Glossary of Construction Terminology

ABRASION RESISTANCE: The ability of a concrete surface to withstand surface wear from machines
and other materials.
ABRAM’S LAW: A rule stating that with given concrete materials and conditions of testing, the ratio of the
amount of water to the amount of cement in the mixture design determines the strength of the concrete. (
Water to Cement Ratio )
ADMIXTURES: Materials and chemicals added to a concrete mix design which can increase strength,
workability, lower freezing points, accelerate or decelerate setting time, entrain air or otherwise affect the
placement, and curing of concrete.
Specifiers will dictate a “Mix Design” in the Job Specifications, which will include the water to cement
ratio, the amount and type of aggregate as well as admixture portions to be added to the concrete mix.
This “Mix Design” will vary according to the specific requirements of the slab or wall area to be poured.
 Accelerators: Chemicals, which increase the rate of hydration, shorten setting time as well as
increase the rate of hardening and strength development.
These products are most often applied in cold weather applications.
 Aggregate: Inert materials, such as crushed limestone, sand, coral, and gravel, which serve as filler
materials and can add significantly to the
compressive strength of concrete. The type of aggregate is normally dictated by the availability of
natural resources and the function of
the slab or wall.
 Air Entraining Agents: Additives which cause the creation of minute air bubbles in the concrete
mixture. This increases workability and frost resistance and allows for the expansion of the concrete
without excessive cracking.
 Calcium Chloride: A chemical used to accelerate the hardening of concrete. The chemical is added
to concrete mixtures during frost to accelerate
the rate of heat build up in the mixture, therefore increasing setting and hardening rates.
 Fly Ash: A substitute for cement, ( not to exceed 25% of the weight of the cement ) which reduces
shrinkage and retards setting time, thus
Increasing working time.
 Micro Silica: ( Silica Fume ) A concrete additive, which drastically increases strength and reduces
permability. It also makes the concrete
“ sticky “ and hard to finish. This additive is commonly used in Industrial floor applications where
dry shake hardeners are not used.
 Plasticizers: Chemicals, which are used to increase the workability of concrete without decreasing
strength. It helps to maintain a “plastic” state for extended periods without increasing the water
content of the mixture.
 Retarders: Additives, which are used to delay the rate of hardening and setting of concrete. These
products are most often used in hot weather pours to prevent the premature dehydration of the
concrete.
 Water Reducers: Chemicals used to lower the water to cement ratio in the concrete mixture thus
resulting in higher compressive strength.
BACKFILL: Earth or other material used to replace material removed during excavation in preparation for
the construction of concrete walls, slabs,
culverts, pipelines, trenches or bridge abutments.
BATCH PLANT: An operating Installation with the equipment and materials required to mix and batch
concrete Some plants are portable and are capable of installation on the job site.
BLEEDING: A term used to describe the rising of excessive water to the surface of a concrete slab. This
is a normal process, which can be controlled by the addition of water reducers or other admixtures.
BONDING AGENTS: Chemicals used to insure the adhesion between newly poured concrete and
existing substrates. These products are manufactured both in a two-part epoxy and a one part latex
product. Epoxies are recommended for areas where adhesion could be difficult.
BUG HOLES: Holes left in the surface of formed concrete or grout, which reflect the location of
aggregates, snap ties, or air products.
CAST IN PLACE CONCRETE: Concrete, which is poured in forms erected at it’s permanent location and
allowed to harden and cure in this position.
CASSON: A foundation or support system whereby cavities are drilled in the earthen substrate and filled
with concrete.
CEMENT: An ingredient in concrete, which is made by the burning of clay and crushed limestone.
CEMENT FACTOR: The number of bags or cubic feet of cement used in a cubic yard of concrete.
COLD JOINT: A stop in a pour, usually keyed, where newly poured concrete is placed adjacent to
concrete which has set or begun to set.
COMPACTION: The density required on the surface, which concrete is to be poured. Compaction
insures that the slab does not crack in areas where there is a soft under surface.
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH: The measure of maximum resistance to load or weight. This factor is
measured in “Pounds Per Square Inch” ( PSI )
CONCRETE CURING: The process of hydration, which allows the retention of moisture in a concrete mix
to allow the attainment of maximum compressive strength. The prevailing specification for liquid
membrane curing compounds is ASTM C-309. The following stipulations are required to meet this
specification:
1.
1. The curing compound must form a membrane on the surface of the concrete, which will inhibit
the evaporation of water through the concrete surface.
2. The Solution must not allow the concrete to lose more than .55 kg. of water per square meter
of area in 72 hours.
 Concrete Curing Methods:
o Liquid Membrane: Chemically sealing a slab to achieve C-309
o
 Types of Curing Compounds:
 Type 1: Clear or Transparent
 Type 1D: Clear with a fugitive dye
 Type 2: White Pigmented
 Classes of Curing Compounds:
 Class A: No restrictions on vehicle solids
 Class B: Vehicle Solids must be resin

o Ponding: Curing with the continuous flow or accumulation of water on newly placed concrete.
o Waterproof Paper: The placement of a heavy bond Kraft paper that retains moisture without
deteriorating.
o Burlap Curing: Water soaked burlap cloth ( Usually 9 oz per sq. yd. ) which maintains moisture
on the concrete surface.
o Burlene: A curing blanket consisting of 5 mil opaque polyethylene and 10 oz. burlap. The
opaque poly reflects sunlight and the burlap retains moisture.
CONCRETE JOINTS: Designed breaks or separations in a concrete pour designed to allow for
expansion and contraction of the concrete and minimize or control cracking in a concrete pour.

 Types of Concrete Joints:

o Expansion Joints: A designed separation between newly poured concrete structures at critical
intervals ( usually no more than 20 ft. apart ) intended
to allow for expansion and contraction in the concrete due to temperature changes. The
absence of these joints will allow excessive cracking.
o Construction Joints: A joint formed by construction between two successive placements of
concrete. Examples are column bases or pouring new slabs against existing concrete.
o Control Joints: A joint formed by sawing, tooling or grooving, which permits the uniform
cracking of concrete. Joints must be sawed as soon as the concrete surface will support the
weight of the machine used to saw the joints in order for the joints to be effective.
CUBIC MEASUREMENT: The measure of volume in cubic units is as follows:
1,720 Cubic Inches = 1 Cubic Foot
27 Cubic Feet = 1 Cubic Yard
Cubic Inches = 1 Gallon
128 Cubic Feet = 1 Cord
CURED CONCRETE: Concrete which has reached it’s maximum compressive strength.
CUM-A-LONG: A rake or tool used to move concrete around during placement.
CYLINDER TEST: A laboratory test which determines the compressive strength of an actual field sample
of concrete which is usually 6 inches in diameter and 12 inches high in length. Samples are cured and
then compressed in a hydraulic ram to measure the amount of pressure required to fracture the cylinder.
