Visual Dictionary of Architecture Flashcards
The branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of art, beauty, and taste, which a view to establishing the meaning and validity of critical judgements concerning works of art.
Aesthetics
The aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives intense pleasure to the sense or deep satisfaction to the mind or spirit, whether arising from harmony or form or color, excellence of craft truthfulness, originality, or other, often unspecific property.
Beauty
Critical judgement, discernment, or appreciation of what is fitting, harmonious, or beautiful prevailing in a culture or personal to an individual.
Taste
A high degree of pleasure or enjoyment
Delight
The ordering of the physical environment by means of architecture, engineering, construction, landscape architecture, urban design, and city planning
Environmental Design
The aspect of architecture and city planning that deals with the design of urban structures and spaces
Urban Design
The activity or profession of determining the future physical arrangement and conditions of a community, involving an appraisal of the current conditions, a forecast of the future requirements, a plan for the fulfillment of these requirements, and proposals for legal, financial, and constructional programs to implement the plan
City Planning, Town Planning, Urban Planning
The art, business, or profession of planning the design and supervising the execution of architectural interiors, including their color schemes, furnishings, fittings, finishes, and sometimes architectural features
Interior Design
The aspect of architecture and interior design that deals with the planning, layout, design, and furnishing of spaces within a proposed or existing building.
Space Planning
A branch of knowledge dealing with a body of facts or truths obtained by direct observation, experimental investigation, and methodical study, systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws
Science
The conscience use of skill, craft, and creative imagination in the production of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance
Art
Applied science: the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical methods and materials, and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment
Technology
The science of an art or the arts in general
Technics
The science or art of shaping, ornamenting, or assembling materials in building construction
Tectonics
The unifying structure or concept of an artistic work
Architectonics
The state or quality of being solidly constructed
Firmness
The art and science of applying scientific principles to practical ends in the design and construction of structures, machines, and systems.
Engineering
Any of the sciences, such as sociology and anthropology, that seek to discover general truths from the observation of human behavior in society.
Behavioral Science
The science of human social institutions and relationships, specifically the study of the origin, development, structure, functioning, and collective behavior of organized groups of human beings
Sociology
The science of human beings specifically the study of the origins, physical and cultural development, and environmental and social relations of humankind
Anthropology
The art, business, or profession of designing, arranging, or modifying the features of a landscape for aesthetic or practical reasons
Landscape Architecture
An approach to architecture that strives to counter a lack of identity or sense of place by utilizing the geographical context of a building to guide its design response to topography, climate, light, and tectonic form
Regionalism
A curved structure for spanning an opening, designed to support a vertical load primarily by axial compression
Arch
An arch constructed of individual stone or brick voussoirs
Masonry Arch
Any of the wedge-shapes units in a masonry arch or vault, having side cuts converging at one of the arch centers
Voussoir
The first voussoir resting on the impost of an arch
Springer
The wedge-shaped, often embellished voussoir at the crown of an arch, serving to lock the other voussoirs in place
Keystone
The height of an arch from the spring line to the highest point of the intrados
Rise
The exterior curve, surface, or boundary of the visible face of an arch
Extrados, Back
A decorative molding or band on the face of an arch following the curve of the intrados
Archivolt
The inner curve or surface of an arch forming the concave underside
Intrados
The point at which an arch, vault, or dome rises from its support
Spring, Springing
The highest part or point of a convex construction, such as an arch, vault, or roadway
Crown
Either side of an arch curving down from the crown to the impost
Haunch
The uppermost part of an abutment, often in the form of a block, capital, or molding, from which an arch springs.
Impost
The triangular-shaped, sometimes ornamented area between the extrados of two adjoining arches, or between the left or right extrados of an arch and the rectangular framework surrounding it
Spandrel, Spandril
An archway having sides or jambs not at right angles with the face of its abutments
Skew Arch
Any of several concentric rings of masonry forming an arch especially when each projects beyond
Order
A crosspiece connecting the ribs in a centering
Lag, Bolster
A temporary framework for supporting a masonry arch or vault during construction until the work can support itself
Centering
A board used as centering for a flat arch, slightly crowned to allow for settling of the arch
Camber Piece, Camber Slip
An arch having a horizontal intrados with voussoirs radiating from a center below, often built with a slight camber to allow for settling
Flat Arch, Jack Arch
A flat arch having voussoirs inclined to the same angle on each side of the center
French Arch
A primitive form of arch consisting of two stones laid diagonally to support each other over an opening
Triangular Arch
A false arch constructed by corbels for courses from each side of an opening until they meet at a midpoint where a capstone is laid to complete the work. The stepped reveals may be smoothed, but no arch action is effected
Corbel Arch
An arch having a continuously curved intrados especially a semicircular one
Round Arch
An arch having a semi-circular intrados
Roman Arch
An arch struck from one or more centers below the springing line
Segmental Arch
A stone or course of masonry having a sloping face against which the end of a segmental arch rests
Skewback
An arch having one impost higher than the other
Rampant Arch
An arch resting on imposts treated as downward continuations of the archivolt
Stilted Arch
A round arch resting on two large corbels with curved faces
Bell Arch
An arch having an intrados that widens above the springing before narrowing to a rounded crown
Horseshoe Arch, Moorish Arch
An arch having a cusped intrados with three round or pointed foils
Trefoil Arch
A three-centered arch having a crown with a radius much greater than that of the outer pair of curves
Basket-Handle Arch, Anse De Panier
An arch having a pointed crown
Pointed Arch
A pointed arch having two centers and radii equal to the span
Equilateral Arch
A pointed arch especially one having two centers and equal radii
Gothic Arch
A pointed arch having two centers and radii greater than the span
Lancet Arch
A pointed arch having two centers and radii less than the span
Drop Arch
A four-centered arch having an inner pair of curves with a radius much greater than that of the outer pair
Tudor Arch
An arch having a rise less than half the span
Surbased Arch
A pointed arch, each haunch of which is a double curve with a concave side uppermost
Ogee Arch
A rigid structural member designed to carry and transfer transverse loads across space to supporting elements
Beam
The extent of space between two supports of a structure. Also, the structure so supported
Span
The distance between the inner faces of the supports of a span
Clear Span
The center-to-center distance between the supports of a span
Effective Span
An external moment tending to cause part of a structure to rotate or bend , equal to the algebraic sum of the moments about the neutral axis of the section under consideration
Bending Moment
An internal moment equal and opposite to a bending moment, generated by a force couple to maintain equilibrium of the section being considered
Resisting Moment
A slight convex curvature intentionally built into a beam, girder, or truss to compensate for an anticipated deflection
Camber
A shear force at a cross section of a beam or other members subject to bending, equal to the algebraic sum of transverse forces on one side of the section
Transverse Shear
A projecting beam supported at only one fixed end
Cantilever Beam
A beam or other rigid structural member extending beyond a fulcrum and supported by a balancing member or a downward force behind the fulcrum
Cantilever
A simple beam extending beyond one its supports. The overhang reduces the positive moment at mid span whole developing a negative moment at the base of the cantilever over the support
Overhanging Beam
A simple beam extending beyond both of its supports
Double Overhanging Beam
A beam having both ends restrained against translation and rotation. The fixed ends transfer bending stresses, increase the rigidity of the beam, and reduce its maximum deflection
Fixed-End Beam
A simple beam supported by the cantilevers of two adjoining spans with pinned construction joints at points of zero moment
Suspended-Span, Hung-Span
A masonry unit of clay, formed into a rectangular prism while plastic and hardened by drying in the sun or firing in a kiln
Brick
Brick made for general building purposes and not specifically treated for color and texture
Common Brick, Building Brick
Brick made of special clays for facing a wall, often treated to produce the desired color and surface texture
Facing Brick, Face Brick
The process of forming brick by molding relatively wet clay having a moisture content of 20% to 30%
Soft-Mud Process
Brick formed in the soft-mud process with a mold lined with sand to prevent sticking, producing a matte-textured surface
Sand-Struck Brick
Brick formed in the soft-mud process with a mold lubricated with water to prevent sticking, producing a smooth, dense surface
Water-Struck Brick
The process of forming brick and structural tile by extruding stiff but plastic clay having a moisture content of 12% to 15% through a die and cutting the extrusion to length with wires before firing
Stiff-Mud Process
The process forming brick by molding relatively dry clay having a moisture content of 5% to 7% under high pressure, resulting in a sharp-edged, smooth-surfaced bricks
Dry-Press Process
A furnace or oven for burning, baking, or drying something especially one for firing pottery, baking bricks, or drying timber
Kiln
Firing brick units alternately with too much or too little air to vary their face color
Flashing
A brick or timber rejected as being of inferior quality
Cull
A brick made of fire clay and used for lining furnaces and fireplaces
Firebrick
A refractory clay used in the making of firebricks, crucibles, and other objects exposed to high temperatures
Fire Clay
A material having the ability to retain its physical shape and chemical identity when subjected to high temperatures
Refractory
A dense, hard-burned brick used especially for paving
Clinker
The weight of water absorbed by a clay masonry unit when immersed in either cold or boiling water for a stated length of time, expressed as a percentage of the weight of the dry unit
Absorption
A white powdery deposit that forms on an exposed masonry or concrete surface, caused by the leaching and crystallization of soluble salts from within the material
Efflorescence
A brick dimension larger than the actual dimension to account for the thickness of a mortar joint
Nominal Dimension
A brick having nominal dimension of 4” x 2 2/3” x 8”
Modular Brick
A brick having nominal dimensions of 4” x 2 2/3” x 12”
Norman Brick
Brick having a nominal a dimensions of 6” x 2 2/3” x 12”
SCR Brick (structural clay research)
A brick having nominal dimensions of 4” x 3 1/5” x 8”
Engineered Brick
A brick having nominal dimensions of 4” x 2” x 12”
Roman Brick
A brick having nominal dimensions of 4” x 3 1/5” x 12”
Norwegian Brick
A brick or tile having normal face dimensions but a normal thickness of 2”
Soap
A brick but transversely so as to leave one end whole
Bat
To chip or rub stones or bricks to a certain size or shape
Gauge
A brick or other masonry unit laid horizontally in a wall with the longer edge exposed or parallel to the surface
Stretcher
A brick or other masonry unit laid horizontally in a wall with the shorter end exposed or parallel to the surface
Header
A brick laid horizontally on the longer edge with the shorter end exposed
Rowlock, Rollock
A brick laid vertically with the longer face edge exposed
Soldier
A brick laid vertically with the broad face exposed
Sailor
A brick laid horizontally on the longer edge with the broad face exposed
Shiner, Bull Stretcher
Brick construction especially the art of bonding bricks effectively
Brickwork
Any of the various arrangements of masonry unit having a regular, recognizable, usually overlapping pattern to increase the strength and enhance the appearance of the construction
Bond
A brickwork or masonry bond composed of overlapping stretchers
Running Bond, Stretcher Bond
A brickwork bond having a course of headers between every five or six courses of stretchers
Common Bond, American Bond
A masonry unit specifically formed or cut to finish a course or complete the bond at the corner of a wall
Closure, Closer
A continuous course of headers or bondstones overlapping more than one wythe of masonry
Bond Course
A brickwork or masonry bond having successive courses of stretchers with all head joints aligned vertically
Stack Bond, Stacker Bond
A brickwork bond having alternate courses of headers and stretchers in which the headers are centered on stretchers and the joints between stretchers line up vertically in all courses
English Bond
A brick of half the normal width. Used for completing a course or for spacing regular bricks
Queen Closer, Queen Closure
A brickwork bond having alternating headers and stretchers in each course, each header being centered above and below a stretcher
Flemish Bond
A three quarter brick for finishing a course or spacing regular bricks
King Closer, King Closure
A form of Flemish cross bond in which the courses are offset to form a diamond pattern
Flemish Diagonal Bond
A modified English bond in which the head joints in the stretching courses are offset by half the length of a stretcher
English Cross Bond, Dutch Bond
A modified Flemish bond having courses of alternated headers and stretchers alternating with stretching courses
Flemish Cross Bond
A brick having a darker end exposed as a header in patterned brickwork
Flare Header
A brickwork bond for lightly loaded boundary walls, having a sequence of a header and three stretchers in each course, with each header being centered over a header in alternate courses
Garden-Wall Bond
A relatively permanent enclosed structure constructed over a plot of land for habitat use
Building
The vertical extension of a building or other construction above the foundation
Superstructure
The exterior framework or walls and roof of a building
Shell
The underlying structure forming the foundation of a building or other construction
Substructure
A group of interlacing, interrelated, or interdependent things or parts forming a complex or unified whole especially to serve a common purpose
System
A building of exceptional height and many stories, supported by a steel or concrete framework from which the walls are suspended
Skyscraper
A building especially one of large size, massive structure, or imposing appearance
Edifice
A complete horizontal division of a building, having a continuous or nearly continuous floor and comprising the space between two adjacent levels
Story
Describing a building having a comparatively large number of storied and equipped with elevators
High-Rise
Describing a building having one, two, or three stories and usually no elevator
Low-Rise
Describing a building having a moderately large number of stories, usually 5 to 10, and equipped with elevators
Mid-Rise
One of the upper floors of a warehouse or factory, typically unpartitioned and sometimes converted or adapted to other uses, such as living quarters, artists’ studios, or exhibition galleries
Loft
A building having several floors with large areas of unobstructed space, originally rented out for light industrial purposes and now frequently converted to residential occupancy
Loft Building
A room or space directly under the roof of a building especially a house
Attic
A useable living space within a sloping roof, usually having dormer windows for lighting
Half-Story
An area in a building having a clearance less than human height, but accessible by crawling especially such a space below the first floor that is enclosed by the foundation walls
Crawl Space
A room or set of rooms for the storage of food, fuel, or the like, wholly or partly underground and usually beneath a building
Cellar
A cellar or other underground place for shelter during violent storms, such as cyclones, tornadoes, or hurricanes
Storm Cellar, Cyclone Cellar
A horizontal or inclined door over a stairway giving access to a cellar
Bulkhead
A continuous supporting surface extending horizontally throughout a building, having a number of rooms and constituting one level in the structure
Floor
A low or partial story between two main stories of a building especially one that projects as a balcony and forms a composition with the story beneath it
Mezzanine
The ground floor of a building, it is the floor immediately above the ground floor
First Floor
The floor of a building at or nearest to ground level
Ground Floor
A sunken area affording access, air, and light to a base,met door or window
Areaway
A story of a building that is wholly or partly below ground level
Basement
Any story or floor below the main basement of a building
Subbasement
The front of a building of any of its sides facing a public way or space especially one distinguished by its architectural treatment
Facade
A principal facade or a part or feature of a facade often treated as a separate element of the design and highlighted by ornamentation
Frontispiece
In French architecture, a term describing the central element of a building as opposed to its subsidiary wings and pavilions
Corps De Logis
A projecting subdivision of a facade, usually accented by more elaborate decoration or greater height and distinction of skyline
Pavilion
A major horizontal architectural division, as and a facade or the wall of a nave
Story
Any of a number of principal compartments or divisions of a wall, roof, or other part of a building marked off by vertical or transverse supports
Bay
A major horizontal division of a wall having no exterior windows
Blind Story
Describing a recess in a wall having the appearance of a window (blind window) or door (blind door), inserted to complete a series of windows or to provide symmetry of design
Blind
A facade falsifying the size or importance of a building
False Front
The design, proportioning, and disposition of windows and other exterior openings of a building
Fenestration
An elevated platform projecting from the wall or a building and enclosed by a railing or parapet
Balcony
A raised platform, approached by steps and sometimes having a roof, at the entrance of a house
Stoop
An exterior appendage to a building, forming a covered approach or vestibule to a doorway
Porch
A porch having a roof supported by columns often leading to the entrance of a building
Portico
A courtyard before the entrance to a building or a group of buildings
Forecourt
A large, open porch, usually roofed and partly enclosed, as by a railing, offend extending across the front and sides of a house
Veranda
A veranda especially one used as a living room
Lanai
A series of regularly spaced columns supporting an entablature and usually one side of a roof structure
Colonnade
A vehicular passageway leading through a building or screen wall into an interior courtyard
Porte Cochere
A private or side entrance, as one for pedestrians next to a Porte Cochere
Postern
A porch roof projecting over a driveway at the entrance to a building and sheltering those getting in or out of vehicles
Porte Cochere, Carriage Porch
An open, often paved area connected to a house or building and serving as an outdoor living area
Terrace
An open, unroofed porch or platform extending from a house or other building
Deck
A doorway, gate, or entrance, especially an imposing one emphasized by size and stately architectural treatment
Portal
A round, domed building, or a large and high circular space in such a building especially one surmounted by a dome
Rotunda
A building or structure high in proportion to its lateral dimensions, either standing alone or forming part of a larger building
Tower
A large building divided into a number of separate apartments, offices, or shops
Block
A colonnaded or arcaded space within the body of a building but open to the air on one side, often at an upper story overlooking an open court
Loggia
The principal story of a large building, such as a palace or villa, with formal reception and dining rooms, usually one flight above the ground floor
Piano Nobile
A large or principal courtyard of an Italian palazzo
Cortile
A large, imposing public building or private residence, especially in Italy
Palazzo
A rectangular building having little width with respect to its length and height
Slab
Any of a series of columns supporting a building above an open ground level
Piloti
A wing at right angles to the length of a building
Ell, El
A part of a building projecting from an subordinate to a central or main part
Wing
