BC Ch. 12 Defintions

Concrete Construction Concepts

• Aggregate: Refers to materials like sand and gravel added to cement mixtures for concrete durability and strength.

• Cables: High-strength, cold-drawn steel strands used to impart tension within concrete structures.

• Casting: The process of placing fluid concrete in molds where it hardens into specific shapes.

• Cast-in-Place Concrete: Concrete that is mixed and poured directly in its final location rather than being pre-made off-site.

• Chairs: Devices used to maintain the position of reinforcing rods above the form surface, allowing concrete to flow underneath.

• Composite and Combination Columns: Structural columns that integrate both steel and concrete into a single assembly for enhanced strength and stability.

• Composite Construction: Involves utilizing various materials in different sections of a building to optimize load-bearing capabilities.

• Continuous Casting: A method where concrete is poured uninterruptedly, enhancing efficiency and consistency.

• Continuous Slipforming: Technique where concrete is continuously poured and forms move upward concurrently, allowing for tall structures.

• Drop Panel: A thicker floor section located above columns to provide additional shear resistance.

• Excess Flow Valve: A safety mechanism designed to shut off the flow of flammable gas in the event of a leak.

• Falsework: Temporary structures like shoring and formwork that support concrete during its curing phase.

• Flat Plate Structural System: A flat floor system without beams, relying directly on columns for support, allowing for flexible use of space.

• Footings: Essential foundations that transfer structural loads from walls and columns down to the ground.

• Formwork: Molds used to shape concrete during casting, dictating the dimensions and design of concrete elements.

• Hollow Tile: Lightweight tiles used to reduce weight in concrete floors while offering insulation properties.

• Lally Columns: Steel pipes filled with concrete, enhancing load-bearing functionality.

• Left-in-Place Form: Concrete elements that are integrated with corrugated steel, which serve as permanent formwork.

• Lift Slab Construction: A technique where slabs are cast ground level and then lifted into their final position.

• Monolithic Construction: Concrete in a structure is poured in one continuous operation, creating a unified and strong building framework.

• Mudsills: Planks utilized to support formwork for concrete pours, providing stability and level foundations.

• Mushroom Cap: The broadened tops of columns that assist in distributing loads effectively across the structure.

• One-Way Structural System: A framework where beams support loads primarily in a single direction.

• Plain Concrete: Concrete that consists of minimal reinforcement, primarily to control temperature-related cracking.

• Precast Concrete: Concrete components created in a controlled environment and then transported to the construction site for integration.

• Prestressing: The practice of inducing internal stresses in concrete, countering the effects of service loads.

• Pretensioning and Posttensioning: Methods of applying tension to steel rods in concrete, designed to improve resistance to tensile loads.

• Reinforced Concrete: A structural form that incorporates steel reinforcement to improve strength against tensile forces.

• Reinforcing Bars or Rods: Steel bars embedded in concrete to enhance its tensile strength and resistance.

• Reshoring: The reinstallation of shoring systems after formwork removal, providing additional support for curing concrete.

• Skewbacks: Tiles strategically shaped to fit around steel connections, assisting in load transfer.

• Slipforming: An innovative technique of continuously moving a form upward while simultaneously pouring concrete.

• Spalling: Damage characterized by the chipping away of concrete surfaces, often caused by exposure to high temperatures.

• Strands: High-strength steel cables effectively used for creating tension in concrete structures.

• Stressing the Tendons: The process of stretching and anchoring steel tendons post-hardening to enhance structural integrity.

• Temperature Rods: Used to mitigate cracking in concrete due to temperature fluctuations.

• Tendons: High-strength steel cables embedded in concrete to apply tension, enhancing its load-bearing capacity.

• Two-Way Structural System: A design where beams extend in two perpendicular directions for improved load distribution.

• Underwriters Blocks: Concrete blocks manufactured according to Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standards for safety and performance.

• Waffle Concrete: A two-way structural system featuring closely spaced beams that create a waffle-like pattern, optimizing strength and material use.