Infrastructure & Construction Glossary

GLOSSARY OF INFRASTRUCTURE TERMS

 

Above Grade - The portion of a building that is above ground level.

 

Absorption Rate - In real estate, the rate or projected rate that a particular use will be completely rented or sold.

 

Acre - 43,500 square feet.

 

A/C Circuit (Alternating Current) - The flow of current through a conductor first in one direction then in reverse. It is used exclusively in residential and commercial wiring because it provides greater flexibility in voltage selection and simplicity of equipment design.

 

Accelerator - Any material added to stucco, plaster or mortar which speeds up the natural set.

 

Adaptive reuse - A process that adapts buildings for new uses while retaining their historic features.

 

Adequate Public Facility – Term often used in discussing a new redevelopment to describe whether existing public facilities, such as roads, schools, sewers, and water are of a size and capacity to serve the new development.

 

Adhesion - The property of a coating or sealant to bond to the surface to which it is applied.

 

Adhesive Failure - Loss of bond of a coating or sealant from the surface to which it is applied.

 

Aggregate - Crushed stone, slag or water-worn gravel that comes in a wide range of

sizes that is used to surface built-up roofs.

 

AIP - The Airport Improvement Program, a grant-in-aid program, administered by the Federal Aviation Administration.

 

Air Ducts - Ducts, usually made of sheet metal, that carry cooled air to all rooms.

 

Air Filters - Adhesive filters made of metal or various fibers that are coated with adhesive liquid to which the particles of lint and dust adhere. These filters will remove as much as 90% of the dirt if they do not become clogged. The more common filters are of the throwaway or disposable type.

 

Air Infiltration - The amount of air leaking in and out of a building through cracks in walls, windows and doors.

 

Air Operations Area - The term air operations area shall mean any area of the airport used or intended to be used for the landing, takeoff, or surface maneuvering of aircraft. An air operation area shall include such paved or unpaved areas that are used or intended to be used for the unobstructed movement of aircraft in addition to its associated runway, taxiway, or apron.

 

Airport - Airport means an area of land or water which is used or intended to be used for the landing and takeoff of aircraft; an appurtenant area used or intended to be used for airport buildings or other airport facilities or rights of way; and airport buildings and facilities located in any of these areas, and includes a heliport.

 

Alligatoring - A condition of paint or aged asphalt brought about by the loss of volatile oils and the oxidation caused by solar radiation. “Alligatoring” produces a pattern of cracks resembling an alligator hide and is ultimately the result of the limited tolerance of paint or asphalt to thermal expansion or contraction.

 

Aluminum Wire - Conductors made of aluminum for carrying electricity. Aluminum generally is limited to the larger wire sizes. Due to its lower conductivity, aluminum wire smaller than No. 12 is not made. Aluminum is lighter and less expensive than copper but not as good a conductor. It also breaks easily.

 

Ammeter - Device to measure the current flowing in a circuit.

 

Amps (Amperes) - The rate at which electricity flows through a conductor.

 

Anchor Bolts - Bolts which fasten columns, girders or other members to concrete or masonry such as bolts used to anchor sills to masonry foundation.

Angle Iron - A piece of iron that forms a right angle and is used to span openings and support masonry at the openings. In brick veneer, they are used to secure the veneer to the foundation. Also known as shelf angle.

 

Annealing - In the manufacturing of float glass, it is the process of controlled cooling done in a lehr to prevent residual stresses in the glass. Re-annealing is the process of removing objectionable stresses in glass by re-heating to a suitable temperature followed by controlled cooling.

 

Approach - The area between the sidewalk and the street that leads to a driveway or the transition from the street as you approach a driveway.

 

Appropriation – An authorization by the governing authority that permits officials to incur obligations and expend government resources within a fiscal year.

 

Arterial Street – A street used primarily for fast or heavy traffic and designated in the major thoroughfare plan as a primary arterial street, secondary arterial street or expressway.

 

Asphalt - A dark brown to black, highly viscous, hydrocarbon produced from the residue left after the distillation of petroleum. Asphalt is used on roofs and highways as a waterproofing agent.

 

Average Daily Traffic (ADT) – Total volume of vehicle traffic in both directions of a highway or road for a 24 hour period. A transportation planning measurement of how busy the road is.

 

Audit – An examination of records and accounts by an external source to check their validity and accuracy.

 

Backer Rod - In glazing, a polyethylene or polyurethane foam material installed under compression and used to control sealant joint depth, provide a surface for sealant tooling, serve as a bond breaker to prevent three-sided adhesion, and provide an hourglass contour of the finished bead.

 

Backfill - (1) filling in any previously excavated area. (2) In carpentry, the process of fastening together two pieces of board by gluing blocks of wood in the interior angle.

 

Backflow - The flow of liquids through irrigation into the pipes of a potable or drinking water supply from any source which is opposite to the intended direction of flow.

 

Backhoe - self-powered excavation equipment that digs by pulling a boom mounted bucket towards itself. It is used to dig basements and/or footings and to install drainage or sewer systems.

 

Back Nailing - The practice of nailing roofing felts to the deck under the overlap, in addition to hot mopping, to prevent slippage of felts.

 

Balloon Framing – In carpentry, the lightest and most economical form of construction, in which the studding and corner plates are set up in continuous lengths from the first floor line or sill to the roof plate.

 

Barometer - Instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure.

 

Barrel Roof - A roof design which in cross section is arched.

 

Base Ply - An asphalt-saturated and/or coated felt installed as the first ply with 4-inch laps in a built-up roof system under the following felts which can be installed in a shingle-like fashion.

 

Batten Plate - A formed piece of metal designed to cover the joint between two lengths of metal edge.

 

Batt Insulation - Strips of insulation – usually fiberglass, that fit between studs or other framing.

 

Bead – In glazing, an applied sealant in a joint irrespective of the method of application, such as caulking bead, glazing bead, etc. Also a molding or stop used to hold glass or panels in position.

 

Beam – Structural support member (steel, concrete, lumber) that transfers weight from one location to another.

 

Bed or Bedding - In glazing, the bead compound or sealant applied between a lite of glass or panel and the stationary stop or sight bar of the sash or frame. It is usually the first bead of compound or sealant to be applied when setting glass or panels.

 

Bell Reducer – In plumbing, a fitting shaped like a bell which has one opening of a smaller diameter used to reduce the size of the pipe in the line, and the opposite opening of larger diameter.

 

Below-Grade – The portion of a building that is below ground level.

 

Benefit-Cost Analysis - A systematic quantitative method of assessing the desirability of government projects or policies when it is important to take a long view of future effects and a broad view of possible side effects.

 

Bent Glass – Flat glass that has been shaped while hot into curved shapes.

 

Bevel – (of a door) is the angle of the front edge of a door usually from 1/8” to 2”.

 

Bid Bond – Security posted by a bidder to ensure performance in accordance with a bid.

 

Bidding - Getting prices from various contractors and/or subcontractors.

 

Bid Documents – Drawings, details, and specifications for a particular project.

 

Bite – The dimension by which the framing system overlaps the edge of the glazing infill.

 

Bitumen - Any of various mixtures of hydrocarbons occurring naturally or obtained through the distillation of coal or petroleum. (See Coat Tar Pitch and Asphalt)

 

Bleeding – A migration of a liquid to the surface of a component or into/onto an adjacent material.

 

Blight – The physical and economic conditions within an area that cause a reduction of, or lack of, proper utilization of that area.

 

Blister - An enclosed raised spot evident on the surface of a building. They are mainly caused by the expansion of trapped air, water vapor, moisture or other gases.

 

Blocking – In carpentry, the process of fastening together two pieces of board by gluing blocks of wood in the interior angle.

 

Blue Prints - Architectural plans for a building or construction project, which are likely to include floor plans, footing and foundation plans, elevations, plot plans, and various schedules and or details.

 

Board and batten - A type of exterior siding or interior paneling that has alternating wide boards and narrow wooden strips, called battens. The boards are usually (but not always) one foot wide. The boards may be placed horizontally or vertically. The battens are usually (but not always) about 1/2 inch wide. These battens are placed over the seams between the boards.

 

Board Foot – In carpentry, the equivalent of a board 1-foot square and 1 inch thick.

 

Bond – An interest-bearing or discounted government security that obligates the issuer to pay the bondholder(s) specified sums of money at regular intervals and to repay the principal of the loan at maturity.

 

Bond Breaker - A substance or a tape applied between two adjoining materials to prevent adhesion between them.

 

Bond Plaster - In addition to gypsum, bond plaster contains 2-5% lime by weight and chemical additives which improve the bond with dense non-porous surfaces such as concrete. It is used as a base coat.

 

Bond Proceeds – The funds received from the issuance of bonds.

 

Bow and Wrap – A curve, bend or other deviation from flatness in glass.

 

Bracing - Ties and rods used for supporting and strengthening various parts of a building used for lateral stability for columns and beams.

 

Brake Metal - Sheet metal that has been bent to the desired configuration.

 

Browncoat - The coat of plaster directly beneath the finish coat. In three-coat work, the brown is the second coat.

 

British Thermal Unit (BTU ) - The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water through a change of one degree F.

 

Bubbling – In glazing, open or closed pockets in a sealant caused by release, production or expansion of gasses.

 

Budget – A spending plan and policy guide comprised of an itemized summary of the government entity’s probable revenues and expenditures for a given fiscal year.

 

Budget Amendment – A method to revise a budget revenue or appropriation after the fiscal year budget has been adopted.

 

Building Brick - Brick for building purposes not especially treated for texture or color, formerly called “common brick.” It is stronger than face brick.

 

Building Codes – Government-established construction standards that a building must meet, such as structural requirements, plumbing requirements, and electrical requirements.

 

Building Permit - Written authorization from the city, county or other governing regulatory body giving permission to construct or renovate a building. A building permit is specific to the building project described in the application.

 

Bullfloat - A tool used to finish and flatten a slab. After screeding, the first stage in the final finish of concrete, smoothes and levels hills and voids left after screeding. Sometimes substituted for darbying. A large flat or tool usually of wood, aluminum or magnesium with a handle.

 

Butterfly Roof - A roof assembly which pitches sharply from either side toward the center.

 

Buttering – In glazing, application of sealant or compound to the flat surface of some member before placing the member in position, such as the buttering of a removable stop before fastening the stop in place.

 

Buttress - A support, usually brick or stone, built against a wall to support or reinforce it. A flying buttress is a freestanding buttress attached to the main structure by an arch or a half-arch.

 

Butt Glazing – The installation of glass products where the vertical glass edges are without structural supporting mullions.

 

Butyl – Type of non-curing and non-skinning sealant made from butylene. Usually used for internal applications.

 

BX – Armored Cable - A factory assembly of insulated conductors inside a flexible metallic covering. It can be run except where exposed to excessive moisture and should not be run below grade. It must always be grounded and uses its armor as an equipment ground. It is difficult to pull out old wires or insert new ones.

 

Calcium Chloride - A chemical used to speed up curing of concrete during damp conditions.

 

Canopy - An overhanging roof.

 

Cantilever - A projecting beam or other structure supported only at one end.

 

Cant Strip - A beveled support used at the intersection of the roof deck with vertical surfaces so that bends in the roofing membrane to form base flashings can be made without breaking the felts.

 

Cap Sheets – In roofing, one to four plies of felt bonded and top coated with bitumen that is laid over an existing roof as a treatment for defective roofs.

 

Capacity – Drainage – The measurement of water capable of flowing through a channel, measured in cubic feet per second (CFS). Also the measure of how much water a storm water detention facility holds, usually measured in acre-feet.

 

Capacity – Street – Projects which call for widening of streets to accommodate existing and anticipated growth in traffic volumes.

 

Cape Chisel – Tool used to clean out mortar joints on brick.