An area open to the sky and mostly or entirely surrounded by walls or buildings
Court
A skylit, central court in a building especially a large interior one having a glass roof and surrounded by several stories of galleries
Atrium
An open, skylit court around which a house or building is built
Atrium
A court adjacent to or within a building especially one enclosed on all four sides
Courtyard
A courtyard especially of a house enclosed by low buildings, arcades, or walls
Patio
To assert or demand recognition or possession
Claim
To face in a specific direction or look out upon
Front
The position of a building on a site in relation to true north to points on the compass, to a specific place or site feature, or to local conditions of sunlight, wind, and drainage
Orientation
To combine, blend, or unite gradually by stages so as to blur identity or distinctions
Merge
To enclose or encompass on all sides
Surround
A whimsical or extravagant structure built to serve as a conversation piece, lend interest to a view, or commemorate a person or event, found especially in 18th century England
Folly
A small, often ornamental building in a garden
Pavilion
An enclosed garden in Indian architecture
Bagh
A public square or open space in a city or town
Plaza
An open square or public place in a city or town, especially in Italy
Piazza
A square or quadrangular space or court surrounded by a building or buildings, as on a college campus
Quadrangle, Quad
A section of a street typically in the downtown area of a city, from which vehicular traffic is excluded and used as a public walk or promenade
Mall, Pedestrian Mall
An area used for a stroll or wall especially in a public place, as for pleasure or display
Promenade
In Latin America, a boulevard, park, public garden having a promenade lined with shade trees
Alameda
A spacious promenade, court, indoor mall, usually having a vaulted roof and lined with commercial establishments
Galleria
French term for a board walk planted with trees
Allée
A shelter of shrubs and branches of latticework intertwined with climbing vines and flowers
Arbor
A frame supporting open latticework, used as a screen or a support for growing vines or plants
Trellis
A structure of crossed strips arranged to form a regular pattern of open spaces
Lattice
A freestanding roofed structure, usually open on the sides, affording shade and rest in a garden or park
Gazebo
A building or architectural feature of a building, designed and situated to look out upon a pleasing scene
Belvedere
Clipped or trimmed into ornamental and fantastic shapes, or the work or art of such clipping
Topiary
An ornamental arrangement of flower beds of different shapes and sizes
Parterre
A structure of parallel colonnades supporting an open roof of beams and crossing rafters or trellis work, over which climbing plants are trained to grow
Pergola
The overhead interior surface or lining of a room, often concealing the underside of the floor or roof above
Ceiling
A concave surface forming part of a ceiling at its edge so as to eliminate the usual interior angle between the wall and ceiling
Cove
A ceiling having the form of a truncated pyramid
Camp Ceiling
The underside of a floor showing the supporting beams and finished to form a ceiling
Beam Ceiling
One of a number of recessed, usually square or octagonal panels in a ceiling, soffit, or vault
Coffer, Lacunar
A ceiling, soffit, or vault adorned with a pattern of recessed panels
Lacunar
A flat or vaulted ceiling of decorative character
Plafond
A secondary ceiling formed to provide space for piping or ductwork, or to alter the proportions of a room
Drop, Dropped Ceiling
Tile made in various sizes and textures from a soft, sound-absorbing materials, such as cork, mineral fiber, or glass fiber
Acoustical Tile
An acoustical tile consisting of a steel or aluminum plan having a perforated face and containing a separate layer of sound-absorbing material
Metal Pan
A secondary member of the grid supporting a suspended ceiling system, usually a sheet metal tee carried by the main runners
Cross Tee
A principal member of the grid supporting a suspended ceiling system, usually a sheet metal channel or tee suspended by hanger wires from the overhead structure
Main Runner
A thin metal strip inserted into the edges of two acoustical tiles to make a butt joint between them
Spline
A grove cut into the edges of an acoustical tile to receive a spline or t-shaped member of a supporting grid
Kerf
A ceiling suspended from an overhead floor or roof structure to provide space for pipes, ductwork, lighting fixtures, or other service equipment
Suspended Ceiling
The space between a suspended ceiling and the floor structure above especially one that serves as a receiving chamber for confined air to be distributed to inhabited spaces or for return air to be converted back to a central plant for processing
Plenum
A ceiling of acoustical tile or other sound absorbing material
Acoustical Ceiling
A metal grid of inverted tees supporting the acoustical tiles of a suspended ceiling
Exposed Grid
A metal grid for supporting a suspended ceiling of acoustical tiles having rabbeted joints
Recessed Grid
A metal grid supporting the acoustical tiles of a suspended ceiling, hidden within kerfs cut into the edges of the tiles
Concealed Grid
A suspended ceiling system of narrow metal strips, usually incorporating modular lighting and air handling components
Linear Metal Ceiling
A suspended ceiling of translucent panels for diffusing the light from luminaries mounted above it
Luminous Ceiling
A suspended ceiling of multicellular louvers for shielding the light sources mounted above it
Louvered Ceiling
A suspended ceiling system incorporating acoustical, lighting, and air handling components into a unified whole
Integrated Ceiling
A long narrow diffuser designed to disperse air through slots between the panels of an integrated ceiling system
Linear Diffuser, Slot Diffuser
Any of various, hard, brittle, noncorrosive, and nonconductive materials formed by the ionic bonding of metal and a nonmetal, such as brick, concrete, and natural stone
Ceramic
Any of various products made by firing clay or similar materials in a kiln, such as brick, tile, and pottery
Ceramic Ware
Low-fired, opaque, non vitreous ceramic ware
Earthenware
High-fired, opaque, vitrified ceramic ware
Stoneware
A hard, vitreous, translucent ceramic materials consisting essentially of kaolin, feldspar, and Quartz, fired at a very high temperature
Porcelain
A translucent ceramic material, bisque-fired at a high temperature and glaze-fired at a lower temperature
China
A fine white clay used in the manufacture of porcelain and white portland cement
Kaolin, China Clay
A vitreous, usually opaque, decorative or protective coating applied by fusion to the surface of metal, glass, or pottery
Enamel
An opaque, glassy coating bonded to metal by fusing at a high temperature
Porcelain Enamel, Vitreous Enamel
The process of hardening or glazing ceramic ware by heating into a kiln to a specified temperature
Firing
To make a clay body vitreous by firing at a specified temperature
Vitrify
Fired at a high temperature to near vitrification and having relatively low absorption and high compressive strength
Hard-Burned
Resembling glass, as in transparency, hardness, brittleness, luster, or having low or no porosity
Vitreous
Fired at a low temperature and having relatively high absorption and low compressive strength
Soft-Burned
Having a moderate water absorption of slightly under 6%
Semi vitreous
Having a water absorption greater than 7%
Non Vitreous
A thermochemical bond between materials resulting from exposure to temperatures approaching the fusion point of the mixture
Ceramic Bond
The structural portion of a ceramic article or the clay materials or mixture from which it is made
Body
Fired to harden a clay body
Bisque-Fired
Earthenware or porcelain that has been fired once but not glazed
Bisque, Biscuit
Fired to fuse a glaze to a clay body
Glaze-Fired
A vitreous layer or coating fused to a clay body to color, decorate, waterproof, or strengthen its surface
Glaze
A fused or partially fused material that is ground to introduce a soluble or unstable ingredient into glazes or enamels
Frit
Any of various fired clay tiles used for surfacing walls, floors, and countertops
Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tile having a non vitreous body and a bright, matte, or crystalline glass, used for surfacing interior walls and light duty floors
Glazed Wall Tile
Small ceramic tile having a porcelain or natural clay body, glazed for surfacing walls or unglazed for use on both floors and walls, and usually face or back mounted on sheets to facilitate handling and speed installation
Ceramic Mosaic Tile
Unglazed ceramic floor tile having a natural clay body
Quarry Tile, Promenade Tile
Unglazed ceramic floor tile similar in composition to ceramic mosaic tile but thicker and larger in surface area
Paver Tile
A coved tile set at the meeting of a floor and wall to prevent accumulation of dirt and to facilitate cleaning
Sanitary Base
Any of the ceramic or no ceramic articles designed to be affixed to or inserted in tile work, such as tower bars, soap holders, and the like
Tile Accessory
A tile-setting process in which ceramic tile is applied over a Portland cement mortar bed 3/4 to 1 1/2 inch thick, which allows for accurate slopes and planes in the finished work
Thick-Set Process
A field mix of portland cement, sand, water, and sometimes hydrated like, used for leveling or setting ceramic tile in the thick-set process
Portland Cement Mortar
A thin coat of mortar for bonding ceramic tile to a backing
Bond Coat
A tile-setting process in which ceramic tile is bonded to a continuous, stable backing with a thin coat of dry-set mortar, latex-portland cement mortar, epoxy mortar, or an organic adhesive, 1/32 to 1/8 inch thick
Thin-Bed Process
A cementitious or resinous mix for filling joints in ceramic tile work
Tile Grout
A hollow tile of fired clay having parallel cells or cores, used in building walls and partitions
Structural Clay Tile
Ny of various cellular building units of fired clay, concrete, or gypsum, used for building walls, floors, and roofs, or for fireproofing steelwork
Hollow Tile
Structural clay tile having a glazed surface, used for facing walls and partitions, especially in areas subject to heavy wear, moisture, and strict sanitation requirements
Structural Facing Tile
A hard, fired clay, reddish-brown in color when unglazed, used for architectural facings and ornaments, tile units, and pottery
Terra Cotta
Hard-burned, glazed or unglazed terra cotta, hand-molded or machine-extruded to order as a ceramic veneer for walls or for ornamentation
Architectural Terra Cotta
Sun-dried brick made of clay and straw, commonly used in regions with little rainfall
Adobe
A stiff mixture of clay, sand or other aggregate, and water, composed and dried within forms as a wall construction
Rammed Earth, Pisé, Pisay, Pisé De Terre
The forecourt of an early Christian church, flanked or surrounded by porticoes
Atrium
The covered walk of an atrium or cloister
Ambulatory
A basin for a ritual cleansing with water in the atrium of an early Christian basilica
Cantharus
An early Christian church, characterized by a long, rectangular plan, a high colonnaded nave lot by a clerestory and covered by a timber gable roof, two or four lower side aisles, a semicircular apse at the end, a narthex, and often other features
Basilica
A building for public Christian worship
Church
A semicircular or polygonal projection of a building, usually vaulted and used especially at the sanctuary or east end of a church
Apse, Apsis
The bishop’s throne, occupying a recess or apse on an early Christian church
Tribune
A transverse open space separating the nave and the apse of an early Christian church, developing into the transept of later cruciform churches
Bema
A sacred or holy place, as that part of a church in which the principal altar is placed
Sanctuary
The table in a Christian church upon which the Eucharist, the sacrament celebrating Christ’s last supper, is celebrated
Altar, Communion Table
An ornamental canopy of stone or marble permanently placed over the altar in a church
Baldachino, Baldachin, Baldaquin, Ciborium
The principal or central part of a church, extending from the narthex to the choir or chancel and usually flanked by aisles
Nave
Any of the longitudinal divisions of a church, separated from the nave by a row of columns or piers
Aisle
Either of two raised stands from which the gospels or epistles were read or chanted in an early Christian church
Ambo, Ambon
A part of a f a church or a separate building in which baptism is administered
Baptistery, Baptistry
A sacrament of initiation into Christianity, symbolic of spiritual regeneration, marked by a ceremonial immersion or application of water
Baptism
A basin usually of stone, holding the water used in baptism
Font
A portico or vestibule before the nave of an early Christian or Byzantine church, occupied by those not yet christened
Narthex
An inner narthex when two are present
Esonarthex
A covered walk or outer narthex situated before an inner narthex
Exonarthex
A representation of a sacred Christian personage, such as Christ or a saint or angel, typically painted on a wood surface and itself venerated as being sacred especially in the tradition of the eastern church
Icon
A screen or partition on which icons are placed, separating the bema from the nave of an eastern church
Iconostasis, Iconostas
A large apsidal extension of the interior volume of a church
Exedra, Exhedra
A low screen in an early Christian basilica, separating the clergy and sometimes the choir from the congregation
Cancelli
A stone coffin especially one bearing sculpture or inscriptions and displayed as a monument
Sarcophagus
The sanctuary space surrounding the altar of an eastern church
Bema
A sacristy in an early Christian or eastern church, usually on the south side of the bema
Diaconicon
A room in a church where the sacred vessels and vestments are kept
Sacristy, Vestry
A chapel in an eastern church where the Eucharistic elements are prepared, usually on the north side of the bema
Prothesis
The monumental western front of a Romanesque church, treated as a tower or towers containing a low entrance hall below and a chapel open to the nave above
West work
A rose window having distinctly radiating millions or bars
Wheel Window, Catherine Wheel, Marigold Window
The space between an arch and the horizontal head of a door or window below, often decorated with sculpture
Tympanum
A column supporting the tympanum of a doorway at its center
Trumeau
A canopied recess for a religious image or icon
Tabernacle
The major transverse part of a cruciform church, crossing the main axis at a right angle between the nave and choir
Transept
The intersection of the nave and transept in a cruciform church
Crossing
A tall, acutely tapering pyramidal structure surmounting a steeple or tower
Spire
A bell tower, usually one near but not attached to the body of a church
Campanile
A bulbous, dome like roof terminating in a sharp point, used especially in Russian Orthodox Church architecture to cover a cupola or tower
Onion Dome
A tall ornamental structure, usually ending in a spire and surmounting the tower of a church or other public building
Steeple
A roofed promenade especially one extending inside or outside along the exterior wall of a building
Gallery
A gallery or upper level on a church or hall
Loft
An indigenous Scandinavian church of the 12th and 13th centuries, having a timber frame, plank walls, a tiered, steeply pitched roof, and few windows
Stave Church
The dwelling of a hermit; more generally, a secluded place of residence or habitation for a religious person or group
Hermitage
An arcade especially a blind one, composed of arches resting on alternated supports and overlapping in series where the cross
Interlacing Arcade, Intersecting Arcade
A series of arches superimposed on a wall for decoration
Blind Arcade, Arcature
A series of arches supported on piers or columns
Arcade
Curved or arched like a bow; a term used in describing the arched or vaulted structure of a Romanesque church or gothic cathedral, as distinguished from the trabeated architecture of an Egyptian hypostyle hall or Greek Doric temple
Arcuate, Arcuated
A pier or pilaster projecting from a wall as a support for an arch or lintel especially at the termination of an arcade or colonnade
Respond
A thickened abacus or supplementary capital set above a column capital to receive the thrust of an arch
Dosseret, Impost Block
A slender spire rising from the ridge of a roof especially one above the crossing of a gothic church
Flèche
A relatively small, usually foliated ornament terminating the peak of a spire or pinnacle
Finial
A projecting ornament, usually in the form of curved foliage, used especially in gothic architecture to decorate the outer angles of pinnacles, spires, and gables
Crocket
A grotesquely carved figure of a human or animal especially one with an open mouth that serves as a spout and projects from a gutter to throw rainwater clear of a building
Gargoyle
The space about the altar of a church for the clergy and choir, often elevated above the nave and separated from it by a railing or screen
Chancel
A chapel endowed for the saying of masses and prayers for the souls of the founders or of persons named by them
Chantry
A mazelike pattern inlaid in the pavement of a medieval church
Labyrinth
The principal church of a diocese, containing the bishop’s throne
Cathedral
A church or other edifice erected over the tomb of a martyr
Martyrium
A separately dedicated part of a church for private prayer, meditation, or small religious services
Chapel
A circular window, usually of stained glass and decorated with tracery symmetrical above the center
Rose Window
Glass colored or stained by having pigments backed onto its surface or by having various metallic oxides fused into it while in a molten state
Stained Glass
An arcaded story in a church, between the nave arches and clerestory and corresponding to the space between the vaulting and the roof of an ailse
Triforium
An underground chamber or vault used as a burial place, especially beneath the main floor of a church
Crypt
A crucifix symbolizing the cross on which christ was crucified especially a large one set above the entrance to the choir or chancel of a medieval church
Rood
A screen often elaborately adorned and properly surmounted by a rood, separating the chancel or choir from the nave of a medieval church
Rood Screen
A small porch used as a chapel for penitents at the west end of some medieval english churches
Galilee, Galilee Porch
A courtyard or quadrangle enclosed by a cloister
Garth, Cloister Garth
A walk or passage, as along a cloister or behind the parapets of a castle
Alure, Allure
A typical Byzantine church plan having nine bays. The center bay is a large square surmounted by a dome; the smaller square corner bays are domed or vaulted; and the rectangular side bays are barrel vaulted
Cross-in-Square
The rounded east end of a Gothic cathedral, including the apse and ambulatory
Ambulatory
The part of a church occupied by the singers of a choir, usually a part of the chancel
Choir
A separate division behind the choir or high altar of a large church
Retrochoir
A chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, usually located behind the high altar of a cathedral at the extremity of the apse
Lady chapel
The main altar of a church
High Altar
The part of a church reserved for the officiating clergy
Presbytery
An enclosed place especially the land surrounding or beside a cathedral
Close
A covered passage, especially one between the transept and chapter house of a cathedral
Slype, Slip
The place where the chapter of a cathedral or monastery meets, usually a building attached to or a hall forming part of the cathedral or monastery
Chapter House
An assembly of the monks in a monastery, or the members of a religious house or order
Chapter
A monastery under the supervision of an abbot, or a convent under the supervision of an abbess, belonging to the highest rank of such institutions
Abbey
An atrium or cloister beside a church
Paradise
A covered walk having an arcade or colonnade on one side opening onto a courtyard
Cloister
A covered place for walking, as around a cloister
Ambulatory
A phenomenon of light and visual perception that may be described in terms of an individual’s perception of hue, saturation, and lightness for objects, and hue, saturation, and brightness for light sources
Color
The distribution of energy emitted by a radiant source, arranged in order of wavelengths, especially the band of colors produced when sunlight is refracted and dispersed by a prism, comprising red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
Spectrum
The perceived color of an object, determined by the wavelengths of the light reflected from its surface after selective absorption of other wavelengths of the incident light
Reflected Color
Designating a color having high lightness and low saturation
Pale
Designating a color having high lightness and strong saturation
Brilliant
Designating a color having low lightness and low saturation, and reflecting only a small fraction of incident light
Dark
Designating a color having low lightness and strong saturation
Deep
A system for specifying colors arranged in three orderly scales of uniform visual steps according to hue, chroma, and value, developed in 1890 by Albert H. Munsell. Hue extends in a rotary direction about a central axis through a spectrum of five major and five secondary hues. Value extends vertically direction from black at the bottom through a series of grays to white at the top. Chroma extends radially from the central axis at which saturation is zero, out to the strongest saturation attainable for each color’s hue and value.
