Style Manual

3rd Edition (version 1.0)

Updated 23 January 2018
Contents

CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................................................ 2
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................. 9
Sources .....................................................................................................................................................................9
A Note about the Electronic Environment .........................................................................................................9
Using This Guide ...................................................................................................................................................9
ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 10
Article Title ...........................................................................................................................................................10
Author Initials ......................................................................................................................................................10
Figure Captions ....................................................................................................................................................10
Headings ...............................................................................................................................................................10
Tables .....................................................................................................................................................................11
Units of Measure ..................................................................................................................................................11
Customary Units ...............................................................................................................................................11
SI Units ..............................................................................................................................................................12
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................................................ 13
APPENDIXES ................................................................................................................................................... 14
Figures and Tables ...............................................................................................................................................14
Numbering ............................................................................................................................................................14
Questionnaires......................................................................................................................................................14
Titles.......................................................................................................................................................................14
ARTICLE SECTIONS ...................................................................................................................................... 15
Order ......................................................................................................................................................................15
Publisher’s Note ...................................................................................................................................................15
CAPITALIZATION .......................................................................................................................................... 16
Designators ...........................................................................................................................................................16
Species Names ......................................................................................................................................................16
Titles and Headings .............................................................................................................................................16
COPYRIGHT AND PERMISSIONS .............................................................................................................. 18
General Information ............................................................................................................................................18
Author Responsibilities ......................................................................................................................................18
Material from a Website .....................................................................................................................................19
Public Domain ...................................................................................................................................................19
Materials produced by the US government.............................................................................................................. 19
Materials produced by international federal governments .................................................................................... 19
Materials whose copyright protection has lapsed ................................................................................................... 19
Other public domain materials .................................................................................................................................. 19
Adapting a Figure, Photograph, Table, or Web Page .....................................................................................19
Credit Line ............................................................................................................................................................20
Specific Credit Line Provided .............................................................................................................................20
Typical Credit Line ............................................................................................................................................20
Figures or Tables Taken from ASCE Publications ...........................................................................................21

2 © ASCE
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT .......................................................................................................... 22
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management ...................................................................................22
FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................................... 23
Captions ................................................................................................................................................................23
Notes in Figure Captions ...................................................................................................................................23
Color Figures .....................................................................................................................................................24
Head Shots .........................................................................................................................................................24
Math ...................................................................................................................................................................24
Part Labels and Subcaptions ..............................................................................................................................24
Multipart Figures Spanning Multiple Pages ....................................................................................................25
Symbols ..............................................................................................................................................................26
References...........................................................................................................................................................26
Credit lines ............................................................................................................................................................26
Credit line for complete figure............................................................................................................................26
Credit lines for part(s) of a figure.......................................................................................................................26
Same credit line for different parts of a figure ....................................................................................................27
Citations ................................................................................................................................................................27
Part Labels .........................................................................................................................................................28
Uncited Figures .................................................................................................................................................28
Mixed citations .....................................................................................................................................................28
Quality ...................................................................................................................................................................28
FOOTNOTES AND ENDNOTES ................................................................................................................... 29
HEADINGS....................................................................................................................................................... 30
Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................................30
See Abbreviations/Headings. .............................................................................................................................30
Capitalization .......................................................................................................................................................30
Italicization ...........................................................................................................................................................30
HYPHENATION .............................................................................................................................................. 31
Compounds ..........................................................................................................................................................31
Ambiguous Compounds .....................................................................................................................................31
Open Compounds ..............................................................................................................................................31
Units of Measure ...............................................................................................................................................32
Prefixes ..................................................................................................................................................................32
Suffixes ..................................................................................................................................................................34
LISTS ................................................................................................................................................................. 35
Bulleted Lists ........................................................................................................................................................35
Numbered Lists ....................................................................................................................................................35
MANUFACTURER INFORMATION ............................................................................................................ 37
Citation ..................................................................................................................................................................37
Trademarks ...........................................................................................................................................................37
MATHEMATICAL COMPOSITION............................................................................................................. 38
Algorithms ............................................................................................................................................................38
Ambiguous Characters........................................................................................................................................38
Asterisks ................................................................................................................................................................38
Citing Equations ...................................................................................................................................................39

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 Computer Programs ............................................................................................................................................39
Decimals ................................................................................................................................................................39
“E” Notation .........................................................................................................................................................39
Ellipses ...................................................................................................................................................................40
Explanation of Variables .....................................................................................................................................40
Fences ....................................................................................................................................................................41
Fractions ................................................................................................................................................................41
Ambiguous Fractions .........................................................................................................................................41
Stacking and Slashing Fractions ........................................................................................................................41
Parentheses ................................................................................................................................................................... 42
Superscripts .................................................................................................................................................................. 42
Punctuation ...........................................................................................................................................................43
Radical Sign ..........................................................................................................................................................43
Related Equations ................................................................................................................................................43
Follow the author’s punctuation. .......................................................................................................................43
Equation with Lettered Parts .............................................................................................................................44
Spaces ....................................................................................................................................................................44
Em Quad and Two-Em Quad ............................................................................................................................44
Special Fonts and Typefaces ...............................................................................................................................45
Bold ....................................................................................................................................................................45
Italics ..................................................................................................................................................................45
Roman ................................................................................................................................................................45
Functions and Operators ...................................................................................................................................45
Helvetica ............................................................................................................................................................49
Script Characters ...............................................................................................................................................49
Subscripts and Superscripts ...............................................................................................................................50
Summation and Product .....................................................................................................................................50
Symbols versus Spelled-Out Terms...................................................................................................................50
NOTATION LIST............................................................................................................................................. 51
NUMBERS ........................................................................................................................................................ 53
Fractions ................................................................................................................................................................53
Large Numbers.....................................................................................................................................................53
Lists ........................................................................................................................................................................53
Monetary Expressions .........................................................................................................................................53
Numerals versus Spelling Out ...........................................................................................................................53
Ranges ...................................................................................................................................................................54
Series ......................................................................................................................................................................55
Dates ......................................................................................................................................................................55
Units and Symbols ...............................................................................................................................................55
PUNCTUATION .............................................................................................................................................. 56
Colon......................................................................................................................................................................56
Comma ..................................................................................................................................................................56
Em Dash ................................................................................................................................................................56
En Dash .................................................................................................................................................................56
Hyphen ..................................................................................................................................................................56
Parentheses ...........................................................................................................................................................56
Quotation Marks ..................................................................................................................................................57
Semicolon ..............................................................................................................................................................57
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................... 58