 

Capital Asset - Tangible property, including durable goods, equipment, buildings, installations, and land.

 

Capital Budget – Program for financing long-term outlays for construction or major repairs of facilities, buildings, and infrastructure.

 

Capital Improvements – Construction or major repair of government facilities, buildings, and infrastructure.

 

Capital Outlay – The addition of new facilities and/or a substantial modification of existing facilities, as distinguished from repairs and renovations of state facilities.

 

Carbide Bit – Tool used to drill holes in brick or block.

 

Caulk – (v) The application of sealant to a joint, crack or crevice. (n) A compound used for sealing that has minimum joint movement capability; sometimes called low performance sealant.

 

C/D Circuit - A circuit where electricity flows in one direction only, at a constant rate.

 

Cellulose Insulation - Ground up newspaper that is treated with a fire retardant.

 

Cement Mixture - Rich - 1 part cement, 2 parts sand, 3 parts coarse aggregate. Used for concrete roads and waterproof structures. Standard - 1 part cement, 2 parts sand, 4 parts coarse aggregate. Used for reinforced work floors, roofs, columns, arches, tanks, sewers, conduits, etc. Medium - 1 part cement, 2 1/2 parts sand, 5 parts coarse aggregate. Used for foundations, walls, abutments, piers, etc. Lean - 1 part cement, 3 parts sand, 6 parts coarse aggregate. Used for all mass concrete work, large foundations, backing for stone masonry, etc. Mixtures are always listed Cement to Sand to Aggregate

 

Cement Types - Type I Normal - is a general-purpose cement suitable for practically all uses in residential construction but should not be used where it will be in contact with high sulfate soils or be subject to excessive temperatures during curing. Type II Moderate is used where precaution against moderate sulfate attack is important, as in drainage structures where sulfate concentrations in groundwaters are higher than normal. Type III High Early Strength is used when high strengths are desired at very early periods, usually a week or less. It is used when it is desirable to remove forms as soon as possible or to put the concrete into service quickly. Type IV Low Heat is a special cement for use where the amount and rate of heat generated during curing must be kept to a minimum. The development of strength is slow and is intended in large masses of concrete such as dams. Type V Sulfate Resisting is a special cement intended for use only in construction exposed to severe sulfate action, such as western

 

Certainty-Equivalent - A certain (i.e., nonrandom) outcome that an individual values equally to an uncertain outcome. For a risk-averse individual, the certainty-equivalent for an uncertain set of benefits may be less than the mathematical expectation of the outcome; for example, an individual may value a 50-50 chance of winning $100 or $0 as only $45. Analogously, a risk-averse individual may have a certainty-equivalent for an uncertain set of costs that is larger in magnitude than the mathematical expectation of costs.

 

Certificate of Occupancy - A document stating that a building is approved for occupancy. The building authority issues the Certificate of Occupancy.

 

Conventional Highway - A highway with no control of access, which may be divided or have grade separations at intersections. Abutting property owners have access rights.

 

Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM) - The measure of volume of air. When testing systems, find the CFM by multiplying the face velocity times the free area in square feet. The face velocity is the amount of air passing through the face of an outlet or return. Free area is the total area of the openings in the outlet or inlet through which air can pass.

 

Chair Rail - A molding that runs horizontally along the wall at about 3 feet from the ground. In storefront, window wall, or curtain wall systems, a chair rail is an aluminum extrusion applied horizontally to the inside of the system 3 feet from the floor to create a barrier in floor-to-ceiling glazing applications.

 

Channel – A natural or manmade course of passage through which storm water may move or be directed. It is a generic term in reference to ditches, bayous, creeks or other small tributaries.

 

Channel Glazing - The installation of glass products into U-shaped glazing channels. The channels may have fixed stops; however, at least one glazing stop on one edge must be removable.

 

Checking - A pattern of surface cracks running in irregular lines. When found in the top pour of an asphalt built-up roof, checking is the preliminary stage of alligatoring.

 

Chemical Injection Grouting – Leak repair technique usually used below grade in cracks and joints in concrete walls and floors that involves injection of sealant (usually urethane) that reacts with water to form a seal.

 

Circuit Breakers - Simple switch-like device which automatically opens a circuit when the rated current is exceeded as in the case of a short circuit.

 

Cleat - A wedge-shaped piece (usually of metal) which serves as a support or check. A strip fastened across something to give strength or hold something in position.

 

Coal Tar Pitch (Tar) - A bituminous material which is a by-product from the coking of coal. It is used as the waterproofing material for tar and gravel built-up roofing.

 

Coating - A layer of any liquid product spread over a surface for protection.

 

Cohesive Failure - Internal splitting of a compound resulting from over-stressing of the compound.

 

Cold Applied - Products that can be applied without heating. These are in contrast to products which need to be heated to be applied.

 

Cold Patch – In roofing, a roof repair done with cold applied material.

 

Collar - In roofing, a conical metal cap flashing used in conjunction with vent pipes or stacks usually located several inches above the plane of the roof, for the purpose of shedding water away from the base of the vent.

 

Collar Beam – In carpentry, a tie that keeps the roof from spreading. Connects similar rafters on opposite sides of roof.

 

Collector Street – A street which provides some access to abutting property and connects with the major system of arterials and highways.

 

Column - An upright pillar or post, used to support a roof or a beam, or to be purely decorative. The lower portion of a column is called the base. The upper portion of a column is called the capital. The area which the column supports is called the entablature.

 

Compatible - Two or more substances which can be mixed or blended without separating, reacting, or affecting either material adversely.

 

Component - Any one part of an assembly associated with construction.

 

Composite Board - An insulation board which has two different insulation types laminated together in 2 or 3 layers.

 

Compound - A chemical formulation of ingredients used to produce a caulking, elastomeric joint sealant, etc.

 

Comprehensive Plan – A general community plan that describes land use patterns according to whether a given district or parcel will be devoted to residential, commercial, or industrial use. Such a plan also includes transportation, public facilities, and sometimes social services or redevelopment (urban renewal) plans.

 

Compression Gasket - A gasket designed to function under compression.

 

Compression Set - The permanent deformation of a material after removal of the compressive stress.

 

Condensation - The appearance of moisture (water vapor) on the surface of an object caused by warm moist air coming into contact with a colder object.

 

Conductor – (1) In roofing, a pipe for conveying rainwater from the roof gutter to a drain, or from a roof drain to the storm drain; also called a leader, downspout, or downpipe. (2) In electrical contracting, a wire through which a current of electricity flows, better known as an electric wire.

 

Conduction - The flow of heat from one part of a substance to another part. A piece of iron with one end placed in a fire will soon become warm from end to end, from the transfer of heat by the actual collision of the air molecules.

 

Conduit - A tube for protecting electric wires.

 

Construction Loan - A loan provided by a lending institution specifically to construct or renovate a building.

 

Consumer Surplus - The maximum sum of money a consumer would be willing to pay to consume a given amount of a good, less the amount actually paid. It is represented graphically by the area between the demand curve and the price line in a diagram representing the consumer’s demand for the good as a function of its price.

 

Control Joint - A control joint controls or accommodates movement in the surface component of a roof.

 

Convection - A method of transferring heat by the actual movement of heated molecules, usually by a freestanding unit such as a furnace.

 

Cooling Tower - A large device mounted on roofs, consisting of many baffles over which water is pumped in order to reduce its temperature.

 

Coping - A construction unit placed at the top of the parapet wall to serve as a cover for the wall.

 

Copper Pipe Types - Type K has the heaviest or thickest wall and is generally used underground. It has a green stripe. (Kelly Green). Type L has a medium wall thickness and is most commonly used for water service and for general interior water piping. It has a blue stripe (Lavender Blue). Type M has a thin wall and many codes permit its use in general water-piping installation. It has a red stripe. (Mad Red)

 

Corbel - An architectural bracket or block projecting from a wall and supporting (or appearing to support) a ceiling, beam, or shelf.

 

Core - A small section cut from any material to show internal composition.

 

Cornice - A horizontal projecting course on the exterior of a building, usually at the base of the parapet.

 

Corrosion - The deterioration of metal by chemical or electrochemical reaction resulting from exposure to weathering, moisture, chemicals or other agents or media.

 

Corrugated - Folded or shaped into parallel ridges or furrows so as to form a symmetrically wavy surface.

 

Cost Breakdown - A breakdowns of all the anticipated costs on a construction or renovation project.

 

Cost-Effectiveness - A systematic quantitative method for comparing the costs of alternative means of achieving the same stream of benefits or a given objective.

 

Coupling – In plumbing, a short collar with only inside threads at each end, for receiving the ends of two pipes which are to be fitted and joined together. A right/left coupling is one used to join 2 gas pipes in limited space.

 

Course - A single layer of brick or stone or other building material.

 

Covenants - Rules usually developed by a builder or developer regarding the physical appearance of buildings in a particular geographic area. Typical covenants address building height, appropriate fencing and landscaping, and the type of exterior material (stucco, brick, stone, siding, etc) that may be used.

 

Crawl Space - An open area between the floor of a building and the ground.

 

Crazing - A series of hairline cracks in the surface of weathered materials, having a web-like appearance. Also, hairline cracks in pre-finished metals caused by bending or forming. (See brake metal)

 

Cupola - A dome-shaped ornamental structure placed on the top of a larger roof or dome. In some cases, the entire main roof of a tower or spire can be a cupola. More frequently, however, the cupola is a smaller structure, which sets on top of the main roof.

 

Curb - A short wall or masonry built above the level of the roof that provides a means of flashing the deck equipment.

 

Curing – In concrete application, the process in which mortar and concrete harden. The length of time is dependent upon the type of cement, mix proportion, required strength, size and shape of the concrete section, weather and future exposure conditions. The period may be 3 weeks or longer for lean concrete mixtures used in structures such as dams or it may be only a few days for richer mixes. Favorable curing temperatures range from 50 to 70 degrees F. Design strength is achieved in 28 days.

 

Curing Agent – One part of a multi-part sealant which, when added to the base, will cause the base to change its physical state by chemical reaction between the two parts.

 

Curtain Wall – A thin wall, supported by the structural steel or concrete frame of the building independent of the wall below. Also a metal (most often aluminum) framing system on the face of a building containing vision glass panels and spandrel panels made of glass, aluminum, or other material.

 

Cutback – In roofing, basic asphalt or tar which has been “cut back” with solvents and oils so that the material become fluid.

 

Cut Off - A piece of roofing membrane consisting of one or more narrow plies of felt usually moped in hot to seal the edge of insulation at the end of a day’s work.

 

Damper - Valve for controlling airflow. When ordering registers, make sure each supply outlet has a damper so the airflow can be adjusted and turned off. Dampers maybe either manually or automatically operated. Automatic dampers are required for exhaust air ducts.

 

Damp proofing - A process used on concrete, masonry or stone surfaces to repel water, the main purpose of which is to prevent the coated surface from absorbing rainwater while still permitting moisture vapor to escape from the structure. (Moisture vapor readily penetrates coatings of this type.) “Damp proofing” generally applies to surfaces above grade; “waterproofing” generally applies to surfaces below grade.

 

Darby - A flat tool used to smooth concrete flatwork immediately after screeding. See Bullfloating

 

Dead Load - The constant, design-weight (of the roof) and any permanent fixtures attached above or below.

 

Deck - An elevated platform. “Deck” is also commonly used to refer to the aboveground floors in multi-level parking garage.

 

Deconstructivism - An approach to building design that attempts to view architecture in bits and pieces. The basic elements of architecture are dismantled. Deconstructivist buildings may seem to have no visual logic. They may appear to be made up of unrelated, disharmonious abstract forms.

 

Deflect - To bend or deform under weight.

 

Deflection – The amount of bending movement of any part of a structural member perpendicular to the axis of the member under an applied load.

 

Design Pressure – Specified pressure a product is designed to withstand.