DEFLECTION: Any movement or variation from the intended grade line of the slab, beam or other
structure.
DYNAMIC LOAD: A load or resistance, which is not static or stationary, such as the moving live load
which exist in a earthquake or hurricane.
FINISH: The act of smoothing or impacting the desired texture on the surface of concrete. The texture or
smoothness of a surface after finishing operations and screeding has been performed.
1. Broom Finish: A rough textured finish on the surface usually created by the use of a stiff bristle
broom.
2. Hard Trowel Finish: A super smooth finish usually made by the use of mechanical finishing
machines.
FLOAT: A tool, wooden or metallic, used in finishing operations to impart a relatively level surface.
FLOATING: The process of spreading plaster, stucco or concrete surfaces to a an equal thickness by the
use of a wooden board or magnesium tool.
FLOATING SLAB: A special type of foundation made to carry the weight of a superstructure, which is to
be erected on swampy or unstable soil.
FORMS: A temporary structure or mold for the support of concrete while it is setting and gaining
sufficient strength to be self -supporting.
1. Modular or Hand Set Forms: Smaller forms designed to be placed by hand. They are produced in
various heights and lengths in order to be used in specific applications.
2. Crane Set Forms ( Gang Forms ) : Larger forming systems which are used on mass pours and
require the use of heavy lifting equipment to be placed in position.
3. Slip Form: A form, which is pulled or raised as the concrete is placed. It generally moves
horizontally to lay concrete evenly for highway pavement but can move vertically for concrete walls.
FOUNDATION: The entire substructure below the first floor frame of a building including the footings on
which the structure rest.
FOOTING: The foundation for vertical walls or the area of the slab designed to support the weight of the
roof and wall structures and transfer weight the weight of the building to the ground.
1. Continuous Footing: Usually runs the perimeter and below weight bearing interior walls.
2. Isolated Footing: Individual structures designed to support the weight of columns throughout the
structure.
GRADE: The slope or ground level of a concrete slab, building or roadbed. Slab on grade is the slab
poured on the ground level of the structure.
GRADE BEAM: A horizontal load bearing foundation member supported on each end like a standard
beam. Not ground supported like a foundation wall or footing.
GRADING: Modification of the earthen or rock surface by cuts, fills or both. Normally done by mechanical
equipment for gross work and shovel for more detailed work.
GREEN CONCRETE: Concrete which is in it’s earliest stage of curing and has not hardened appreciably.
Typical pours take 28 days to cure.
HAUNCHING: The increased depth of a beam or slab near supports or footings to increase it’s strength
and load bearing capability.
HEADWALL: A wall of any material at the end of a culvert or drain to serve one or more of the following
purposes:
 Protect Fill from Scouring or undermining.
 Increase hydraulic efficiency by diverting water flow
 Serve as a retaining wall
HEAD PRESSURE: This term designates the capacity of a liquid circulator or the pressure at which a
pump can induce the flow of a liquid. The rating is usually expressed in foot lbs. Of pressure
HIGH DENSITY CONCRETE: Concrete of exceptionally high unit weight, usually obtained by the use of
heavyweight aggregates.
HIGH EARLY STRENGTH: Concrete which through the use of high early strength cement or admixtures,
is capable of attaining a specified strength at an earlier age than normal concrete. It is frequently used
when pours are made in low ambient temperatures.
HYDRAULIC CEMENT: A type of cement or mortar which is capable of hardening under water.
INTRAGAL WATERPROOFING: A term for waterproofing concrete by including a waterproofing
admixture In the mix design.
JETTING: A method of sinking piles with the use of high pressure water or air jets. This method is used
very commonly in marine applications where pile-driving machinery is not practical.
KEYWAY: A recess built into a lift or placement of concrete, which is filled with the concrete from the next
pour, giving shear strength to the joint. This joint is usually formed with 10’ metal strips and stakes.
KRAFT PAPER: A type of strong, water resistant brown paper, which can be used in several construction
applications, the most frequent of which is a curing paper for freshly poured slabs.
LASER LEVEL: An electronic devise which uses a laser light beam to define and exhibit the specified
grade level.
LASER SCREED: An electronic, self-propelled machine which moves concrete to the specified grade
through the use of laser light beams as well as self-contained floating and finishing equipment.
LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE: A mixture with substantially lower unit weight and compressive strength
than concrete made with crushed rock or stone aggregate. Normally used on upper floor levels or roof
tops where weight is a factor.
LOAD BEARING WALL: Any wall, which bears it’s own weight as well as the weight of a ceiling or
roof. A wall built to withstand wind resistance.
MODULUS: A unit of measure used in describing the strength of a material.
MODULUS OF ELASTICITY: The unit of measurement or ratio of normal stress to corresponding strain
under movement.
MONOLITHIC CONCRETE: Concrete cast with no joints other than construction joints. A slab poured in
a continuous uninterrupted manner.
MUDSLAB: A two to six inch slab below a structural concrete floor or footing over soft or wet soil.
NON-SLIP FLOOR:A concrete floor surface which has been roughened by treatment with iron or
synthetic filings, carborundum powder or the placement of indentions in the surface while the surface is
still wet.
NO-SLUMP CONCRETE: Concrete with a slump of one inch or less.
PAN AND BEAM FORMING: A prefabricated form in a pan shape, used in conjunction with concrete
floor joist. Used most commonly for slab pourings on multi-story structures.
PARAPET: A protective railing or low wall around and along a roof’s edge line.
PEA GRAVEL: Screened gravel, which most particles will pass through a 3/8” screen.
PLACING DRAWINGS: Detail sheets, usually provided by reinforcing steel fabricators, to aid in the
correct installation of reinforcement steel.
PLASTICITY: The measurement of a substance’s ability to remain in a plastic or workable state. ( The
ability to be deformed or shaped ) An index of
working characteristics.
PILE: ( PILING ) A long timber, concrete or steel structure jetted or driven into the ground for the
purpose of supporting building foundations.
PILE CAP:A structural member placed on and usually attached to the top of a piling or group of pilings
and used to transmit loads to the piling or group of pilings. It can be constructed of poured concrete,
timber or steel beams.
POLYMER CONCRETE: A concrete created from the use of synthetic materials as opposed to normal
Portland cements. Polymers allow a much smoother finish as well provide strength.
PORTLAND CEMENT:
Type 1: Standard Portland cement. A general purpose cement for a variety of
construction applications.
Type II: A modification of Type 1, which is resistant to Sulphate attacts and a
decreased rate of heat evolution.
Type III: A high early strength and quick hardening cement.
Type IV: Designed for a low heat hydration.
Type V: Designed for extreme Sulphate resistance.
POST-TENSIONED CONCRETE: A method of stressing reinforced concrete in which tendons or cables
are tightened after the concrete slab is hardened and put in place.