4 © ASCE
 Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................................58
Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................59
Citations ................................................................................................................................................................59
Building Codes ...................................................................................................................................................60
Legal References .................................................................................................................................................60
Nonauthor References ........................................................................................................................................60
Parts of References .............................................................................................................................................61
Same Authors .....................................................................................................................................................61
Same Name and Year .........................................................................................................................................61
Standards ...........................................................................................................................................................62
Order ......................................................................................................................................................................62
Publication Cities Not Requiring State and/or Country Names ..................................................................63
REFERENCE TYPES ......................................................................................................................................... 64
Books......................................................................................................................................................................65
Articles or Chapters in an Edited Book ..............................................................................................................65
Books with Edition .............................................................................................................................................65
Books with Volume ............................................................................................................................................65
Books with Editor(s)...........................................................................................................................................65
Encyclopedia Entries ..........................................................................................................................................66
Monographs .......................................................................................................................................................66
Non-English-Language Books ...........................................................................................................................66
Building Codes and Provisions ..........................................................................................................................67
Conferences...........................................................................................................................................................67
Databases ..............................................................................................................................................................67
Data Sets ................................................................................................................................................................67
Electronic Materials .............................................................................................................................................68
CD-ROM ...........................................................................................................................................................68
Website ...............................................................................................................................................................68
Wikipedia ...........................................................................................................................................................68
Journal Articles .....................................................................................................................................................68
ASCE Journals – CIDs ......................................................................................................................................69
Closures..............................................................................................................................................................69
Discussions ........................................................................................................................................................69
Multipart or Companion Papers in ASCE Journals ..........................................................................................70
Foreign Journals .................................................................................................................................................70
Forthcoming .......................................................................................................................................................71
No Volume, Issue, or Page Numbers .................................................................................................................71
Supplement ........................................................................................................................................................71
Journal Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................................72
Abbreviations for ASCE journals ............................................................................................................................... 72
Abbreviations for previous titles of ASCE journals ................................................................................................. 73
Legal and Government Documents...................................................................................................................73
Maps ......................................................................................................................................................................74
Newspaper Articles .............................................................................................................................................74
Patents ...................................................................................................................................................................74
Personal Communications ..................................................................................................................................75
Presented Papers ..................................................................................................................................................75
Proceedings ...........................................................................................................................................................75
Reports...................................................................................................................................................................76
ASCE Committee Reports..................................................................................................................................76
Software Packages ...............................................................................................................................................77

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 Standards ..............................................................................................................................................................77
Symposiums .........................................................................................................................................................77
Theses and Dissertations .....................................................................................................................................78
Translated Works .................................................................................................................................................78
Unpublished Material .........................................................................................................................................78
Archived Material ..............................................................................................................................................79
Preprints ............................................................................................................................................................79
SPELLING ......................................................................................................................................................... 80
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA ................................................................................................................................ 81
Citations ................................................................................................................................................................81
Supplemental Data Section .................................................................................................................................81
TABLES ............................................................................................................................................................. 82
Citations ................................................................................................................................................................82
Uncited Tables ...................................................................................................................................................82
Credit Lines...........................................................................................................................................................83
Format ...................................................................................................................................................................83
Title ....................................................................................................................................................................83
Tables Spanning Multiple Pages .......................................................................................................................83
Body ...................................................................................................................................................................83
Alignment ..................................................................................................................................................................... 84
Fractions ........................................................................................................................................................................ 84
Rules .............................................................................................................................................................................. 84
Straddle rules ................................................................................................................................................................ 84
Symbols and units of measure.................................................................................................................................... 84
Headings ............................................................................................................................................................84
Column headings ......................................................................................................................................................... 84
Row headings ............................................................................................................................................................... 84
Footnotes ............................................................................................................................................................85
General footnote ........................................................................................................................................................... 85
Lettered footnotes ........................................................................................................................................................ 85
Graphic Elements .................................................................................................................................................85
Highlighting and Shading ..................................................................................................................................86
Math .......................................................................................................................................................................86
“E” Notation ......................................................................................................................................................86
Equations ...........................................................................................................................................................86
Multipart Tables ...................................................................................................................................................86
References .............................................................................................................................................................86
Repeated Information ..........................................................................................................................................86
Sample Tables .......................................................................................................................................................87
Sample Table 1 ...................................................................................................................................................87
Sample Table 2 ...................................................................................................................................................87
Sample Table 3 ...................................................................................................................................................88
Sample Table 4 ...................................................................................................................................................88
TITLE PAGE ..................................................................................................................................................... 89
Title ........................................................................................................................................................................89
Abbreviations and Acronyms ............................................................................................................................89
Capitalization .....................................................................................................................................................89
Editing the Title .................................................................................................................................................89
Multipart or Companion Papers ........................................................................................................................90

6 © ASCE
 Author Byline .......................................................................................................................................................90
Professional Designations ..................................................................................................................................90
ASCE Membership Grades ................................................................................................................................91
ASCE Committees .............................................................................................................................................91
Conference Footnote ............................................................................................................................................91
Author Footnotes .................................................................................................................................................92
Corresponding Author .......................................................................................................................................92
ORCID ...............................................................................................................................................................93
Deceased Author ................................................................................................................................................93
Email Address ....................................................................................................................................................93
Multiple Affiliations ..........................................................................................................................................93
Former Affiliation ..............................................................................................................................................93
Retired Author ...................................................................................................................................................94
Temporary Address ............................................................................................................................................94
Submitted/Approved/Published Note ............................................................................................................94
Abstract .................................................................................................................................................................95
DOI Number .........................................................................................................................................................95
Author Keywords ................................................................................................................................................96
CEDB Subject Headings ......................................................................................................................................96
USAGE............................................................................................................................................................... 97
Commonly Misused Words and Phrases .........................................................................................................97
Computer Terminology ......................................................................................................................................98
Contractions ..........................................................................................................................................................98
Gender-Neutral and Bias-Free Language .........................................................................................................98
Age .....................................................................................................................................................................99
Disabilities .........................................................................................................................................................99
Gender ................................................................................................................................................................99
Racial and Ethnic Identity ...............................................................................................................................100
Italics ....................................................................................................................................................................100
Personal Names and Particles ..........................................................................................................................100
Placeholders ........................................................................................................................................................100
Variables at Beginning of Sentence..................................................................................................................101
Verbs ....................................................................................................................................................................101
Passive versus Active Voice .............................................................................................................................101
Tense ................................................................................................................................................................101
APPENDIX I: STANDARD ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ...................................................... 102
APPENDIX II: ENGINEERING TERMS ..................................................................................................... 104
APPENDIX III: UNITS OF MEASURE ........................................................................................................ 151
Conversion Factors from US Customary to SI Units ....................................................................................158
Copyeditors are not expected to compute any conversions. This information is provided to verify any
that the author may provide (in table footnotes, for example). ...................................................................158
SI Prefixes Applicable to Engineering .............................................................................................................159
APPENDIX IV: CHEMISTRY ....................................................................................................................... 160
Chemical Symbols and Formulas ....................................................................................................................160
Chemistry Terms ................................................................................................................................................162
APPENDIX V: CITY, STATE, PROVINCE, AND TERRITORY NAMES ............................................... 164
Cities ....................................................................................................................................................................164