 

Detention (Basin) – An area of land, usually adjacent to a channel, that is designed to receive and hold above normal storm water volumes. The detained storm water drains over time out of the detention basin as the flow in the channel and associated water surface elevations recede.

 

Dew Point - The critical temperature at which vapor condenses from the atmosphere and forms water.

 

Discount Rate - The interest rate used in calculating the present value of expected yearly benefits and costs.

 

Discount Factor - The factor that translates expected benefits or costs in any given future year into present value terms. The discount factor is equal to 1/(1 + i)t where i is the interest rate and t is the number of years from the date of initiation for the program or policy until the given future year.

 

Distortion – Alteration of viewed images caused by variations in glass flatness or inhomogeneous portions within the glass. An inherent characteristic of heat-treated glass.

 

Dormer - A window which is set vertically on a sloping roof.

 

Double-Glazing – In general, any use of two lites of glass, separated by an air space, within an opening, to improve insulation against heat transfer and/or sound transmission. In insulating glass units the air between the glass sheets is thoroughly dried and the space is sealed, eliminating possible condensation and providing superior insulating properties.

 

Double Plate - when two layers of 2 x 4’s are placed on top of studs in framing a wall.

 

Double Strength – In float glass, approximately 1/8” (3 mm.) thick.

 

Double Tee - Refers usually to a precast roof deck panel poured with two fins in its underside to impart flexural rigidity.

 

Downspout - The metal pipe used to drain water from a roof.

 

Drawing Outline - A top view drawing of a building or roof showing only the perimeter drawn to scale.

 

Drawing Detail - A top view drawing of a building or roof showing the roof perimeter and indicating the projections and roof-mounted equipment, drawn to scale.

 

Drip Edge - A device designed to prevent water from running back or under an overhang.

 

Drippage - Bitumen material that drips through roof deck joints, or over the edge of a roof deck.

 

“Dropping” a Stringer – In carpentry, means cutting short on the bottom of a stairs, to allow for thickness of the first tread.

 

Dry Glazing – Also called compression glazing, a term used to describe various means of sealing monolithic and insulating glass in the supporting framing systemwith synthetic rubber and other elastomeric gasket materials.

 

Dry In - To make a building waterproof.

 

Dry Seal – Accomplishment of weather seal between glass and sash by use of strips or gaskets of Neoprene, EPDM, silicone or other flexible material. A dry seal may not be completely watertight.

 

Dry Sheet - A ply mechanically attached to wood or gypsum decks to prevent asphalt or pitch from penetrating the deck and leaking into the building below.

 

Drywall - Sheetrock (gypsum board) that covers the framing and taping, coating, and finishing to make the interior walls and ceilings of a building. Drywall is also used as a verb to refer to installation process.

 

Drywall Hammer - A special hammer used for nailing up gypsum board. It is also known as an ax or hatchet. Edges should be smooth and the corners rounded off. The head has a convex round & checkered head.

 

Drywall Nail - Nails used for hanging regular drywall that is to be taped and finished later must have adequate holding power and a head design that does not cut the face paper. They must also be of the proper depth to provide exactly 1-inch penetration into the framing member. Nails commonly used are chemically etched and are designed with a cupped head.

 

Duct - A cylindrical or rectangular “tube” used to move air either from exhaust or intake. The installation is referred to as “duct work”.

 

Dumbwaiter - An elevator with a maximum footage of not more than 9 sq. ft. floor area, not more than 4” headroom and a maximum capacity of 500 lbs. used for carrying materials only.

 

Durometer – The measurement of hardness of a material. A gauge to measure the hardness of an elastomeric material.

 

Eave - The edge of a roof. Eaves usually project beyond the side of the building.

 

Economic Development – The expansion of a community’s property and sales tax base or the expansion of the number of jobs through office, retail, and industrial development.

 

Edge Clearance – Nominal spacing between the edge of the glass product and the bottom of the glazing pocket (channel).

 

Edge Metal - A term relating to brake or extruded metal around the perimeter of a roof.

 

Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER ) - Figured by dividing BTU hours by watts.

 

Efflorescence - The process by which water leeches soluble salts out of concrete or mortar and deposits them on the surface. Also used as the name for these deposits.

 

Exterior Insulating Finish System (EIFS) - exterior wall cladding system consisting primarily of polystyrene foam board with a textured acrylic finish that resembles plaster or stucco.

 

Elastomer – An elastic rubber-like substance, such as natural or synthetic rubber.

 

Elastomeric – Of or pertaining to any of the numerous flexible membranes that contain rubber or plastic.

 

Electrolytic Coupling - A fitting required to join copper to galvanized pipe and gasketed to prevent galvanic action. Connecting pipes of different materials may result in electrolysis.

 

Elevation - A side of a building.

 

Emissivity – the measure of a surface’s ability to emit long-wave infrared radiation.

 

Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT ) - This electrical pipe, also called thin-wall conduit, may be used for both concealed and exposed areas. It is the most common type of raceway used in single family and low-rise residential and commercial buildings.

 

Emulsion - In roofing, a coating consisting of asphalt and fillers suspended in water.

 

Encumbrance – A hindrance that affects or limits the title of a property, such as mortgages, leases, easements, liens, or restrictions

 

End Dams – Internal flashing (dam) that prevents water from moving laterally within a curtain wall or window wall system.

 

End Lap - The amount or location of overlap at the end of a roll of roofing felts in the application.

 

Environmental Impact Report (EIR) – A study conducted by specialists and generally required by state or federal law to be completed before a project can be built. It evaluates the project’s effect on the environment and infrastructure.

 

Excavate - Dig the basement and or all areas that will need footings/foundations below ground.

 

Excess Burden - Unless a tax is imposed in the form of a lump sum unrelated to economic activity, such as a head tax, it will affect economic decisions on the margin. Departures from economic efficiency resulting from the distorting effect of taxes are called excess burdens because they disadvantage society without adding to Treasury receipts. This concept is also sometimes referred to as deadweight loss.

 

Expansion Coefficient - The amount that a specific material will vary in any one dimension with a change of temperature.

 

Expansion Joint - A device used to permit a structure to expand or contract without breakage.

 

Expressway – An arterial highway for through traffic which may have partial control of access, but which may or may not be divided or have grade separations at intersections.

 

Exterior Glaze – Glazing infills set from the exterior of the building.

 

Exterior Stop – The molding or bead that holds the lite or panel in place when it is on the exterior side of the lite or panel.

 

External Economy or Diseconomy - A direct effect, either positive or negative, on someone’s profit or welfare arising as a byproduct of some other person’s or firm’s activity. Also referred to as neighborhood or spillover effects, or externalities for short.

 

Extrusion - An item formed by forcing a base metal (frequently aluminum) or plastic, at a malleable temperature, through a die to achieve a desired shape.

 

Eyebrow - A flat, normally concrete, projection which protrudes horizontally from a building wall; Eyebrows are generally located above windows.

 

FAA - The Federal Aviation Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. When used to designate a person, FAA shall mean the Administrator or his/her duly authorized representative.

 

Facade - The front of a building. Frequently, in architectural terms an artificial or decorative effort.

 

Face Brick - Brick made especially for exterior use with special consideration of color, texture and size, and used as a facing on a building.

 

Face Glazing – A system having a triangular bead of compound applied with a putty knife, after bedding, setting, and clipping the glazing infill in place on a rabetted sash.

 

Factory Mutual (FM) - A major insurance agency who has established stringent guidelines for maximum construction integrity as it relates to fire and environmental hazards. Their specifications have become industry standards.

 

Fanlight - A semicircular or semi-elliptical window over a doorway or another window.

 

Fascia - Any cover board or framed metal assembly at the edge or eaves of a flat, sloping, or overhanging roof which is placed in a vertical position to protect the edge of the roof assembly.

 

Fasteners - A general term covering a wide variety of screws and nails which may be used for mechanically securing various components of a building.

 

Felt - A very general term used to describe composition of roofing ply sheets, consisting of a mat of organic or inorganic fibers unsaturated, impregnated with asphalt or coal tar pitch, or impregnated and coated with asphalt.

 

Fenestration – Any glass panel, window, door, curtain wall or skylight unit on the exterior of a building.

 

Ferrous - Refers to objects made of or partially made of iron, such as ferrous pipe.

 

FHWA – Federal Highway Administration.

 

Fiber Cement – A siding made from portland cement mixed with ground sand, cellulose fiber, and other additives. Fiber cement siding can resemble stucco, wood clapboards, or cedar shingles, depending on how the panels are textured.

 

Fillet Bead – Caulking or sealant placed in such a manner that it forms an angle between the materials being caulked.

 

Finish – In hardware, metal fastenings on cabinets which are usually exposed such as hinges and locks.

 

Finish Carpentry - The hanging of all interior doors, installation of door molding, base molding, chair rail, built in shelves, etc.

 

Finish Coat – The last coat applied in plastering intended as a base for further decorating or as a final decorative surface. Finish coat usually consists of calcified gypsum, lime and sometimes an aggregate. Some may require the addition of lime or sand on the job. The three basic methods of applying it are (1) trowel (2) flat and (3) spray.

 

Finish Grade - Any surface which has been cut to or built to the elevation indicated

for that point. Surface elevation of lawn, driveway or other improved surfaces after

completion of grading operations.

 

Fire-Rated – Descriptive of materials that has been tested for use in fire walls.

 

Fire Wall - Any wall built for the purpose of restricting or preventing the spread of fire in a building. Such walls of solid masonry or concrete generally sub-divide a building from the foundations to two or more feet above the plane of the roof.

 

Fish Tape (Fish Wire) – Material used to advance wire through a conduit.

 

Flake - A scale-like particle. To lose bond from a surface in small thin pieces. Sometimes a paint film “flakes”.

 

Flashing - Weatherproof material installed between roof sheathing (or wall sheathing) and the finish materials to help keep moisture away from the sheathing.

 

Flashing Base - The upturned edge of the watertight membrane formed at a roof termination point by the extension of the felts vertically over the cant strip and up the wall for a varying distance where they are secured with mechanical fasteners.

 

Flashing, Counter - The formed metal secured to a wall, curb, or roof top unit to cover and protect the upper edge of a base flashing and its associated fasteners.

 

Flashing, Step - Individual small pieces of metal flashing material used to flash around chimneys, dormers, and such projections along the slope of a roof. The individual pieces are overlapped and stepped up the vertical surface.

 

Flash Point - The critical temperature at which a material will ignite.

 

Flashing, Thru-Wall - Flashing extended completely through a masonry wall. Designed and applied in combination with counter-flashings, to prevent water which may enter the wall above from proceeding downward in the wall or into the roof deck or roofing system.

 

Flat Glass – A general term that describes float glass, sheet, glass, plate glass, and rolled glass.

 

Flat Seam - A seam at the junction of sheet metal roof components that has been bent at the plane of the roof.

 

Fleet Averaging - By using a point system, builders can show compliance with energy building requirements by using average figures for all air conditioning units in the same sub division.

 

Flexible Metal Conduit – Conduit similar to armored cable in appearance but does not have the pre-inserted conductors.

 

Float Glass – Glass formed on a bath of molten tin. The surface in contact with the tin is known as the tin surface or tin side. The top surface is known as the atmosphere surface or airside.

 

Floor Plan - A simple line drawing showing rooms as if seen from above. Walls, doorways, and windows are often drawn to scale.

 

Flush Glazing (Pocket Glazing) – The setting of a lite of glass or panel into a four-sided sash or frame opening containing a recessed “U” shaped channel without removable stops on three sides of the sash or frame and one channel with a removable stop along the fourth side.

 

Folded Seam - In sheet metal work, a joint between sheets of metal wherein the edges of the sheets are crimped together and folded flat.

 

Footing - Wide pours of cement reinforced with re-bar (reinforcing bar) that support foundation walls, pillars, or posts. Footings are part of the foundation and are often poured before the foundation walls.

