Civil Engineering Glossary

 

 

My Civil Engineering Glossary

Hello, my name is Thomas Landry, and I am an active guy who loves to know how our world is built. I am also studying in civil engineering at CEGEP Montmorency. This year will be my third year in civil engineering and also my final year. This degree will allow me to build the world of tomorrow from streets, buildings, houses, bridges and much more. This glossary will help and teach you some important words about civil engineering and will also help you understand what this career is all about by learning these keywords.

engineer

noun

A person who designs, builds, or maintains machines, structures, or systems.

Example: Implicitly and through the discussion with an ENGINEER I became aware of issues related to this tasks.

fr: ingénieur

technician

noun

A person employed to look after technical equipment or do practical work in a laboratory.

Example: The required modifications were performed by Stewart Edris, an electrical TECHNICIAN within the department.

fr: technicien

supervise

verb

Observe and direct the execution of (a task, project, or activity).

Example: Indeed, Malcolm is the one who negligently failed to SUPERVISE the work properly and should therefore be solely liable.

fr: superviser

calculate

verb

Determine (the amount or number of something) mathematically.

Example: By simplifying it was possible to CALCULATE the amount of time each lorry would take and compare it to the results given by the model.

fr: calculer

draw

verb

Produce (a picture or diagram) by making lines and marks, especially with a pen or pencil, on paper.

Example: Many of the best designers in formula 1 are happier to work at a DRAWING board working out the aerodynamic profile for a car than to play with a CAD model.

fr: dessin

survey

verb

Examine and record the area and features of (an area of land) so as to construct a map, plan, or description.

Example: If available, aerial photography or satellite images would help to raise the precision of information in the SURVEY.

fr: arpenter

zoning

noun

The classification of land according to restrictions placed on its use and development.

Example: The physical planning department should be directly involved in the development of ZONING regulations for the area.

fr: zonage

plans

verb

Design or make a plan of (something to be made or built).

Example: The full planning application will require all necessary PLANS and drawings detailing the proposal.

fr: plans

build

verb

Construct (something) by putting parts or material together.

Example: Every item, with which they might help the country, they must buy from other countries, both iron and all the timber with which they BUILD houses.

fr: construire

soil

noun

The upper layer of earth in which plants grow, a black or dark brown material typically consisting of a mixture of organic remains, clay, and rock particles.

Example: Protection and maintenance of SOIL to minimise erosion and run-off - may affect choice of crops, and ploughing times.

fr: sol

foundation

noun

The lowest load-bearing part of a building, typically below ground level.

Example: It should be taken care that more emphasis is to be laid in the starting FOUNDATION, during the team roles division.

fr: fondation

beam

noun

A long, sturdy piece of squared timber or metal spanning an opening or part of a building, usually to support the roof or floor above.

Example: The torque can be applied by placing standard weights to the BEAM attached to the free end of the shaft.

fr: poutre

column

noun

An upright pillar, typically cylindrical and made of stone or concrete, supporting an entablature, arch, or other structure or standing alone as a monument.

Example: A wide entrance portico of eight Ionic COLUMNS.

fr: colonne

concrete

noun

A heavy, rough building material made from a mixture of broken stone or gravel, sand, cement, and water, that can be spread or poured into molds and that forms a mass resembling stone on hardening.

Example: One unforeseen problem was the increase of prestressing at the pier tops as a result of the CONCRETE casting process.

fr: béton

asphalt

noun

A mixture of dark bituminous pitch with sand or gravel, used for surfacing roads, flooring, roofing, etc.

Example: The construction of the new road required a significant amount of ASPHALTE.

fr: asphalte

steel

noun

A hard, strong, gray or bluish-gray alloy of iron with carbon and usually other elements, used extensively as a structural and fabricating material.

Example: STEEL is an alloy, a mixture of iron with carbon and often other elements like manganese.

fr: acier

wood

noun

The hard fibrous material that forms the main substance of the trunk or branches of a tree or shrub, used for fuel or timber.

Example: She gathered some WOOD to build a fire.

fr: bois

load

noun

A weight or source of pressure borne by someone or something.

Example: Slightly bent members would hold a lower LOAD, but it was assumed all members were straight.

fr: charge

tension

noun

The state of being stretched tight.

Example: The principal types of beam to be considered are cantilevered beams where the ends are rigidly built into walls which restrain the ends to be horizontal but free from longitudinal TENSION, and simply-support beams in which rotation of the ends is unrestrained.

fr: tension

compression

noun

The action of compressing or being compressed.

Example: Structure 2 could hold more load then structure 3 due to the added members in structure 3 placing T5 under greater COMPRESSION.

fr: compression

stress

noun

Pressure or tension exerted on a material object.

Example: The distribution of STRESS is uniform across the bar.

fr: stress

strain

noun

A force tending to pull or stretch something to an extreme or damaging degree.

Example: STRAIN is originally applied in static applications such as the stresses in supports.

fr: traction

This glossary was made with the Virtual Writing Tutor glossary maker and grammar checker.