PRE-CAST CONCRETE: Concrete, which is cast and cured in a location other than it’s final resting
Positon and transported to it’s final position. ( pre-cast beams, Lintels, wall panels and elevated slabs )
PRE-STRESSED CONCRETE: A process of preparing concrete slabs and beams for extra strength by
pouring concrete mix over tightly drawn steel cables, steel rods or tendons to provide strong dense
concrete.
READY MIXED CONCRETE: Concrete manufactured for delivery according to specific mix designs to a
purchaser in a plastic and unhardened state.
REINFORCED CONCRETE:Concrete with added materials such as rebar, wire mesh, fiber mesh, dowel
bars, expanded metal fabric or cold drawn wire cable, which act together with the concrete to resist
external force.
RETAINING WALL: A wall built to prevent dirt, rock or other matter from eroding on to construction
areas.
RUBBED FINISH: A finish obtained by application of Portland Cement, sand and water or other
cementitious compounds to fill bug holes or other deformities on a
Freshly poured concrete surface.
RUBBLE CONCRETE: Concrete made from rubble and concrete debris from demolished surfaces.
SCARIFYING: Disruption of the smooth surface of concrete by creating scars, dents and a generally
rough surface to remove any chemical bond inhibitors and permit the acceptance of bonding, sealing,
adhesive or other coating materials.
SCREED: a. The process of leveling or finishing the surface of a concrete slab. This can be
accomplished by hand as well as sophisticated machinery. b. a tool or machine used to level a concrete
surface.
SCREED PIPE: A round steel pipe, usually 1” in diameter, used to identify the grade level of freshly
poured concrete. The pipe is used as a straight edge and pulled along the surface of the concrete.
SET: The condition reached by concrete, mortar or cement when it has lost it’s plasticity to the degree
that it stiffens and begins the hardening process.
SHOP DRAWINGS: Incidental drawings furnished by reinforcement suppliers and equipment
manufactures that conform to the original architectural and structural drawings. They illustrate how
specific portions of a project blend and work in sequence. They also give specific installation instructions.
SHOTCRETE: Mortar, concrete or other cementitous materials conveyed by air pressure through a hose
at high velocity onto a surface for stabilization, water and debris control.
SHRINKAGE: A decrease in volume and mass caused by temperature and chemical changes in
concrete, mortar and grout during the curing process. It can be controlled with admixtures.
SLAB ON GRADE: A non-suspended, ground supported concrete slab, usually reinforced, on the lowest
or primary level of a project.
SLUMP: The measure of the consistency of concrete rated in terms of inches. A mixture with a 3” slump
will have less flow ability than a mixture with a 9” slump. Higher slumps are required when pouring walls
to insure that the concrete penetrates to the bottom of the form and completely surrounds the
reinforcement steel. High slumps are also required when pumping is required. Higher slumps are
achieved by the addition of admixtures, which increase flow ability without decreasing strength. The
slump is measured by the use of a slump cone.
SLUMP CONE: A cone shaped mold with a base diameter of 8 inches and a top diameter of 4 inches and
a height of 12 inches. A sampling of concrete mixture is placed in the cone and the measure of slump is
measured by the decrease in the height of the sample statue once the cone is removed from the sample.
STRENGTH: The measure of a material’s ability to resist load or stress.
SUBGRADE: The uppermost material of a substrate on which concrete or asphalt is to be placed. The
foundation for pavement or asphalt structures.
SUBSTRATE: The base or lower surface on which a substance is to be applied. An earthen substrate is
the normal substrate for poured in place concrete.
TRANSIT: An Instrument commonly used by surveyors for identifying levels an measurements for project
lay outs.
TROWELING: The smoothing and compacting of the uniformed surface of freshly poured concrete.
TROWELING MACHINE: A motor driven device, which operates orbiting steel blades on radial arms
from a vertical shaft for the purpose of smoothing and compacting freshly poured concrete.
ULTIMATE STRENGTH: The maximum resistance to load that a structure is capable of developing
before failure occurs.
VIBRATION: The use of a mechanical device to facilitate the consolidation of concrete in deep pours or
pours with a very low slump.
VIBRATOR: An electric, hydraulic or gasoline powered tool used to insure consolidation of concrete
during a deep pour in a wall or slab. It consist of a power source, usually an electric motor, a “whip” on
variable length shaft, and a head on the end of the shaft opposite of the motor, which vibrates and causes
concrete to move down and around reinforcement. Wall mounted models, which attach directly to the
side of metal forms are also available.

A
AASHTO—American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
ABUTMENT—Supporting substructure at ends of bridges.
ACI—American Concrete Institut
ANCHORAGE—The securing of reinforcing steel in concrete either by straight embedment, hooks, or
headed bar
ANSI— American National Standards Institut
ARC WELDING—A process by which the two pieces of steel to be joined are heated by an arc formed
between an electrode and the steel. As the electrode melts, it supplies weld material which fuses the
pieces of steel together.
ARCHITECT—A person or firm who prepares the architectural drawings that determine the design and
form of buildings. The Architect is usually employed by and represents the Owner.
ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS—Drawings which show the general design and form of structures by
means of elevations, plans and sections; show the various materials such as brick, concrete, glass,
masonry, steel, stone and wood and their dimensions; show fixtures and finishes for ceilings, floor
surfaces and walls.
ASTM—American Society for Testing and Materials.
AWS—American Welding Society.
AXLE-STEEL REINFORCING BARS—Deformed reinforcing bars rolled from steel axles for railroad cars.
B
BACK UP BARS—See GRILLAGE BARs.
BAND—Group of reinforcing bars distributed in a slab or wall or footing. See Strips.
BANDED TENDONS—Prestressing tendons which are grouped into a narrow “band” 3 to 4 feet wide over
the columns. Tendons in the perpendicular direction are spaced uniformly.
BAR—Steel bar used to reinforce concrete. See REINFORCEMENT.
BAR-END CHECK—Check of the ends of reinforcing bars to determine whether they fit the devices
intended for mechanically splicing the bars.
BAR LIST—Bill of materials, where all quantities, sizes, lengths and bending dimensions of the
reinforcing bars are shown.
BAR NUMBER—A number, approximately the bar diameter in eighths of an inch [whole millimeters], used
to designate the reinforcing bar size. For example: A #5 [#16] bar is approximately 5/8 inch [16
millimeters] in diameter: a #9 [#29] bar is approximately 9/8 inches [29 millimeters] in diameter. Bar
numbers are rolled onto the bar for easy identification.
BAR OFF—Unloading reinforcing bars from a truck bed by levering individual bundles over the side with
pinch bars.
BAR PLACER or PLACER—Worker who handles and places reinforcing steel and bar supports. See
IRONWORKERS and METAL LATHER.
BAR PLACING SUBCONTRACTOR—A contractor or subcontractor who handles and places
reinforcement and bar supports often colloquially referred to as a “bar placer” or “placer.”