Munsell System
One of the three dimensions of color; the property of light by which the color of an object is classified as being red, yellow, green, or blue, or an intermediate between any contiguous pair of these colors
Hue
One of the three dimensions of color; the purity or vividness of a hue
Saturation, Intensity
The degree by which a color differs from a gray of the same lightness or brightness, corresponding to saturation of perceived color
Chroma
The dimension of color by which an object appears to reflect more or less of the incident light, varying from black to white for surface colors and from black to colorless for transparent volume colors
Lightness
The degree by which a color appears to reflect more or less the incident light, corresponding to lightness of the perceived color
Value
The dimension of a color that is correlated with luminance and by which visual stimuli are ordered continuously from very dim to very bright. Pure white has the maximum brightness, and pure black the minimum brightness
Brightness
The merging of juxtaposed dots or strokes of pure colors when seen from a distance to produce a hue often more luminous than that available from a premixed pigment
Optical Mixing
A scale of achromatic colors having several, usually ten, equal gradations ranging from white to black
Gray Scale
The absorption of certain wavelengths of the light incident on a colored surface, the remaining portion being reflected or transmitted
Selective Absorption
A color produced by mixing cyan, yellow, and magenta pigments, each of which absorbs certain wavelengths. A balanced mixture of these colorant or subtractive primaries theoretically yields black since it absorbs all wavelengths of visible light
Subtractive Color
A color produced by combining lights of red, green, and blue wavelengths. These light or additive primaries contain all the wavelengths necessary to produce a colorless or white light
Additive Color
Designating a color inclined toward or dominated by red, orange, or yellow
Warm
Designating a color inclined toward or dominated by green. blue, or violet
Cool
A warm color that appears to move toward an observer, giving an illusion of space
Advancing Color
A cool color that appears to move away from an observer, giving an illusion of space
Receding Color
An arrangement or pattern of colors conceived of as forming an integrated whole
Color Scheme
A relatively light value of a color, produced by adding white to it
Tint
A triangular diagram developed by Faber Birren to describe the relationship between a pure hue, white, and black, which combine to yield secondary tints, tones, shades, and grays. All colors may be subjectively conceived as a mixture of the psychological primaries-red, yellow, green and blue- plus the achromatic pair of white and black
Color Triangle
A relatively dark value of a color, produced by adding black to it
Shade
A circular scale of the colors of the spectrum, showing complementary colors opposite each other
Color Wheel, Color Circle
Any of a set of colors, such as red, yellow, and blue, regarded as generating all other colors
Primary Color
A color, such as orange, green, or violet, produced by mixing two primary colors
Secondary Color
A color, such as brown, produced by mixing two secondary colors, or a secondary color with one of its constituent primaries
Tertiary Colors
One of a pair of opposing colors on a color wheel, perceived as completing or enhancing each other
Complementary Color
One of two or three closely related colors on a color wheel
Analogous Color
A combination of three colors forming an equilateral triangle on a color wheel
Triad
A combination of one color and the pair of colors adjoining its complementary color on a color wheel
Split Complementary
A combination of two analogous colors and their complementary colors on a color wheel
Double Complementary
Having only one color or exhibiting varying intensities and values of a single hue
Monochromatic
Having or exhibiting a variety of colors
Polychromatic
An intermediate value of a color between a tint and a shade
Tone
An achromatic color between white and black
Gray
Having no saturation and therefore no hue, such as white, black, or gray
Achromatic
A rigid, relatively slender structural member designed primarily to support compressive loads applied at the member ends
Column
An upright, relatively slender shaft or structure, usually of brick or stone, used as a building support or standing alone as a monument
Pillar
A stiff vertical support, especially a wooden column in timber framing
Post
The critical point at which a column, carrying its critical buckling load, may either buckle or remain undeflected. The column is therefore in a state of neutral equilibrium
Bifurcation
The critical buckling load for a column divided by the area of its cross section
Critical Buckling Stress
The sudden lateral or torsional instability of a slender structural member induced by the action of a compressive load. It may occur well before the yield stress of the material is reached
Buckling
The maximum axial load that can theoretically be applied to a column without causing it to buckle. It is inversely proportional to the square of its effective length, and directly proportional to the modulus of elasticity of the material and to the moment of intertia of the cross section
Critical Buckling Load, Euler Buckling Load
A thick column subject to failure by crushing rather than by buckling. Failure occurs when the direct stress from an axial load exceeds the compressive strength of the material available in the cross section. An eccentric load, however, can produce bending and result in an uneven stress distribution in the section
Short Column
A column having a mode of failure between that of a short column and a long column, often partly inelastic by crushing and partly elastic by buckling
Intermediate Column
The ratio of the effective length of a column to its least radius of gyration
Slenderness Ratio
A slender column subject to failure by buckling rather than by crushing
Long Column
The radial distance from any axis to a point at which the mass of could be concentrated without altering the moment of inertia of the body about that axis. For a structural section, the radius of gyration is equal to the square root of the quotient of the moment of inertia and the area
Radius of Gyration
The amount by which an axis deviated from another parallel axis
Eccentricity
A circular window, usually of stained glass and decorated with tracery symmetrical above the center
Rose Window
Glass colored or stained by having pigments backed onto its surface or by having various metallic oxides fused into it while in a molten state
Stained Glass
An arcaded story in a church, between the nave arches and clerestory and corresponding to the space between the vaulting and the roof of an ailse
Triforium
An underground chamber or vault used as a burial place, especially beneath the main floor of a church
Crypt
A crucifix symbolizing the cross on which christ was crucified especially a large one set above the entrance to the choir or chancel of a medieval church
Rood
A screen often elaborately adorned and properly surmounted by a rood, separating the chancel or choir from the nave of a medieval church
Rood Screen
A small porch used as a chapel for penitents at the west end of some medieval english churches
Galilee, Galilee Porch
A courtyard or quadrangle enclosed by a cloister
Garth, Cloister Garth
A walk or passage, as along a cloister or behind the parapets of a castle
Alure, Allure
A typical Byzantine church plan having nine bays. The center bay is a large square surmounted by a dome; the smaller square corner bays are domed or vaulted; and the rectangular side bays are barrel vaulted
Cross-in-Square
The rounded east end of a Gothic cathedral, including the apse and ambulatory
Ambulatory
The part of a church occupied by the singers of a choir, usually a part of the chancel
Choir
A separate division behind the choir or high altar of a large church
Retrochoir
A chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, usually located behind the high altar of a cathedral at the extremity of the apse
Lady chapel
The main altar of a church
High Altar
The part of a church reserved for the officiating clergy
Presbytery
An enclosed place especially the land surrounding or beside a cathedral
Close
A covered passage, especially one between the transept and chapter house of a cathedral
Slype, Slip
The place where the chapter of a cathedral or monastery meets, usually a building attached to or a hall forming part of the cathedral or monastery
Chapter House
An assembly of the monks in a monastery, or the members of a religious house or order
Chapter
A monastery under the supervision of an abbot, or a convent under the supervision of an abbess, belonging to the highest rank of such institutions
Abbey
An atrium or cloister beside a church
Paradise
A covered walk having an arcade or colonnade on one side opening onto a courtyard
Cloister
A covered place for walking, as around a cloister
Ambulatory
A phenomenon of light and visual perception that may be described in terms of an individual’s perception of hue, saturation, and lightness for objects, and hue, saturation, and brightness for light sources
Color
The distribution of energy emitted by a radiant source, arranged in order of wavelengths, especially the band of colors produced when sunlight is refracted and dispersed by a prism, comprising red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
Spectrum
The perceived color of an object, determined by the wavelengths of the light reflected from its surface after selective absorption of other wavelengths of the incident light
Reflected Color
Designating a color having high lightness and low saturation
Pale
Designating a color having high lightness and strong saturation
Brilliant
Designating a color having low lightness and low saturation, and reflecting only a small fraction of incident light
Dark
Designating a color having low lightness and strong saturation
Deep
A system for specifying colors arranged in three orderly scales of uniform visual steps according to hue, chroma, and value, developed in 1890 by Albert H. Munsell. Hue extends in a rotary direction about a central axis through a spectrum of five major and five secondary hues. Value extends vertically direction from black at the bottom through a series of grays to white at the top. Chroma extends radially from the central axis at which saturation is zero, out to the strongest saturation attainable for each color’s hue and value.
Munsell System
One of the three dimensions of color; the property of light by which the color of an object is classified as being red, yellow, green, or blue, or an intermediate between any contiguous pair of these colors
Hue
One of the three dimensions of color; the purity or vividness of a hue
Saturation, Intensity
The degree by which a color differs from a gray of the same lightness or brightness, corresponding to saturation of perceived color
Chroma
The dimension of color by which an object appears to reflect more or less of the incident light, varying from black to white for surface colors and from black to colorless for transparent volume colors
Lightness
The degree by which a color appears to reflect more or less the incident light, corresponding to lightness of the perceived color
Value
The dimension of a color that is correlated with luminance and by which visual stimuli are ordered continuously from very dim to very bright. Pure white has the maximum brightness, and pure black the minimum brightness
Brightness
The merging of juxtaposed dots or strokes of pure colors when seen from a distance to produce a hue often more luminous than that available from a premixed pigment
Optical Mixing
A scale of achromatic colors having several, usually ten, equal gradations ranging from white to black
Gray Scale
The absorption of certain wavelengths of the light incident on a colored surface, the remaining portion being reflected or transmitted
Selective Absorption
A color produced by mixing cyan, yellow, and magenta pigments, each of which absorbs certain wavelengths. A balanced mixture of these colorant or subtractive primaries theoretically yields black since it absorbs all wavelengths of visible light
Subtractive Color
A color produced by combining lights of red, green, and blue wavelengths. These light or additive primaries contain all the wavelengths necessary to produce a colorless or white light
Additive Color
Designating a color inclined toward or dominated by red, orange, or yellow
Warm
Designating a color inclined toward or dominated by green. blue, or violet
Cool
A warm color that appears to move toward an observer, giving an illusion of space
Advancing Color
A cool color that appears to move away from an observer, giving an illusion of space
Receding Color
An arrangement or pattern of colors conceived of as forming an integrated whole
Color Scheme
A relatively light value of a color, produced by adding white to it
Tint
A triangular diagram developed by Faber Birren to describe the relationship between a pure hue, white, and black, which combine to yield secondary tints, tones, shades, and grays. All colors may be subjectively conceived as a mixture of the psychological primaries-red, yellow, green and blue- plus the achromatic pair of white and black
Color Triangle
A relatively dark value of a color, produced by adding black to it
Shade
A circular scale of the colors of the spectrum, showing complementary colors opposite each other
Color Wheel, Color Circle
Any of a set of colors, such as red, yellow, and blue, regarded as generating all other colors
Primary Color
A color, such as orange, green, or violet, produced by mixing two primary colors
Secondary Color
A color, such as brown, produced by mixing two secondary colors, or a secondary color with one of its constituent primaries
Tertiary Colors
One of a pair of opposing colors on a color wheel, perceived as completing or enhancing each other
Complementary Color
One of two or three closely related colors on a color wheel
Analogous Color
A combination of three colors forming an equilateral triangle on a color wheel
Triad
A combination of one color and the pair of colors adjoining its complementary color on a color wheel
Split Complementary
A combination of two analogous colors and their complementary colors on a color wheel
Double Complementary
Having only one color or exhibiting varying intensities and values of a single hue
Monochromatic
Having or exhibiting a variety of colors
Polychromatic
An intermediate value of a color between a tint and a shade
Tone
An achromatic color between white and black
Gray
Having no saturation and therefore no hue, such as white, black, or gray
Achromatic
A rigid, relatively slender structural member designed primarily to support compressive loads applied at the member ends
Column
An upright, relatively slender shaft or structure, usually of brick or stone, used as a building support or standing alone as a monument
Pillar
A stiff vertical support, especially a wooden column in timber framing
Post
The critical point at which a column, carrying its critical buckling load, may either buckle or remain undeflected. The column is therefore in a state of neutral equilibrium
Bifurcation
The critical buckling load for a column divided by the area of its cross section
Critical Buckling Stress
The sudden lateral or torsional instability of a slender structural member induced by the action of a compressive load. It may occur well before the yield stress of the material is reached
Buckling
The maximum axial load that can theoretically be applied to a column without causing it to buckle. It is inversely proportional to the square of its effective length, and directly proportional to the modulus of elasticity of the material and to the moment of intertia of the cross section
Critical Buckling Load, Euler Buckling Load
A thick column subject to failure by crushing rather than by buckling. Failure occurs when the direct stress from an axial load exceeds the compressive strength of the material available in the cross section. An eccentric load, however, can produce bending and result in an uneven stress distribution in the section
Short Column
A column having a mode of failure between that of a short column and a long column, often partly inelastic by crushing and partly elastic by buckling
Intermediate Column
The ratio of the effective length of a column to its least radius of gyration
Slenderness Ratio
A slender column subject to failure by buckling rather than by crushing
Long Column
The radial distance from any axis to a point at which the mass of could be concentrated without altering the moment of inertia of the body about that axis. For a structural section, the radius of gyration is equal to the square root of the quotient of the moment of inertia and the area
Radius of Gyration
The amount by which an axis deviated from another parallel axis
Eccentricity
An additional moment developed in a structural member as its longitudinal axis deviates from the line of action of a compressive force, equal to the product of the load and the member deflection at any point
P-delta Effect
The proposition that a compressive load should be located within the middle third of a horizontal section of a column or wall to prevennt tensile stresses from developing in the section
Middle-Third Rule
The distance between inflection points in a column subject to buckling. The effective length of a column determines its critical buckling load. When this portion of a column buckles, the entire column fails
Effective Length
A coefficient for modifying the actual length of a column according to its end conditions in order to determine its effective length. Fixing both ends of a long column reduces its effective length by half and increases its load-carrying capacity a factor of 4
Effective Length Factor
A set of tensile and compressive stresses resulting from the superposition of axial and bending stresses at a cross section of a structural member, acting in the same direction and equal at any point to their algebraic sum
Combined Stresses
The central area of any horizontal section of a column or wall within which the resultant of all compressive loads must pass of only compressive stresses are to be present in the section. A compressive load applied beyond the area will cause tensile stresses to develop in the section
Kern, Kern Area
A point on either side of the the centroidal axis of a a horizontal column or wall section defining the limits of the kern area
Kern Point
The bracing of a column or other compression member to reduce its effective length. It is the most effective when the bracing pattern occurs in more than one plane.