 

Footprint – A building measurement delineating the outside dimensions of a building describing the amount of space it occupies on the ground, usually expressed in square feet of space.

 

Formalism – A style of architecture, which emphasizes form. The architect is interested in visual relationships between the building parts and the work as a whole.

 

Freeway – A divided arterial highway with full control of access and with grade separations at intersections.

 

Frieze - A horizontal band, which runs above doorways and windows or below the cornice. The frieze may be decorated with designs or carvings.

 

Frontage Road – A local street or road auxiliary to and located on the side of an arterial highway for service to abutting property and adjacent areas and for control of access.

 

Fully Adhered - A completely attached (adhered) roof membrane.

 

Fully Tempered Glass – Flat or bent glass that has been heat-treated to a high surface and/or edge compression to meet the requirements of ASTM C 1048, kind FT. Fully tempered glass, if broken, will fracture into many small pieces (dice) which are more or less cubical. Fully tempered glass is approximately four times stronger than annealed glass of the same thickness when exposed to uniform static pressure loads.

 

Furnace - A heating system that uses the principle of thermal convection. When air is heated, it rises and as the air cools it settles. Ducts are installed to carry the hot air from the top of the furnace to the rooms. Other ducts, called cold air returns, return the cooler air back to the furnace.

 

Gable - The triangle formed by a sloping roof.

 

Gambrel Roof - A type of roof which has its slope broken by an obtuse angle, so that the lower slope is steeper than the upper slope. A double-sloped roof having two pitches.

 

Galvanize - To coat a metal with zinc by dipping it in molten zinc after cleaning.

 

Gaskets – pre-formed shapes, such as strips, grommets, etc., of rubber or rubber-like composition, used to fill and seal a joint or opening either alone or in conjunction with a supplemental application of a sealant.

 

Gauge - The thickness of sheet metal and wire, etc.

 

Gauge Board (Spot Board) - Board used to carry grout needed to patch small jobs.

 

General Contractor - A contractor responsible for all facets of construction of a building or renovation.

 

Geodesic Dome - A sphere-like structure composed of a complex network of triangles. The triangles create a self-bracing framework that gives structural strength while using a minimum of material.

 

Googie - A futuristic, often outrageous, building style that evolved in the United States during the 1950s, designed to attract customers.

 

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GF I or GF CI) - Special devices capable of opening a circuit when even a small amount of current is flowing through the grounding system.

 

GFR C – Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete - Material used in wall systems that resembles but generally does not perform as well as concrete. Usually a thin cementious material laminated to plywood or other lightweight backing.

 

Girder - A main beam upon which floor joists rest, usually made of steel or wood.

 

Glass – A hard, brittle substance, usually transparent, made by fusing silicates under high temperatures with soda, lime, etc.

 

Glaze Coat – In roofing, a light, uniform mopping of bitumen on exposed felts to protect them from the weather, pending completion of the job.

 

Glazing – (n) A generic term used to describe an infill material such as glass, panels, etc. (v) the process of installing an infill material into a prepared opening in windows, door panels, partitions, etc.

 

Glazing Bead – In glazing, a strip surrounding the edge of the glass in a window or door which holds the glass in place.

 

Glazing Channel – In glazing, a three-sided, U-shaped sash detail into which a glass product is installed and retained.

 

Grade MW - Moderate Weather grade of brick for moderate resistance to freezing used, for example, in planters.

 

Grade NW - No Weather brick intended for use as a back-up or interior masonry.

 

Grade SW - Severe Weather grade of brick intended for use where high resistance to freezing is desired.

 

Grade Separation – A crossing of two highways or a highway and a railroad at different levels.

 

Grants – A contribution by a government or other organization to provide funding for a specific project. Grants can be classified as capital projects or operational, depending on the grantee.

 

Granules - The mineral particles of a graded size which are embedded in the asphalt coating of shingles and roofing.

 

Gravel - Loose fragments of rock used for surfacing built-up roofs, in sizes varying from 1/8” to 1 3/4”.

 

Ground System - The connection of current-carrying neutral wire to the grounding terminal in the main switch which in turn is connected to a water pipe. The neutral wire is called the ground wire.

 

Grounding Rod - Rod used to ground an electrical panel.

 

Grout or Grouting - A cement mortar mixture commonly used to fill joints and cavities of masonry.

 

Growth Management – A process by which local governments attempt to minimize the negative effects of rapid development by controlling the timing, location, amount, and density of new commercial buildings, residences, and roads.

 

Gun Consistency – Sealant formulated in a degree of viscosity suitable for application through the nozzle of a caulking gun.

 

Gunite - A construction material composed of cement, sand or crushed slag and water mixed together and forced through a cement gun by pneumatic pressure, used in the construction of swimming pools.

 

Gutter - Metal trough at the eaves of a roof to carry rainwater from the roof to the downspout.

 

Gutter Strap - Metal bands used to support the gutter.

 

Guy Wire - A strong steel wire or cable strung from an anchor on the roof to any tall slender projection for the purpose of support.

 

Gypsum - See Drywall

 

Gypsum Keene Cement - Material used to obtain a smooth finish coat of plaster, for use over gypsum plastic base coats only and in areas not subject to moisture. It is the hardest plaster.

 

Hardware - Metal accessories such as doorknobs, towel bars, toilet paper holders, etc.

 

Hatch - An opening in a deck; floor or roof. The usual purpose is to provide access from inside the building.

 

Hawk - A flat wood or metal tool 10 inches to 14 inches square with a handle used by plasterers to carry plaster mortar or mud.

 

Hazard Insurance - Insurance for a building while it is under construction.

 

Header - Framing members over windows, doors, or other openings.

 

Heat Strengthened Glass – Flat or bent glass that has been heat-treated to a specific surface and/or edge compression range to meet the requirements of ASTM C 1048,kind HS. Heat-strengthened glass is approximately two times as strong as annealed glass of the same thickness when exposed to uniform static pressure loads. Heatstrengthened glass is not considered safety glass and will not completely dice as will fully tempered glass.

 

Heel Bead – Sealant applied at the base of a channel, after setting the lite or panel and before the removable stop is installed, one of its purposes being to prevent leakage past the stop.

 

Hermetic Seal – Vacuum seal (between panes of a double-paned window i.e. insulated glass unit or IGU). Failure of a hermetic seal causes permanent fogging between the panels of the IGU.

 

High Early Cement - A portland cement sold as Type III sets up to its full strength faster than other types.

 

Highway, Street, or Road – A general term denoting a public way for the transportation of people, materials, goods, and services but primarily for vehicular travel. Includes the entire area within the right of way.

 

Highway Right of Way – Any public street or highway or portion thereof which is within the boundaries of a state highway, including a traversable highway adopted or designated as a state highway, shall constitute a part of the right of way of such state highway without compensation being paid therefor, and the department shall have jurisdiction thereover and responsibility for the maintenance thereof.

 

Hipped (or Hip) - A roof sloped down to the eaves on all four sides.

 

Historic Preservation – The process of preserving part of a community, from an individual building or part of a building to a whole neighborhood (including roadways and waterways), because of its historic importance.

 

Hoistway - A shaftway for the travel of one or more elevators.

 

Honeycomb – (1) Areas in a foundation wall where the aggregate (gravel) is visible. Honeycombs can be usually be remedied by applying a thin layer of grout or other cement product over the affected area. (2) Method by which concrete is poured and not puddled or vibrated, allowing the edges to have voids or holes after the forms are removed.

 

Hub – In plumbing, the enlarged end of a pipe which is made to provide a connection into which the end of the joining pipe will fit.

 

HVA C - Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning.

 

Hydroelectric Elevator - An elevator where liquid is pumped under pressure directly into the cylinder by a pump driven by an electric motor without an accumulator between the pump and cylinder.

 

Incidence - The ultimate distributional effect of a tax, expenditure, or regulatory program.

 

Incompatibility - Descriptive of two or more materials which are not suitable to be used together.

 

Indemnification Clause – Provision in a contract in which one party agrees to be financially responsible for specified types of damages, claims, or losses.

 

Infiltration - The process by which air leaks into a building. In either case, heat loss results. To find the infiltration heating load factor (HLF), the formula to account for the extra BTU’s needed to heat the infiltrated air is: BTU/HR = building volume x air changes x BTU/cu.ft/hr x TD (TD is temperature difference)

 

Inflation - The proportionate rate of change in the general price level, as opposed to the proportionate increase in a specific price. Inflation is usually measured by a broad-based price index, such as the implicit deflator for Gross Domestic Product or the Consumer Price Index.

 

Infrastructure - Public facilities provided to a site so that it can be developed, including roads, bridges, and utilities such as sewerage and water.

 

Inside Drain – In roofing, a drain positioned on a roof at some location other than the perimeter. It drains surface water inside the building through closed pipes to a drainage system.

 

Insulating Glass Unit – Two or more lites of glass spaced apart and hermetically sealed to form a single-glazed unit with an air space between each lite. (Commonly called IG units.)

 

Insulation – (1) Generally, any material which slows down or retards the flow or transfer of heat. Building insulation types are classified according to form as loose fill, flexible, rigid, reflective, and foamed-in-place. All types are rated according to their ability to resist heat flow (R-Value). (2) In electrical contracting, rubber, thermoplastic, or asbestos wire covering. The thickness of insulation varies with wire size and type of material, application or other code limitations.

 

Insulation Fasteners - Any of several specialized mechanical fasteners designed to

hold insulation down to a steel or a nailable deck.

 

Interior Glazed – Glazing infills set from the interior of the building.

 

Interplayer – In glazing, any material used to bond two lites of glass and/or plastic together to form a laminate.

 

Internal Rate of Return - The discount rate that sets the net present value of the stream of net benefits equal to zero. The internal rate of return may have multiple values when the stream of net benefits alternates from negative to positive more than once.

 

Interply - Between two layers of roofing felts that have been laminated together.

 

Insulated (or Inverted) Roof Membrane Assembly (IRMA) - In this system the roof membrane is laid directly on the roof deck, covered with extruded foam insulation and ballasted with stone, minimum of 1000 lbs. per square.

 

Jamb - The frame in which a door or window sits.

 

Joint – The space or opening between two or more adjoining surfaces.

 

Joint Powers Authority (JPA) – A unit of local government, authorized under the State Government Code, created to jointly administer a shared power, under the terms of a joint exercise of powers agreement adopted by the member agencies.

 

Joist - The horizontal-framing members that support the floors.

 

Kelvin - Thermometer scale on which a unit of measurement equals the Celsius degree.

 

Kick Hole - A defect frequently found in perimeter flashings arising from being stepped on or kicked. A small fracture of the base flashing in the area of the cant.

 

Knife Consistency – Compound formulated in a degree of firmness suitable for application with a putty knife such as used for face glazing and other sealant applications.

 

Kraft - A heavy, water resistant paper.

 

Kynar Coating – Architectural coating that is UV stable and suitable for exterior use on aluminum and other metal surfaces.

 

Ladder, Fixed - A ladder which is permanently attached to a building.

 

Laminated Glass – Two or more lites of glass permanently bonded together with one or more inter-layers.

 

Lap - To extend one material partially over another; the distance so extended.

 

Lead - A malleable metal once extensively used for flashings.

 

Lean-to-Roof - The sloping roof of a building addition having its rafters or supports pitched against and supported by the adjoining wall of a building.

 

Leveling Rod - A rod with graduated marks for measuring heights or vertical distances between given points and the line of sight of a leveling instrument. They are longer than a yardstick and are held by a surveyor in a vertical position.

 

Levee - A type of dam that runs along the banks of a river or canal. Levees reinforce the banks and help prevent flooding. By confining the flow, levees can also increase the speed of the water.