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 States, Territories, and Provinces .....................................................................................................................164
Australian States and Territories .....................................................................................................................164
Canadian Provinces ...........................................................................................................................................165
United States .......................................................................................................................................................165
APPENDIX VI: DISCUSSIONS AND CLOSURES ................................................................................... 166
Title ......................................................................................................................................................................166
Bibliographic Information ................................................................................................................................166
Byline ...................................................................................................................................................................166
Text.......................................................................................................................................................................167
References ...........................................................................................................................................................167
Erratum in a Closure .........................................................................................................................................168
APPENDIX VII: GUIDELINES FOR ASCE FRONT AND BACK MATTER .......................................... 169
General Guidelines ............................................................................................................................................169
“The Journal” ...................................................................................................................................................169
Titles ................................................................................................................................................................169
Author Names and Affiliations ........................................................................................................................169
Photos...............................................................................................................................................................169
Headings ..........................................................................................................................................................170
Tone .....................................................................................................................................................................170
Types of Front and Back Matter .......................................................................................................................170
Announcements ...............................................................................................................................................170
Awards .............................................................................................................................................................170
Book Reviews ...................................................................................................................................................170
Corrections .......................................................................................................................................................171
Erratum........................................................................................................................................................................ 171
Expression of Concern ............................................................................................................................................... 172
Notice of Redundant Publication ............................................................................................................................. 172
Retraction .................................................................................................................................................................... 172
Editorial ...........................................................................................................................................................173
Editor’s Note ....................................................................................................................................................173
Forum ...............................................................................................................................................................173
In Memoriam ...................................................................................................................................................174
Lecture Papers ..................................................................................................................................................174
Reviewers .........................................................................................................................................................174
Special Collection Announcement ...................................................................................................................175
Synopsis of Court Verdict ................................................................................................................................175
Technical Breakthrough Abstract ....................................................................................................................175
APPENDIX VIII: GUIDELINES FOR THE JOURNAL OF LEGAL AFFAIRS AND DISPUTE
RESOLUTION IN ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION ..................................................................... 176
Copyediting Style...............................................................................................................................................176
Appendixes .........................................................................................................................................................177
Types of Citations ..............................................................................................................................................177
List of Cases (not “Cases”) ..............................................................................................................................177
List of Statutes .................................................................................................................................................177
Endnotes ..........................................................................................................................................................177
Bibliography .....................................................................................................................................................178

8 © ASCE
Introduction

This guide is designed for use with the journals of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

Our primary style reference is The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition (CMOS 17). For spelling questions,
copyeditors should consult the current edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary
(https://www.merriam-webster.com/).

The purpose of this guide is to clarify and apply in a civil engineering context guidelines laid out in The
Chicago Manual of Style. This guide also includes a few deviations from Chicago guidelines (and these
deviations are noted as such). Be sure to read through the ASCE Style Manual in full before you begin
work on an ASCE project—to familiarize yourself not just with ASCE style but also with the manual’s
layout.

This manual is first and foremost a guide for maintaining stylistic consistency, but consistency should not
be enforced at the expense of the author’s voice. The copyeditor should edit in conformance with the
guidelines set forth in this manual but retain as much of the author’s tone and as many of the author’s
words as possible.

Sources

In some cases, this guide, The Chicago Manual of Style, and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary will not
provide enough guidance. For deciphering the nuances of grammar, ASCE recommends Fowler’s Modern
English Usage, Garner’s Modern American Usage, and A Dictionary of Modern American Usage (by Bryan A.
Garner). For complicated chemistry, refer to the American Chemical Society's ACS Style Guide.

A Note about the Electronic Environment

ASCE has transitioned to an all-electronic environment for article submission, production, and
copyediting. ASCE is developing new procedures and style decisions while completing the transition.
Most production procedures are documented elsewhere.

Using This Guide

All entries in the Table of Contents are hyperlinked for quick access, as are any cross-references in text.
Simply click on the hyperlink to be taken directly to the section that is being cross-referenced:

The use of Système International (SI) units of measure is required. See

Appendix III: Units of Measure for a listing of SI units commonly used in ASCE papers.

NOTES highlight important aspects or interpretations of various style points:

NOTE If part labels included in the figure file contain errors, contact ASCE.

© ASCE 9
Abbreviations
Nonstandard abbreviations may be used even if the term that is being abbreviated appears only once in
the paper (i.e., it need not appear again after it is defined at first mention). Spell out abbreviations in full
at first use, with the acronym or abbreviation following in parentheses:

For the necessary resilient moduli (RMs) …

The project funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) …

If an abbreviation stands for a non-English name of an organization but there is also an official English
name for that organization, the English name should be used for the definition:

The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) …

Standard abbreviations need not be defined at first mention in the title, the abstract, or the text.

See Appendix I: Standard Abbreviations and Acronyms for a list of abbreviations and acronyms that do
not need to be defined at first mention.

Article Title

Nonstandard abbreviations are allowed in the article title only if they have been defined in the abstract
and again in the text. Do not define nonstandard abbreviations in a title, however.

Standard abbreviations need not be defined in the title. However, if the author uses the expanded version
of a standard abbreviation there, follow copy; that term can remain undefined in the abstract and text.

Author Initials

See Title Page/Author Byline.

Figure Captions

Standard abbreviations are allowed in figure captions without definition.

Nonstandard abbreviations are allowed in figure captions without definition only if they have been
defined in the text before the citation for the figure in which they appear. Otherwise, they must be
defined in the figure caption as well as in the text. Do not allow an abbreviation to be defined only in a
figure caption unless that abbreviation is used in the figure but not the text.

Headings

Standard abbreviations and acronyms are allowed in headings without definition.