Lateral Bracing
The distance between the points at which a structural member is braced against buckling in a direction normal to its length
Unbraced Length
A digital image that consists of a grid of closely spaced pixels
Raster Image, Bitmap Image
A data structure representing a generally square or rectangular grid of pixels
Bitmap
Contraction of picture + element: the smallest addressable area of illumination on a display screen
Pixel
A digital image created and defined by mathematically based software routines for such geometric primitives as points, straight lines, curves, and shapes, and from which more complex graphic elements can be created
Vector Image
A method for representing and storing graphical image information using a 24-bit color depth to allow more than 16 million colors to be displayed in a digital image
True Color
The four colored inks used in the printing process
CMYK
The degree of detail visible in a printed image or an image displayed on a computer monitor.
Resolution
An artificial, stonelike building material made by mixing cement and various mineral aggregates with sufficient water to cause the cement to set and bind the entire mass
Concrete
A calcined mixture of clay and limestone, finely pulverized and used as an ingredient in concrete and mortar.
Cement
A compound constituting about half the volume of portland cement and responsible for the hardening or early gain in strength of the cement
Tricalcium Silicate
A compound constituting about one-quarter of the volume of portland cement and responsible for the aging or long-term gain in strength of the cement
Dicalcium Silicate
A compound constituting about one-tenth of the volume of portland cement and responsible for the initial setting of the cement
Tricalcium Aluminate
To heat a substance to a high temperature but without melting or fusing to drive off volatile matter or to cause oxidation or reduction
Calcine
A hydraulic cement made by burning a mixture of clay and limestone in a rotary kiln and pulverizing the resulting clinker into a ver fine powder
Portland Cement
Cement capable of setting and hardening by a reaction with water
Hydraulic Cement
A naturally occurring clayey limestone that, when calcined and finely pulverized, produces a hydraulic cement
Natural Cement
A siliceous material, such as fly ash, that reacts chemically with slaked lime in the presence of moisture to form a slow-hardening cement.
Pozzolan, Pozzuolana, Pozzolona
A portland cement used for general construction, having none of the distinguishing qualities of the other types
Type I: Normal
A portland cement having a reduced content of tricalcium aluminate, making it more resistant to sulfates and causing it to generate less heat of hydration; used general construction where resistance to moderate sulfate action is required or where heat build up can be damaging, as in the construction of large piers and heavy retaining walls
Type II: Moderate
A very finely ground portland cement having an increased content of tricalcium silicate, causing it to cure faster and gain strength earlier than normal portland cement; used when the early removal of formwork is desired, or in cold-weather construction to reduce the time required for protection from low temperature
Type III: High Early Strength
A portland cement having a reduced content of tricalcium silicate and an increased content of dicalcium silicate, causing it to generate less heat of hydration than normal portland cement; used in the construction of massive concrete structures, such as gravity dams, where a large buildup in heat can be damaging
Type IV: Low Heat
A portland cement having a reduced content of tricalcium aluminate, lessening the need for gypsum, a sulfate normally added to cement to retard its setting time; used where resistance to severe sulfate action
Type V: Sulfate Resisting
A Type I, Type II, or Type II portland cement to which a small quantity of an air-entraining agent has been interground during manufacture: designated by the suffix A
Air-Entraining Portland Cement
A portland cement produced from raw materials low in iron oxide and manganese oxide, the substance that gives concrete its gray color, used in precast concrete work and in the making of terrazzo, stucco, and tile grout
White Portland Cement
An expansive reaction occurring when the cement matrix of concrete or mortar comes in contact with sulfates dissolved in ground water or in soil
Sulfate Action
Microscopic, spherical air bubbles, typically 0.004 to 0.04 inches in diameter intentionally dispersed in a concrete or mortar mix by an air-entraining agent
Entrained Air
A mixture of cement and water for coating, setting and binding the aggregate particles together in a concrete or mortar mix
Cement Paste
Any of various hard, inert, mineral materials such as sand and gravel, added to a cement paste to make concrete or mortar.
Aggregate
Concrete made with aggregate of low specific gravity and weighing less than normal concrete, which has a unit weight of about 150pcf
Lightweight Concrete
Concrete made with strong lightweight aggregate, such as expanded shale or slate, having a unit weight from 85-115 pcf and compressive strength comparable to that of normal concrete.
Structural Lightweight Concrete
Lightweight concrete having a unit weight of less than 60pcf and low thermal conductivity, made with lightweight aggregate, such as perlite, or with a foaming agent or gas-forming chemical that infuses the mix with a homogeneous cellular structure
Insulating Concrete
Aggregate consisting of sand having a particle size smaller that 1/4in
Fine Aggregate
Aggregate consisting of crushed stone, gravel, or blast-furnace slag having a particle size larger than 1/4in
Coarse Aggregate
Aggregate having a particle size distribution characterized by uniform grading. Requires the least amount of cement paste to fill the voids and surround the particles
Graded Aggregate
The range of particle sizes in a granular material, expressed either as the cumulative percentage by weight of particles smaller or larger than a specified sieve opening, or as the percentage by weight of the particles that range between specified sieve openings
Particle-Size Distribution
A particle size distribution in which aggregate particles vary uniformly from fine to coarse without a preponderance of any one size or group of sizes
Uniform Grading
A strong lightweight aggregate obtained by the exfoliation of clay or shale
Expanded Shale, Expanded Clay
A strong lightweight aggregate obtained by the exfoliation of slate
Expanded Slate
The splitting or swelling of certain minerals into a scaly aggregate when heated
Exfoliation
A volcanic glass expanded by heat to form a lightweight, spherical particles, used as nonstructural lightweight, aggregate and as a loose-fill thermal insulation
Perlite, Pearlite
Mica expanded by heat into very light, wormlike threads, used as nonstructural lightweight aggregate and as loose-fill thermal insulation
Vermiculite
Any substance other than cement, water, or aggregate, added to a concrete or mortar mix to alter its properties or those of the hardened product
Admixture, Additive
An admixture that disperses entrained air in a concrete or mortar mix to increase workability, improve resistance of the cured product to the cracking induced by free-thaw cycles or the scaling caused by deicing chemicals, and in larger amounts, to produce lightweight insulating concrete
Air-Entraining Agent
An admixture that hastens the setting and strength development of a concrete, mortar, or plaster mix
Accelerator
An admixture that slows the setting of a concrete, mortar, or plaster mix in order to allow more time for placing and working the mix
Retarder
An admixture for reducing the surface tension of the mixing water in a concrete mix, thereby facilitation the wetting and penetrating action of the water or aiding in the emulsifying and dispersion of other additives in the mix
Surface-Active Agent, Surfactant
An admixture for reducing the amount of mixing water required for the desired workability of a concrete or mortar mix. Lowering the water-cement ratio in this manner generally results in increased strenght
Water-Reducing Agent, Superplasticizer
A pigment or dye added to a concrete mix to alter or control its color
Coloring Agent
The most economical selection and proportioning of cement, water, and aggregate to produce concrete or mortar having the required properties of workability, strength, durability, and weightlessness.
Mix Design
A method for determining the consistency and workability of freshly mixed concrete by measuring the slump of a test specimen
Slump Test
A test for determining the compressive strength of a concrete batch, using a hydraulic press to measure the maximum load of a test cylinder can support in axial compression before fracturing
Compression Test
The relative ability of freshly mixed concrete or mortar to flow, usually measured by the slump test for concrete and by the flow test for grout or mortar. Consistency depends largely on the proportion of cement paste to aggregate in a mix
Consistency
The relative ease with which freshly mixed concrete or mortar can be handled, placed in formwork, compacted, and finished. It depends partly on the water-cement ratio and partly on the grading of the aggregate in a mix
Workability
Material for lining the inside face of a form, specially selected to impart a smooth or patterned finish to the concrete surface
Form Liner
Any of various materials, such as oil or silicone, for preventing the bonding of concrete to a surface
Release Agent, Parting Compound
A partition closing the end of a form or preventing the passage of a newly placed concrete at a construction joint
Bulkhead
A longitudinal groove or channel formed in a concrete footing or other member that has set, providing a shear- resisting key for newly placed concrete
Keyway
A clamping device for keeping column forms or the tops of wall forms from spreading under the fluid pressure of newly placed concrete
Yoke
Trademark for a brand of cylindrical column made of compressed, resin-impreganated paper
Sonotube
A device for supporting and holding steel reinforcement in proper position before and during the placing of concrete
Chair
A tall chair for supporting top bars in a concrete beam or slab
High Chair
A wide chair for supporting and spacing bottom bars in a concrete beam or slab
Bolster
A form that can be raised vertically for succeeding lifts of concrete during the construction of a multistory building
Climbing Form
The height of a quantity of concrete placed in a form at one time
Lift
A form that can be moved slowly and continuously as concrete is being placed during the construction of a concrete pavement or building
Slip Form
A strip of wood or other material attached to a form to produce a smooth, rounded or beveled edge on the outside corner of a concrete member
Chamfer Strip
A strip of wood or other material attached to the inside face of a form to produce a groove in the surface of a concrete member
Rustication Strip
A wood strip fixed to the inside face of a form to indicate the top of a lift
Grade Strip
Any of a variety of slotted devices for tightening formwork and transferring the force in a form tie to the walers
Wedge
A brace, usually of wood, for spacing and keeping wall or footing forms apart
Spreader, Spacer
A horizontal timber or steel beam for reinforcing various vertical members, as in formwork or sheet pilling, or for retaining earth at the edge of an embarkment
Waler, Breast, Timber, Ranger, Wale
A vertical support for aligning and reinforcing walers
Strongback, Stiffback
The temporary structure required to support newly placed concrete, including the forms and all necessary supporting members, bracing, and hardware
Formwork
Boarding or sheeting of wood, metal, plastic, or fiberglass for containing and giving a desired shape to newly placed concrete until it sets and gains sufficient strength to be self-supporting
Form
A metal tie for keeping wall forms from spreading under the fluid pressure of newly placed concrete
Form Tie
A form tie having notches or crimps, which allow its ends to be snapped off below the concrete surface after stripping of the forms
Snap Tie
A form tie having cones at each end inside the forms, which allow it to also serve as a spreader
Cone Bolt
A form time consisting of water rods that are inserted though the form and threaded onto the end of an inner rod; after stripping, the waler rods are removed while the inner rod remains in the concrete
She Bolt
A large form that can be moved by a crane, used in constructing the concrete floors and roofs of multistory buildings
Flying Form
Concrete deposited, formed, cured, and finished in its final position as part of a structure
Cast-in-Place Concrete, Cast-in-Situ Concrete
The process of depositing and consolidating freshly mixed concrete in a form or in the final position where it is to harden
Placement
The discharging of freshly mixed concrete directly into a form from a concrete mixer, buggy, or crane buckey
Direct Placement
The descent of freshly mixed concrete into a form without the aid of a drop chute
Free Fall
A chute for containing and directing a falling stream of freshly mixed concrete so as not to cause segregation
Drop Chute
An inclined trough or tube for conveying free-flowing materials to lower level by gravity
Chute
The process of eliminating voids other than entrained air within newly placed concrete and ensuring close contact of the concrete with form surfaces and embedded reinforcement
Consolidation
Consolidation of newly placed concrete by the repeated insertions and withdrawals of a flat, spade-like tool
Spading
Consolidation of newly placed concrete by the repeated insertions and withdrawals of a rod
Rodding
Consolidation of newly placed concrete by the moderately high-frequency oscillations of a vibrator
Vibration
An electric or pneumatic oscillating tool for agitating and consolidating newly placed concrete
Vibrator
The period from first contact between mixing water and cement to completion of discharge of the freshly mixed concrete from a truck mixer
Time of Haul
A truck equipped with a rotating drum to prevent segregation or loss of plasticity of the ready-mixed concrete being delivered to a construction site
Agitator Truck
A truck equipped with a rotating drum and a separate water tank for mixing concrete en route to a construction site
Truck Mixer
A machine having a revolving drum, often motor-driven, for mixing cement, aggregate, and water to produce concrete
Concrete Mixer
A cart, often motor-driven, for transporting heavy materials, such as freshly mixed concrete, for short distances at a construction site
Buggy
Concrete mixed at a batch plant for delivery by an agitator truck to a construction site
Ready-Mixed Concrete
Concrete partially mixed at a batch plant and then mixed more completely in a truck mixer en route to a construction site
Shrink-Mixed Concrete
Concrete dry batched at a batch plant and mixed in a truck mixer en route to a construction site
Transit-Mixed Concrete
The delivery of concrete, slurry, or plaster by a pipeline or hose to the point of placement on a construction site, either in a plastic state for depositing in place or for spraying, or in a dry state with water added at the nozzle from which it is sprayed
Pneumatic Placement
A lightweight concrete construction consisting of a mixture of cement, sand or crushed slag, and water, pumped through a hose and sprayed at high velocity over reinforcement until the desired thickness is reached
Shotcrete, Gunite
The separation of coarse aggregate from the mortar or of water from the other ingredients of freshly mixed concrete, resulting from excessive horizontal movement or free fall of the mix, or from over vibration after placement
Segregation
The separation of an excessively wet or over vibrated concrete mix into horizontal layers, with increasingly lighter material migrating toward the top
Stratification
The emergence of excess mixing water on the surface of newly placed concrete, caused by settlement of solids within the mass
Bleeding, Water Gain
A milky deposit containing cement and aggregate fines on the surface of new concrete, caused by the bleeding of excess mixing water, overworking of the mix or improper finishing
Laitance
The process of leveling, smoothing, compacting, and treating newly placed concrete surface to produce the desired texture and appearance
Finishing
A wooden or metal straightedge drawn over a newly placed concrete slab to bring it to proper level
Screed
A firmly established grade strip or edge form serving as a guide for making a true level surface on a newly placed concrete slab
Screed
A flat tool for spreading and smoothing a fresh concrete, stucco, or plaster surface
Float
A float having a large, flat blade attached to a long handle
Bull Float
Any of various flat-bladed hand tools for applying, spreading, working, or smoothing plastic material, such as concrete, mortar, and plaster
Trowel
A portable machine having steel trowels mounted on radial arms that rotate about a vertical shaft to smooth, compact, and finish a fresh concrete surface
Power Trowel
A trowel having a long, curved lip for rounding the edges of a fresh concrete slab as it begins to set
Edger
A wheel-mounted, rotary power saw equipped with a silicon-carbide or diamond blade for cutting a control joint in a hardened concrete slab
Pavement Saw
The assumption of a rigid or hard state by concrete, mortar, plaster, or glue due to a physical or chemical change
Set
To maintain newly placed concrete or mortar at the required temperature and humidity for the first seven days following placement, casting, or finishing to ensure satisfactory hydration of the cementitious materials and proper hardening
Cure
The heat generated by the process of hydration, as during the setting and curing of a concrete mix
Heat of Hydration
The process in which a substance combines chemically with water, as that occurring when cement is mixed with water
Hydration
A long wooden or metal straightedge for smoothing a fresh concrete surface immediately after screeding
Darby
A fine-textured finish obtained by smoothing a fresh concrete, plaster, or stucco surface with a wood float
Float Finish
A dense, smooth finish obtained by working a fresh concrete or plaster surface with a steel trowel
Trowel Finish
A colored finish produced by sprinkling a dry mixture of cement, sand, and a pigment on a fresh concrete surface following screeding and after any free water has evaporated, and then working the mixture into the surface with a float
Dry-Shake Finish
A striated finish obtained by stroking a broom or stiff brush over a freshly troweled concrete surface
Broom Finish
A textured finish given to a fresh plaster or concrete surface by troweling with a circular, overlapping motion
Swirl Finish
Exposed concrete work requiring special care in selection of materials, forming, placing, and finishing to acquire the desired appearance
Architectural Concrete
Concrete left in its natural state after formwork is removed, especially when the concrete surface reflects the texture, joints, and fasteners of a board form
Beton Brut
A decorative finish produced by sandblasting, etching with an acid, or scrubbing a concrete surface after the initial set in order to remove the outer layer of cement paste and expose the aggregate
Exposed Aggregate Finish
A coarse-textured finish obtained by fracturing a concrete or stone surface with a power-driven hammer having a rectangular head with a corrugated, serrated, or toothed face
Brush Hammered Finish
Voids on a formed concrete surface caused by segregation during placement or by insufficient consolidation
Honeycomb
The chipping or scaling of a hardened concrete or masonry surface caused by freeze-thaw cycles or the application of deicing salts
Spalling, Scaling
Numerous hairline cracks occurring in the surface of a newly hardened concrete slab as a result of rapid drying shrinkage
Crazing
A reduction in volume of concrete, mortar, or plaster caused by a loss of moisture