 

Life Cycle Cost - The overall estimated cost for a particular program alternative over the time period corresponding to the life of the program, including direct and indirect initial costs plus any periodic or continuing costs of operation and maintenance.

 

Lintel - or header - A horizontal piece of wood or steel over an opening such as a window or door. to support the walls immediately above the opening. Lintels can also be steel or stone.

 

Liquid-Applied Membrane - Generally applied to cast-in-place concrete surfaces in one or more coats to provide fully adhered waterproof membranes which conform to all contours.

 

Liquidated Damages – A monetary amount agreed upon by two parties to a contract prior to performance under the contract that specifies what a either party owes the other if that party defaults under the contract.

 

Lite – Another term for a pane of glass. Sometimes spelled “light” in industry literature but spelled “lite” in this text to avoid confusion with light as in “visible light.”

 

Live Load – Loads produced by use and occupancy of the building or other structure and do not include construction or environmental loads such as wind load, snow load, ice load, rain load, seismic load, or dead load.

 

Local Street – Street routes that provide access to local property owners and which connect property to the major thoroughfare or other collector street networks.

 

Lot - A parcel of ground with boundaries determined by the county.

 

Loose Laid – In roofing, a membrane “laid loosely”, i.e., not adhered, over a roof deck or BURM.

 

MADI - A modern art movement known for bright colors and bold geometric forms. In architecture, sculpture, and painting, MADI art uses abundant circles, waves, spheres, arches, spirals, and stripes.

 

Mansard Roof – A roof with two slopes on each of the four sides. The lower slope is steeper than the upper slope.

 

Market Forces – The interplay of supply and demand in a market economy that determines what goods or services will be produced.

 

Mason’s Hammer or Brick Layer’s Hammer – Tool shaped like a chisel to trim brick or stone.

 

Mastic – Heavy-consistency compound that may remain adhesive and pliable with age. Is typically a waterproof compound applied to exterior walls and roof surfaces.

 

Material and Supplies – The costs of utilities, materials and supplies, services, fuel, and other non-labor costs.

 

Maximum Occupancy Load - The maximum number of people permitted in a room and is measured per foot for each width of exit door. The maximum is 50 per foot of exit.

 

Median – Portion of a divided highway separating traveled ways for traffic in opposite directions.

 

Melt Point - The temperature at which the solid asphalt becomes a liquid.

 

Membrane - A generic term relating to a variety of sheet goods used for certain builtup roofing repairs and application.

 

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – A document detailing the results of any negotiations between parties agreeing to a mutual line of action.

 

Metal Edge- Brake metal or metal extrusions which are secured at the perimeter of the roof to form a weather tight seal.

 

Migration – Spreading or creeping of a constituent of a compound onto/into adjacent surfaces. See bleeding.

 

Mil Thickness - Measurement used to determine thickness of a coating. 1 mil = .001 inch (1/1000).

 

Mineral Spirits - A by-product of petroleum, clear in color, a solvent for asphaltic coatings.

 

Mitered - The process of joining together two pieces of wood, glass, or other construction material. Mitered corners are fitted together from parts cut at angles.

 

Mock Up Testing – Controlled air, water and structural performance testing of existing or new glazing systems.

 

Modernist Architecture – A style of architecture which emphasizes function. It attempts to provide for specific needs rather than imitate nature.

 

Modulus – Stress at a given strain. Also tensile strength at a given elongation.

 

Molding – Finish wood such as door and window trim.

 

Monitor, Saw Tooth - A type of monitor characterized by sharp angled pitches and vertical sections, usually arranged in rows much like teeth of a saw.

 

Monitor - A large structure rising above the surrounding roof planes, designed to give light and/or ventilation to the building interior.

 

Mopping – In roofing, a layer of hot bitumen mopped between plies of roofing felt. Full mopping is the application of bitumen by mopping in such a manner that the surface being mopped is entirely coated with a reasonably uniform coating. Spot Mopping is the procedure of applying hot bitumen in a random fashion of small daubs, as compared to full mopping. Sprinkle mopping is a special application of installing insulation to the decks. It is done by dipping a roof mop into hot bitumen and sprinkling the material onto the deck. Strip Mopping is the application of bitumen in parallel bands.

 

Mortar Types - Type M is suitable for general use and is recommended specifically for masonry below grade and in contact with earth, such as foundations, retaining walls and walks. Type M is the strongest type. Type S is suitable for general use and is recommended where high resistance to lateral forces is required. Type N is suitablefor general use in exposed masonry above grade and is recommended specifically for exterior walls subject to severe exposures. Type 0 is recommended for load-bearing walls of solid units where the compressive stresses do not exceed 100 lbs. per square inch and the masonry wall not be subjected to freezing and thawing in the presence of excessive moisture.

 

Mud Cracks - Cracks developing from the normal shrinkage of an emulsion coating when applied too heavily.

 

Mullion – A horizontal or vertical member that supports and holds such items as panels, glass, sash, or sections of a curtain wall.

 

Multiplier - The ratio between the direct effect on output or employment and the full effect, including the effects of second order rounds or spending. Multiplier effects greater than 1.0 require the existence of involuntary unemployment.

 

Multi-Modal – Projects which contain multiple traffic elements (i.e. traffic lanes, bike lanes, bus lanes, sidewalks, bus pads, bus pull outs).

 

Munith – Horizontal or vertical bars that divide the sash frame into smaller lites of glass. Muntins are smaller in dimensions and weight than mullions.

 

Nailer - A piece of lumber secured to non-nailable decks and walls by bolts or other means, which provides a suitable backing onto which roof components may be mechanically fastened.

 

National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) – Federally mandated program with the goal of reducing the discharge of pollutants into creeks.

 

Natural Waterways – Limited construction has occurred within these natural channels. Channel typically consists of heavy vegetation of grasses and trees. Limited excavation or grading maintenance might be done within these natural waterways. Silt and gravel are removed on a very limited basis from the waterways.

 

Neat Plaster - A base coat plaster which does not contain aggregates and is used where the addition of aggregates on the job is desired.

 

Neighborhood Alliance – A local community group often formed to promote the community interest in a specific area.

 

Neoclassical, or “new” classical – A style of architecture and buildings that are inspired by the classical architecture of ancient Greece and Rome.

 

Neoprene – A synthetic rubber having physical properties closely resembling those of natural rubber. It is made by polymerizing chloroprenes, and the latter is produced from acetylene and hydrogen chloride.

 

Net Present Value - The difference between the discounted present value of benefits and the discounted present value of costs.

 

New Urbanism - An approach to designing cities, towns, and neighborhoods. New Urbanist town planners, developers, architects, and designers try to reduce traffic and eliminate sprawl.

 

NM – A type of ROMEX cable (nonmetallic sheathed cable that contains several conductors). The cable, which is flame-retardant, is limited to use in dry locations only and cannot be exposed to excessive moisture.

 

NMC (Non Metallic Conduit) – A type of ROMEX cable (nonmetallic sheathed cable that contains several conductors). NMC may be used in damp or corrosive locations as well as dry areas.

 

Nominal Values - Economic units measured in terms of purchasing power of the date in question. A nominal value reflects the effects of general price inflation.

 

Nominal Interest Rate - An interest rate that is not adjusted to remove the effects of actual or expected inflation. Market interest rates are generally nominal interest rates.

 

Non-Destructive - A phrase describing a method of examining the interior of a component whereby no damage is done to the component itself.

 

Non-Drying (Non-Curing) – A sealant that does not set up or cure. See Butyl.

 

Non-market Forces – Actions or regulations of government, outside the demands of the marketplace, that determines or influence what is to be produced.

 

Non-Sag – A sealant formulation having a consistency that will permit application in vertical joints without appreciable sagging or slumping. A performance characteristic which allows the sealant to be installed in a sloped or vertical joint application without appreciable sagging or slumping.

 

Non-Skinning – Descriptive of a product that does not form a surface skin.

 

Non-Staining – Characteristic of a compound that will not stain a surface.

 

Nozzle – The tubular tip of a caulking gun through which the compound is extruded.

 

Nuclear Meter - A device used to detect moisture by measuring slowed, deflected neutrons.

 

O.C. - On Center. - A measurement term meaning a certain distance between like materials. Studs placed at 16” O.C. will be laid out so that there is 16” from the center of one stud to the center of the next.

 

Ohmmeter – In electrical contracting, a device to measure the resistance across a load. They are never used on a live circuit. It is used to track down broken wires.

 

Ohm’s Law - States that, in a given electrical circuit, the amount at current in amps is equal to the pressure in volts divided by the resistance in ohms. The formula is: I (Current) = V voltage or V = I x R R resistance or R = V/I

 

Oil-Canning - The term describing distortion of thin-gauge metal panels which are fastened in a manner restricting normal thermal movement.

 

Operating Budget – A financial plan used to allocate resources among program operations, which lists an estimate of required expenditures and the means of financing them for the fiscal year.

 

Opportunity Cost - The maximum worth of a good or input among possible alternative uses.

 

Ordinance – A formal legislative enactment by a legislative authority, specifically a municipal regulation.

 

Oriel Window – A window which projects from the wall and does not extend to the ground.

 

Organic - A term designating any chemical compound which contains carbon and hydrogen.

 

Organic Architecture – A style of architecture that strives to integrate space into a unified whole. Frank Lloyd Wright believed that every building should grow naturally from its environment.

 

Overcrossing – A structure carrying a road or street over a State highway.

 

Overhang - That part of the roof structure which extends horizontally beyond the vertical plane of the exterior walls of a building.

 

Overhead – An elevated structure carrying a highway over a railroad.

 

Outfall – An outfall is simply the pipe, channel, or opening where water “falls out” and then into another body of water, typically a drainage channel. In a typical storm water detention basin, the outfall is at or connected to the lowest point of the basin so that detained water drains completely.

 

Owner Participation Agreement (OPA) – An agreement between a property owner and redevelopment agency that describes the terms and conditions for a project that is being developed on the owner’s property.

 

Oxidize - To combine with oxygen in the air

 

Palladian Window - A large window which is divided into three parts. The center section is larger than the two side sections, and is usually arched.

 

Parapet - A low wall projecting from the edge of a platform, terrace, or roof.

 

Parge Coat - A thin application of plaster for coating a wall.

 

Parking Strip - The area in front of a building between the sidewalk and the street usually landscaped with grass. The parking strip serves as a buffer between the road and pedestrians walking on the sidewalk.

 

Patterned Glass – On type of rolled glass having a pattern impressed on one or both sides. Used extensively for light control, bath enclosures and decorative glazing. Sometimes call “rolled,” “figured,” or “obscure” glass.

 

Pavement Structure – The combination of subbase, base course, and surface course placed on a subgrade to support the traffic load and distribute it to the roadbed.

 

Paver Stone - Usually pre-cast concrete slabs used to create a traffic surface.

 

Pediment - A low-pitched triangular gable on the front of some buildings in the Grecian or Greek Revival style of architecture

 

Penthouse - A relatively small structure built above the plane of the roof.

 

Performance and Payment Bond – Guaranty by a surety company that if a contractor fails to perform under a contract, the surety company will complete the work.

 

Perlite - An aggregate formed by heating and expanding siliceous volcanic glass.

 

Permanent Set – The amount by which a material fails to return to its original dimensions after being deformed by an applied force or load.

 

Petition – A declaration signed by individuals and presented to governments as evidence of popular support for an action or position.

 

Photo-Oxidation - Oxidation caused by rays of the sun.

 

Pilaster - A rectangular support which resembles a flat column. The pilaster projects only slightly from the wall, and has a base, a shaft, and a capital.

 

Pitch - A term frequently used to designate coal tar pitch.

 

Plan Submittal - Submission of construction plans to the city or county in order to obtain a Building Permit.

 

Planning Commission – A board of a city, county, or similar local government that must approve proposed building projects. Its actions often must be confirmed by a higher board, such as a City Council.