Nonstandard abbreviations and acronyms are allowed in headings without definition only if they have
been defined in the text previously; otherwise, spell them out. Do not define a nonstandard abbreviation
or acronym in a heading; spell it out, and define it at first mention in the subsequent text.

10 © ASCE
It is acceptable to begin a section heading with an abbreviation or acronym, following rules for
nonstandard abbreviations and acronyms, as described previously.

Tables

Standard abbreviations are allowed in tables (including title, body, and footnotes) without definition.

Nonstandard abbreviations are allowed in tables without definition only if they have been defined in the
text before the citation for the table in which they appear. Otherwise, they must be defined in a general
footnote.

NOTE If a nonstandard abbreviation appears in a table, and its first mention in text
does not appear until after the citation for that table, the abbreviation must be defined
both in the general footnote and in the text.

Units of Measure

In general, follow §9.16 of CMOS 17, for numbers followed by units of measure. Abbreviate units of
measurement only when preceded by numbers:

The Port Huron approach will be about 945 m long.

… and were measured in meters.
… a total of 5 m3 of concrete.

Avoid unit abbreviations without units, except in parentheses or in tables:

Avoid: Sediment concentration X in ppm by weight was computed …

Better: Sediment concentration X in parts per million (ppm) by weight was computed …

Avoid: All dimensions in Fig. 2 are in cm, although the figure is not drawn to scale.
Better: All dimensions in Fig. 2 are in centimeters, although the figure is not drawn to scale.

Avoid: Fig. 1 shows saturation vapor pressure versus temperature, kPa/°C.

Better: Fig. 1 shows saturation vapor pressure (kPa) versus temperature (°C).

Acceptable: … where T = temperature (°C); and …

NOTE Unit abbreviations are considered standard and thus should not be defined
at first mention in the text.

See Numbers/Units and Symbols for further information.

Customary Units
Abbreviations of US customary units are not followed by periods, except for inches (in., to prevent
confusion with the word “in”) and gallons (“gal.”). The Gal, a metric unit of acceleration, begins with a
capital G. The abbreviations for US customary units are as follows: acre (not abbreviated), cu ft, cu in., cu
yd, ft, gal., h, in., mi, mi/h (not “mph”), s, sq in., yd, year. (Note: in. 4 is correct for moment.)

© ASCE 11
Examples include the following (see also Appendix III: Units of Measure):

6 in. 3 mi 9 gal. 7 to 8 a.m.

7 ft 4 km 10, 20, and 40ºC 19º29'65" N; 107º45'36" W
3 yd 4 mi/h (not mph) $6–$9 or $6 to $10 0.02% = “two-tenths of 1 percent”

1s 5 days
10 h but 3 months
4 min 12 years

SI Units
The use of Système International (SI) units of measure is required (exception: nontechnical descriptive
material in the Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction). See Appendix
III: Units of Measure for a listing of SI units commonly used in ASCE papers.

SI units may be followed by US customary units and conversion factors in parentheses. The symbols for
the base units of SI are as follows: A, cd, K, kg, m, mol, and s. For SI supplementary units, the symbols are
rad and sr. The symbols for SI-derived units are Bq, C, F, Gy, H, Hz, J, lm, lx, N, Pa, S, Sv, T, V, W, Wb,
and . The SI multiplying prefixes are a, c, d, f, n, p, m, and . Other units used with SI in civil
engineering include C, day, h, ha, L, min, t, and year.

Scientific notation with SI units (for example, 2.4 × 10 6 m) is acceptable.

12 © ASCE
Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments are allowed but are not mandatory. See Article Sections/Order for the proper
placement of Acknowledgments relative to other sections.

Acknowledgments appear in a single paragraph and are preceded by the level 1 heading
“Acknowledgments” (always plural). Acknowledgments may include (a) thanks to individuals or
institutions, (b) financial support information, or (c) a disclaimer. Example:

Acknowledgments
This study was carried out at the Institute of Aerodynamics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
Technische Universität München (TUM). The support of the Croatian Ministry of Science and
Technology, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and the Croatian Academy of
Sciences and Arts (HAZU) is gratefully acknowledged. The author acknowledges many helpful
discussions with Professor Boris Laschka, Dr. Albert Pernpeintner, and Dr. Joseph Fischer. The
results presented in this paper are based on the research performed by the authors and do not
represent any opinion or stand of the TUM.

NOTE If the author has used third-person language throughout the text, use third-
person language in the Acknowledgments (e.g., “The authors thank …”) for consistency.
Similarly, if the author has used first-person language in the text, use first-person
language in the Acknowledgments (e.g., “We thank …”).

If the author provides a disclaimer within the Acknowledgments, leave it there; however, if the
disclaimer is provided separately, keep it separate and insert it directly after the Acknowledgments,
preceded by the level 1 heading “Disclaimer.” Example:

Disclaimer
The views and opinions presented in this document may not represent the official views of the
State of Florida, the Florida Department of Transportation, or the University of Florida.

© ASCE 13
Appendixes

Appendixes can be lists, tables, equations, and so forth. Follow the author’s formatting.

See Article Sections/Order for the proper placement of appendixes relative to other sections.

Figures and Tables

Unnumbered figures are not allowed in an appendix.

If tables appear within the flow of text in an appendix, they must be unnumbered (quasi-tables). Cite as
“see Appendix” (not “see table in Appendix”).

If figures and tables are numbered, cite as follows:

(Fig. 4) not (Fig. 4 in Appendix).

(Table 2) not (Table 2 in Appendix)

Numbering

Any equations, figures, or tables that appear in an appendix must follow the numbering used in the text
[e.g., Eq. (1), not Eq. (A-1)].

Equations that appear in an appendix must be numbered sequentially after any equations in the main
text. For example, if the main text has nine equations, the first equation in an appendix would be Eq. (10).

Questionnaires

Questionnaires, schedules, and the like are allowed in appendixes. They may or may not be typeset
depending on their length and complexity; they may also be relegated to Supplemental Data if necessary.
Consult ASCE if you are uncertain about how to handle a questionnaire or other similar form.

Titles

Each appendix should have a title. If the paper includes more than one appendix, number the appendixes
with roman numerals. Examples:

Appendix. Ancillary Sources Appendix I. Ancillary Sources

Appendix II. Sample Questionnaire

14 © ASCE
Article Sections

Order

Article sections should appear in the following order:

Title Page Information

Introduction
Main Text Sections
Conclusion*
Appendix(es)
Data Availability
Acknowledgments
Disclaimer†
Notation List
Supplemental Data
References

*Follow copy for section title [Conclusion(s), Concluding Remark(s), Summary, Summary and
Conclusion(s), etc.].
†Only if the author supplies it separately from the Acknowledgments paragraph.