Drying Shrinkage
A reduction in volume of concrete prior to its final set, caused by hydration of the cement paste
Setting Shrinkage
The art, science, or business of building
Construction
A person or organization having the legal right or title to a piece of property, usually the architect’s client and party to the owner-architect agreement
Owner
A person or organization that invests in and develops the potentialities of real estate, especially by initiating and implementing building projects for ownership, management, or resale
Developer
The institution, usually a commercial bank, providing the long-term financing for a construction project
Lending Institution
A person who engages in the profession of architecture, usually trained and experienced in the design and construction of buildings
Architect
A person or organization that contracts to provide the materials and perform the work for a construction project at a specified time and rate
Contractor
A person or organization that contracts directly with an owner to manage and supervise a construction project, including the work performed by subcontractors
General Contractor
A person trained, skilled, or professionally engaged in any of various branches of engineering
Engineer
A person or organization hired to give professional or expert advice regarding a specific aspect of a project, such as acoustics or lighting
Consultant
A person or organization that contracts with a general contractor to provide a portion of the work on a construction project
Subcontractor
A person or organization that contracts with an owner to advise on and coordinate all phases of a building project, from evaluating the construction cost and feasibility of design decisions to managing the bidding, award, and construction phases of the project
Construction Manager
A person or organization that develops and constructs building for subsequent sale or lease
Speculative Builder
Of or pertaining to an arrangement under which a person or organization contracts directly with an owner to design and construct a building or project
Design-Build
Of or pertaining to an arrangement under which a person or organization designs and constructs a building for sale or lease when ready for occupancy
Turn-Key
The process of building from site preparation through erection, assembly, and finishing operations
Construction
To install the highest structural member in a construction or complete the uppermost course in a masonry wall
Top Out
The temporary framework for supporting a structure under construction that is not yet capable of supporting itself
Falsework
A temporary structure or platform for supporting workers and materials at a height above the floor or ground during the construction or repair of a building
Scaffold, Staging
The competitive process of offering to perform the work described in a contact for a specified sum
Bidding
A formal acceptance of a bid or a negotiated proposal
Award
A legally enforceable agreement, usually in written form, between two or more parties to do or not to do something specified
Contract
A written communication issued by an owner authorizing a contractor to proceed with work and establishing the date of commencement of the work
Notice to Proceed
A written authorization to proceed with construction of a building project in accordance with approved drawings and specification, issued by the local government agency having jurisdiction after plans have been filed and reviewed
Building Permit
A person designated by a governmental authority to administer and enforce the provisions of a building code
Building Official
To construct by the raising, positioning, fitting together, and fastening of materials or parts
Erect
A document issued by a building official certifying that all or a designated portion of a building complies with the provisions of the building code, and permitting occupancy for its designated use
Certificate of Occupancy
The process of diagnosing the technical, functional and behavioral aspects of a completed building in order to accumulate information for future programming and design activites
Post Occupancy Evaluation
Of or pertaining to project scheduling in which the design and construction phases of a building project overlap to compress the total time required for completion
Fast-Track
A method for planning, scheduling, and managing a project, combining all relevant information into a flow chart, including the optimum sequence and duration of activities, the relative significance of each event, and the coordination required for timely completion of the project
Critical Path Method, CPM
The manner in which materials are ordered, assembled, and united into a whole, such as frame construction
Construction
A construction process using a high degree of prefabrication in the manufacture of standardized units or components to speed assembly and erection of a building
System Building, Industrialized Building
A prefabricated section of a floor, wall, ceiling, or roof, handled as a single unit in the assembly and erection of a building
Panel
A structural panel consisting of a core of relatively light material enclosed between two sheets of a high-strength material, generally resulting in a high stiffness-to-weight ratio
Sandwich Panel
A structural panel consisting of plywood facings glued to lumber stringers, used as floor, roof, or wall member subject to bending. The plywood facings and stringers act as a series of I-beams with the plywood resisting nearly all of the bending stresses. Cross bracing may be placed to support the edges of the skin and to help distribute concentrated loads.
Stressed-Skin Panel
Planning and design utilizing prefabricated modules or modular coordination for ease of erection, flexible arrangement, or variety of use
Modular Design
Any in a series of standardized, frequently interchangeable components used in assembling units of differing size, complexity, or function
Module
Correlating the dimensions of a structure and the unit sizes and its components, usually with the aid of a planning grid based on a 4 inch or 100 mm cubical module
Modular Coordination
A technique of constructing multistory buildings in which all horizontal slabs are cast at ground level and when cured are raised into position by hydraulic jacks
Lift-Slab Construction
To fabricate or manufacture beforehand especially in a standardized units or components for quick assembly and erection
Prefabricate
To construct by assembling diverse and usually standardized parts
Fabricate
A method of casting reinforced concrete wall panels on site in a horizontal position, then tilting them up into their final position
Tilt-Up Construction
The legal documents comprising a construction contract, including the owner-contractor agreement, conditions of the contract, and the construction drawings and specifications for the project, including all addenda, modifications, and any other items stipulated as being specifically included
Contract Documents
The construction drawings and specifications setting forth in detail the requirements for the construction of a project
Construction Documents
The part of the contract documents consisting of a detailed description or the technical nature of the materials, standards, and quality of execution of the work to be placed under contract
Specifications
A specification that stipulates how a particular component or system must perform without giving the means to be employed to achieve the results
Performance Specification
A specification that refers to a standard specification to indicate the properties desired in a material or component and the methods of testing required to substantiate the performance of products
Reference Specification
A specification that stipulates the use of specific products, systems or processes without provision for substitution
Proprietary Specification
A classification of a building’s construction according to the fire resistance of its major components
Construction Type, Construction Class
A code regulating the design, construction, alteration, and repair of buildings, adopted and enforced by a local government agency to protect the public safety, health and welfare
Building Code
An ordinance regulating the division of land into zones, so as to restrict the height, built, density, and use of buildings, and the provision of such ancillary facilities as parking: a principal instrument in the implementation of a master plan
Zoning Ordinance, Zoning Code
A covenant with a clause that restricts the action of any party to it, such as an agreement among property owners specifying the use to which a property can be put
Restrictive Covenant
A building code that sets minimum standards for energy conservation and the energy-efficient design of buildings
Energy Code
Of or pertaining to a material, type of construction, or occupancy or use not complying with the requirements set forth in a building code or zoning ordinance
Nonconforming
An official permit to do something normally forbidden by regulations, especially by building in a way or for a purpose normally forbidden by a building code or zoning ordinance
Variance
Construction having a structure of steel, concrete, or masonry, and walls, floors, and a roof of noncombustible materials
Noncombustible Construction
Noncombustible construction having a structure and major components with fire-resistance ratings at least equal to those specified by the appropriate authorities
Protected Non Combustible Construction
Noncombustible construction having no fire-resistance requirements except for fire walls and and enclosures of fire exits and vertical shafts
Unprotected Noncombustible Construction
A construction type having noncombustible exterior walls and an interior structure wholly or partly of light framing
Ordinary Construction
Ordinary construction having a structure and major components with fire-resistance ratings at least equal to those specified by the appropriate authorities
Protected Ordinary Construction
Ordinary construction having no fire-resistance requirements for the interior structure except for fire walls and enclosures of fire exits and vertical shafts
Unprotected Ordinary Construction
A construction type having noncombustible exterior walls and an interior structure of timbers and decking of specified minimum sizes without concealed spaces
Heavy-Timber Construction, Mill Construction
A construction type primarily formed by a system of repetitive wood or light-gauge steel members and not meeting the requirements for heavy-timber construction
Light-Frame Construction
Light-frame construction having a structure and major components with fire-resistance ratings at least equal to those specified by the appropriate authorities
Protected Light-Frame Construction
Light-frame construction having no fire-resistance requirements except for fire walls and enclosures of fire exits and vertical shafts
Unprotected Light-Frame Construction
The vertical distance from the finish surface of a floor to the finished surface of the next floor above
Story Height
A retail complex containing a variety of stores, restaurants, entertainment, facilities, and other business establishments housed in a series of connected or adjacent buildings or in a single large building
Mall, Shopping Mall
A building code term for a roofed or covered pedestrian way within a covered mall building serving as access for a number of tenants and not exceeding three open levels in height
Mall
A single building enclosing a number of tenants, such as retail stores, restaurants, and entertainment facilities, and having access to on or more malls
Covered Mall
The area within the surrounding exterior walls of a building, excluding vent shafts and courts but including unbounded areas within the horizontal projection of the floor or roof above
Building Area
The vertical distance from the grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface
Building Height
Any story having a finished floor surface above the grade plane, including a basement when the finished floor surface of the floor above the basement is more than 6ft above the grade plane
Story Above Grade Plane
A horizontal reference plane used in determining building height and number of stories, calculated as the average of finished grades adjoining a building along its exterior walls.
Grade Plane
An exterior building having direct access to a covered mall building but having its required means of egress independent of the mall
Anchor Building
A common seating area in a mall that serves adjacent food-preparation tenants
Food Court
The creation and organization of formal elements in a work of art
Design
The shape and structure of something as distinguished from its substance or material
Form
Of or pertaining to shapes and forms having irregular contours that appear to resemble those of living plants or animals
Organic
Of or pertaining to shapes and forms not representing natural or actual objects
Nonobjective, Non Presentational
Of or pertaining to shapes and forms that resemble or employ the simple rectilinear or curvilinear elements of geometry
Geometric
Of or pertaining to shapes and forms having an intellectual and affective content dependent solely on their intrinsic lines, colors, and relationship to one another
Abstract
A unified composition of two-dimensional shapes or three-dimensional volumes, especially one that has or gives the impression of weight, density, and bulk
Massing
The outline or surface configuration of a particular form or figure. While form usually refers to the principle that gives unity to a whole and often includes a sense of mass or volume.
Shape
The visual and especially tactile quality of a surface, apart from its color or form
Texture
Characterized or produced by addition, accumulation, or uniting, often resulting in a new identity
Additive
Characterized or produced by removal of a part or portion without destroying a sense of the whole
Subtractive
The apparent texture of a surface resulting from the combination and interrelation of colors and tonal values
Visual Texture
The edge or contour of a shape
Line
The physical, dimension structure of a surface apart from its color or form
Tactile Texture
Something that stands for or represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention, deriving its meaning chiefly from the structure in which it appears
Symbol
A mark or figure having a conventional meaning and used in place of a word or phrase to express a complex notion
Sign
A method or manner of jointing that makes the united parts clear, distinct, and precise in relation to each other
Articulation
The significance or meaning of an artistic work, as distinguished from its form
Content
An individual, minute, or subordinate part of a whole
Detail
The characteristic structure given to a surface or substance by the size, shape, arrangement, and proportions of the parts
Texture
An underlying framework or structure of connected parts
Fabric
An artistic or decorative design, especially one having a characteristic arrangement and considered as a unit, of which an idea can be give by a fragment
Pattern
The manner of arranging and coordinating the parts of a composition so as to produce a coherent image
Form
The systematic arranging of interdependent or coordinated parts into a coherent unity or functioning whole
Organization
The organization of elements or parts in a complex system as dominated by the general character of the whole
Structure
The basic scheme or concept for an architectural design, represented by a diagram
Parti
A drawing, not necessarily representational, that outlines, explains, or clarifies the arrangement and relations of the parts of a whole
Diagram
The arranging of parts or elements into proper proportion or relation so as to form a unified whole
Composition
A fundamental and comprehensive concept of visual perception for structuring an aesthetic composition
Design Principle
The state or quality of being combined into one, such as the ordering of elements in an artistic work that constitutes a harmonious whole or promotes a singleness of effect
Unity
The state or quality of being identical, homogeneous or regular
Uniformity
Uniform in structure throughout or composed of parts that are all of the same nature or kind
Homogeneous
Uniformly or evenly formed or arranged
Regular
The state or quality of lacking variety
Monotony
The state or quality of having varied or diverse forms, types, or characteristics
Variety
Stress or prominence given to an element of a composition by means of contrast, anomaly, or counterpoint
Emphasis
Opposition or juxtaposition of dissimilar elements in a work of art to intensify each elements’ properties and produce a more dynamic expressiveness
Contrast
A deviation from the normal or expected form, order, or arrangement
Anomaly
The major idea, essential part, or salient feature of a narrative or concept
Point
Prominent or conspicuous
Salient
A condition of logical, harmonious, or comprehensive arrangement in which each element of a group is properly disposed with reference to other elements and to its purpose
Order
The orderly, pleasing, or congruent arrangement of the elements or parts in an artistic whole
Harmony
Harmony in the arrangement of parts or colors that is restful to the eye
Repose
Logically or aesthetically ordered or integrated to afford comprehension or recognition
Coherent
Correspondence in size, shape, or color among the elements in a work or art
Arrangement
The state or quality of being alike in substance, essentials, or characteristics
Similarity
Nearness in place, order, or relation
Proximity
The state or quality of being continuous, such as that exhibited by a line, edge, or direction
Continuity
Arrangement in or adjustment according to a straight line
Alignment
The state or quality of being a whole composed of complicated, intricate, or interconnected parts
Complexity
An artistic composition of often diverse elements in unlikely or unexpected juxtaposition
Collage
A system of elements ranked, classified, and organized one above another, according to importance or significance
Hierarchy
The state or position of being placed opposite another, or of lying in corresponding positions from an intervening space or object
Juxtaposition
A tenuous balance maintained in an artistic work between opposing forces or elements often causing anxiety or excitement
Tension
A parallel but contrasting element or theme in a narrative or concept
Counterpoint
A state or utter disorder or confusion
Chaos
The state or condition of being opposed, inconsistent, or logically incongruous
Contradiction
A state of rest or balance between contrasting elements or opposing forces
Equilibrium
An equal distribution of weight, relationship, or forces
Equipoise
A counterbalancing weight or force
Counterpoise
The pleasing or harmonious arrangement or proportion of parts or elements in a design or composition
Balance
A symmetrical condition occurring in one part of a design, often serving to center an irregular pattern
Local Symmetry
A straight line to which elements in a composition are referred for measurement or symmetry
Axis
The exact correspondence in size, form, and arrangement of parts on opposite sides of a dividing line or plane, or about a center or axis
Symmetry
Symmetry resulting from the arrangement of similar parts on opposite sides of a median axis
Bilateral Symmetry
Symmetry resulting from the arrangement of similar, radiating parts about a center point or central axis
Radial Symmetry
An imaginary line about which a figure, body, or composition is symmetrical
Axis of Symmetry
The plan for a building organized around a large or dominant space, usually characterized by two axes crossing each other at right angles
Central Plan
The rhythmic quality of a composition suggesting motion by represented gestures or by the relationship of structural elements
Movement
The line along which something is moving, pointing, or facing, with reference to the point toward which it is directed
Direction
A process or change taking place by degrees or through a series of gradual, successive stages.