 

Plat - A map of a geographical area as recorded by the county.

 

Plate Line - The top horizontal line of a building wall upon which the roof rests.

 

Platform Framing/Platform Construction - The process of constructing a building in one or more consecutively installed platforms. (Usually one story constitutes a platform.)

 

Plenum Chamber - Chamber or container for moving air under a slight positive pressure to which one or more ducts are connected.

 

Plot Plan - A bird’s eye view showing how a building sits on the building lot, typically showing setbacks (how far the building must sit from the road), easements, rights of way, and drainage.

 

Plywood -Wooden panels formed by gluing thin sheets of wood together, with the grain of adjacent layers arranged at right angles.

 

Pocket (Channel) – A three-sided, U-shaped opening in a sash or frame to receive glazing infill. Contrasted to a rabbet, which is a two-sided, L-shaped sections as with face glazed window sash.

 

Pointing - The process where joints between masonry units, brick, etc., are filled with

mortar.

 

Polished Wire Glass – Wired glass that has been ground and polished on both surfaces.

 

Polymer - A substance consisting of large molecules which have been formed from smaller molecules of similar make-up.

 

Polysulfide Sealant – Polysulfide liquid polymer sealant which cures by absorption of atmospheric moisture to form a permanently flexible seal. It can be converted to rubbers at room temperature without shrinkage upon addition of a curing agent.

 

Polyurethane Sealant – An organic compound formed by reaction of a glycol with and isocyanate.

 

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) – Polymer formed by polymerization of vinyl chloride

  monomer. Sometimes called vinyl.

 

Ponding - A condition where water stands on a roof for prolonged periods due to poordrainage and/or deflection of the deck.

 

Pop Out - See stucco pop out

 

Pop Rivets - Fasteners used to join pieces of metal that are installed by either compressed-air-assisted or hand-operated guns. Unique in that they are installed from one side of the work.

 

Porosity - The density of substance and its capacity to pass liquids.

 

Portland Cement - A mixture of certain minerals which when mixed with water form a gray colored paste and cure into a very hard mass.

 

Post - A vertical member of wood, steel, concrete or other material that transfers

weight from the top of the post to whatever the post is resting on.

 

Post & Beam Construction - Most common type of wall framing, using posts which carry horizontal beams on which joists are supported. It allows for fewer bearing partitions, & less material.

 

Postmodern – A style of architecture evolved from the modernist movement, yet contradicts many of the modernist ideas. Combining new ideas with traditional forms, postmodernist buildings may startle, surprise, and even amuse. Familiar shapes and details are used in unexpected ways.

 

Pot Life – The time interval following the addition of an accelerator before chemically curing material will become too viscous to apply satisfactorily. See Shelf Life.

 

Power - The energy rate, usually measured in watts. Power equals voltage times amps. or W = E x 1. The heavier the flow of amps at a given supply, the higher the rate at which energy is being supplied and used.

 

Precast - Concrete building components which are formed and cured at a factory and then transported to a work site for erection.

 

Preservation – Projects which focus on preserving the system by reconstructing streets and are coordinated with the Street Maintenance Program.

 

Pre-Shimed Tape Sealant – A sealant having a pre-formed shape containing solids or discrete particles that limit its deformation under compression.

 

Pressure Reducing Valve – Valve installed in the water service line where it enters the building to reduce the pressure of water in the line to an acceptable pressure used in buildings (40-55 psi desired).

 

Pressure Relief Valve – Valve to relieve excess pressure in water storage tanks.

 

Pressure Treated Lumber - Lumber that is treated in such a way that the sealer is forced into the pores of the wood.

 

Primer - A material of relatively thin consistency applied to a surface for the purpose of creating a more secure bonding surface and to form a barrier to prevent migration of components.

 

Priming – Sealing of a porous surface so that compounds will not stain, lose elasticity, shrink excessively, etc. because of loss of oil or vehicle into the surround.

 

Private Sector – The part of an economy in which goods and services are produced and distributed by individuals and organizations that are not part of the government or state bureaucracy.

 

Projection – In roofing, any object or equipment which pierces the roof membrane.

 

Property Tax – A government levy based on the market value (as assessed by the

county assessor’s office) of property, such as real estate.

 

Property Tax Base – The collective value of real estate and other assets subject to property tax within a community.

 

Protection Board – In roofing, heavy asphalt impregnated boards which are laid over bituminous coatings to protect against mechanical injury.

 

Public Road Connection – Provides public access to a State highway.

 

Public Sector – The offices and responsibilities of government. In economic terms, the part of an economy in which goods and services are produced and/or (re) distributed by government agencies.

 

Public Works – Facilities run by public agencies to provide water, power, waste disposal, transportation, and similar services to meet common social and economic objectives. Infrastructure is not labeled “public works” unless it is financed, constructed, and/or operated and maintained by the public sector.

 

Purlins - A horizontal structural member spanning between beams or trusses to support a roof deck. In slope glazing, purlins are the horizontal framing members.

 

Push Stick – In hardware, a tool used when cutting a short board on a table saw.

 

PVDF – Architectural coating. See Kynar Coating.

 

Quatrefoil - A round window which is composed of four equal lobes, like a four-petaled flower.

 

Radial Saw - A circular saw which hangs from a horizontal arm or beam and slides back and forth. The arm pivots from side to side to allow for angle cuts and bevels. When sawing finish plywood, the good side should face up as the saw cuts on the down stroke.

 

Radiation - Any heated surface loses heat to cooler surrounding space or surfaces through radiation. The earth receives its heat from the sun by radiation. The heat rays are turned into heat as they strike an object which will absorb some or all of the heat transmitted.

 

Radiator - A heating unit which is supplied heat through a hot water system.

 

Rafter – A sloping roof member that supports the roof covering which extends from the ridge or the hip of the roof to the eaves. A common rafter is one which runs square with the plate and extends to the ridge. A hip rafter extends from the outside angle of the plate towards the apex of the roof. They are 2” deeper or wider than common rafters. A valley rafter extends from an inside angle of the plates toward the ridge of the house.

 

Raggle Block - A specially designed masonry block having a slot or opening into which the top edge of the roof flashing is inserted and anchored.

 

Rail- The top and bottom frame members of a door or window (not the jamb).

 

Rake - The angle of slope of a roof rafter, or the inclined portion of a cornice.

 

Rankin - Thermometer scale on which unit of measurement equals the Fahrenheit degree.

 

Real or Constant Dollar Values - Economic units measured in terms of constant purchasing power. A real value is not affected by general price inflation. Real values can be estimated by deflating nominal values with a general price index, such as the implicit deflator for Gross Domestic Product or the Consumer Price Index.

 

Real Interest Rate - An interest rate that has been adjusted to remove the effect of expected or actual inflation. Real interest rates can be approximated by subtracting the expected or actual inflation rate from a nominal interest rate. (A precise estimate can be obtained by dividing one plus the nominal interest rate by one plus the expected or actual inflation rate, and subtracting one from the resulting quotient.)

 

Re-Bar - Reinforcing bar used to increase the tensile strength of concrete.

 

Redevelopment – The redesign or rehabilitation of existing properties and improvement of land in accordance with a city’s goals and objectives.

 

Redevelopment Agency (RDA ) – An agency created by State law to operate locally within jurisdictions of a local government agency to eliminate “blight”.

 

Reflective Glass –Glass with a metallic coating to reduce solar heat gain.

 

Register - A fixture through which conditioned airflows. In a gravity heating system, it is located near the baseboard. In an air conditioning system, it is located close to the thermostat.

 

Reglet - A horizontal slot, formed or cut in a parapet or other masonry wall, into which the top edge of counter-flashing can be inserted and anchored. In glazing, a reglet is typically a pocket or keyway extruded into the framing for installing the glazing gaskets.

 

Reinforced Concrete - A combination of steel and concrete using the best properties of each. The steel consists of rebar or reinforcing bars varying from 3/8 “ to 2 1/4 “indiameter and is placed before concrete is poured.

 

Reinforced Masonry - Masonry units, reinforcing steel, grout and/or mortar combined to act together to strengthen the masonry structure.

 

Relative Heat Gain – The amount of heat gain through a glass product taking into consideration the effects of solar heat gain (shading coefficient) and conductive heat gain (U-value).

 

Relative Price - A price ratio between two goods as, for example, the ratio of the price of energy to the price of equipment.

 

Request for Proposal (RFP) – A request from a government or private entity asking developers to submit proposals for ways to develop a property.

 

Resistance- The internal structure of wires even in the best conductors opposes the flow of electric current and converts some current into heat. This internal friction-like effect is called resistance and is measured in ohms. Resistance equals Voltage divided by Amperage.

 

Resolution – A legal order or contract by a government entity-called a bond resolution-authorizing a bond issue and spelling out the rights of bondholders and the obligations of the issuer.

 

Return – In heating and cooling systems, a vent that returns cold air to be warmed. In a hot air furnace system, it is located near an inside wall.

 

Rigid Metal Conduit - This conduit resembles plumbing pipe, protecting wires from damage.

 

Riprap – Rocks or broken pieces of concrete often placed in areas where the flow of storm water is expected to cause erosion. The riprap serves as “armor” for areas of channels and detention basins to minimize the occurrence of erosion.

 

Roadbed – That portion of the roadway extending from curb line to curb line or shoulder line to shoulder line; divided highways are considered to have two roadbeds.

 

Roadside – A general term denoting the area adjoining the outer edge of the roadway. Extensive areas between the roadways of a divided highway also may be considered roadside.

 

Roadway – That portion of a highway, including shoulders, that is for vehicular use. A divided highway has two or more roadways.

 

Romex - A nonmetallic sheathed cable consisting of two or more insulated conductors having an outer sheath of moisture resistant, nonmetallic material. The conductor insulation is rubber, neoprene, thermoplastic or a moisture resistant flame retardant fibrous material. There are two types: NM and NMC - described earlier.

 

Roof Systems - General term referring to the waterproof covering, roof insulation, vapor barrier, if used and roof deck as an entity.

 

Rough – In hardware, metal fastenings on cabinets which are usually concealed, like staples.

 

Rough Opening – The opening in a wall into which a door or window is to be installed.

 

Rough Plumbing - All plumbing that should be done before the finish trades (sheetrock, painting, etc), including all waste lines and supply water lines that are in the walls or framing of the building. See also: Plumbing, Sub Rough, and Finish Plumbing.

 

RPM - Revolutions per Minute.

 

Rubber Tired Roller - A roller with rubber tires commonly used for compacting trimmed subgrade or aggregate base or clay type soils.

 

Run - The horizontal distance between the eaves and the ridge of the roof, being half the span for a symmetrical gable roof.

 

Runoff – The storm water from rainfall not absorbed by the ground that flows into the local drainage system, and ultimately, streams and bayous.

 

Runway - The area on the airport prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft.

 

R-Value – The thermal resistance of a glazing system. The R-value is the reciprocal of the U-value. The higher the R-value, the less heat is transmitted throughout the glazing material.

 

Saber Saw - a saw that cuts on the upstroke, good side of wood faces down.

 

Saddle - A ridge in the roof deck, whose top divides two sloping parts of the roof so that water will be diverted to the roof drains.

 

Sash – The window frame, including muntin bars if used, to receive the glazing infill.

 

Scale - The relationship between actual measurements on a page of plans or blueprints and the actual measurements of the building represented by the plans or blue prints.

 

Scenic Highway – A system of highways established by Section 263 of the Streets and Highways Code.

 

Scratch Coat - The first coat of plaster derives its name from cross-raking which is performed on the wet surface to improve bond with the following brown coat. It is considered a base coat plaster.

 

Screeding - The wood or metal straightedge used to strike off or level newly placed concrete when doing cement work. Screeds can be the leveling device used or the form work used to level or establish the level of the concrete. Screeds can be hand used or mechanical.