NOTE In the Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and
Construction, a list of cases, a list of statutes, and endnotes may precede the References. A
bibliography section, consisting of uncited reference material, may precede the endnotes.

NOTE If a bibliography is given for a paper that is not in the Journal of Legal Affairs and
Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction, add any cited entries to the reference
list and delete any uncited entries (and inform the author that this has been done per
ASCE style). If the bibliography is very large, notify ASCE.

Publisher’s Note

A Publisher’s Note may be added to a paper when it is necessary to explain something out of the
ordinary (e.g., publishing a Closure separately after the Discussion has been published; explaining a
discrepancy between the author list of a preview and published paper). These paragraphs are set in italic
and begin with the italic, run-in text “Publisher’s Note.”

The location of the Publisher’s Note varies. In Technical Papers, it is the last regular paragraph; in
Closures, it is the first paragraph; however, it should not be moved without ASCE approval.

The wording of the Publisher’s Note also varies, but it should not be added or edited without ASCE
approval.

© ASCE 15
Capitalization

Designators

Capitalize designative terms such as the following:

Case 1 No. 1 Stage 1

Model 1 Section 1 AASHTO Type 6 bridge girders
Column A Test A Test case 1

Species Names

In binomial nomenclature, the species name is always lowercase, e.g., Pleurotus ostreatus (even when it
appears in the title or a heading).

Titles and Headings

Titles and headings should be set in “headline case”; in general, follow §8.159 of CMOS 17. Examples:

Systems Analysis in Groundwater Planning and Management

Climate Change Adaptation Tool for Transportation: Mid-Atlantic Region Case Study
pH Control in Anaerobic Treatment of Industrial Wastewater
Incorporating Weather Information into Real-Time Speed Estimates: Comparison of Alternative Models
Discussion of “Single Piles in Lateral Spreads” by Ricardo Dobry and Tarek Abdoun
Stochastic Theory for Irregular Stream Modeling. II: Application
Compressive, Flexural Bond, and Shear Bond Strengths of In Situ New Zealand Unreinforced Clay Brick
Masonry Constructed Using Lime Mortar between the 1880s and 1940s
Deformation Assessment Considering an A Priori Functional Model in a Bayesian Framework
Bond Behavior of the ETS FRP Bar Shear-Strengthening Method
Stochastic Optimization for Coordinated–Actuated Traffic-Signal Systems
Use of White Rot Fungus Pleurotus ostreatus as a Biodegradator of Naphthalene in Contaminated Soil

Capitalize the following:

• all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions; and
• the second word in a compound modifier (exception: if the second word in the compound
modifier is an article, preposition, or conjunction, it should be lowercase, e.g., “Visualizing
Skipped and Out-of-Sequence Work”).

Do not capitalize the following:

• the first letter of a word or term in which a lowercase letter is explicitly required by journal style
or is crucial to the understanding of the term (e.g., ith, pH, m-Cresol, x-Axis),
• the “to” in infinitives (e.g., “to Run”), and
• all articles, prepositions, compound prepositions, coordinating conjunctions, and correlative
conjunctions.

16 © ASCE
 NOTE Capitalize prepositions when they are used as part of the predicate (“Drawing
Down of Water Tables during Drought” or “How to Lay Off Survey Lines”), are closely
linked to the verb (“Migration of Particles Up and Down Flooded Boreholes”), or
function as part of an adjective or adverb (“Determining Per Capita Costs”).

© ASCE 17
Copyright and Permissions

Information about permissions may be included in the “Notes to Copyeditor” or “Notes to Compositor”
metadata field. Query ASCE if a figure or table contains obvious copyright issues but no credit line is
provided and there is no comment in either of the “Notes” fields in the metadata.

General Information

Authors must obtain permission for any figure, photograph, table, map, material from a web page, or
significant amount of text that was published previously or created by someone other than an author of
the paper. Permission statements must indicate permission for use online as well as in print.

The rules regarding copyright are extremely complicated; the following is a summary:

• Anything published before December 31, 1923, is now in the public domain.
• Works published between 1924 and 1963 are still under copyright if copyright was renewed
(obviously, in these instances, the only way to know for sure is to have the author of a paper
contact the copyright holder for a definitive answer).
• Works published from 1964 to 1977 have copyright protection for 95 years from first publication.
• Works published from 1978 on follow the “life plus 70” rule: copyright holds for the remainder of
the author’s life, plus 70 years.
• Even “unpublished” works enjoy copyright protection. The copyright term for unpublished
works is the life of the author plus 70 years. If the author’s date of death is unknown, the
copyright term is 120 years from the date of creation. The copyright term for unpublished works
created before 1978 that were published after December 31, 2002, is life of the author plus 70
years, or December 31, 2047, whichever results in a longer term.

There are numerous complicated exceptions; deal with instances that require more information as they
arise. See The Chicago Manual of Style or http://www.copyright.gov for further information.

Author Responsibilities
Authors are responsible for obtaining written permission to reprint material that they wish to use in a
paper. ASCE does not publish a paper if any text, graphic, table, or photograph has unclear permission
status. The permission statement must allow online, as well as print, use. The production team must
ensure that the author has obtained all necessary permissions before moving an article further in the
production process.

Authors are responsible for paying any fees associated with permission to publish any material. If the
copyright holder wants a copy of the journal in which his or her figure, table, photograph, etc., appears,
the corresponding author is responsible for obtaining a copy of the journal (at the author’s expense) to
send to the copyright holder.

If an author requests more information about locating copyright holders, refer him or her to
http://www.aspp.com/index.php/resources2/best-practices for “Best Practices for Locating Copyright
Owners of Photographic and Visual Art.”

18 © ASCE
Material from a Website
Material from a website is considered to be published on the website, even if it has not been published
elsewhere. The fact that material was taken from a website means neither that it is in the public domain
nor that authors can use it without permission. Many websites include copyright notices. Unless the
website explicitly indicates that material on the site is in the public domain, authors of journal articles
must obtain permission to use any figures, photographs, tables, or maps that they obtained from a
website; query ASCE if you are unsure of whether material from a website requires permission to be
reprinted.

Public Domain
Materials produced by the US government
In general, works produced by the US government are in the public domain and authors can use them;
however, the author must cite the source. Example:

Reprinted from US Army Corps of Engineers 2009.

If, however, the original source of the material is not in the public domain, the author must obtain
permission from the original copyright holder.

