Thisglossary of structural engineering terms pertains specifically tostructural engineering and its sub-disciplines. Please seeGlossary of engineering for a broad overview of the major concepts of engineering.
Most of the terms listed in glossaries are already defined and explained within itself. However, glossaries like this one are useful for looking up, comparing and reviewing large numbers of terms together. You can help enhance this page by adding new terms or writing definitions for existing ones.
Acre – is aunit of land area used in theimperial andUS customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of onechain by onefurlong (66 by 660 feet), which is exactly equal to 10 squarechains,1⁄640 of a square mile, or 43,560 square feet, and approximately 4,047 m2, or about 40% of ahectare.
Acrow prop – orBS prop is a piece ofconstruction equipment. It is a telescopic tubular steel prop, used as a temporary support. Ajackscrew is similar but not as long and not telescopic. Outside theUK an Acrow prop may be known as ajack post,adjustable post,telescoping prop or... post,screw jack,adjustable steel column,adjustable steel prop or... post,adjustable metal prop or... post, as well as anadjustable shoring post orshore post.
Adhesion – is the tendency of dissimilar particles orsurfaces to cling to one another (cohesion refers to the tendency of similar or identical particles/surfaces to cling to one another). The forces that cause adhesion and cohesion can be divided into several types. The intermolecular forces responsible for the function of various kinds of stickers and sticky tape fall into the categories of chemical adhesion, dispersive adhesion, and diffusive adhesion. In addition to the cumulative magnitudes of these intermolecular forces, there are also certain emergent mechanical effects.
Aggregate (composite) – is the component of acomposite material that resists compressive stress and provides bulk to the composite material. For efficient filling, aggregate should be much smaller than the finished item, but have a wide variety of sizes. For example, the particles of stone used to makeconcrete typically include bothsand andgravel.
Air conditioning – (often referred to as 'AC, A/C, or air con)[2] is the process of removing heat and moisture from the interior of an occupied space to improve the comfort of occupants. Air conditioning can be used in both domestic and commercial environments.
All-in ballast –
Alloy –is a combination ofmetals or of a metal and anotherelement. Alloys are defined by ametallic bonding character.[3] An alloy may be asolid solution of metal elements (a single phase) or amixture of metallic phases (two or more solutions).Intermetallic compounds are alloys with a definedstoichiometry and crystal structure.Zintl phases are also sometimes considered alloys depending on bond types.
Architrave – also called anepistyle; is thelintel orbeam that rests on thecapitals of thecolumns. It is an architectural element inClassical architecture. The term can also be applied to all sides, including the vertical members, of a frame with mouldings around a door or window. The word architrave is also used to refer more generally to a style ofmouldings (or other elements) framing the top of a door, window or other rectangular opening, where the horizontal "head" casing extends across the tops of the vertical side casings where the elements join (creating abutt joint, as opposed to amiter joint).[8]
Ashlar – is finely dressed (cut, worked) stone, either an individualstone that has been worked until squared or the structure built of it. Ashlar is the finest stonemasonry unit, generallycuboid, mentioned byVitruvius asopus isodomum, or less frequentlytrapezoidal. Precisely cut "on all faces adjacent to those of other stones", ashlar is capable of very thin joints between blocks, and the visible face of the stone may be quarry-faced or feature a variety of treatments: tooled, smoothly polished or rendered with another material for decorative effect.[9][10]
Austenitization – means to heat the iron, iron-based metal, or steel to a temperature at which it changes crystal structure from ferrite to austenite.[11] The more open structure of the austenite is then able to absorb carbon from the iron-carbides in carbon steel. An incomplete initial austenitization can leave undissolvedcarbides in the matrix.[12] For some iron metals, iron-based metals, and steels, the presence of carbides may occur during the austenitization step. The term commonly used for this istwo-phase austenitization.[13]
Ballast – is material that is used to provide stability to a vehicle or structure. Ballast, other thancargo, may be placed in a vehicle, often aship or thegondola of aballoon orairship, to providestability.
Barrier cable – is a vehicular or pedestrian restraint system. It consists of a steel strand which is similar to the strand used inpost-tensioned concrete.
Beam – is astructural element that primarily resistsloads applied laterally to the beam's axis. Its mode of deflection is primarily bybending. The loads applied to the beam result inreaction forces at the beam's support points. The total effect of all the forces acting on the beam is to produceshear forces andbending moments within the beam, that in turn induce internal stresses, strains and deflections of the beam. Beams are characterized by their manner of support, profile (shape of cross-section), length, and their material.
Bearing capacity – is the capacity ofsoil to support theloads applied to the ground. The bearing capacity of soil is the maximum average contactpressure between thefoundation and the soil which should not produceshear failure in the soil.Ultimate bearing capacity is the theoretical maximum pressure which can be supported without failure;allowable bearing capacity is the ultimate bearing capacity divided by afactor of safety. Sometimes, on soft soil sites, large settlements may occur under loaded foundations without actual shear failure occurring; in such cases, the allowable bearing capacity is based on the maximum allowable settlement. There are three modes of failure that limit bearing capacity: general shear failure, local shear failure, and punching shear failure.
Bending – Inapplied mechanics, bending, (also known as flexure), characterizes the behavior of a slenderstructural element subjected to an externalload applied perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the element.
