Engineering Concepts in Civil Engineering

Berm

• An artificial horizontal ledge on the side of a roadbed, used to ensure the stability of steep slopes.
• Also used to hold water on land that is to be flood irrigated.

Beam

• A horizontal structural member designed to resist loads that bend it.

Bearing

• The supporting section of a beam, or the area where the beam rests on its support.
• The compressive stress between a beam and its support (bearing pressure).
• The horizontal angle turned between true north and a given line.

Bench Mark

• A fixed point with a known elevation used as a reference point for leveling.

Bending Formula

• Equation used for calculating the bending moment in beams.
• Moment (M) = Stress x Modulus of Section, OR Moment (M) = Force x Arm

Bernoulli Equation

• Energy equation for two points along the bottom of an open channel experiencing uniform flow.
• P1 + V1^2 / (2g) + Z1 + W pump = P2 + V2^2 / (2g) + Z2 + hL + W turbine

Bidder

• An individual or entity submitting a proposal for a construction project.

Binder

• A material like cement, tar, bitumen, gypsum plaster, or lime used to provide consistency, solidification, or cohesion to other materials.
• The clay or silt in gravel, or the cement rock used in construction.
• A stirrup or steel rod used to hold together reinforcing steel in a reinforced-concrete beam or column.

Bituminous Seal Coat

• A thin layer of bituminous material applied to a surface to seal and waterproof voids, and to embed sand or chips for better traction.

Bleeding

• Separation of clear water from the cement paste in mortar or concrete.
• Harmful when it occurs after compaction, as it weakens the bond between the concrete and the reinforcement.
• Can be beneficial when it occurs during compaction, as it encourages good curing.

Cracking in Concrete

• Expected in reinforced concrete due to its high shrinkage on hardening.
• Cracks are usually covered by the reinforcement.
• Contraction and expansion joints are constructed to reduce cracking.

Crack

• Open seam, not necessarily extending through the body of a material.
• Types of cracks in asphaltic or portland cement concrete include:
  • Alligator Crack: Caused by fatigue of the asphaltic concrete surface layer or excessive movement of the underlying layers. Forms an interconnected network of irregularly shaped polygons.
  • Block Crack: Caused by shrinkage of the bound surface material. Forms an interconnected network of nearly square shapes.
  • Durability (D) Crack: Series of closely-spaced cracks parallel to pavement joints, caused by freezing and thawing of unsound aggregates with high moisture content.
  • Random Crack: Crack that is not longitudinal or transverse and has little or no interconnection with other cracks. Caused by movement of the pavement structure or subgrade.
  • Reflective Crack: Crack in the pavement surface caused by movement of a cracked underlying layer.
  • Transverse or Temperature Crack: Long crack perpendicular to the centerline caused by longitudinal shortening of the surface layer.
  • Craze Crack: Numerous fine cracks on the concrete surface in a hexagonal or octagonal pattern, caused by improper troweling.

Culvert

• Covered channel or large pipe used to carry a watercourse below ground level.

Curing

• Keeping freshly poured concrete or mortar damp for a specified time to allow the cement to harden properly.
• Improves final strength of concrete, particularly at the surface, and reduces cracking or dusting.

Dado

• Concrete barrier on the sides of bridge approach slab, or the part of a pedestal between the cap and base.

Datum

• Any elevation taken as a reference point for leveling.

Deck

• Flat roof, quay, jetty, or bridge floor, generally with no roof over it.
• Formwork for a level surface.

Deformed Bar

• Reinforcing bar with ridges to increase the bonding between the bar and concrete.

Density Index

• Measure of the tendency for soil to compact during loading.
• 1 = very dense soil, 0 = very loose soil

Detour

• Temporary route for traffic around a closed portion of a road.

Deviation

• Difference between a value and the average of a set.

Diaphragm

• Stiffening plate in a bridge between main girders or a stiffening web across a hollow building block.

Dilution

• Reducing the concentration of a soluble material by adding water.