Materials produced by international federal governments

Works produced by governments of other countries follow the same rule as US government materials
and are in the public domain of that country. Authors are free to use such works but must cite the source.

Materials whose copyright protection has lapsed

In general, works published before 1923 are in the public domain; however, the source must be cited.

Other public domain materials

Other public domain materials exist on the internet and in other places (for example, some state
documents are in the public domain); however, any website, book, or other publication in the public
domain should include an explicit statement that it is in the public domain. If such a statement is not
obvious, the author must query the publisher or creator of the website to verify that the materials are in
the public domain.

Unlike federal publications, material produced by a state may have copyright protection. However, as a
matter of public policy, permission is not needed for state and local court opinions, administrative rules
and laws, and related edicts.

Adapting a Figure, Photograph, Table, or Web Page

Permission is required to use the underlying figure in the case of a photograph or a map with
superimposed labels or the case of a zoomed-in portion of a larger photograph or map. If such figures do
not have credit lines, query ASCE.

© ASCE 19
Credit Line

Specific Credit Line Provided

If a credit line has been provided, do not change any part of the wording, even if it conflicts with ASCE
style. In such cases, the copyright holder has requested specific wording that has been approved by
ASCE and must be followed exactly. If you have a concern about a provided credit line, contact ASCE.

If a credit line has not been provided and you suspect one is needed, contact ASCE. For general
information about how to construct a typical ASCE credit line, see the guidelines in Copyright and
Permissions/Credit Line/Typical Credit Line.

Typical Credit Line

If the copyright holder does not provide ASCE with a specific credit line, use the author-date text citation
and the words “with permission”:

Reprinted from Jones 2008, with permission. Or Reprinted with permission from Jones 2008.

If the material comes from an ASCE publication, use the author-date citation and the abbreviation ASCE:

Reprinted from Jones 2008, © ASCE.

If the material comes from an ASCE standard, use the abbreviation ASCE/[abbreviation of the institute]
and standard number:

Reprinted from ASCE/SEI 41-13.

If the material comes from a public domain source, give credit to the source:

Reprinted from US Army Corps of Engineers 2009.

If material has been adapted, use the words “adapted from” (preferred) or “modified from” (also
acceptable) and the author-date citation:

Adapted from Jones 2008. Or Modified from Jones 2008.

Similarly, if the data are from a previous source, and the author has created a figure or a table from that
data, use the words “data from” and the author-date citation:

Data from Jones 2008.

Adapted from Jones 2012, 2013.

In the credit line for a photograph, give the photographer’s name whenever possible.

If the images were provided by the author(s), use

• “Image by authors” (for all authors),
• “Image by author” (if the article has only one author), or
• “Image by [individual name(s)]” when it is one author of many or a subset of the group.

Ensure that the author name(s) matches the byline in the manuscript.

20 © ASCE
If the images are from an unreferenced third party, use “Image courtesy of [unreferenced third party].”
The “[unreferenced third party]” should be replaced by the name of the photographer or organization
and a location if one is available. Page numbers may not apply because unreferenced sources could be
unpublished.

If the images are from a referenced source, use “Reprinted with permission from [referenced source].”
Here, “[referenced source]” should be replaced with the author-date citation. The complete reference
should be included in the References section.

NOTE For Google Maps, “© Google” may not be enough to satisfy the situation if
additional copyrights appear in the image itself. If “© Google” is not accompanied by a
traditional credit line in either the manuscript or the metadata, contact ASCE to confirm
that separate permissions are not required.

See Figures/Credit lines and Tables/Credit Lines for additional guidelines regarding the style for credit
lines in figure captions and table source notes.

Figures or Tables Taken from ASCE Publications

Authors of ASCE journal articles do not need to obtain permission to use figures or tables taken from
ASCE publications, as long as proper credit is given to ASCE. If, however, the caption to the previous
figure or table cited a source other than ASCE, the authors must obtain permission from the original
publisher or copyright holder.

© ASCE 21
Data Availability Statement
A Data Availability statement may be included in the text. If it is added to the Acknowledgments, please
split it out as a separate section and add a query to the author to review the change. In all journals except
the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, no specific format is required for that statement
and it can be edited per ASCE style.

Journal of Construction Engineering and Management

The Journal of Construction Engineering and Management includes a section called “Data Availability
Statement.” This statement can be worded as follows:
• Data generated by the authors or analyzed during the study are available at ___.
• Data analyzed during the study were provided by a third party. Requests for data should be
directed to the provider indicated in the Acknowledgments.
• Data generated or analyzed during the study are available from the corresponding author by
request.
• All data generated or analyzed during the study are included in the published paper.
• No data were generated or analyzed during the study.
• No data were generated or analyzed for this article.

The last option applies to nontechnical material, for example, Forums. Ensure that one of these options is
reproduced verbatim. If any changes are deemed necessary, contact ASCE.

This statement should be followed by “Information about the Journal’s data-sharing policy can be found
here: http://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0001263.”

22 © ASCE
Figures

Figures must be numbered sequentially. Every figure must have a figure number and a caption; some
also have part labels, subcaptions, and a credit line.

Captions

Figure captions should be short and to the point; they need not include a complete explanation of the
figure. Instead, the author should explain figures in text. Delete redundancies such as “photo of’,” and
“image of.”

Begin each caption with the abbreviation “Fig.” followed by an Arabic number and a period. Capitalize
the first word of each caption, and place a period at the end of the caption, even if it is not a complete
sentence:

Fig. 1. Plan view.

Fig. 2. Percentage breakdown of practitioner responses: Year 1 and Year 2.

If subcaptions follow a caption that could stand independently, add a colon before the subcaptions. The
last subcaption should be preceded by “and.”

Fig. 7. Procedure to account for PC estimate uncertainty: (a) mean-valued PC estimates;

(b) PC ordinate sampling; and (c) trial regression curve fitting.

If subcaptions are necessary to complete the caption, the colon is not needed. The last subcaption should
be preceded by “and.”

Fig. 3. Path of (a) reverse fault; (b) normal fault; and (c) curved fault.

Do not use alternatives to the word “figure” (e.g., “photo,” “plate,” or “chart”).

Notes in Figure Captions

Notes in figure captions should follow the caption text and end with a period. They need not be preceded
by “Note.” Examples:

© ASCE 23
 Fig. 1. Summary of the experimental program. Each of the control and defected specimens were
should be Fig. 3 cast with single-reinforcement and double-reinforcement meshes.