Gradation
Movement characterized by a patterned repetition or alteration of formal elements or motifs in the same or a modified form
Rhythm
The act or process of repeating formal elements or motifs in a design
Repetition
A space between two objects, points, or states
Interval
A series of linked or interconnected things or events
Concentration
The comparative, proper, or harmonious relation of one part to another or to the whole with respect to magnitude, quantity, or degree
Proportion
Harmony of proportion or movement
Eurythmy
The equality between two rations in which the first of the four terms divided by the second equals the third divided by the fourth
Proportion
A proportion between two dimensions of a plane figure or the two divisions of a line, in which the ration of the smaller to the large is the same as the ratio of the larger to the whole: a ration of approximately 0.18 to 1.000
Golden Section, Golden Mean
The unending sequence of numbers where the first two terms are 1 and 1, and each succeeding terms is the sum of the two immediately preceding
Fibonacci Series, Fibonacci Sequence
A series whose terms are in harmonic progression
Harmonic Series
A sequence of numbers whose reciprocals form an arithmetic progression
Harmonic Progression
A certain proportionate size, extent, or degree, usually judged in relation to some standard or point of reference
Scale
The size or proportion of a building element or space, or an article of furniture, relative to the structural or functional dimensions of the human body
Human Scale
A unit of measurement used for standardizing the dimensions of building materials or regulating the proportions of an architectural composition
Module
The size or proportion of something relative to an accepted standard of measurement
Mechanical Scale
The size or proportion an element appears to have relative to other elements or components of known or assumed size
Visual Scale
Any of the dimensions of the human body and its parts
Structural Dimension
Any of the dimensions determined by bodily position and movement, such as reach, stride, or clearance
Functional Dimension
The correspondence between the size and posture of a human body and a building element or article of furniture
Static Fit
The correspondence between the sensory experience of bodily presence and movement and the size, shape, and proportion of a space
Dynamic Fit
An applied science concerned with the characteristics of people that need to be considered in the design of devices and systems in order that people and things will interact effectively and safely
Ergonomics, Human Engineering
The measurement and study of the size and proportions of the human body
Anthropometry
To ascribe human form or characteristics to nonhuman things or beings
Anthropomorphize
The sensory experience of bodily position, presence or movement derived chiefly from stimulation of nerve endings in muscles, tendons, and joints
Kinesthesia, Kinesthesis, Kinaesthesia
Relating to or based on the sense of touch
Haptic
Relating to or based on the sense of smell
Olfactory
Of or pertaining to spaces, buildings, and facilities fully accessible and usable by all people including the physically handicapped
Barrier-Free
The study of the symbolic and communicative role of the spatial separation individuals maintain in various social and interpersonal situations, and how the nature and degree of this spatial arrangement relates to environmental and cultural factors
Proxemics
The pattern or behavior associated with defining and defending a territory or domain
Territoriality
The variable and subjective distance at which one person feels comfortable talking to another
Personal Space, Personal Distance
The ability, freedom, or permission to approach, enter, or use
Access
The degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to people having disabilities or special needs
Accessibility
A continuous, unobstructed path from site arrival points and connecting all accessible buildings and facilities within a site
Accessible Route
The ability of such elements as counters, sinks, and grab bars to be altered so as to accommodate the needs of individuals with or without disabilities, or individuals having different types or degrees of disabilities
Adaptability
The minimum unobstructed floor area required to accommodate a single wheelchair and occupant
Clear Floor Space
A surface feature built in or applied to waling surfaces to warn visually impaired persons of hazards along a circulation path
Detectable Warning
The slope perpendicular to the direction of travel
Cross Slope
The slope parallel to the direction of travel
Running Slope
A ramp cut into or leading up to a curb
Curb Ramp
To conceive, contrive, or devise the form and structure of a building or other construction
Design
A purposeful activity aimed at devising a plan for changing an existing situation into a future preferred state, especially the cyclical, iterative process.
Design Process
A systematic series of actions or operations leading or directed to a particular end
Process
A particular stage in a process of change or development
Phase
A procedure for solving a problem, such as a statement setting forth the context, conditions, requirements, and objectives for a design project
Program
Identifying a problem and its social, economic, and physical context
Initiation
Collecting and analyzing relevant information and establishing goals and criteria for an acceptable solution
Preparation
To form an idea or conception in the mind
Conceive
To form in an artistic or ingenious manner
Contrive
To form in the mind by new combinations or applications of existing ideas or principles
Devise
Separating of a whole into its constituent parts or elements, especially as a method of studying the nature of the whole and determining its essential features and their relations
Analysis
Combining of separate, often diverse parts or elements so as to form a single or coherent whole
Synthesis
To work out, expand, or realize the capabilities or possibilities of so as to bring gradually to a fuller or more advanced or effective state
Develop
To change the form, character, or qualities of in order to give a new orientation to or to serve a new end
Modify
To improve or elaborate in order to make more fine or precise
Refine
A bend, angle, or similar change in the shape of a configuration, by means of which a change of relationship to some context or condition is indicated
Inflection
The process of changing in form or structure through a series of discrete permutations and manipulations in response to a specific context or set of conditions without a loss of identity or concept
Transformation
Assessing how well an implemented solution in use satisfies the specified goals and criteria
Reevaluation
The pattern of change, growth, or development of an object or phenomenon
Dynamics
An intense effort to complete a design project within a specified time
Charrette
Discovering constraints and opportunities, and hypothesizing possible alternative solutions
Synthesis
Formulating a tentative assumption in order to draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences
Hypothesis
One of the propositions or courses of action to be chosen from a set of two or more mutually exclusive possibilities
Alternative
To ensure the fulfillment of by means of a definite plan or procedure
Implement
Selecting and implementing the most suitable solution
Action
Evaluative information about an action or process, prompting a return to a preceding phase for alteration or correction
Feedback
Simulating, testing, and modifying acceptable alternatives according to specified goals and criteria
Evaluation
A preliminary version of a plan or design
Draft
To express, convey, or interchange ideas, information, or the like by writing, speaking, or through a common system of signs or symbols, especially in a way that is clearly and readily understoon
Communicate
The offering of a plan for consideration, acceptance, or action
Proposal
To choose from a number of alternatives by fitness or preference
Select
The mental ability to perceive distinctions, comprehend relationships, or distinguish alternatives
Judgment
The natural or proper action for which something is designed, used, or exists
Function
The reason for which something exists or is done, made, or used
Purpose
Any feature that provides or increases comfort, convenience, or pleasure
Amenity
Careful, thrifty, and efficient use and management of resources
Economy
To ascertain or assess the significance, worth, or quality of, usually by careful appraisal and study
Evaluate
A standard, rule, or principle on which a judgment or decision may be based
Criterion
To create a likeness or model of something anticipated for testing and evaluation
Simulate
A miniature representation, usually built to scale, to show the appearance or construction of something
Model
A full-sized model of a building or structure, built accurately to scale for study, testing, or teaching
Mock-Up
To subject a system or process to such conditions or operations as will lead to a critical evaluation of abilities or performance and subsequent acceptance or rejection
Test
The faculty or power of comprehending, inferring, or thinking in an orderly, rational way
Reason
To form or recall a mental image of
Visualize
The power of reproducing images stored in the memory under the suggestion of associated images
Reproductive Imagination
To regard an idea or concept as having some form of objective reality outside of the mind
Project
To animate or permeate with a particular form, substance, quality, or distinction
Inform
To direct the efforts or attention of
Address
To attract and hold fast by influence or power
Engage
Actual performance or application of principles, as distinguished from theory
Practice
Having objective, verifiable, and independent existence, as opposed to being artificial or illusory
Real
A systematic classification or study of types according to structural features
Typology
A number of things regarded as forming a group by reason of common attributes or characteristics
Type
An original model or pattern on which all things of the same kind are copied or based
Archetype
A reproduction of an original
Ectype
An early and typical example that exhibits the essential features of a class or group and on which later stages are based or judged
Prototype
The play of the mind through which visions are summoned, especially mental inventions that are whimsical, playful, and characteristically removed from reality
Fancy
To form a mental picture of a future possibility
Envision
The power of recombining former experiences in the creation of new images directed at a specific goal or aiding in the solution of a problem
Creative Imagination
The act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be
Vision
The faculty of seeing things in their true relations or of evaluating their relative significance
Perspective
A particular manner or mode of looking at or regarding something
View
A way in which a thing may be viewed or regarded
Aspect
Abstract thought or speculation resulting in a system of assumptions or principles used in analyzing, explaining, or predicting phenomena, and proposed or followed as the basis of action
Theory
Thought of without reference to concrete reality or a particular instance
Abstract
A fundamental and comprehensive law, truth, or assumption governing action, procedure, or arrangement
Principle
An example serving as a pattern for imitation or emulation in the creation of something
Model
A mental representation of something previously perceived in the absence of the original stimulus
Image
An object, activity, or idea used in place of another to suggest a likeness between them
Metaphor
A similarity in some particulars between things otherwise dissimilar; specifically, a logical inference based on the assumption that if two things are known to be alike in some respects, then they will probably be alike in other respects
Analogy
Contextual, casual, or logical relations or associations of something observed or imagined
Connection
The ability to transcend traditional ideas, patterns, or relationships and to initiate meaningful new ideas, forms, or interpretations
Creativity
The creative ability to imagine or express in an independent and individual manner
Originality
The faculty of forming mental images or concepts of what is not present to the senses or perceived in reality
Imagination
A thought or notion resulting from mental awareness, understanding, or activity
Idea
A mental image or formulation of what something is ought to be especially an idea generalized from particular characteristics or instances
Concept
A concept for the form, structure, and features of a building or other construction, represented graphically by diagrams, plans, or other drawings
Design Concept
An underlying organizational pattern or structure for a design
Scheme
The original scheme for a design presented in the form of a sketch outlining its specific character, to be developed in detail in later studies
Project
The study of creative processes especially as applied to the stating and solution of problems, that involves free use of metaphor and analogy in informal interchange within a small group of diverse individuals
Synetics
The power or faculty of knowing without evident rational thought and inference
Intuition
Meditation or reflection on a subject or idea, resulting in a conclusion inferred from incomplete or inconclusive evidence
Speculation
The state or quality of being susceptible to uncertainty of meaning or multiple interpretation
Ambiguity
An aptitude for making desirable and unexpected discoveries by accident
Serendipity
A fortuitous circumstance, quality, or characteristic
Accident
A vaulted structure having a circular plan and usually the form of a portion of a sphere, so constructed as to exert an equal thrust in all directions
Dome
A circular opening, especially one at the crown of a dome
Oculus
A superstructure crowning a roof or dome and having open or windowed walls to let in light and air
Lantern
A light structure on a dome or roof, serving as a belfry, lantern, or belvedere
Cupola
The vertical part of a cupola
Tambour
The space between the inner and outer shells of a dome
Interdome
A dormer window in a roof or spire
Lucarne
A space or gallery beneath a dome or vault in which low sounds produced at any of certain points are clearly audible at certain other distant points
Whispering Gallery
A cylindrical or faceted construction, often pierced with windows, supporting a dome
Drum
The substructure supporting a dome or cupola
Tholobate
A strap, ring, or chain placed around a structure to secure and hold its parts together, as around the springing of a dome
Bandage
Half a dome formed by a vertical section, such as one over a semicircular apse
Semidome
A semidome or quarter-sphere vault, such as one over an apse or niche
Cul-de-Four
A spherical triangle forming the transition from the circular plan of a dome to the polygonal plan of its supporting structure
Pendentive
An area in the plane of a wall framed by an arch or vault, containing a window, painting, or sculpture
Lunette
A spherical dome formed by removing four segments so that it merges with its pendentives and sits on a square plan
Pendentive Dome
An arch or corbeling built across the upper inside corner of a square tower to support the side of a superimposed octagonal structure
Squinch
A hinged, sliding, or folding barrier of wood, metal, or glass for opening and closing an entrance to a building, room, or cabinet
Door
A door that turns on hinges or pivots about a vertical edge when pushed or pulled
Swinging Door
A door carried on and swinging about on a center or offset pivot, as distinguished from one hung on hinges
Pivoted Door
A door with hinged sections that can be folded flat against one another when opened
Folding Door
A door that operates or moves by sliding on a track, usually parallel to a wall
Sliding Door
A large door consisting of horizontal, interlocking metal slats guided by a track on either side, opening by coiling about an overhead drum at the head of the door opening
Rolling Door
A pivoted door that is partially counterbalanced for easier opening and closing
Balanced Door
A door that opens automatically at the approach of a person or automobile
Automatic Door
A mechanism that automatically opens a door when actuated by a ratio transmitter, electric eye, or other device
Door Opener
A large door constructed of one or several leaves, opening by swinging or rolling up to a position above the door opening
Overhead Door
A door hung on hinges that permit it to swing in one direction only
Single-Acting Door
A door hung on hinges that permit it to swing in either direction from a closed position
Double-Acting Door
A pair of doors hung in the same door frame
Double Doors
A hinge or sliding section of a door or a shutter
Leaf
The leaf of a pair of double doors to which the latching or locking mechanism is attached
Active Leaf, Opening Leaf
The leaf of a pair of double doors to which the strike plate is fastened to receive the latch or bolt of the active leaf, usually fixed in a closed position by bolts at the top and bottom of the door
Inactive Leaf, Standing Leaf
A molding attached to one or both meeting stiles of a pair of double doors to prevent drafts or the passage of light, noise, or smoke
Astragal
A slender vertical member dividing the opening for a pair of double doors, sometimes removable to permit the passage of large objects
Mullion
A folding door that divides into two leaves, the inner edge of each leaf being hung from an overhead track and the outer edges pivoted at the jamb
Bifold Door
A multileafed door that is hung from an overhead track and opens by folding back in the manner of an accordion
Accordion Door
A door that slides into and out of a recess in a doorway wall
Pocket Door
One of te leaves of a double or revolving door
Wing
The flexible weatherstripping along the edges of a revolving door
Sweep
A stream of compressed air directed downward across a doorway so as to form a shield to exclude drafts
Air Curtain
An opening in a wall into which a doorframe or window frame is fitted
Rough Opening
Either of the vertical sides of an archway, doorway, or window opening
Jamb
A doorless opening finished with trimwork
Cased Opening
The finished, often decorated framework around a door or window opening, especially the portion parallel to the surrounding surface and at right angles to the jambs
Casing
A rough casing for a doorway or window opening
Subcasing
A subframe of wood or metal set in a partition to support the finished frame of a door or window
Buck, Door Buck, Rough Buck
The frame of a doorway, consisting of two jambs and a head or lintel
Doorframe
The uppermost member of a doorframe or window frame
Head
Either of the two sidepieces of a doorframe
Door Jamb
The projecting part of a doorframe against which a door closes
Stop, Door Stop
A stop formed by attaching a molding to a doorframe or window frame
Planted Stop
A stop formed integrally by a rabbet in a doorframe or a window frame
Rabbeted Stop
A door jamb having no stops, nor prepared to receive hardware
Blank Jamb
The horizontal member beneath a door or window opening
Sill
The sill of a doorway, covering the joint between two flooring materials or providing weather protection at an exterior door
Threshold
A raised piece of flooring between the jambs of a doorway, to which a door fits closely so as to prevent its binding when opened
Saddle
The clearance required to prevent binding between a door and its doorframe or the finished floor
Door Clearance
An ornamental painting, carving, or section of a woodwork directly above a doorway
Overdoor
A crosspiece separating a doorway from a window or fanlight above it
Transom
A window above the transom of a doorway.