BAR SPACING—Distance between parallel reinforcing bars measured from center-to-center of the bars
perpendicular to their longitudinal axes.
BAR SUPPORTS—Devices of formed wire, plastic or precast concrete, to support, hold, and space
reinforcing bars.
BASKET—Wire assembly to support and space dowel bars along the expansion joints in concrete
pavement.
BEAM—A horizontal structural member supporting loads from a floor or roof system to columns, girders
or walls.
BEAM AND SLAB FLOOR CONSTRUCTION—A reinforced concrete floor system in which a solid slab is
supported by beams or girders of reinforced concrete.
BEAM BOLSTER—Continuous bar support used to support the reinforcing bars in the bottom of beams.
BEAM BOLSTER UPPER—Continuous bar support for the upper layer of bottom reinforcing bars in
beams and top reinforcing bars in bridge deck slabs.
BEAM SCHEDULE—Table on a placing drawing giving the quantity, size and mark number of beams; the
quantity, size, length and mark numbers of reinforcing bars and stirrups (including stirrup spacing), and,
where specified, the stirrup support bars and beam bolsters.
BELLED—Having a butt or bottom end shaped like a bell, often used on concrete piers or caissons.
BENT—A self-supporting reinforced concrete frame with one or more columns, usually at right angles to
the length of the structure it supports. Example: The columns and cap supporting the spans of a bridge is
called a bent.
BENT BAR—A reinforcing bar bent to a prescribed shape such as a truss bar, straight bar with end hook,
stirrup, or column tie.
BENT CAP—A reinforced concrete beam or block, extending across and encasing the heads of columns,
comprising the top of a bent for the bridge span above.
BILL OF LADING—A list that gives each part or mark number, quantity, length of material, total weight, or
other description of each piece of material that is shipped to a jobsite.
BILLET—Piece of semifinished steel, nearly square in section, formed by hot-rolling an ingot or bloom,
from which reinforcing bars are rolled.
BOLT CUTTER—A tool used to cut reinforcing bars on the job-site. Smaller (wire) mesh cutters are used
to cut welded wire reinforcement or bundle wires.
BOND—Holding or gripping force between reinforcing steel and concrete.
BOX CULVERT—A tunnel-like reinforced concrete structure consisting of single or multiple openings,
usually square or rectangular in cross section.
BOX GIRDER—A bridge having a top and bottom slab with two or more walls forming one or more
rectangular bays. The wall heights may be variable in order to provide an arched bottom slab.
BRACKET—An overhanging member projecting from a wall, column, girder, or beam to support the
weight of a structural member.
BREAK (A SPIRAL)—Opening a spiral to the round shape and forcing it toward the opposite direction that
it was folded (collapsed) so that it will remain circular for placing.
BUILDING CODE—Laws or regulations set up by building departments of cities, states and Federal
Government, for uniformity in design and construction practices.
BULKHEAD—Partition placed in a form to hold fresh concrete, earth, or water.
BUNDLE OF BARS—A bundle consists of one size, length or mark (bent) of reinforcing bars tied
together, with the following exceptions; (1) very small quantities may be bundled together for
convenience, and (2) groups of varying bar lengths or marks (bent) that will be placed adjacent may be
bundled together. Maximum weight of bundles is dependent on regional practices and site conditions.
See LIFT.
BUNDLED BARS—A group of not more than four parallel reinforcing bars in contact with each other,
usually tied together.
BURNING REINFORCEMENT—Cutting reinforcing bars with an oxy-acetylene torch.
BUTT-WELDED SPLICE—Reinforcing bar splice made by welding the butted ends.
C
CAISSONS—Piers usually extending through water or soft soil to solid earth or rock. Also cast-in-place,
drilled-hole piles.
CAISSON—See DRILLED PIER.
CANTILEVER BEAM—Beam which extends beyond the supports in an overhanging position with the
extended end unsupported. Similarly such a slab is called a cantilever slab.
CARBON-STEEL REINFORCING BARS—Reinforcing bars rolled from steel billets in contrast to rail or
axle steel.
CAT-HEAD—A light frame and a sheave at the top of a material tower through which the lifting cable is
operated.
CERTIFIED MILL TEST REPORT—A report from the producing steel mill listing the chemical analysis,
physical properties, heat or lot number, and specification used to manufacture the material.
CHAMFER—A beveled outside corner or edge on a beam or column, or a triangular wooden strip placed
in the corner of a form to create a beveled corner.
CHOKER—A sling hitch that is self-tightening.
COLD JOINT—Construction joint in concrete occurring at a place where the continuous casting has been
interrupted.
COLUMN—Vertical structural member supporting a floor beam, girder, or other member, and supporting
primarily vertical loads.
COLUMN CAPITAL—Upper flared cone-shaped section (mushroom head) on circular columns; pyramid-
shaped section on square columns.
COLUMN HORSE—Wood or metal supports, used in groups of two or more, to hold longitudinal
reinforcing bars in a convenient position for placing ties while prefabricating column, beam or pile cages.
COLUMN SCHEDULE—Table on a placing drawing giving the mark number and size for the column,
number of pieces and size of vertical bars, ties or spirals and any bar mark numbers required.
COLUMN TIES—Reinforcing bars bent into square, rectangular, U-shaped, circular or other shapes for
the purpose of holding column vertical bars in place.
COMPRESSION BARS—Reinforcing bars used to resist compression forces.
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH-Maximum stress a material is capable of resisting under axial compression
loading.
CONCRETE BLOCK BAR SUPPORTS—Precast concrete blocks, with or without tie wires, used to
support reinforcing bars above the ground or to space bars off vertical forms and above horizontal forms.
Also known as “dobies.”
CONCRETE COVER—The distance from the face of the concrete to the reinforcing steel, also referred to
as “Fireproofing,” “Clearance,” or “Concrete Protection.”
CONSTRUCTION JOINT—Separation between two placements of concrete; a means for keying two
sections together.
CONTACT SPLICE—A means of splicing reinforcing bars by lap splicing in direct contact. See LAP
SPLICE.
CONTINUOUS BEAM—A beam which extends over three or more supports (including end supports).
CONTINUOUS HIGH CHAIRS—Bar supports consisting of a continuous longitudinal upper member with
evenly spaced legs used to support reinforcing bars near the top of slabs. See SUPPORT BARS and
INDIVIDUAL HIGH CHAIRS.
CONTINUOUSLY REINFORCED CONCRETE PAVEMENT— A pavement without transverse contraction
or expansion joints and with sufficient reinforcement to keep transverse cracks tightly closed.
CONTRACT DOCUMENTS—Documents covering the required Work and including the Project Drawings
and Project Specifications.
CONTRACTION JOINT—Saw-cut, formed, or grooved joint to allow for shrinkage in a concrete slab.
CONTRACTOR—The person, firm, or corporation with whom the Owner enters into an agreement for
construction of the Work.