Figure 3. Decadal changes in residential construction by census tract. The expansion of the
central core of the city (along with Fort Jackson) before 1940 is shown, with adjacent growth
from 1940 to 1969 and then suburban expansion and rural development starting shortly
thereafter. The growth in the north and northeast and the infilling took place after 2000.

Color Figures
NOTE This section does not apply to online-only journals—PV, RU, SW.

Do not reference colors in figures (e.g., “blue circle”) unless the figure is a print color figure.

If a figure has been designated to print in color, the note “(Color)” should be included just before the text
of the caption:

Fig. 1. (Color) Capacity diagram with limit states for 2-story URM buildings.

Papers with four-color print figures will have a query inserted in the page proofs if the color fee has not been
waived by ASCE. If “Color Figure Fee Waiver: No” appears in the article coversheet, confirm that the
following query has been inserted:

AU: COLOR figures: You have chosen to print figures in color. The fee for this service is USD 800,
and must be paid prior to publication. The invoice, along with payment instructions, will be sent
in a separate message within 24 hours.

Head Shots
In Technical Articles, Technical Notes, and Case Studies, the caption for a head shot of an individual
should show the figure number and the person’s name:

Fig. 1. Patrick M. Reed.

In most front matter, however, the caption should show only the person’s name.

Math
Use “Eq.” when referring to equations in figure captions:

Fig. 6. Comparison of ratios: (a) Eq. (2); and (b) Eq. (4).

Part Labels and Subcaptions

Figure part labels must appear in the figure image, but they need not appear in the caption as long as
they are discussed in the text.

Figure part labels should be presented as lowercase letters in parentheses [(a), (b), etc.]. They should
precede the subcaption whenever possible, although they may appear in the flow of the text when
necessary [e.g., “The bubbles in (a) show ...”]. A part label should never follow a subcaption.

24 © ASCE
 Incorrect: Fig. 1. Gross shear planes (a); net shear planes (b).
Correct: Fig. 1. (a) Gross shear planes; and (b) net shear planes.
To correctly style the part labels in the caption, review the context in which they appear. Identify the
caption and the subcaptions and then arrange the elements appropriately. In this case, the caption was
restructured as follows: caption, subcaptions, note.

Incorrect:
Fig. 9. Effect of sediment size, initial velocity, and bed slope on development of the sediment
mound length scales: plots (a) through (d) show the effect of initial velocity and particle size, and
plots (e) through (h) show the effect of bed slope: (a) and (e) maximum mound height; (b) and (f)
mound width; (c) and (g) mound base area; (d) and (h) mound length.

Correct:
Fig. 9. Effect of sediment size, initial velocity, and bed slope on development of the sediment
mound length scales: (a and e) maximum mound height; (b and f) mound width; (c and g)
mound base area; (d and h) mound length. Plots (a) through (d) show the effect of initial velocity
and particle size, and plots (e) through (h) show the effect of bed slope.

In this example, in “plots (a) through (d),” the labels “(a)” and “(d)” are part of the of the text; in “(a and
e) maximum,” the labels are acting solely as labels. Placing “through” outside the parentheses and
placing “and” inside the parentheses is correct.

Use alphabetical figure part labels whenever possible. Convert directionals such as “top” and “bottom,”
“left” and “right,” to (a) and (b), etc.; however, if such directionals are used to show the progression of a
phenomenon, do not convert them.

NOTE If part labels included in the figure file contain errors, contact ASCE.

If part labels appear in captions, they are typically followed by subcaptions. When subcaptions are listed
in a series, separate them with semicolons, not commas:

Fig. 2. Two most critical failure modes: (a) block shear failure; and (b) net section fracture.
Fig. 3. Test-to-predicted moment (strain compatibility method) ratio versus (a) reinforcement
ratio; (b) flange area ratio; and (c) steel depth ratio.

Subcaptions, if provided, must appear in the figure caption, but they need not also appear with the labels
in the image; if they do, the descriptions in the image should match those in the caption.

Multipart Figures Spanning Multiple Pages

If a multipart figure runs on more than one page, the legend format is as follows:

Fig. 3. Path of (a) reverse fault; and (b) normal fault. Fig. 4. Load history.
Fig. 3. (Continued.) Fig. 4. (Continued.)

© ASCE 25
Symbols
Do not allow symbols or line styles in figure captions; spell out instead. For example, “●” should be
“solid circle,” “□” should be “open square,” and so forth; “---” should be “dashed line,” “∙∙∙” should be
“dotted line,” “- ∙ -” should be “dashed-dotted line,” and so forth.

If the author has described symbols with the terms “black” and “white,” for clarity replace them with
“solid” and “open” (even if the figure also contains symbols the author describes as “gray”).

References
Figure captions should not include reference citations without approval from ASCE. Do not add them to
a caption; if an author has included them, please query ASCE.

Credit lines

Credit line for complete figure

If a credit line applies to a figure, place it at the end of the figure caption. The credit line should be
followed by a period and enclosed in parentheses. Examples:

Fig. 1. Viscoelastic model parameters. (Reprinted with permission from Li and Rowe 2001, © 2008
NRC Canada.)

Fig. 2. Parameters of the random variables associated with the materials properties and traffic-
load effects for Bridge E-17-AH. (Data from Estes 1997; Smith et al. 2012, 1968; Jones 1998.)

Fig. 8. Roughness function Uþ as a function of ES. Solid circles represent numerical data of
Napoli et al. (2008), and open squares represent experimental data of Schultz and Flack (2009).
(Adapted from Schultz and Flack 2009.)
Fig. 7. (Color) Turbulent structures visualized using the Q-criterion for the three scour
Fig. 7. (Color) Turbulent structures visualized using the Q-criterion for the three scour
configurations: (a) FB; (b) LS; and (c) ES. PV = principal vortex structure; JV = junction vortex; CV
configurations: (a) FB; (b) LS; (c) ES. PV = principal vortex structure; JV = junction vortex; CV =
= corner
corner vortex;
vortex; and
DSLDSL = detached
= detached shear
shear layer.
layer; The scour
the scour bathymetry
bathymetry is depicted
is depicted through
through isolines.
isolines. (Reprinted from "Turbulence around a scoured bridge abutment," F. Bressan,
(Reprinted from “Turbulence around a scoured bridge abutment,” F. Bressan, F. Ballio, F. and
Ballio,
V.
and V. Armenio, Journal of Turbulence, 2011, with permission from Taylor &
Armenio, Journal of Turbulence, 2011, with permission from Taylor & Francis Ltd,Francis Ltd,
www.tandfonline.com.)
www.tandfonline.com.)