Transom Window, Transom, Transom Light
The part of a jamb of a window or door opening that is visible between the outer wall surface and the window or doorframe
Reveal
The reveal of window or door opening from the frame to the inner face of the wall
Sconcheon. Esconson, Scuncheon
A semicircular or semielliptical window over a doorway or another window
Fanlight
A window at the side of a door or another window
Sidelight, Winglight
A doorway having a form similar to that of a Palladian window
Venetian Door
A surface that makes an oblique angle with another, as where a window or door opening widens from the frame toward the face of the wall
Splay
A door having a framework of stiles, rails, and sometimes muntins, filled with panels of a thinner material
Paneled Door
Any of various horizontal members framing panels, as in a system of paneling, a paneled door, window sash, or chest of drawers
Rail
The uppermost rail connecting the stiles of a paneled door or window sash
Top Rail
The rail of a door that meets the shutting stile at the level of the lockset
Lock Rail
The lowest rail connecting the stiles of a paneled door or window sash
Bottom Rail
A distinct section or division of a wall, ceiling, or door, recessed below or raised above the general level or enclosed by a frame
Panel
Any of various upright members framing panels, as in a system of paneling, a paneled door, window sash, or a chest of drawers
Stile
The stile of a door by which it is hung
Hinge Stile, Hanging Stile
The stile of a door that closes against the frame of the opening
Lock Stile, Shutting Stile
A stile within the frame of a door
Muntin
One of the abutting stiles in a pair of double doors
Meeting Stile
A door having rectangular glass panes extending throughout its length, and often hung in pairs
French Door, Casement Door
A door having a louvered opening for the passage or circulation of air
Louvered Door, Blind Door
A small light in the upper portion of a door glazed with clear glass for viewing
Vision Light
An open fitted with slanting, fixed or movable slats to admit air but exclude rain and snow or to provide privacy
Louver, Louvre
An outer or supplementary door, usually glazed for protecting an entrance door from drafts, driving rain, or severe weather
Storm Door
An exterior door having wood or aluminum stiles and rails that hold a wire or plastic mesh to admit air but exclude insects
Screen Door
An exterior door having a frame into which different types of panels can be inserted, such as a screen for summer or storm sash for winter
Combination Door
A door of heat-strengthened or tempered glass, with or without rails or stiles, used primarily as an entrance door
Glass Door
A door divided horizontally so that the upper or lower part can be opened or closed separately
Dutch Door
A door constructed of vertical boards held together by horizontal battens and diagonal bracing
Batten Door
A door hinged to be flush with the wall on either side and treated so as to be indiscernible when closed
Jib Door, Gib Door
A doorframe having a split head and jambs for installation in various wall thickness
Adjustable Doorframe
A door hung in a doorframe before installation in a wall, sometimes pre-finished and pre fitted with all necessary hardware and casing trim
Pre-Hung Door
A wood flush door having a solid core of staved lumber, particleboard, or a mineral composition
Solid-Core Door
A wood flush door having a framework of stiles and rails encasing an expanded honeycomb core of corrugated fiberboard or a grid of interlocking horizontal and vertical wood strips
Hollow-Core Door
A door having smooth-surfaced faces
Flush Door
A wooden construction, as in a door, forming a backing for face veneers
Core
The plywood or hardboard veneer immediately beneath the face veneers of a flush door
Crossbanding, Crossband
A surface veneer of plywood, hardboard, plastic laminate, or medium density overlay, bonded to the crossbanding on core of a flush door
Doorskin
A door having a sound-deadening core, gasketed stops along the top and sides, and an automatic drop seal along the bottom
Acoustical Door, Sound-Insulating Door
A door having a structural wood core clad with galvanized sheet metal
Kalamein Door
The opening between the backbends of a metal of a doorframe
Throat
The face at the outer edge of a metal doorframe that returns to the wall surface
Backbend
A doorframe having a head and jambs formed from a single piece of metal
Hollow Metal Frame
A door having face sheets of light-gauge steel bonded to a steel channel frame, reinforced with channels, a kraft honeycomb structure, or a rigid plastic-foam core
Hollow Metal Door
A metal doorframe composed of three or more parts for assembly in the field
Knockdown Frame
A metal doorframe that is completely set up and welded at the factory
Welded Frame
Any of various metal devices for securing the jamb of a doorframe to a masonry, steel stud, or wood stud wall
Jamb Anchor
Any of various metal devices for binding one part of a structure to another
Anchor
A metal clip or device for securing the base of a doorframe to the floor
Base Anchor
A stop having a closed end that terminates above the floor line at a 45 or 90 degrees angle
Cutoff Stop, Hospital Stop, Sanitary Stop
A protective lining, usually of stainless steel, at the base of a doorframe
Spat
A metal doorframe designed to be installed during the construction of a masonry or stud wall
Flush Frame
A knockdown frame having a double-return backbend for installation after a drywall partition is finished
Drywall Frame
A metal doorframe completely filled with plaster or mortar for structural rigidity and increased fire resistance
Grouted Frame
A metal doorframe prepared to receive a pair of single-acting doors that swing in opposite directions
Double Egress Frame
The science dealing with the physical phenomena arising from the existence and interaction of electric charges
Electricity
The intrinsic property of matter giving rise to all electric phenomena, occurring in two forms arbitrarily given positive and negative algebraic signs and measured in coulombs. Opposite charges attract while like charges repel each other
Electric Charge
Potential difference or electromotive force expressed in volts; analogous to pressure in water flow
Voltage
The complete path of an electric current, including the source of electric energy
Circuit
An arrangement of components in an electric circuit in which the same current flows through each component in turn without branching
Series
An arrangement of components in an electric circuit in which all positive terminals are connected to one conductor and all negative terminals are connected to a second conductor, the same voltage being applied to each component
Parallel
A machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy
Generator
A generator for producing alternating current
Alternator
The main current-carrying winding of a motor or generator in which electromotive force is induced
Armature
An electric current flowing in one direction only and having a magnitude that does not vary or varies only slightly
Direct Current
An electric current that reverses direction at regularly recurring intervals, having a magnitude that varies in a sinusoidal manner
Alternating Current
A unit of electric measurement, equal to the product of one volt and one ampere, equivalent to one watt for direct-current systems and a unit of apparent power for alternating-current systems
Volt-Ampere
The supplying of utilities, such as water, gas, and electricity, required or demanded by the public
Service
The decrease in voltage between two points on a power line, usually caused by resistance or leakage along the line
Line Drop
The portion of a service conductor extending from a service drop or service lateral to the service equipment of a building
Service Entrance Conductor
A meter for measuring and recording the quantity of electric power consumed with respect to time
Watt-Hour Meter
A fire-rated room housing a transformer and auxiliary equipment for a large building, usually located or grade or below ground ventilated directly to the outside air
Transformer Vault
An emergency system designed to provide power automatically and instantaneously upon failure of the normal power supply
Uninterruptible Power Supply
The underground portion of service conductors extending from a main power line or transformer to a building
Service Lateral
The overhead portion of service conductors extending from the nearest utility pole to a building
Service Drop
Any of the conductors extending from the service equipment to various distribution points in a building
Feeder
One or a group of panels on which are mounted switches, over current devices, metering instruments, and buses for controlling and protecting a number of electric circuits
Switchboard, Switchgear
A conducting connection between an electric circuit or device and the earth or other point of zero potential
Ground
The portion of an electrical system extending from the final over current device protecting a circuit to the outlets served by the circuit
Branch Circuit
The power delivered by a generator or transformer, or the power consumed by an appliance or device
Load
A branch circuit that supplies current to a number of outlets for lighting and appliances
General Purpose Circuit
A branch circuit that supplies current to one or more outlets specifically intended for appliances
Appliance Circuit
A branch circuit that supplies current only to a single piece of electrical equipment
Individual Circuit
A form of air switch in which a hinged copper blade is placed between two contact clips
Knife Switch
A switch controlled by a conductor floating in a liquid
Float Switch
A rheostat or similar device for regulating the intensity of an electric light without appreciably affecting spatial distribution
Dimmer, Dimmer Switch
A single-pole, double-throw switch used in conjunction with another to control lights from two locations
Three-Way Switch
A switch used in conjunction with two three-way switches to control lights from three locations
Four-Way Switch
A point on a wiring system at which current is taken to supply an electric device or apparatus
Outlet
A female fitting connected to a power supply and equipped to receive a plug
Receptacle, Socket
An outlet usually mounted on a wall and housing one or more receptacles for portable lamps or appliances
Convenience Outlet
An obsolete wiring system consisting of single, insulated conductors secured to and supported on porcelain knobs and tubes
Knob-and-Tube Wiring
A flexible, nonmetallic, fire-resistant tubing for conductors in knob-and-tube wiring
Loom
A flexible, insulated, conductor for electrically connecting an apparatus to another or to a circuit
Lead
A short, flexible conductor used in connecting a stationery terminal with a terminal having a limited range of notion
Pigtail
A conductive element or device for establishing an electric connection to an apparatus
Terminal
A moving platform or cage for carrying passengers or freight from one level of a building to another
Elevator
An elevator exclusively for the use of passengers
Passenger Elevator
An elevator for carrying heavy cargo, on which the operator and the persons necessary for unloading and loading the freight are permitted to ride
Freight Elevator
A small elevator for conveying food, dishes, or other materials between the floors of a building
Dumbwaiter
A row of elevators in a high-rise building, controlled by a common operating system and responding to a single call button
Bank
The vertical distance traversed by an elevator car from the lowest to the highest landings of the hoistway
Rise, Travel
An elevator system consisting of a car that is mounted on guide rails, supported by hoisting cables, and driven by electric hoisting machinery
Electric Elevator, Traction Elevator
A structure housing elevator machinery on the roof of a building
Penthouse
The vertical distance from the top of an elevator car to the nearest overhead obstruction when the car platform is level with the top landing
Top Car Clearance
A vertical enclosed space for the travel of one or more elevators
Hoistway, Elevator Shaft
The portion of a floor adjacent to an elevator hoistway, used for the receiving and discharge of passengers or freight
Landing
The portion of a hoistway extending from the level of the lowest landing to the floor of the hoistway
Elevator Pit
The vertical distance from the floor of an elevator pit to the lowest part of an elevator car platform when the car rests on fully compressed buffers
Bottom Car Clearance
A boxlike structure on a roof providing access to a stairwell or an elevator shaft
Bulkhead
A panel containing switches, buttons, and other equipment for regulating electrical devices
Control Panel
The machinery for raising and lowering an elevator car, consisting of a motor-generator set, traction machine, speed governor, brake, drive shaft, driving sheave, and gears if used
Hoisting Machinery
A wheel or disk with a grooved rim, used as a pulley for hoisting
Driving Sheave
A pulley for tightening and guiding the hoisting cables of an elevator system
Idle Sheave, Deflector Sheave
One of the heavy steel beams supporting the hoisting machinery for an elevator
Machine Beam
One of the wire cables or ropes used for raising and lowering an elevator car or counterweight
Guide Rail
One of the electric cables connecting an elevator car to a fixed electrical outlet in the hoistway
Traveling Cable
A piston or spring device for absorbing the impact of a descending elevator car or counterweight at the extreme lower limit of travel
Buffer
A switch that automatically cuts off current to an electric motor when an object moved by it, such as an elevator car, has passed a given point
Limit Switch
A room housing the hoisting machinery, control equipment, and sheaves for raising and lowering an elevator car
Machine Room
An elevator system consisting of a car supported by a piston that is moved by or moves against a fluid under pressure
Hydraulic Elevator
The load-carrying unit of an elevator, consisting of a car frame, platform, light metal enclosure, and door or gate
Elevator Car
The structural steel frame of an elevator car to which are attached the platform, guide shoes, elevator car safety, hoisting cables, and control equipment
Car Frame
A light, usually over the entrance to an elevator on each floor of a multistory building, that signals the approach of the elevator
Lantern
A signaling apparatus in an elevator car or at a landing that displays a visual indication of floor landings
Annunciator
A push button for requesting an elevator
Call Button
A safety device for preventing the operation of an elevator car unless the hoistway door is locked in the closed position
Door Interlock
A safety device for preventing the operation of an elevator car unless its door or gate is fully closed
Door Contact, Gate Contact
A power driven stairway consisting of steps attached to a continuously circulating belt, used for moving passengers up and down between floors
Escalator, Moving Staircase, Moving Stairway
A chair or platform mounted on a steel guide rail and driven by an electric motor, used for raising or lowering a person or goods along a stairway
Inclined Lift, Stair Lift
A power-driven, continuously moving surface, similar to a conveyor belt, used for carrying pedestrians horizontally or along low inclines
Moving Sidewalk
Any of various forms of mass transit, such as moving sidewalks or automated driverless vehicles, used for shuttling people around airports or in congested urban areas
People Mover
Holding together or uniting two or more parts or members, as by clamping with a mechanical fastener, by bonding with an adhesive, or by welding or soldering
Fastening
A nail having a tapering rectangular shank with a blunt point, made by cutting from a rolled sheet of iron or steel
Cut Nail
A nail made by cutting and shaping a piece of round or elliptical wire
Wire Nail
A nail having a slender shank, a flat head, and a diamond point
Common Nail
A nail having a flat head and a shank more slender than a common nail of the same length
Box Nail
A nail having a small conical head and a shank more slender than a common nail of the same length, used in finish work in which the head may remain visible
Casing Nail
A nail having a slender shank and a small, barrel-shaped head that is driven slightly below the surface and covered with putty or the like
Finishing Nail
A small finishing nail
Brad
A nail used in building temporary structures, such as scaffolding and formwork, having a flange on its shank to prevent it from being driven in all the way and to leave the head free for pulling
Double-Headed Nail, Form Nail, Scaffold Nail
A hardened-steel nail having a fluted or threaded shank and a diamond point for hammering into concrete or masonry
Concrete Nail, Masonry Nail
A nail for fastening floor boards, having a small conical head, a mechanically deformed shank, and a blunt diamond point
Flooring Nail
A nail having a barbed, threaded,or cement-coated shank and a broad, flat head for fastening shingles or the like
Roofing Nail
A metal fastener having a helically threaded shank that can be driven with a hammer and removed with a screwdriver
Drive Screw, Screw Nail
The straight narrow part of a nail or bolt, between the head and the point
Shank
A heavy nail for fastening together heavy timbers, 4-14 inch long and proportionally thicker than a common nail
Spike
A nail having a round shank, driven into predrilled holes to fasten heavy timbers together
Driftbolt, Driftpin
To fasten by nailing perpendicular to the face of the work
Face-Nail
To secure by nailing obliquely to the surfaces being joined. Alternate nails may be driven at opposite angles to provide increased holding power
Toenail
To fasten by nailing into the end of a board parallel to the grain of the wood. Provides poor resistance to withdrawal
End-Nail
To secure by nailing in such a way that nail heads are not visible on the face of the work
Blind-Nail
To sink a nail head slightly below the surface with a nail set
Set
To secure a nail or screw in position by hammering down the protruding point
Clinch
The helical or spiral ridge of a screw, nut, or bolt
Thread
The distance between two corresponding points on adjacent threads of a screw, nut or bolt
Pitch
To enlarge the upper part of a drilled hole so that the head of screw or bolt will lie flush with or below the surface
Countersink
A guiding hole for a nail or screw, or for drilling a larger size hole
Pilot Hole
To cut screw threads into an opening
Tap
To tear or damage the threads on a bolt or screw by applying too much force
Strip
A screw or bolt head having a shallow, spherical shape with a flat bearing surface
Truss Head
A screw or rivet head having a cylindrical shape with a rounded shoulder
Panhead
A cylindrical screw head having a slightly domed upper surface and a flat bearing surface
Fillister Head
A screw head having a flat upper surface and an underside shaped like the bell of a bugle
Bugle Head
The level, base surface of a room or hall upon which one stands or walks
Floor
The wearing surface of a floor, usually laid over a subfloor
Finish Floor
A base for a finish floor, consisting of boards, plywood, or other structural sheathing laid over and fixed to the floor joists,
Subfloor, Blind Floor, Rough Floor
The act, process, or manner of constructing the structural frame of a floor
Floor Framing
Any of a series of small, repetitive parallel beams for supporting floors, ceilings or flat roofs
Joist
A framing member crossing and supporting the ends of joists, studs, or rafters, so as to transfer the weight to parallel joists, studs, or rafter
Header
A beam, joist, or rafter supporting one end of a header at the edge of an opening in a floor or roof frame
Trimmer
A relatively short beam, joist, or rafter supported by a wall at one end and by header at the other
Tailpiece, Stringer
A joist set on top of the sill and forming the perimeter of a wood-framed floor
Rim Joist, Header
An arrangement of braces or blocking between joists or rafters to prevent their rotation or lateral displacement.