COUPLER—Threaded device for joining reinforcing bars for the purpose of providing transfer of either
axial compression or axial tension or both from one bar to the other.
COUPLING SLEEVE—Non-threaded device fitting over the ends of two reinforcing bars for the eventual
purpose of providing transfer of either axial compression or axial tension or both from one bar to the
other.
CRIBBING (Also known as DUNNAGE)—Wooden blocks or boards used in a horizontal or vertical
position to separate bundles of reinforcing bars.
CRSI—Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute.
CULVERT—Any structure, not classified as a bridge, which provides a waterway or other opening under
a road or highway.
CURTAIN—A single layer of vertical and horizontal reinforcing bars in a wall. If a wall has a layer of
reinforcement at each face, it would be called a “double curtain” wall.
CUT-OFF SAW—A powered saw used to cut reinforcing bars at the job-site.
D
DEFORMED BAR—A reinforcing bar manufactured with deformations (protrusions) to provide a locking
anchorage with the surrounding concrete.
DESIGN DRAWINGS—See STRUCTURAL DRAWINGS.
DESIGNING—Preparation of structural drawings to show general arrangement of the structure, size and
reinforcement of members, and other information for construction and for the preparation of placing
drawings.
DETAILERS—Draftsmen who prepare reinforcing bar placing drawings.
DOLLY—Small, heavy, wheeled platform used for moving heavy objects. Colloquially, any wheeled cart
or carrier.
DOBIES—See CONCRETE BLOCK BAR SUPPORTS.
DOG-LEG—See OFFSET BEND.
DOWEL—A bar connecting two separately cast sections of concrete. A bar extending from one concrete
section into another is said to be doweled into the adjoining section. Examples: column dowels into a
column or horizontal wall bars doweled into an adjacent wall section.
DOWEL SLEEVE—Cap of light metal or cardboard on one end of a dowel bar to allow free movement of
an expansion joint.
DOWEL TEMPLATE—Frame which outlines the dimensions for setting dowel bars into footings for
columns and walls.
DRAFTSMAN—One who prepares drawings. See DETAILERS.
DRILLED PIER-A drilled shaft usually extending through water or soft soil to solid earth or rock.
Sometimes called a “caisson”.
DROP PANEL—The structural portion of a flat slab which is thickened (by “dropping” the form) throughout
an area surrounding a column, column capital or bracket.
E
END-BEARING SLEEVE—Device fitting over the abutting ends of two reinforcing bars for the purpose of
ensuring transfer of only axial compression from one bar to the other.
ENDO—The dimension from the end of a reinforcing bar to a point of reference along its longitudinal axis;
i.e., any bar is positioned in the forms transversely by “cover” or “spacing” and longitudinally by “cover” or
“endo.”
ENGINEER—A licensed professional or structural engineer, responsible for the design of reinforced
concrete, structural steel, and other materials which make up the complete structure.
ENGINEERING DRAWINGS—See STRUCTURAL DRAWINGS.
EPOXY COATING—An organic, non-metallic coating applied to reinforcing steel by electrostatic spray to
prevent corrosion.
EXPANSION JOINT—A separation between two sections of concrete which is provided to allow for free
movement due to temperature changes. The sections are usually divided by a strip of metal or bituminous
material and are sometimes tied together with dowels, using sleeves or coatings at one end.
F
FABRICATED HIGH CHAIR-See STANDEE.
FABRICATION—Actual work on the reinforcing bars such as cutting, bending, bundling, and tagging.
FABRICATOR—A company that is capable of preparing placing drawings, bar lists, and storing, shearing,
bending, bundling, tagging, and delivering reinforcing bars.
FAR FACE (OF A WALL)—Face farthest from the viewer, which may be the outside or inside face,
depending on whether one is inside looking out or outside looking in.
FILLET—Beveled inside corner usually at 45° to avoid a sharp 90° change in direction at the intersection
of two reinforced concrete members. Also refers to a triangular-shaped weld.
FIREPROOFING—See CONCRETE COVER. Also refers to encasement of reinforcing steel for fire
protection.
FLAT PLATE SLAB—A flat slab without drop panels or column capitals.
FLAT SLAB—A concrete slab reinforced in two or more directions, with drop panels and with or without
column capitals.
FOOTINGS—That part of the foundation of a structure which rests on earth.
FORMS—A temporary structures or molds, usually made of wood, fiberglass, metal or plastic, for the
support of concrete while it is setting and gaining sufficient strength to be self-supporting.
FOUNDATION—Substructure through which the loads are carried to the earth or rock.
G
GALVANIZE—To dip steel into molten zinc, which is termed “hot-dip galvanizing”; or to electroplate with
zinc.
GENERAL CONTRACTOR—An individual or company that bids and executes the contract for actual
construction, coordinates and supervises the work of the Subcontractors and is responsible for the
completion of the Work in accordance with the project drawings and project specifications. GIN POLES—
Single vertical guyed pole for supporting lifting tackle.
GIRDER—Principal beam supporting other beams.
GRADE BEAM—A low foundation wall or a beam usually at ground level, which provides support for the
walls of a structure.
GRADE MARKS—Markings rolled onto the surface of reinforcing bar to identify the grade of steel.
GRADE OF REINFORCING BARS—The means by which an Engineer specifies the strength properties
of the reinforcing bar required in each part of a structure.
GRILLAGE BARS-Reinforcement placed around post-tensioning anchors. Also known as “back-up bars”.
GROOVE WELD—Arc weld used to join two reinforcing bars, or a reinforcing bar to a steel plate or an
angle to make a lap splice.
GROUT—A concrete which contains no coarse aggregate.
H
HAIRPIN BARS—Bars, usually small sizes, bent to a hair pin shape and used for such purposes as short
hooked spacer bars in columns and walls, and for special dowels.
HAUNCH—Portion of a beam that increases in depth towards the support.
HEADER—A short reinforced beam, joist or slab edge generally used at floor openings to support other
similar members terminating at the opening.
HEAVY BENDING—Reinforcing bar sizes #4 through #18 [#13 through #57], which are bent at not more
than six points in one plane (unless classified as “Light Bending” or “Special Bending”) and single radius
bending.
HICKEY—Hand tool with side opening jaw used in developing leverage for making bends on reinforcing
bars at the jobsite.
HIGH CHAIR—See INDIVIDUAL HIGH CHAIRS and CONTINUOUS HIGH CHAIRS.
HOOK—A semi-circular (180°) or a 90° turn at the free end of a reinforcing bar to provide anchorage in
concrete. For stirrups and column ties only, turns of either 90° or 135° are used.
HOOK ON and/or HOOK OFF—The act of placing or removing chokers or slings on or off a bundle of
reinforcing bars and connecting or disconnecting the crane hook.
HORIZONTALS—Reinforcing bars running horizontally.
