15 The topic of this glossary is civil engineering. terms
The purpose of this glossary is to help myself understand some commonly used terms in my field by describing in detail what they mean by using their definition, their part of speech, their equivalent in French and other things.
aggregate
noun
Aggregate is a material made from rocks of different sites used in construction.
Example: There is not enough aggregate to support the load of the vehicles on this road.
fr: aggrégat
asphalt
noun
Asphalt is a material made from aggregate and bitumen commonly used to pave roads.
Example: This asphalt is super smooth.
fr: asphalte
beam
noun
A beam is a horizontal structure element that transfer the loads from the floors to the columns.
Example: This beam bears the load for this section of the ground slab.
fr: poutre
column
noun
A column is a vertical structural member that transfers compressive loads to the foundation.
Example: This load bearing steel column is in really bad shape.
fr: colonne
concrete
noun
Concrete is a material used in building that is made from cement, aggregate, water and sometimes additives.
Example: This concrete will take 72 hours to harden.
fr: béton
drainage
noun
Drainage is the removal of water from a structure or a man-made site.
Example: Good drainage is essential for the durability of a road.
fr: draînage
excavation
noun
Excavation is the process of digging in the ground for construction purposes.
Example: The excavation for this building will take more than a month.
fr: excavation
foundation
noun
The foundation is the part of the building that transfers the load of the building to the ground.
Example: The foundation of this building is very sturdy.
fr: fondation
geotechnical
adjective
Geotechnical engineering is the part of engineering that refers to the soil.
Example: The geotechnical engineering team will calculate the load that this soil can safely support.
fr: géotechnique
load
noun
A load is a force applied to a part of a structure.
Example: The load on this joist is really high.
fr: charge
Scaffolding
noun
A scaffolding is a temporary structure to support workers and equipment while they work in higher floors.
Example: These scaffoldings are approved by an engineer.
fr: échaffaudages
shear
noun
A shear is a force that causes material to slide part each other.
Example: The shear force applied on this column is too high.
fr: cisaillement
slab
noun
A slab is a flat surface made of concrete and sometimes re bar that generally bears compression loads.
Example: This concrete slab is thick and contains a lot of re bar because it bears high compression loads.
fr: dalle
slope
noun
A slope is the degree of inclination of a surface.
Example: The slope of this slab is high to favor drainage.
fr: pente
stress
noun
Stress is the force per unit of area within a material or a structural component.