surface of the ground that supplies wells and springs, consisting largely of surface water that has seeped down.

Answer 52

Groundwater

Question 53

The process by which groundwater is absorbed into the water table.

Answer 53

Recharge

Question 54

The underground surface beneath which the earth is saturated with water.

Answer 54

water table

Question 55

A water table of limited area, held above the normal water table by an impervious layer.

Answer 55

Perched water Table

Question 56

A wall or other structure intended to eliminate or reduce percolation through porous strata.

Answer 56

Cutoff

Question 57

A drain placed between the source of water and the area to be protected.

Answer 57

Curtain Drain, Intercepting Drain

Question 58

A perforated pipe installed in porous fill to draw off groundwater.

Answer 58

Underdrain

Question 59

A drainage trench filled to ground level with loose stones or rock fragments.

Answer 59

French Drain

Question 60

A drain or channel passing under a road or sidewalk.

Answer 60

Culvert

Question 61

A reinforced concrete culvert having a rectangular cross section.

Answer 61

Box Culvert

Question 62

A concrete or masonry retaining wall at the inlet of a drain or culvert.

Answer 62

Headwall

Question 63

A concrete or masonry retaining wall at the outlet of a drain or culvert.

Answer 63

Endwall

Question 64

An underground network of piping for conveying groundwater to a point of disposal, such as a storm sewer system. Excess groundwater reduces the load-carrying capacity of a foundation soil and increases the hydrostatic pressure on a building foundation.

Answer 64

Subsurface Drainage

Question 65

A drain for collecting surface water or rainwater from a basement floor or paved area.

Answer 65

Area Drain

Question 66

A drainage pit lined with gravel or rubble to receive surface water and allow it to percolate away to absorbent earth underground.

Answer 66

Dry Well, Absorbing Well

Question 67

A covered hole through which a person may enter a sewer or drain.

Answer 67

Manhole

Question 68

A receptacle for the runoff of surface water, having a basin that retains heavy sediment before it can pass into an underground drainpipe.

Answer 68

Catch Basin

Question 69

A sewer for conveying rainfall drained from roofs and paved surfaces.

Answer 69

Storm Sewer, Storm Drain

Question 70

A sewer conveying both sewage and rainfall drained from roofs and paved surfaces

Answer 70

Combined Sewer

Question 71

A drain connecting a building storm drain to a storm sewer, combined sewer, or other point of disposal.

Answer 71

Building Storm Sewer, House Storm Sewer

Question 72

A building drain for conveying rainwater, groundwater, or similar discharge to a building storm sewer or a combined sewer.

Answer 72

Building Storm Drain, House Storm Drain