Distillation

• Salt removal process from brackish or sea water by boiling and condensation.

Ditch

• Long, narrow excavation for drainage, irrigation, or burying underground pipelines.

Divided Highway

• Highway with separated traveled ways for traffic, generally in opposite directions.

Dredge

• To dig or excavate underwater.

Duct

• Protective tube, brick trench, or concrete corridor for pipes or cables through the ground.

Ductility

• Ability of a metal to undergo cold plastic deformation without breaking.

Durability

• Ability of materials to resist weathering action, chemical attack, abrasion, or other conditions of service.

Dyke

• Mound of earth along a river or channel bank to retain floodwater.
• Large ditch.
• Tabular-shaped igneous intrusion.

Easement

• Right to use or control the property of another for designated purposes.

Soldier Pile

• Upright pile used to hold lagging.

Soundness

• Resistance to both physical and chemical deterioration.

Spalling

• Peeling away of a surface, particularly of Portland cement concrete.

Span

• Distance between the supports of a bridge, truss, arch, girder, floor, beam, etc.

Spillway or Wasteway

• Overflow channel.

Spread Footing

• Footing used to support a single column, also known as an individual column footing or isolated footing.

Specifications

• Written or printed description of the construction work to be done, forming part of the contract.
• Describes qualities of materials, mode of construction, dimensions, and other information not shown in drawings.
• Includes bidding procedures, legal requirements, insurance requirements, material and workmanship requirements, inspection and testing procedures, and procedures for measurement and payment of the work.
• Establishes obligations of the contracting parties.
• Includes Standard Specifications and Special Provisions.

Special Provisions

• Approved supplementary provisions, additions, revisions, or deletions to the standard specifications that may cover conditions peculiar to an individual project.

Soil Stabilization

• Modification of soils or aggregates by incorporating materials that increase load bearing capacity, firmness, and resistance to weathering or displacement.

Standard Specifications

• Current edition of the State's Standard Specifications for State Road and Bridge Construction.

Standard Deviations

• Measure of variability calculated from the differences between individual measurements in a group and their average.

Steady Flow

• Flow that does not vary with time.

Strand

• A number of steel wires grouped together by twisting.

Street

• General term denoting a public way for vehicular travel, including the entire area within the right-of-way.

Toughness

• Resistance of a material to repeated bending and twisting.

Torque, Torsion, or Twist

• Twisting effect of a force on a shaft applied tangentially.

Traffic Lane

• Portion of a traveled way for the movement of a single line of vehicles.

Travel Lane

• Right lane of a two-lane roadway with both lanes going in the same direction.

Traveled Way

• Portion of the roadway for the movement of vehicles, excluding shoulders and auxiliary lanes.

Truss

• Frame of steel, timber, concrete, or light alloy used to carry a roof or bridge, built up wholly from members in tension and compression.

Turfing

• Covering of an earth surface with growing grass cut from another site.
• Revetment to slopes made by laying turves.

Uniform Flow

• Flow with a constant depth, volume, and shape along its course.

Uplift

• Upward force on earth due to water leaking into a dam or from any point where water is under high pressure.
• Lifting of a structure caused by frost heave, wind force, or swelling soil.

Varried Flow

• Flow that has a changing depth along the watercourse. The variation is with respect to location, not time.

Vibrated Concrete

• Concrete consolidated by vibration.
• Requires less water for effective placing, resulting in stronger concrete.

Vibrator

• Tool that vibrates at a speed from 3,000 to 10,000 rpm and is inserted into wet concrete or applied to the formwork to compact the concrete.

Types of Vibrators:

• For precast work:
  • Platform vibrators: small vibrators carried by one or two men moving up and down a pile or lamp post.

Test your knowledge on essential civil engineering concepts like berms, beams, and the Bernoulli equation. This quiz covers important principles that govern structural stability and fluid mechanics. Perfect for students or professionals looking to brush up on their understanding of key topics in civil engineering.