1.

abutment

a masonry support that touches and directly receives thrust or pressure of an arch or bridge

2. aluminum

a silvery ductile metallic element

3. anchorage

the condition of being secured to a base

4. aqueduct

a conduit that carries water over a valley

5. atmospheric pressure

the pressure exerted by the atmosphere

6. beam

a long thick piece of material used in construction

7. bedrock

solid unweathered stone beneath surface deposits of soil

8. bend

cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular form

9. bends

pain resulting from rapid change in pressure

10. brace

a structural member used to stiffen a framework

11. bridge

structure allowing passage across a river or other obstacle

12. brittle

having little elasticity

13. buckle
 bend out of shape, as under pressure or from heat

14. buttress

a support usually of stone or brick

15. cable

a very strong thick rope made of twisted hemp or steel wire

16. caisson

large watertight chamber used for construction under water

17. caisson disease

pain resulting from rapid change in pressure

18. cantilever

a projecting horizontal beam fixed at one end only

19. cast iron

an alloy of iron containing so much carbon that it is brittle and so cannot be wrought but must
be shaped by casting

20. cement

a building material that is a powder made of a mixture of calcined limestone and clay; used
with water and sand or gravel to make concrete and mortar

21. centroid

the center of mass of an object of uniform density

22. cistern

an artificial reservoir for storing liquids

23. civil engineer

an engineer trained to design and construct and maintain public works (roads or bridges or
harbors etc.)

24. civil engineering

the branch of engineering concerned with the design and construction of such public works as
dams or bridges
25. cofferdam

large watertight chamber used for construction under water

26. column

a tall vertical cylindrical structure standing upright

27. compression

an increase in the density of something

28. compressor

a mechanical device that compresses gasses

29. concrete

a strong hard building material made with gravel and cement

30. crank

a hand tool consisting of a rotating shaft with parallel handle

31. cylinder

a chamber within which a piston moves

32. dam

a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water

33. deform

alter the shape of (something) by stress

34. deformation

alteration in the shape or dimensions of an object as a result of the application of stress to it

35. dynamite

an explosive that contains nitroglycerin

36. elongation

the act of lengthening something

37. engineering
 applying scientific knowledge to practical problems

38. factor of safety

the ratio of the breaking stress of a structure to the estimated maximum stress in ordinary use

39. fatigue

a weakened state caused by long stress on a material

40. filter

device that removes something from what passes through it

41. flange

a projection used for strength or for attaching to another object

42. flow rate

the amount of fluid that flows in a given time

43. force

influence that results in motion, stress, etc. when applied

44. gunpowder

a mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur in a 75:15:10 ratio which is used in
gunnery, time fuses, and fireworks

45. gusset

a metal plate used to strengthen a joist

46. inertia

the tendency of something to stay in rest or motion

47. infrastructure

basic facilities needed for the functioning of a country

48. iron

a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element

49. joint

junction by which parts or objects are linked together

50. load

weight to be borne or conveyed

51. lubricator

a substance capable of reducing friction by making surfaces smooth or slippery

52. magnitude

the property of relative size or extent

53. masonry

structure built of stone or brick

54. modulus of elasticity

(physics) the ratio of the applied stress to the change in shape of an elastic body

55. moment

a turning force produced by an object acting at a distance

56. moment of inertia

the tendency of a body to resist angular acceleration

57. nitroglycerin

a heavy yellow poisonous oily explosive liquid obtained by nitrating glycerol; used in making
explosives and medically as a vasodilator (trade names Nitrospan and Nitrostat)

58. perimeter

the size of something as given by the distance around it

59. pier

a support for two adjacent bridge spans

60. pile

a column that is driven into the ground to provide support

61. pile driver

a machine that drives piling into the ground

62. piston
 mechanical device that has a plunging or thrusting motion

63. plastic

synthetic material that can be molded into objects

64. pneumatics

the branch of mechanics that deals with the mechanical properties of gases

65. pressure

the exertion of force to a surface

66. pump

a device that moves fluid or gas by pressure or suction

67. reinforced concrete

concrete with metal and/or mesh added to provide extra support against stresses

68. reliability

the quality of being dependable

69. reservoir

lake used to store water for community use

70. resilience

ability of a material to return to its original shape

71. Richter scale

a logarithmic scale of 1 to 10 formerly used to express the magnitude of an earthquake on the

basis of the size of seismograph oscillations

72. rigid

incapable of or resistant to bending

73. shear

a deformation of an object in which parallel planes shift

74. silt

mud or clay or small rocks deposited by a river or lake

75. span

a bridge

76. stable

resistant to change of position or condition

77. steel

an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon

78. stiff

incapable of or resistant to bending

79. strain

deformation of a body under the action of applied forces

80. stress

(physics) force that produces strain on a physical body

81. strong

having strength or power greater than average or expected

82. strut

brace consisting of a bar or rod used to resist compression

83. suspension bridge

a bridge that has a roadway supported by cables that are anchored at both ends

84. tension

a stress that produces an elongation of a physical body

85. tie

horizontal beam to prevent structural members from spreading

86. torsion

a twisting force

87. toughness
 the elasticity and hardness of a metal object

88. tower

a structure taller than its diameter

89. transmission line

a conductor for transmitting electrical or optical signals or electric power

90. truss

a rigid framework of beams that supports a structure

91. unstable

lacking fixity or firmness

92. valve

a mechanical device for controlling the flow of a fluid

93. viscosity

resistance of a liquid to flowing

94. volume

the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object

95. wrought iron

iron having a low carbon content that is tough and malleable and so can be forged and welded

FINAL EXAM
IN
BUILDING DESIGN
I

YULO CRISTIAN D. ORSOLINO

BSCE-3

ENGR. FELIX S. LICAS

PROFESSOR

TERMS USED
 IN

BUILDING
CONSTRUCTION