Benefit–cost analysis – Cost–benefit analysis (CBA), sometimes called benefit costs analysis (BCA), is a systematic approach to estimating the strengths and weaknesses of alternatives used to determine options which provide the best approach to achieving benefits while preserving savings (for example, in transactions, activities, and functional business requirements).[16] A CBA may be used to compare completed or potential courses of actions, or to estimate (or evaluate) the value against thecost of a decision, project, or policy. It is commonly used in commercial transactions, business or policy decisions (particularlypublic policy), and project investments.
Bent (structural) – Bents are the building blocks that define the overall shape and character of a structure. They do not have any sort of pre-defined configuration in the way that aPratt truss does. Rather, bents are simply cross-sectional templates of structural members, i.e., rafters, joists, posts, pilings, etc., that repeat on parallel planes along the length of the structure. The term bent is not restricted to any particular material. Bents may be formed of wooden piles, timber framing,[17] steel framing, or even concrete.[18]
Brick – is building material used to make walls, pavements and other elements inmasonry construction. Traditionally, the term brick referred to a unit composed ofclay, but it is now used to denote rectangular units made of clay-bearing soil, sand, andlime, orconcrete materials. Bricks can be joined together usingmortar, adhesives or by interlocking them.[19][20] Bricks are produced in numerous classes, types, materials, and sizes which vary with region and time period, and are produced in bulk quantities. Two basic categories of bricks arefired andnon-fired bricks.
Bridge – is astructure built tospan a physical obstacle, such as abody of water,valley, orroad, without closing the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, usually something that can be detrimental to cross otherwise.
Calcium aluminate cements –Calcium aluminate cements[23] arecements consisting predominantly of hydraulic calcium aluminates. Alternative names are "aluminous cement", "high-alumina cement" and "Ciment fondu" in French. They are used in a number of small-scale, specialized applications.
Camber beam – In building, acamber beam is a piece oftimber cut archwise, and steel bent or rolled, with anobtuse angle in the middle, commonly used in platforms, as church leads, and other occasions where long and strongbeams are required. The camber curve is ideally a parabola but practically a circle segment as even with modern materials and calculations, cambers are imprecise.[24]
Castellated beam – is abeam style where anI-beam is subjected to a longitudinal cut along its web following a specific pattern in order to divide it, and reassemble the beam with a deeper web by taking advantage of the cutting pattern.[25]
Cant – The cant of arailway track orcamber of a road (also referred to as superelevation,cross slope or cross fall) is the rate of change in elevation (height) between the two rails or edges. This is normally greater where the railway or road is curved; raising the outer rail or the outer edge of the road providing abanked turn, thus allowing vehicles to maneuver through the curve at higher speeds than would otherwise be possible if the surface is flat or level.
Cantilever – is a rigidstructural element, such as abeam or a plate, anchored at one end to a (usually vertical) support from which it protrudes; this connection could also be perpendicular to a flat, vertical surface such as a wall.
Cast iron – is a group ofiron-carbonalloys with a carbon content greater than 2%.[26] Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature.
Earthquake engineering – is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering that designs and analyzes structures, such as buildings and bridges, withearthquakes in mind. Its overall goal is to make such structures more resistant to earthquakes.
Offshore construction – is the installation of structures and facilities in a marine environment, usually for the production and transmission of electricity, oil, gas and other resources. It is also calledmaritime engineering.
Rafter – is one of a series of slopedstructural members that extend from the ridge or hip to thewall plate, downslope perimeter oreave, and that are designed to support the roof deck and its associated loads.[30] A pair of rafters is called acouple. In home construction, rafters are normally made ofwood. Exposed rafters are a feature of some traditional roof styles.
^Callister, W. D. "Materials Science and Engineering: An Introduction" 2007, 7th edition, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. New York, Section 4.3 and Chapter 9.
^Ching, Francis D.K. (1995).A Visual Dictionary of Architecture. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. pp. 179, 186.ISBN978-0-471-28451-2.
^Ching, Francis D.K.; Jarzombek, Mark M.; Prakash, Vikramaditya (2007). A Global History of Architecture. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. p. 759.ISBN978-0-471-26892-5.
^Sharon, Ilan (August 1987). "Phoenician and Greek Ashlar Construction Techniques at Tel Dor, Israel". Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research. Boston: The American Schools of Oriental Research (267): 32–33.
^Joseph Moxon. Mechanick Exercises: Or, The Doctrine of Handy-Works. Applied to the Arts of Smithing, Joinery, Carpentry, Turning, Bricklaying. Printed for Daniel Midwinter and Thomas Leigh. 1703. London. Page 129. "Three or four or five courses of Bricks to be laid."
^Nicholson. "By aCourse, in walling, is meant the bricks contained between two planes parallel to the horizon, and terminated by the faces of the wall. The thickness is that of one brick with mortar. The mass formed by bricks laid in concentric order, for arches or vaults, is also denominated aCourse."
^Hewlett P.C. (Ed.) (1998)Lea's Chemistry of Cement and Concrete: 4th Ed, Arnold,ISBN0-340-56589-6, Chapter 13.
^Ricker, David T. (1989)."Cambering Steel Beams"(PDF).Engineering Journal, American Institute of Steel Construction.26 (4Q):136–142. Retrieved2 October 2018.