HONEYCOMB—Voids left in concrete due to loss or shortage of mortar or inadequate consolidation of
the concrete.
I
INDIVIDUAL HIGH CHAIRS—Bar support used under a support bar, to provide support for top reinforcing
bars in slabs, joists or beams; also used to support upper mats of bars in slabs without support bars.
INSERTS—Devices embedded in concrete to receive a bolt or screw to support shelf angles and
machinery.
INSPECTOR—A person who examines the Work in progress at the jobsite to see that it conforms to the
project drawings and project specifications.
INTEGRAL—Elements which act together as a unit, such as concrete joists and top slab. Reinforced
concrete members may be made integral by bond, dowels, or being cast in one piece.
INTEGRALLY-CAST—Elements (such as reinforced concrete joists and top slab) cast in one piece. See
MONOLITHIC.
IRONWORKERS—Workers who handle and place steel and ornamental iron, including reinforcing steel
and bar supports. Also, in the Metropolitan Area of New York City, depending on local union jurisdiction,
these workers are called LATHERS. Colloquial terms frequently used include rod-setter, rodbuster; bar-
setter, and bar placer.
J
JACK ROD—Plain rod, usually 7/8 or 1 inch in diameter, with square-cut or threaded ends to support
sliding forms in conjunction with a jack. In some cases, these jack rods are also used as a portion of the
vertical reinforcement required.
JACK ROD SLEEVE—Piece of pipe which joins two jack rods for an end-to-end butt connection.
JOINTED REINFORCED CONCRETE PAVEMENT—A reinforced pavement with transverse joints
typically spaced at 30 feet or more.
JOIST—T-shaped beam used in a parallel series in reinforced concrete joist floor construction.
JOIST CHAIRS—Bar supports which hold and space the two reinforcing bars in the bottom of a joist.
JOIST SCHEDULE—Table on a placing drawing giving the quantity and mark of the joists, the quantity,
size, length, bending details of reinforcing bars and usually the quantity of joist chairs in each joist.
K
KEYS—Slotted joints in concrete, such as tongue and groove.
ksi—Abbreviation of kips (1,000 pounds) per square inch, used in measuring load or stress.
L
LAP SPLICE—The overlapping of two reinforcing bars by lap splicing them side by side (in contact or
non-contact); similarly the side and end overlap of sheets or rolls of welded wire reinforcement. Also, the
length of overlap of two bars. Also referred to as “lap”.
LAP-SPLICE CONNECTOR SYSTEMS—Proprietary or patented prefabricated plastic or metal boxes or
strips of foam acting as keyway forms and containing prefabricated anchorage and lap splice
reinforcement. The lap splice reinforcement is field-straightened with a pipe and/or hickey when the
keyway form is exposed for the next pour.
LATERAL—See TRANSVERSE.
LIFT—Units of reinforcing bars tied together for shop or field convenience. Lifts are classified in two
categories: (1) Shop lifts and (2) Field lifts. Shop lifts are units of reinforcing bars loaded for shipment to
the jobsite. Field lifts are units of reinforcing bars required for field handling by the Contractor. A field lift
may consist of single bundles or two or more smaller bundles tied together. A shop lift may consist of one
or more bundles, the same as field lifts or consist of two or more field lifts. Straight and bent bars are not
combined in the same lift. Maximum weight of a lift is dependent on regional practices and site conditions.
See BUNDLE OF BARS. The term LIFT also describes the concrete placed between two consecutive
horizontal construction joints, particularly when formwork is reused and lifted.
LIFT SLAB—Floor construction in which slabs are cast directly on one another. Each slab is lifted into
final position by jacks on top of the columns. Floors are secured at each floor level by column brackets or
collars.
LIGHT BENDING—All #3 [#10] bars, all stirrups and ties, and all bars #4 through #18 [#13 through #57],
which are bent at more than six points in one plane, or reinforcing bars which are bent in more than one
plane (unless “Special Bending”), all one plane radius bending with more than one radius in any bar
(three maximum) or a combination of radius and other type bending in one plane (radius bending being
defined as all bends having a radius of 12 inches or more to inside of bar).
LINTEL—Beam supporting the wall above a window or door opening.
LONGITUDINAL BAR—Any reinforcing bar placed in the long direction of the member.
LOW-ALLOY STEEL REINFORCING BARS—Reinforcing bars rolled from low-alloy steel billets.
M
MARK OUT—Indicating with keel (crayon) marks on the forms, the location of each reinforcing bar;
usually done by the Foreman from information derived from the placing drawings, prior to starting actual
placing operations in an area.
MARKS—A series of letters, numbers or a combination of both used to designate (a) the parts of a
structure or (b) the identity of a bent reinforcing bar.
MAT—A large footing or foundation slab used to support an entire structure. The term MAT also
describes a grid of reinforcing bars.
MECHANICAL SPLICE—The complete assembly of an end-bearing sleeve, a coupler, or a coupling
sleeve, and possibly additional materials or parts to accomplish the splicing of reinforcing bars.
MECHANICAL DRAWINGS—Drawings which show piping for water, sanitary, gas and drains; heating,
ventilating and air conditioning ducts and equipment, and other mechanical equipment.
MESH—See WELDED WIRE REINFORCEMENT.
METAL FORMS—Used to provide the forms for joist floor construction. Also known as PANS.
METAL LATHER—A worker who installs furring and metal lath, places inserts in concrete for support of
ceilings; and in the Metropolitan Area of New York City, fabricates and places bar supports and
reinforcing steel, which is delivered to the jobsite in straight lengths.
MISCELLANEOUS IRON—Steel items such as lintel angles, inserts, plates, form braces, spreaders and
other structural shapes attached to or embedded in reinforced concrete.
MONOLITHIC—Concrete cast in one operation.
MPa—Abbreviation of the metric unit megapascals, used in measuring load or stress. Approximately 6.9
megapascals equals 1 ksi.
N
NEAR FACE (OF A WALL)—Face nearest the viewer and may be inside or outside, depending on
whether one is inside looking out or outside looking in.
NON-CONTACT SPLICE—A means of splicing reinforcing bars by lap splicing not in direct contact. See
LAP SPLICE.
NOMINAL DIAMETER—The diameter of a plain round bar of the same weight per linear foot as a
deformed reinforcing bar.
O
OFFSET BEND—Any bend in a reinforcing bar that displaces the center line of a section of the bar to a
position parallel to the original bar, in which the displacement is relatively small; commonly applied to
column vertical bars. Also known as “dog-leg.”
ONE-WAY SLABS-A slab which presumably bends in only one direction.
OSHA—Occupational Safety & Health Administration.
OWNER—The corporation, association, partnership, individual, or public body or authority which the
Contractor enters into agreement with and for whom the Work is provided.
P
PAD—A footing; sometimes a block of concrete to support machinery.
