Hi! My name is David Montes, and I am a civil engineering student. Since starting my studies, I’ve come across many new words that are important in construction and engineering. Some of these terms can be hard to remember or understand, so I created this glossary to help students like me learn them more easily.This glossary is made for students in civil engineering, but it can also be useful for anyone interested in construction. It includes 15 important construction terms, each with a definition, an example sentence, and a French translation. These words are commonly used in engineering courses, textbooks, and on real construction sites.
Beam
noun
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.
en: poutre
Bridge
noun
Cantilever
noun
a long projecting beam or girder fixed at only one end, used in bridge construction.
Example: Note also that the output fluctuates as the CANTILEVER oscillates at the instant the load is applied, before settling.
en: En porte-à-faux
Compaction test
noun
A compaction test measures how much a soil has been compacted, which increases its density and reduces voids
en: Essai de compactage
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: The main materials used at St Catherine's are CONCRETE. Concretes structural systems will need to be observed.
en: béton
Concrete pump
noun
A concrete pump is a machine that moves wet concrete to a construction site using hydraulics and a valve system
Example: The workers used a concrete pump to efficiently pour the concrete
en: Pompe à béton
Excavation
noun
The act of removing earth that is covering very old objects buried in the ground in order to discover things about the past.
Example: The excavation of the construction site began early in the morning to prepare the foundation.
en: Excavation
Footing
noun
he bottommost part of a foundation wall, with a course of concrete wider than the base of the wa
Example: The footing of the building must be strong enough to support the entire structure.
en: Pied de fondation
Geotextile
noun
Geotextile is a permeable fabric used in construction and environmental projects to stabilize soil, prevent erosion, and improve drainage.
Example: A geotextile was placed under the gravel to improve drainage and prevent soil erosion.
en: Géotextile
Highway
noun
a main road, especially one connecting major towns or cities.
Example: This reduction in flexibility allows them to flex as the deck expands in the sun, thus allowing the HIGHWAY to expand or contract by up to three metres.
en: autoroute
Joint
noun
a point at which parts of an artificial structure are joined
Example: Expansion joints are used in concrete structures to allow movement and prevent cracks.
en: joint
Parking lot
noun
an area where cars or other vehicles may be left temporarily.
Example: The new shopping mall has a large parking area for customers.
en: stationnement
Paving
noun
The materials used for a pavement.
Example: The roads are soft, elastic, dust-free, with their smooth paving and washed bricks on the field
en: Pavage
Tunnel
noun
an artificial underground passage, especially one built through a hill or under a building, road, or river.
Example: To analyse the flow of air over the rear wing a scale model can be built and tested in a wind TUNNEL with a rolling road
en: Tunnel
Tunnel boring machine
noun
A tunnel boring machine (TBM) is a large machine that digs tunnels underground.
