DEFINITION OF TERMS

SCUPPERS A drainage SCREED is a long section of metal

system used to drain storm or wood which is dragged across
water runoff from a bridge freshly placed concrete to both
deck. smooth the surface and consolidate
the concrete.
SEAL A closure material.
Typically used in reference
to deck joints and made out
of neoprene. Used in strip
seal and compression seal
assemblies.
SECONDARY MEMBER Bracing
between primary members
designed to resist cross-sectional
deformation of the superstructure
frame and help distribute part of
the vertical load between stringers.
SECTION Used to denote a
view of an element taken in
section (i.e., a slice of an
element or component at a
given location).
SEGMENTAL CONCRETE
GIRDER A girder composed of
concrete units, which are generally
precast and post-tensioned to form
an integrated unit.
SAG is used to describe a vertical curve formed by a
downward tangent followed by an upward tangent (i.e., the
curve sags downward like a valley).
SEISMIC Relating to earthquakes as in seismic forces or
other vibrations of the earth and its crust.
SETTLEMENT The movement of foundations or footings
due to deformations and/or changes in soil properties.
STRENGTHENING A method employed to enhance the
capacity of a structural member.
SWALE A shallow drainage channel used to carry runoff
from the bridge and/or site. A swale can be made of earth,
concrete, or other material.
SLUMP A measurement used to
define the workability of concrete
which is taken by determining the
loss in height of wet concrete after a
coneshaped mold is removed. The
smaller the slump, the stiffer the
mix.
SELECT GRANULAR FILL
Broken rocks, varying in size
[typically less than 24 in (610
mm)] consisting of rock, stone,
slag, cobbles, or gravel.
SHEAR CONNECTOR Devices SHEAR HINGE Similar to a
used in composite construction hanger assembly but with no
which extend from the top flange horizontal movement allowed.
of a girder and are embedded in
the concrete slab, allowing the
slab and girder to act as a unit.
SHEAR SPIRAL A type of shear
connector found in older
structures which consists of a
coil-like assembly welded to the
top flange of a girder.
SHEAR STUD A common form of
shear connector which is bolt-
shaped and attached to the top
flange of a girder with an
automatic welding stud gun.
SHEETED PIT A temporary box
structure with only four sides
(i.e., no top or bottom) which can
be used as an earth support
system in excavation.
SHEETING Vertical planks which
are driven into the ground to act as
temporary retaining walls
permitting excavation.
SHIM A thin metal plate placed SHORE An inclined supporting
under bearing assemblies usually member for formwork and the
to adjust bridge seat elevation enclosed concrete.
discrepancies.
 SHRINKAGE The natural (i.e.,
not load-related) change in volume
of concrete. This change in volume
is typically decreasing (shrinking)
and caused by moisture loss when
drying.
SHOULDER The section of
roadway on either side of the
travel lane.

SIDE SLOPE The slope on the
side of an embankment.
SIGHT DISTANCE The length of
visible roadway in front of a vehicle.
The distance is determined as that
which is required to allow a vehicle
to safely stop prior to reaching a
stationary object (stopping sight
distance).
SIGHT TRIANGLE A triangle
formed at intersecting streets SIGNING Traffic or construction
used to define a region which signs and their related support
must be free from obstructions structures located at or near the
(e.g., vegetation, signs, buildings, project site.
etc.) in order to ensure the safe
operation of vehicles.
SIMPLE SPAN A span in SITE The bridge and area
which primary members begin surrounding the structure which
and end at supports. either affects the bridge or is affected
by the bridge.
SKEW The angle between a line SLAB-ON-STRINGER A type of
projected orthogonally or radially bridge composed of a deck resting on
from the overpass alignment and a set of primary members. Also
the centerline of bearings. known as Slab-on-Girder.
SLIPFORM Forms which are SLOPE PROTECTION Material
moved in a regulated fashion covering the slope which tapers from
along a concrete element. The an abutment to the underpass.
form is moved as the section it
leaves has reached sufficient
strength.
SPALLING The breaking away of
surface concrete from an element. SPANDREL In a deck arch, the
area between the deck and the top
surface of the arch.
SPILLWAY A paved channel SPLICE The joining of two
used to carry water from the top of elements through a connection device
a slope to an adjacent outlet. (e.g., two steel girders joined by a
plate bolted to each).
SPREAD FOOTING A footing SPRINGING LINE The
that is not supported by piles. An intersection of the lower surface of
enlargement of a load bearing wall an arch with a pier or abutment.
or column to spread the load of
the structures over a large area of
the soil.

STAGED CONSTRUCTION
Construction that occurs in
phases, usually to permit the flow
of traffic through a construction
site.
STATION A term used to denote
location on a roadway alignment. A
100 ft (30.5 m) section represents a
full station.
STAY-IN-PLACE FORMS STEM A wall extending up from a
Forms, usually present at the footing as in a solid wall pier or
underside of a deck slab, which cantilever abutment.
remain in place after the deck has
cured. Also known as permanent
forms.
STIFFENER A plate welded to a
steel beam web to enhance section
properties of the beam. Intermediate STIRRUP A U-shaped reinforcing
stiffeners are welded vertically and bar used to resist shear or diagonal
longitudinal stiffeners along the tension in concrete beams.
length of the beam.
STRAND A twisted group of STRENGTH DESIGN AASHTO
wires. and ACI designation for Load Factor
Design.
STRIP SEAL JOINT A joint
assembly typically consisting of a
preformed neoprene seal which is
fitted to dual steel rails anchored
to the faces of the joint opening.
STRUT The transverse (i.e., non
diagonal) member in a lateral bracing
system (also known as lateral struts).
Also, a member which runs between
walls in a sheeted pit or a cofferdam
SUBBASE A base course layer SUBSTRUCTURE Structural
within a flexible pavement components and all constituent
structure, placed between the base elements designed to support the
course and subgrade. superstructure and overpass roadway.
SURCHARGE A load, in addition SUPERELEVATION A banking of
to soil loads, acting on a retaining the roadway cross section.
wall.
SUPERIMPOSED DEAD LOAD
Permanent loads that are placed
on a structure after the concrete
has hardened (e.g., bridge railing,
sidewalks, etc.)
SUPERSTRUCTURE Structural
components and all constituent
elements of a bridge above the
supports.
SUSPENSION BRIDGE A bridge in which
the roadway is suspended from two or more
cables hanging from tower structures.