PANS—Metal forms for one-way reinforced concrete joists (one-way pans) and for two-way (waffle slab)
concrete joists (dome pans).
PARAPET—Extension of the main walls above the roof level, for architectural appearance.
PEDESTAL—Short pier used as a base for a column.
PIER—A short column used as a foundation member in construction. Also, a large column or wall type
bridge support.
PILASTER—Column partially or completely embedded in a wall, or a portion of a wall enlarged to serve
as a column.
PILE—A concrete, steel, or wood member driven into the ground to support a load.
PILE CAP—A structural member placed on the tops of piles and used to distribute loads from the
structure to the piles.
PITCH—Center-to-center spacing between turns of a spiral.
PLACING DRAWINGS—Detailed drawings which give the quantity, size, location, spacing of the
reinforcing bars, and all other information required by the Ironworker.
PLAIN CONCRETE—Structural concrete with no reinforcement or with less reinforcement than the
minimum amount specified in the ACI Building Code.
PLAN VIEW—Top view as of any floor, roof, or foundation of a structure.
POLE DERRICK—Small portable derrick, guyed by ropes, having a hand winch on which a cable is
mounted, for raising moderately heavy objects.
POST-TENSIONING—A method of prestressing reinforced concrete when tendons are tensioned after
concrete has reached a specified strength.
PRECAST CONCRETE—Reinforced concrete cast elsewhere than its final position in the structure.
Usually precast concrete consists of individual members such as columns, wall panels, beams or joists
erected and connected to form the structural frame.
PRECAST PILE—A reinforced concrete pile manufactured in a casting plant or at the jobsite and driven
into place by a pile hammer.
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE—Reinforced concrete in which the reinforcing steel is stretched and
anchored to compress the concrete.
PROJECT DRAWINGS—The drawings which, along with the Project Specifications, completely describe
the construction of the Work required or referred to in the Contract Documents. Examples include Placing
Drawings and Structural Drawings. See Chapter 9 for a complete description of each type of project
drawing.
PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS—The written documents which describe the requirements for a project in
accordance with the various criteria established by the Owner. psi—Abbreviation of pounds per square
inch used in measuring load, pressure, or stress.
PUSHER—Common expression for Ironworker Foreman.
R
RACKS—Metal or wooden supports for that portion of a reinforcing bar that extends beyond a
construction joint and is not already supported by existing formwork or conventional tying to adjacent
bars.
RADIUS BENT—Reinforcing bars bent to a radius larger than that specified for standard hooks; a bar
curved to fit into circular walls, as the horizontal bars in a silo.
RAFT-FOUNDATION—See MAT.
RAIL-STEEL REINFORCING BARS—Deformed reinforcing bars rolled from selected used railroad rails.
REBAR—Abbreviated term for reinforcing bar.
REED CLIPS—Light wire sections fastened to structural steel, to hold fireproofing to faces of structural
steel beam and column flanges.
REGLET—A long, narrow formed slot in concrete to receive flashing or to serve as anchorage.
REINFORCED CONCRETE—Concrete containing reinforcing steel positioned so that the two materials
act together for increased strength.
REINFORCEMENT—Steel bars or wires embedded in concrete and located in such a manner that the
steel and the concrete act together in resisting loads. RETAINING WALL—Wall reinforced to hold or
retain soil, water, grain, coal, or sand.
RIGGER—Mechanic whose function is to brace, guy, and arrange for hoisting materials.
RUNWAY—Decking over an area of concrete placement, usually of movable panels and supports, on
which buggies of concrete travel to points of placement. SAND PLATE—A flat plate attached to the legs
of a bar support for use on soil.
S
SCAFFOLDING—A temporary structure for the support of deck forms, runways, or workers.
SCALE—Reduction of size to which drawings are made (as 1/8 inch = 1 foot).
SCHEDULE—Table on placing drawings (or elsewhere) to give size, shape, and arrangement of similar
items. See BEAM SCHEDULE, COLUMN SCHEDULE, JOIST SCHEDULE, and SLAB SCHEDULE.
SCREED—A template to guide finishers in leveling off the top of fresh concrete. Screeding is the
operation of rough leveling.
SCREED CHAIRS—Supports to fix the depth of slab and to hold guides for leveling off concrete.
SECTION—Cut away view through a general plan or elevation view to explain details.
SHEAR—To cut off as by two equal opposed forces. SHEARHEAD—Assembled unit in the top of the
columns of flat slab or flat plate construction to transmit loads from slab to column.
SHEAR REINFORCEMENT—Reinforcement designed to resist shearing forces; usually; consisting of
stirrups bent and located as required.
SHEAR WALL—A wall designed to resist forces resulting from wind, blast or earthquake.
SHELF ANGLES—Structural angles with holes or slots in one leg for bolting to the concrete to support
brick work, stone, or terra cotta.
SIMPLE BEAM—Beam supported at each end (two points) and not continuous.
SKEWED—Placed at an angle other than 90°.
SLAB—Flat section of floor or roof either on the ground or supported by beams or walls.
SLAB BOLSTER—Continuous bar support used to support bottom slab bars.
SLAB ON GROUND—A type of foundation with a concrete floor which is placed directly on the soil. The
edge of the slab is usually thicker and acts as the footing for the walls. Sometimes called a “slab on
grade”.
SLAB SCHEDULE—Table on a placing drawing giving the quantity and mark of the slabs; the number of
pieces, size, length and bending details of the reinforcement in each slab.
SLEEVE—A tube which encloses a bar, dowel, or anchor rod.
SLING—Short lengths of wire, nylon, or Kevlar rope, with a spliced eye at each end or a spliced eye at
one end and a hook at the other, used to encircle a bundle of bars for hoisting purposes.
SLIP FORM—System of formwork for concrete which permits continuous casting. Vertical slip forms are
used in buildings and tanks and horizontal slip forms are used in paving.
SOFFIT—The bottom of a slab, beam, joist or girder.
SORTING—Opening up the bundles of reinforcing bars after unloading, so that all items are readily
accessible.
SPALLING—The development of concrete spalls or fragments, usually in the shape of flakes, detached
from a larger mass of concrete by a blow, action of weather, pressure or by expansion within the larger
mass.
SPAN—The horizontal distance between supports of a structural member such as a beam, girder, slab or
joist; distance between piers or abutments of a bridge.
SPANDREL BEAMS—Perimeter or edge beams; a beam in an exterior wall.
SPECIAL BENDING—All bending to special tolerances, all radius bending in more than one plane, all
multiple plane bending containing one or more radius bends, and all bending for precast units.
SPECS—A contracted term for “project specifications”; the directions issued by an Architect or Engineer
to establish general conditions, standards and detailed instructions which are used with the project
drawings.
SPIRAL—A continuously coiled reinforcing bar or wire. SPIRAL COLUMN—A column in which the vertical
reinforcing bars are enclosed within a spiral. See SPIRAL.