Bridging
Bridging consisting of short boards fixed vertically between floor or roof joists
Solid Bridging
Bridging composed of diagonal braces set in pairs between floor or roof joists
Crossbridging
The structural surface to which flooring or roofing is applied
Deck
Self-supporting units of wood, metal, or concrete capable of spanning beams, joists, rafters, or purlins and serving as a base for flooring or roofing
Decking
Material, such as masonry or concrete, for filling the spaces between joists or beams in or on top of a masonry wall, stiffening the members, and providing increased fire resistance
Beam Fill
An opening in the vertical face of a structural member the receive an beam
Beam Pocket
An angular cut at the end of a joist or beam where it enters a masonry wall, allowing the member to fall without damaging the wall if it burns through somewhere along its length
Firecut
Metal decking serving as permanent formwork for a reinforced concrete slab until the slab can support itself
Form Decking
Metal decking containing glass fiber between the perforated webs of ribbed decking or in the perforated cells of cellular decking used as a sound absorbing ceiling
Acoustic Decking
Sheet steel strengthened for use as floor or roof decking by cold-rolling a series of robs or flutes into it, and usually galvanized for corrosion resistance. The spanning capability of metal decking depends on the thickness of the steel sheet and the depth of the corrugations
Metal Decking
A steel pin welded to the top flange of a steel beam or girder and embedded in a concrete slab so as to cause the beam and the concrete to act as a structural unit
Shear Stud
Metal decking serving as permanent formwork and tensile reinforcement for a concrete slab bonded to it by a deformed or dovetail rib pattern
Composite Decking
Metal decking manufactured by welding a corrugated steel sheet to a flat steel sheet, forming a series of raceways for electrical wires and cables
Cellular Decking
Material used for the wearing surface of a floor, such as hardwood, terrazzo, or floor tile
Finish Flooring
Flooring composed of long, narrow wood strops, usually side-and end-matched
Strip Flooring
Flooring composed of boards wider than strip flooring
Plank Flooring
A floor composed of short strips or blocks of wood forming a pattern, sometimes with inlays of other woods or other materials
Parquet
Mosaic work of wood used for floors and wainscotting
Parquetry
Flooring composed of square units preassembled at the mill and usually installed with mastic over a wood subfloor or concrete slab
Block Flooring
A flooring block made by joining short lengths of strip flooring edgewise, usually tongued on two adjoining sides and grooved on the other two to ensure proper alignment in setting
Unit Bloc
Of or pertaining to a wood or stone piece having a back face hollowed out so that it can fit more tightly against an irregular surface
Hollow-Backed
Any of a number of wooden strops laid upon a concrete slab to provide a means of attaching a subfloor or flooring
Sleeper
Long-wearing flooring composed of solid wood blocks set in adhesive with their grain oriented vertically
Solid Block Flooring
A flooring block made by bonding three or more wood veneers with a moisture resistant adhesive, usually tongued on two opposing sides and grooved on the other two to ensure proper alignment in setting
Laminated Block
A flooring block made by assembling narrow slats or fingers of hardwood into larger units
Slat Block
Laminated wood flooring made by pressure gluing cross piles for greater dimensional stability and having a wear layer of solid often pre finished hardwood
Engineered Flooring
A mosaic floor or paving composed of marble or other stone chips, set in a cementitious or resinous matrix and ground when dry
Terrazzo
A ground and polished terrazzo finish consisting mainly of relatively small stone chips
Standard Terrazzo
A ground and polished terrazzo finish consisting mainly of large stone chips, with smaller chips filling the spaces in between
Venetian Terrazzo
A uniformly textured terrazzo finish produced by washing the matrix prior to setting so as to expose the chips, which are not ground
Rustic Terrazzo
A mosaic terrazzo finish consisting of cut or fractured marble slabs set by hand in the desired pattern, with smaller chips filling the spaces between
Palladiana
The mixture of stone chips and cementitious or resinous matrix that produces a terrazzo surface
Topping
A chemical substance applied to a substrate to create a bond between it and a succeeding layer, as between a terrazzo topping and a subfloor
Bonding Agent
The mortar base on which a terrazzo topping is applied
Underbed
A latex, polyester, or epoxy binder combined with stone chips to form a terrazzo topping especially resistant to chemicals and abrasion
Resinous Matrix
A resilient floor covering formed by coating burlap on canvas with heated linseed oil, powdered cork, and rosin, and adding pigments to achieve the desired colors and patterns.
Linoleum
A resilient floor covering composed principally of polyvinyl chloride in combination with mineral fillers, pigments, and a fiber, felt, or foam backing
Vinyl Sheet
A resilient floor tile composed principally of polyvinyl chloride in combination with mineral fillers and pigments
Vinyl Tile
A resilient floor tile composed of granulated cork and synthetic resin binders, finished with a protective coat of was or a film or clear polyvinyl chloride
Cork Tile
A resilient floor tile composed of natural or synthetic rubber with mineral fillers
Rubber Tile
Any of various floor coverings capable of springing back to the original form after being bent or compressed, available in either tile or sheet form and set in mastic over a suitable underlayment
Resilient Flooring
Material especially a non-fabric materials, such as vinyl or ceramic tile, used to cover a floor
Floor Covering
Any various pasty substances used as a sealant, adhesive or protective coating
Mastic
A material, such as plywood or hardboard, laid over a subfloor to provide a smooth, even base for resilient flooring, carpet, or other non structural flooring
Underlayment
A heavy woven, knitted, needle-tufted, or felted fabric for covering a floor
Carpet
The upright tufts of yarn forming the surface of a carpet or fabric
Pile
A carpet texture created by weaving, tufting, or knitting the pile yarn into loops
Loop Pile
A carpet texture created by cutting each loop of pile yarn, producing a range of textures from informal shags to short, dense velvets
Cut Pile
The foundation material securing the pile yarns of a carpet and providing it with stiffness, strength, and dimensional stability
Backing
A pad of cellular rubber or felted animal hair, over which carpet is installed to increase resilience, improve durability, and reduce impact sound transmission
Carpet Pad, Carpet Cushion
Carpet made by simultaneously interweaving the backing and pile yarns on a loom
Woven Carpet
Carpet made by mechanically stitching pile yarn through a primary fabric backing and bonded with latex to a secondary backing
Tufted Carpet
Carpet made by looping the backing, stitching, and pile yarns with three sets of needles
Knitted Carpet
Carpet made by heat-fusing face yarns to a vinyl backing supported by other materials
Fusion-Bonded Carpet
Carpet made by propelling short strands of pile fiber electrostatically against an adhesive-coated backing
Flocked Carpet
Carpet made by punching carpet fibers back and forth through a woven polypropylene sheet with barbed needles to form a felted fiber mat
Needle-punched Carpet
A flooring tile made of carpeting material
Carpet Tile
The average weight of pile yarn in a carpet, stated in ounces per square yard
Pile Weight
The weight of pile yarn per unit volume of carpet, stated in ounces per cubic yard
Pile Density
The crosswise number of tuft-forming pile yarns in a 27-inch width of woven carpet
Pitch
The spacing of tufts across the width of a tufted or knitted carpet, expressed in fractions of an inch
Gauge
The lowest division of a building or other construction, partly or wholly below the surface of the ground, designed to support and anchor the superstructure and transmit its loads directly to the earth
Foundation
A foundation system placed directly below the lowest part of a substructure and transferring building loads directly to the supporting soil by vertical pressure
Shallow Foundation
The part of a foundation bearing directly upon the supporting soil, set below the frostline and enlarged to distribute its load over a greater area
Footing
The gradual subsiding of a structure as the soil beneath its foundation consolidates under loading
Settlement
The gradual reduction in the volume of a soil mass resulting from the application of a sustained load and an increase in compressive stress
Consolidation
A reduction in volume of soil mass under the action of a sustained load, due chiefly to a squeezing out of water from the voids within the mass and a transfer of the load from the soil water to the soil solids
Primary Consolidation, Primary Compression
A reduction in volume of a soil mass under the action of a sustained load, due chiefly to adjustment of the internal structure of the soil mass after most of the load has been transferred from the soil water to the soil solids
Secondary Consolidation
The relative movement of different parts of a structure caused by uneven settlement or failure of its foundation
Differential Settlement
The horizontal component of resistance developed by a soil mass against the horizontal movement of a vertical structure through the soil
Passive Earth Pressure
The horizontal component of pressure that a soil mass exerts on a vertical retaining structure
Active Earth Pressure
The actual pressure developed between a footing and the supporting soil mass, equal to the quotient of the magnitude of the forces transmitted and the area of contact
Soil Pressure, Contact Pressure
A wall occurring below the floor nearest grade, designed to support and anchor the superstructure
Foundation Wall
A layer of coarse granular materials paced and compacted on undisturbed soil or prepared fill to prevent the capillary rise of moisture to a concrete ground slab
Base Course
Something that underlies or serves as a base or foundation
Substratum, Substrate
A continuous or strip footing that changes levels in stages to accommodate a sloping site or bearing stratum
Stepped Footing
A foundation used in yielding soil, having for its footing a raft placed deep enough that the weight of the excavated soil is equal to or greater than the weight of the construction supported
Floating Foundation
A reinforced concrete footing connected by a tie beam to another footing in order to balance an asymmetrically imposed load, as at the perimeter of a building site
Cantilever Footing, Strap Footing
A mat providing a footing on yielding soil, usually for an entire building, placed so that the weight of the displaced soil exceeds the weight of the construction
Raft
A framework of crossing beams for spreading heavy loads over large areas
Grillage, Grid
A concrete footing extended laterally to distribute the foundation load over a wide enough area that the allowable bearing capacity of the supporting soil is not exceeded
Spread Footing
The continuous spread footing of a foundation wall
Strip Footing
A single spread footing supporting a freestanding column or pier
Isolated Footing
A reinforced concrete footing extended to support a row of columns
Continuous Footing
A reinforced concrete beam supporting a superstructure at or near ground level and transferring the load to isolated footings, piers, or piles
Grade Beam, Ground Beam
A reinforced concrete footing for a perimeter column or foundation wall extended to support an interior column load
Combined Footing
A thick, slab like footing of reinforced concrete supporting a number of columns or an entire building
Mat
A mat foundation reinforced by a grid of ribs above or below the slab
Ribbed Mat
A composite structure of reinforced concrete slabs and basement walls serving as a may foundation
Cellular Mat
A foundation system that extends down through unsuitable soil to transfer building loads to a more appropriate bearing stratum well below the supeerstructure
Deep Foundation
A system of piles, pile cap, and tie beams for transferring building loads down to a suitable bearing stratum, used especially when the soil mass directly below the construction is not suitable for the direct bearing of footings
Pile Foundation
A stratum of soil or rock on which a footing bears, or to which a building load is transferred by a pile pr caisson
Bearing Stratum
A pile driven at a specified angle to the vertical in order to provide resistance against lateral forces
Batter Pile
A steel band encircling the head of a timber pile to prevent it from splitting when driven
Drive Band, Pile Ring
The component of a pile hammer, located just below the ram, that transfers the driving force to the pile head
Anvil
A cap for protecting a pile head as well as the pile hammer during a driving operation
Cushion, Cushion Block, Cushion Head
A machine for driving piles, usually composed of a tall framework supporting machinery for lifting a pile in position before driving, a driving hammer, and vertical rails or leads for guiding the hammer
Pile Driver
A long slender column of wood, steel, or reinforced concrete, driven or hammered vertically into the earth to form part of a foundation system
Pile
A cast-in-place concrete foundation formed by boring with a large auger or excavating by hand a shaft in the earth to a suitable bearing stratum and filling the shaft with concrete
Pier
A pile constructed by placing concrete into a shaft in the ground
Cast-In-Place Concrete Pile
A concrete pile constructed by driving a steel pipe or casing into the ground until it meets the required resistance and the filling it with concrete
Cased Pile
A reinforced concrete beam distributing the horizontal forces from an eccentricity loaded pile cap or spread footing to other pile caps or footings
Tie Beam
A cylindrical steel section, sometimes corrugated or tapered for increase stiffness, driven or dropped in place to serve as a form for a cast-in-place concrete pile
Casing
A pier especially when the boring is 2 ft. or larger in diameter to permit inspection of the bottom
Caisson
The base of a caisson enlarged to increase its bearing area
Bell
A skeletal structure of relatively slender members designed to give shape and support to a building or other construction
Frame
A structural frame whose resistance to lateral forces is provided by diagonal or other type of bracing
Braced Frame
The act, process, or manner of fitting and joining together relatively slender members to give shape and support to a strucuture
Framing
A skeletal structure of parts fitted and joined together in order to support, define, or enclose
Framework
A system of construction utilizing a framework of columns and beams to transmit building loads down to the foundation
Skeleton Construction
Floor or roof construction utilizing a framework of timber beams to support wood planks or decking
Plank-And-Beam Construction
Wall construction utilizing a framework of vertical posts and horizontal beams to carry floor and roof loads
Post-And-Beam Construction, Post-And-Lintel Construction
A system of construction utilizing repetitive, closely spaced, and sheathed members of dimension lumber or light-gauge steel to form the structural elements of a building
Light Frame Construction
Any large beam in a structural frame that supports secondary beams or joists
Principal Beam, Primary Beam
Any beam that transmits its load to a primary beam
Secondary Beam
Any beam that transmits its load to a secondary beam
Tertiary Beam
A large principal beam designed to support concentrated loads at isolated points along its length
Girder
Of or pertaining to a system of construction employing beams or lintels
Trabeate
Of or pertaining to a system of construction employing arches or arched forms
Arcuate
A system of construction employing a vertical structure of pressure-treated wood poles that are firmly embedded in the ground as a pier foundation
Pole Construction
A horizontal timber connecting the posts of a braced frame at an intermediate level above the ground floor
Girt
A lantern or turret on the roof of a medieval building having slatted apertures for the escape of smoke and admission of air
Louver
A form of wall construction, consisting of wattles covered and plastered with clay or mud
Wattle And Daub
A framework of rods or poles interwoven with thin branches, twigs, and reeds, used in the construction of walls and fences
Wattle
Having a timber framework with the spaces filled with masonry or plaster
Half-Timber
A room or apartment on an upper floor of a medieval english house
Solar, Soller
An upper story of a building projecting beyond the one below
Jetty, Jutty
A major vertical division of a wall, especially a nogged panel of half timber construction
Pan
One of a number of short wooden pieces inserted between the principal members of a half-timbered wall to strengthen the frame and retain the brick infill
Nog, Nogging
Brick masonry used to fill the spaces between the members of a timber frame
Nogging
A hard, brittle, usually transparent or translucent substance, produced by fusing silica together with a flux and a stabilizer into a mass that cools to rigid condition without crystallization
Glass
Glass that is cooled slowly to relieve internal stresses
Annealed Glass
An old form of window glass formed by blowing and whirling a hollow sphere of glass into a flat, circular disk with a center lump left by the worker’s rod
Crown Glass