 

Scrim - A woven or mat-type fabric that is used as a membrane sandwich between other material to provide reinforcement and stretch resistance.

 

Scupper - An outlet in the wall of a building or a parapet wall for drainage of water from a flat roof.

 

Scutch - A bricklayer’s cutting tool used for dressing and trimming brick to a special shape. It resembles a small pick

 

Sealant – An elastomeric material with adhesive qualities applied between components of a similar or dissimilar nature to provide an effective barrier against the passage of the elements.

 

Self-Healing - A term used to describe to a material which melts with the heat from the sun’s rays, and seals over cracks that were earlier formed from other causes. Some waterproof membranes are self-healing.

 

Self-Leveling - A term used to describe a viscous material that is applied by pouring. In its uncured state, it spreads out evenly.

 

Selvage - The un-surfaced strip along a sheet of roll roofing which forms the under portion at the lap in the application of the roof covering.

 

Separation – In concrete application, what happens to concrete when it is dropped directly with a flat chute causing the concrete to separate, usually occurring at a 1:2 slope.

 

Service Conductor – In electrical contracting, the supply conductors that extend from the street main or from the transformer to the service equipment.

 

Service Drop – In electrical contracting, the overhead service conductors from the last pole or other aerial support to and including the splices, if any, connecting to the service entrance conductors at the building.

 

Setting Blocks – Generally rectangular cured extrusions of neoprene, EPDM, silicone, rubber or other suitable material on which the glass product bottom edge is placed to effectively support the weight of the glass.

 

SFD or Single Family Dwelling - A house built for the purpose of a single family as opposed to multi families such as a duplex or apartment complex.

 

Shading Coefficient – The ratio of the solar heat gain through a specific glass product to the solar heat gain through a lite of 1/8” (3mm) clear glass. Glass of 1/8” (3mm) thickness is given a value of 1.0, therefore the shading coefficient of a glass product is calculated as follows: SOLAR HEAT GAIN OF THE GLASS IN QUESTIONS -- S.C. = Solar Heat Gain of 1/8” clear Glass

 

Shadow Price - An estimate of what the price of a good or input would be in the absence of market distortions, such as externalities or taxes. For example, the shadow price of capital is the present value of the social returns to capital (before corporate income taxes) measured in units of consumption.

 

Shed Roof - A roof having only one slope or pitch, with only one set of rafters which fall from a higher to a lower wall.

 

Sheathing - Plywood, gypsum or wood fiber encasing walls, ceilings, floors and roofs of framed buildings. It is the first layer of outer wall covering nailed to the studs or rafters.

 

Sheetrock - Panels made primarily from gypsum installed over the framing to form the interior walls and ceilings. Sheetrock is often called gypsum board.

 

Shelf Life – Used in the glazing and sealant business to refer to the length of time a product may be stored before beginning to lose its effectiveness. Manufacturers usually state the shelf life and the necessary storage conditions on the package.

 

Shingles - Small units of material which are laid in a series of overlapping rows as a roof covering on pitched roofs.

 

Shoring - A temporary support erected in a trench or other excavation to support the walls from caving in.

 

Shore “A” Hardness – Measure of firmness of a compound by means of a Durometer Hardness Gauge. (A hardness range of 20-25 is about the firmness of an art gum eraser. A hardness of about 90 is about the firmness of a rubber heel.)

 

Sight Line – The line along the perimeter of glazing infills corresponding to the top edge of stationary and removable stops. The line to which sealants contacting the glazing infill is sometimes finished off.

 

Silicone Sealant – A sealant having as its chemical compound a backbone consisting of alternating silicon-oxygen atoms.

 

Sill Plate - The framing member anchored to the foundation wall upon which studs and other framing members will be attached. It is the bottom plate of your exterior walls.

 

Sill Sealer - A material placed between the top of the foundation wall and the sill plate. Usually a foam strip, the sill sealer helps make a better fit and eliminate water problems.

 

Sill Step - The first step coming directly off a building at the door openings.

 

Single Ply - A descriptive term signifying a roof membrane composed of only one layer of material such as EPDM, Hypalon or PVC.

 

Single Tee - The name given to a type of precast concrete deck which has one stiffening rib integrally cast into slab.

 

Site Analysis – The study of a specific parcel of land (and the surrounding area) to determine its suitability for a specific use.

 

Sky Dome - A type of skylight exhibiting a characteristic translucent plastic domed top.

 

Skylight - A structure on a roof that is designed to admit light and is somewhat above the plane of the roof surface.

 

Slab on Grade - A type of construction in which footings are needed but little or no foundation wall is poured.

 

Slag - A by-product of smelting ore such as iron, lead or copper. Also overburden/ dropping from welding which may burn, melt, or discolor adjacent surfaces.

 

Slate - A dark gray stratified stone cut relatively thin and installed on pitched roofs in a shingle like fashion.

 

Slope - Incline or pitch of roof surface.

 

Slump Test- Measures the consistency of a concrete mix or its stiffness. If the tests results are high, one likely cause would be too much water. Low slump-not enough water. The test is measured in inches.

 

Sloped Glazing – Any installation of glass that is at a slope of 15 degrees or more from vertical.

 

Soffit - The underside of a part or member of a building extending out from the plane of the building walls.

 

Softening Point - The temperature at which a substance changes from a hard material to a softer and more viscous material.

 

Sole Plate - bottom horizontal member of a frame wall.

 

Spacers (Shims) – Small blocks of neoprene, EPDM, silicone or other suitable material placed on each side of the glass product to provide glass centering, maintain uniform width of sealant bead and prevent excessive sealant distortion.

 

Spalling - The chipping or flaking of concrete, bricks, or other masonry where improper drainage or venting and freeze/thaw cycling exists.

 

Span - The horizontal distance between supporting structures such as beams, trusses or columns.

 

Spandrel – The panels of a wall located between vision areas of windows which conceal structural columns, floors, and shear walls.

 

Specifications - Detailed written instructions which, when clear and concise, explain each phase of work to be done.

 

Splitting - The formation of long cracks completely through a membrane. Splits are frequently associated with lack of allowance for expansion stresses. They can also be a result of deck deflection or change in deck direction.

 

Spud - The removal of gravel or heavy accumulations of bitumen from roof membranes by means of chipping or scraping.

 

Stack - The vertical pipe of a system of soil, waste or vent piping

 

Stack Vent - Also called a waste vent or soil vent, it is the extension of a soil or waste stack above the highest horizontal drain connected to the stack.

 

Standing Seam - A type of joint often used on metal roofs.

 

Static Load - The total amount of permanent non-moving weight that is applied to given surface areas.

 

Steel Trowel- Tool used for non-porous smooth finishes of concrete. It is a flat steel tool used to spread and smooth plaster, mortar or concrete. Pointing trowels are small enough to be used in places where larger trowels will not fit. The pointing trowel has a point. The common trowel has a rectangular blade attached to a handle. For smooth finish, use trowel when concrete begins to stiffen.

 

STC (Sound Transmission Class) – A single number rating derived from individual transmission losses at specified test frequencies. It is used for interior walls, ceilings and floors.

 

STL (Sound Transmission Loss) – The reduction of the amount of sound energy passing through a wall, floor, roof, etc. It is related to the specific frequency at which it is measured and it is expressed in decibels. Also called “Transmission Loss.”

 

Stile - The side frame members of a door or window (not the jamb).

 

Storm Door – A panel or sash door placed on the outside of an existing door to provide additional protection from the elements.

 

Storm Window – A glazed panel or sash placed on the inside or outside of an existing sash or window as additional protection against the elements.

 

Strain – The percentage of elongation or compression of a material or portion of a material caused by an applied force.

 

Striking Off – The operation of smoothing off excess compound or sealant at sight line when applying same around lites or panels.

 

String Line - A nylon line usually strung tightly between supports to indicate both direction and elevation, used in checking grades or deviations in slopes or rises. Used in landscaping to level the ground.

 

Structural Silicone Glazing – The use of a silicone sealant for the structural transfer of loads from the glass to its perimeter support system and retention of the glass in the opening.

 

Structuralism – A style of architecture based on the idea that all things are built from a system of signs and these signs are made up of opposites. For Structuralists, design is a process of searching for the relationship between elements.

 

Stucco - A cement mixture used for siding.

 

Stud - The evenly spaced, vertical framing members of a wall. See also: Wood grades.

 

Subcontractor - A contractor who specializes in a particular trade such as waterproofing.

 

Sub-Floor - Material (such as particleboard) installed before finish flooring materials.

 

Sub Rough - That part of a building’s plumbing system that is done before the cement is poured.

 

Substrate - A part or substance which lies below and supports another.

 

Sunk Cost - A cost incurred in the past that will not be affected by any present or future decision. Sunk costs should be ignored in determining whether a new investment is worthwhile.

 

Taping - Applying joint tape over embedding compound in the process of joint treatment of drywall.

 

Taxiway - The portion of the air operations area of an airport that has been designated by competent airport authority for movement of aircraft to and from the airport’s runways or aircraft parking areas.

 

Tear Off – In roofing, a term used to describe the complete removal of the built up roof membrane and insulation down to and exposing the roof deck.

 

Texture Paint - One which may be manipulated by brush, trowel or other to give various patterns.

 

Thermal Movement - The measured amount of dimensional change that a material exhibits as it is warmed or cooled.

 

Thermal Shock - The stress built up by sudden and appreciable changes in temperature.

 

Thermoplastic Material - Solid material which is softened by increasing temperatures and hardened by decreasing temperatures.

 

Three Phase – In electrical contracting, a wiring system consisting of 4 wires and used in industrial and commercial applications. This system is suitable for installations requiring large motors. It consists of three hot wires and one ground wire. The voltage in each hot wire is out of phase with the others by 1/3 of a cycle, as if produced by 3 different generators.

 

THW - Moisture and heat resistant thermoplastic conductor. It is flame retardant, moisture and heat resistant and can be used in dry or wet locations.

 

Tie-In – In roofing, a term used to describe the joining of a new roof with the old.

 

Tilt-Up Wall - Cast concrete units which are preformed which, when cured, are tilted to their vertical position and secured by mechanical fasteners to prior erected structural steel. May be pre-cast.

 

Tinted Glass – Glass with colorants added to the basic glass batch that give the glass color as well as light and heat-reducing capabilities. The color extends throughout the thickness of the glass.

 

Title 24 - A federal set of laws that mandates the construction industry to conserve energy.

 

Toe Bead – Sealant applied at the intersection of the outboard glazing stop and the bottom of the glazing channel; must be sized to also provide a seal to the edge of the glass.

 

Tongue and Groove - A type of flooring where the tongue of one board is joined to the groove of another board

 

Tooling – The operation of pressing in and striking a sealant in a joint to press the sealant against the sides of a joint and secure good adhesion; the finishing off of the surface of a sealant in a joint so that it is flush with the surface.

 

Top Mopping - The finished mopping of hot bitumen on a built-up roof.

 

Top Plate - Top horizontal member of a frame wall.

 

Torching - Applying direct flame to a membrane for the purpose of melting, heating or adhering.

 

Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) - A New Urbanist approach to designing cities, towns, and neighborhoods. Traditional, or Neo-traditional, planners, developers, architects, and designers try to reduce traffic and eliminate sprawl.

 

Traffic Barrier – A device used to prevent a vehicle from striking a more severe obstacle or feature located on the roadside or in the median to prevent crossover median accidents.

 

Transfer Payment -- A payment of money or goods. A pure transfer is unrelated to the provision of any goods or services in exchange. Such payments alter the distribution of income, but do not directly affect the allocation of resources on the margin.

 

Transit - A surveyor’s instrument used by builders to establish points and elevations both vertically and horizontally. It can be used to line up stakes or to plumb walls or the angle of elevation from a horizontal plane can be measured.