SPIRAL SPACERS—Usually made of channels or angles, punched to form hooks, which are bent over
the coiled spiral to maintain it to a definite pitch.
SPLICE—Connection of one reinforcing bar to another by lap splices (in contact or non-contact),
mechanical splices, or welded splices; the lap between sheets or rolls of welded wire reinforcement.
SPREADER BAR—A steel beam suspended from a crane, having two or more hooks or shackles to
which slings are attached to eliminate the possibility of bending reinforcing bars in a bundle due to
handling. Sometimes called a “strong back.”
SPREAD FOOTINGS—Footings which support one or more columns or piers or a wall by bearing on
earth or rock. Sometimes a simple mat footing is called a spread footing.
STAGGERED SPLICES—Splices in reinforcing bars which are not made at the same plane. STANDEE—
A term used in some regions of the country to designate a special bar bent to a U-shape with 90° bent
legs extending in opposite directions at right angles to the U-bend. It is used as a high chair resting on a
lower mat of reinforcing bars and supporting an upper mat. Sometimes called a “fabricated high chair”.
STEM BARS—Reinforcing bars used in the wall section of a cantilever retaining wall or in the webs of a
box girder. When a cantilever retaining wall and its footing are considered as an integral unit, the wall is
often referred to as the stem of the unit.
STIRRUPS—Reinforcing bars or welded wire reinforcement used in beams and girders for shear
reinforcement; typically bent into a U-shape or box-shape and placed perpendicular to the longitudinal
reinforcing bars.
STORY POLE—Piece of wood or bar marked with the story height and vertical distances for spacing
horizontal reinforcing bars.
STRIPS—Bands of reinforcing bars in flat slab or flat plate construction. The column strip is a quarter-
panel wide each side of the column centerline and runs either way of the structure, from column to
column. The middle strip is half a panel in width, filling in between column strips, and runs parallel to the
column strips to fill in the center part of a panel.
STRUCTURAL DRAWINGS—Drawings which show all framing plans, sections, details and elevations
required to construct the structure. For reinforced concrete structures, they include the sizes and general
arrangement of all reinforcement from which the Fabricator prepares placing drawings. STRUT—Short
column or compression brace.
SUBCONTRACTOR—A Contractor who is under contract to the General Contractor for completion of a
portion of the Work for which the General Contractor is responsible.
SUPERINTENDENT—General Contractor’s representative at the jobsite who is responsible for
continuous field supervision, coordination, and completion of the Work.
SUPERSTRUCTURE—Frame of the structure, usually above grade. Portion of a bridge above piers and
abutments.
SUBGRADE—The soil supporting a structure or pavement.
SUPPORT BARS—Rest on individual high chairs or bar chairs to support top reinforcing bars in slabs or
joists, respectively.
T
T-BEAM—Beam which has a T-shaped cross-section.
TEMPERATURE BARS—Reinforcing bars distributed throughout the concrete to minimize cracks due to
temperature changes and concrete shrinkage. TEMPLATE—A rigid device to locate and hold dowels, to
lay out bolt holes or inserts. See DOWEL TEMPLATE.
TENDON—A steel element such as strand, wire, bar, or rod, or a bundle of such elements, used to impart
prestress to a reinforced concrete member. TENSILE STRENGTH-Maximum stress a material is capable
of resisting under axial tension loading.
TIE—Reinforcing bars bent to a circular, or to a box-shape and used to hold vertical longitudinal
reinforcing bars together in columns and beams.
TIE BARS—Reinforcing bars at right angles and tied to main reinforcement to keep it in place; bars
extending across a construction joint.
TIE WIRE—Wire (generally No. 16, No. 15, or No. 14 gauge) used to secure intersections of reinforcing
bars for the purpose of holding them in place until concreting is completed.
TILT-UP—A method of concrete construction in which the walls are cast horizontally at a location
adjacent to their eventual position, and lifted into place after removal of forms.
TOLERANCE—Allowable variation from a given dimension, quantity, or position.
TRANSVERSE—At right angles to the long direction of the member (crosswise). Also referred to as
“lateral.”
TRUSS BARS—Reinforcing bars bent up to act as both top and bottom reinforcement.
TWO-WAY FLAT SLAB—See FLAT SLAB.
U
UPTURNED BEAM—Reinforced concrete beam which extends above the slab or structure it is
supporting.
VERTICAL BAR—Any reinforcing bar used in an upright or vertical position.
V
VIBRATOR—An oscillating machine used to consolidate fresh concrete to eliminate voids or
“honeycomb” before concrete hardens. See HONEYCOMB.
W
WAFFLE SLAB—A two-way reinforced concrete joist floor with ribs running in both directions. (Named
after the waffle-like appearance of the underside of the finished floor).
WALES—Braces to two or more form panels, palings, or studs, usually horizontal. Often incorrectly called
“walers.”
WALL—A vertical structural member which encloses, divides, supports or protects a building or room.
WALL BEARING STRUCTURE—One with the slabs (i.e., the floors or roofs) supported on walls,
generally of masonry, eliminating columns and some of the beams.
WALL SPREADER—An accessory, usually fabricated from a reinforcing bar to a “Z” or “U” shape, used to
separate and hold apart two faces or curtains of reinforcement in a wall.
WEEP HOLE—Drainage opening in a wall.
WELDED SPLICES—A means of joining two reinforcing bars by electric arc welding. Bars may be
lapped, butted, or joined with splice plates or angles.
WELDED WIRE REINFORCEMENT—Wire reinforcement manufactured by means of welding the
intersecting wires, used for reinforcement in slabs, slabs on grade, and highway pavements. Also known
as welded wire fabric.
WINCH—Mechanical lifting device attached to derricks on which cable is wound up by means of a crank
and locked in position by a ratchet.
WING WALL—Retaining wall at end of a bridge or culvert to retain the earth.
WORK—The entire project (or separate parts) which is required to be completed under the Contract
Documents. Work is the result of performing services, furnishing labor, and supplying and incorporating
materials and equipment into the construction, all as required by the Contract Documents.
WRAPPING—Reinforcing bars or welded wire reinforcement surrounding a structural steel column or
beam to reinforce concrete or plaster fireproofing.
Y
YIELD STRENGTH—The load limit to which reinforcing steel will stretch and return to its original length.
Z
ZINC COATING—A zinc coating applied to reinforcing steel by dipping in a molten bath of zinc to prevent
corrosion. Also known as GALVANIZING.

Poisson's ratio is the ratio of transverse contraction strain to longitudinal extension strain in the direction of
stretching force. Tensile deformation is considered positive and compressive deformation is considered negative.
The definition of Poisson's ratio contains a minus sign so that normal materials have a positive ratio. Poisson's
ratio, also called Poisson ratio or the Poisson coefficient, or coefficient de Poisson, is usually represented as a
lower case Greek nu, .