 

Treasury Rates - Rates of interest on marketable Treasury debt. Such debt is issued in maturities ranging from 91 days to 30 years.

 

Tremie - A tube with removable sections and a funnel at the top used in concrete application. The bottom is kept beneath the surface of the concrete and raised as the form is filled and is used to pour concrete underwater.

 

Truss - A major supporting structure usually made of timber.

 

Tuck Pointing - The re-grouting of defective mortar joints in a masonry or brick wall.

 

TW – Moisture-resistant thermoplastic conductor that can be used in dry or wet locations and has no outer covering and is not heat-resistant.

 

Two Part Sealant – A product composed of a base and curing agent or accelerator, necessarily packages in two separate containers which are uniformly mixed just prior to use.

 

Ultraviolet - The invisible rays of the spectrum of light which are at its violet end. Sometimes abbreviated U.V.

 

Underpass – A structure providing passage for a highway under a railroad.

 

Uprights - Vertical members supporting the sides of a trench.

 

U-Value – A measure of air-to-heat transmission (loss or gain) due to the thermal conductance and the difference in indoor and outdoor temperatures. As the U-value decreases, so does the amount of heat that is transferred through the glazing material. The lower the U-value, the more restrictive the fenestration product is to heat transfer. Reciprocal of R-value.

 

Valve - A device to stop, start or regulate the flow of liquid or gas through or from

piping.

 

Vapor - The gaseous form of any substance.

 

Vapor Retarder (Barrier) - A membrane which is placed between the insulation and the roof deck to retard water vapor in the building from entering the insulation and condensing into liquid water.

 

Veining – In roofing, the characteristic lines or “stretch marks” which develop during the aging process of soft bitumens.

 

Vent Pipe - A vertical pipe of relatively small dimensions which protrudes through a roof to provide for the ventilation of gasses.

 

Ventilator - Device installed on the roof for the purpose of ventilating the interior of the building.

 

Venting - The process of installing roof vents in a roof assembly to relieve vapor pressure. The process of water in the insulation course of the roof assembly evaporating and exiting via the roof vents.

 

Vent Stack - A vertical vent pipe installed for the purpose of providing circulation of air to and from any part of a drainage system.

 

Vent System – In plumbing, a system to provide a flow of air to or from a drainage system or to provide circulation of air within such system to protect traps seals from siphonage and back pressure.

 

Vermiculite - An aggregate somewhat similar to perlite that is used as an aggregate in lightweight roof decks and deck fills. It is formed from mica, a hydrous silicate.

 

Viscosity - The internal frictional resistance offered by a fluid to change of shape or to the relative motion or flow of its parts.

 

Visible Light Transmittance – The percentage of visible light (390 to 770 nanometers) within the solar spectrum that is transmitted through glass.

 

Visual Mock Up – Small scale demonstration of a finished construction product.

 

Voltage - The driving force behind the flow of electricity somewhat like pressure is in a water pipe.

 

Voltmeter - measures the voltage flowing through a circuit. The circuit must be closed to allow the voltage to flow.

 

Walkways - Designated areas for foot traffic.

 

Water-Cement Ratio - The strength of a concrete mixture depends on the water cement ratio. The water and cement form a paste. If the paste is made with more water,the concrete becomes weaker. Traditionally, concrete mixes have been identified in terms of the ratio of cement to fine aggregate to coarse aggregate. For example, the ratio 1:2:4 refers to a mix which consists of 1 cu. ft. of cement, 2 cu. ft. of sand and 4 cu. ft. of gravel. Cement and water are the two chemically active elements in concrete and when combined, form a paste or glue which coats and surrounds the particles of aggregate and upon hardening binds the entire mass together.

 

Waterproofing – The process where a building component is made totally resistant to the passage of water and/or water vapor.

 

Water Repellant Coating – Transparent coating or sealer applied to the surface of concrete and masonry surfaces to repel water.

 

Water Vapor – Moisture existing as a gas in air.

 

Watershed – A geographical region of land or “drainage area” that drains to a common channel or outlet. Drainage of the land can occur directly into a creek, or through a series of systems that may include storm sewers, roadside ditches, and/or tributary channels.

 

Wattage - The electrical unit of power. Kilowatts are 1000 watts and electric customers are billed on how many kilowatts of power they have used.

 

Weep Hole - A hole which allows for drainage of entrapped water from masonry or glazing structures.

 

Weep Screed – Tool used to drain moisture from concrete.

 

Weld - The joining of components together by fusing. In thermoplastics, refers to bonding together of the membrane using heat or solvents.

 

Wet Seal – Application of an elastomeric sealant between the glass and sash to form a weather tight seal.

 

Wind Uplift - The upward force exerted by wind traveling across a roof.

 

Wire Size - Conductors for building wiring are available in AWG (American Wire Gauge) sizes ranging from No. 14 to 4/0. The larger the number size, the smaller the diameter. For example #10 is smaller than #8. The larger the diameter of a wire, the lesser the resistance.

 

Willingness to Pay - The maximum amount an individual would be willing to give up in order to secure a change in the provision of a good or service.

 

Wood Fiber Plaster - Consists of calcified gypsum integrally mixed with selected coarse cellulose fibers which provide bulk and greater coverage. It is formulated to produce high-strength base coats for use in highly fire-resistant ceiling assemblies.

 

Work Life – The time during which a curing sealant (usually two compounds) remains suitable for use after being mixed with a catalyst.

 

Zoning Map – A map that shows the existing use classifications for each parcel within a local jurisdiction.

 

Zoning Ordinance – A legal document that spells out the requirements for each category of land use. Each use has a specific set of requirements regarding the amount of a site that can be covered with buildings, how far the buildings must be set back from the street, the heights of the buildings, the amount of parking required, and the amount of landscaping or open space required.


 

CalTrans Terminology

 

AB Assembly Bill

ABX Assembly Bill of an Extraordinary Session

AC Advanced Construction

APDE Advance Project Development Element

ATP Active Transportation Program

CM Caltrans Construction Manual

CMIA Corridor Mobility Improvement Account Commission

CTC California Transportation Commission

Controller State Controller's Office

COS Capital Outlay Support Department

Caltrans California Department of Transportation

DOF Department of Finance

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

FAST Act Fixing America's Surface Transportation

FE Fund Estimate

FTF Federal Trust Fund

GARVEE Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle(s)

GC Government Code

GF General Fund

GO General Obligation

HRCSA Highway-Railroad Crossing Safety Account

HSRPA Highway, Safety, Rehabilitation and Preservation Account LA Local Assistance

LBSRA Local Bridge Seismic Retrofit Account

MAP-21 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act

OA Obligation Authority

PTA Public Transportation Account

PTMISEA Public Transportation Modernization, Improvement & Service Enhancement Account 

PUC Public Utilities Code

RMRA Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account

R/W Right-of-Way

S&HC Streets & Highways Code

SAFETEA-LU Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users

SB Senate Bill

SHA State Highway Account

SHOPP State Highway Operation and Protection Program

SHS State Highway System

SLPP State-Local Partnership Program

SR 99 State Route 99 Account

STA State Transit Assistance

STIP State Transportation Improvement Program

STO State Treasurer's Office

TCEA Trade Corridors Enhancement Account

TCIF Trade Corridors Improvement Fund

TFA Transportation Facilities Account

TIF Transportation Investment Fund

TIRCP Transit & Intercity Rail Capital Program


 

Bibliography and Further Resources

ARTICLES

 

“A Primer: The State’s Infrastructure and the Use of Bonds,” Sacramento: Legislative Analyst’s Office, January 2006.

 

Ellen Hanak and Mark Baldassare, “California 2025: Taking On The Future,” Western City, Vol. 81, No. 6, June 2005.

 

David E. Dowall and Jan Whittington, “Making Room for the Future: Rebuilding California’s Infrastructure,” San Francisco, CA, Public Policy Institute of California, 2003. 225 P.

 

Karsten J. Vieg, “Special Issue On California’s Infrastructure,” Public Affairs Report, Institute of Governmental Studies, Winter, 2001.

 

David E. Dowall, “California’s Infrastructure Policy for the 21st Century: Issues and Opportunities,” San Francisco, Ca: Public Policy Institute, 2000.

 

“California’s Public Investment Gap: Financing Infrastructure: Issues and Implications,” Sacramento, Ca: California Budget Project, 1999. 12 P.

 

Frank H. Trinkl, “Rusty Hinges on the Golden Gate: An Analysis of California’s Infrastructure and Proposals for New Financing,” Sacramento, Ca: Assembly Office of Research, 1984. 302 P.

 

Michael Semler, “Financing California’s Infrastructure,” Sacramento: CSU Faculty Research Program, December 2005.

 

“Paving The Way: Massive Public Works Project Moves Forward,” Budget Watch, California Budget Project, Mar. 2006.

 

“Making Dollars Make Sense, Sacramento: California Budget Project,” February 2006.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Ernest C. Brown, Esq., PE serves as a Strategic Advisor on complex infrastructure and development projects. He advises owners, public agencies, contractors, construction managers, architecture/engineering (A/E) firms throughout the United States and in twenty-six foreign countries.

 

Mr. Brown also devotes a significant amount of his time serving as a Mediator, Arbitrator, Referee, Project Neutral© and Dispute Review Board (DRB) Member.

 

His forty years of Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) experience encompass the entire project cycle, from conception, organization, contracts, risk management, design, construction, field management and finance of major capital projects, as well as performance issues, catastrophic failures and delays.

 

Mr. Brown served as Project Counsel for the Carquinez Suspension Bridge Project ($300M), the John Wayne Airport ($340M), the Honda Pond (Anaheim Ducks) ($100M), the Oakland Airport Connector for BART ($500M), the Presido Parkway Project ($1.3 B), the Carquienz Bridge ($300M), the Orange County  Performing Arts Center ($40M), and the Saudi Petrochemical Project ($3.4B).

 

In the past, he has served as lead trial counsel on the six miles of CAP Siphon failures, a $146 million Federal Court Pre-Stressed Concrete Pipe Claim; the John Wayne Airport, a $70 Million Claim arising from a contractor termination for default; the San Francisco Crystal Springs Pipeline Failure, a $42 million water pipeline failure claim; and the Mohave Power Plant disaster, a steam line rupture claiming six lives and resulting in $250 million in property damage.

 

He spent four years advising domestic and international projects as Corporate Counsel for Fluor Corporation, principally working on petrochemical, infrastructure and mining projects in twenty-six countries.

 

His writing includes five softcover editions of this book and as Contributing Editor for the California Continuing Education of the Bar’s (CEB) Handbook on  “Construction Contracts and Disputes.” He was the author of CEB’s Course Manuals on “California Public Contract Law” (1994) and “California Airport Development”

(1995).

 

He is the Author of “The Future of Infrastructure, Public-Private Partnerships” (2019).

 

He has written for the ABA Journal, Civil Engineering, Western City and numerous other industry publications and regularly speaks to government and  industry gatherings.

 

Mr. Brown studied Civil & Environmental Engineering at MIT (1975) and earned a Masters Degree in Construction Management (M.S.C.E.) and Law Degree (J.D) from the University of California, Berkeley (1978). At Harvard Law School, he wrote a legal thesis on offshore multi-purpose platforms (ILS 1975).

 

He is a Member of the State Bar of California. He is also licensed to Practice Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, & Land Surveying.

 

McCall Baugh, Esq

 

McCall Baugh, Esq. contributed to the editing of this book and collaborated on Chapter 16, Third Party Claims. McCall is a trial lawyer in San Francisco, California. Her firm focuses on personal injury and wrongful death, with a focus on the construction industry. Particular to these types of disputes are insurance coverage and Workers' Compensation issues. She is a graduate of San Diego State and Golden Gate University School of Law. www.mccallbaugh.com.