Credit lines for part(s) of a figure

If the credit line applies to only one part of a figure, place it after the description of that figure part. Note
that in this case the credit line begins with a lowercase letter and is not followed by a period. Examples:

Fig. 1. Fiber section of (a) undamaged pile (adapted from Jones et al. 2005); and (b) damaged pile.

Fig. 7. Kettleman Hills Unit B-19, Phase 1-A landfill: (a) Cross section A1–A2; (b) Cross section
B1–B2 (data from Briaud 2004); (c) Cross section C1–C2; (d) Cross section D1–D2; (e) Cross
section E1–E2; and (f) Cross section F1–F2 (data from Seed et al. 1990).

26 © ASCE
Same credit line for different parts of a figure
If the same credit line applies to multiple parts of a figure, place it at the end of the figure caption. The
credit line should be followed by a period and enclosed in parentheses. Example:

Fig. 5. Results of modal analysis: (a) first order; (b) second order; (c) third order; (d) sixth order;
(e) ninth order; and (f) fourteenth order. L = lateral bending; V = vertical bending; T = torsion;
LM = longitudinal moving; and LB = longitudinal bending. The locations of piers and pylon with
different serial numbers can be found in Fig. 3. [Data for (a–d) from Jones et al. 2014.]

Fig. 5. Results of modal analysis: (a) first order; (b) second order; (c) third order; (d) sixth order;
(e) ninth order; and (f) fourteenth order. L = lateral bending; V = vertical bending; T = torsion;
LM = longitudinal moving; and LB = longitudinal bending. The locations of piers and pylon with
different serial numbers can be found in Fig. 3. [Reprinted (a–d) from Jones et al. 2014.]

Fig. 5. Results of modal analysis: (a) first order; (b) second order; (c) third order; (d) sixth order;
(e) ninth order; and (f) fourteenth order. L = lateral bending; V = vertical bending; T = torsion;
LM = longitudinal moving; and LB = longitudinal bending. The locations of piers and pylon with
different serial numbers can be found in Fig. 3. [Adapted (a–d) from Jones et al. 2014.]

Fig. 5. Results of modal analysis: (a) first order; (b) second order; (c) third order; (d) sixth order;
(e) ninth order; and (f) fourteenth order. L = lateral bending; V = vertical bending; T = torsion;
LM = longitudinal moving; and LB = longitudinal bending. The locations of piers and pylon with
different serial numbers can be found in Fig. 3. [Adapted (a, c, and d) from Jones et al. 2014.]

See Copyright and Permissions for guidelines regarding permissions.

Citations

Every figure should be cited in the text in numerical order.

If the figures are not cited sequentially, do not renumber; instead, insert the following query:

The figures have not been cited sequentially in the text. Please renumber the figures so
they are cited in numerical order in the text per journal style.

Incidental mentions of a figure that occur out of sequence early on in a paper are acceptable as long as
that figure is later cited in sequence and the primary discussion or description of that figure occurs with
the later citation. In that case, there is no need to query the author to renumber.

Always abbreviate “Figure(s)” as “Fig(s).” when a figure is cited (note: the capitalization is a deviation
from CMOS 17), regardless of whether it appears in text, in parentheses, or at the beginning of a sentence:

Fig. 1 shows the data …

… as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
… as shown in Figs. 1–3.
The DCI plot (Fig. 4) shows …

Edit redundancies in citations of figures in text:

Redundant: A definition sketch of X, Y, and Z is shown in Fig. 5.

© ASCE 27
 Better: Fig. 5 is a definition sketch of X, Y, and Z.

Redundant: Fig. 6 shows a photograph of the setup for the field pullout test.
Better: Fig. 6 shows the setup for the field pullout test.

Use the preposition “in” rather than “on” when describing the contents of a figure:

Incorrect: The positions of A and B are shown on Fig. 6.

Correct: The positions of A and B are shown in Fig. 6.

NOTE Preface a figure citation with “see” only when the citation is integrated into a
sentence and is not cited parenthetically (e.g., “See Fig. 3 for further information.”).

Part Labels
Cite figures in brackets if a figure part label is part of the citation:

The DCI plot [Fig. 4(b)] shows …

… [Fig. 3(a)].

If more than one part of a figure is cited in the same citation, use the plural abbreviation “Figs.”:

Figs. 1(a and c) show the data …

Figs. 2(b–d) show the data …
… in other cases [Figs. 3(b) and 4], the data show …

Uncited Figures
If a figure is not cited in text, add a citation and query the author for approval. If it is too difficult to
determine a logical location for the citation, simply add it to the citation of the previous figure and inform
the author that the citation has been added temporarily.

Mixed citations

Citations of figures/tables/equations should be appear within a set of parentheses/brackets, separated

from citations of references enclosed in another set of parentheses. Follow the author for the order of
citations.

Data points were plotted [Fig. 1(a); Eq. (9c); Table 1] (Smith et al. 1990; Davis and Goliath 1997)
and evaluated…

Quality

The author is responsible for creating and modifying figures. Problems in figures should be repaired
before the paper is sent for copyediting and composition. If you find major problems in a figure such as
misspellings, citations in the figure itself that do not appear in the References, and any credit issues,
query ASCE.

28 © ASCE
Footnotes and Endnotes

The only footnotes used in ASCE papers are author footnotes, conference footnotes, and table footnotes.

Footnotes are not allowed in the text of ASCE papers; they must be incorporated into the text.

Endnotes are allowed only in the Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and
Construction (see Appendix VIII: Guidelines for the Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in
Engineering and Construction).

© ASCE 29
Headings
Heading levels:

Example of a Level 1 Heading

This is the text below a level 1 heading.
Example of a Level 2 Heading
This is the text following a level 2 heading.
Example of a Level 3 Heading
This is the text following a level 3 heading.
Example of a Level 4 Heading. This is the run-in text following a level 4 heading.
Example of a Level 5 Heading. This is the run-in text following a level 5 heading.

Level 1, 2, and 3 headings are set flush left. Level 4 and 5 headings are set flush left if they begin a
paragraph that immediately follows a level 3 heading; they are indented if they begin a regular body
paragraph.

NOTE There must always be at least two headings in a section; do not allow a single
instance of a heading within a section (e.g., there must be at least two level-3 headings
within a section designated by a level-2 heading).

Delete articles (a, an, the) that occur at the beginning of headings whenever they are unnecessary. This
edit should be made with discretion. Add a query to the author to review the revised heading.

Abbreviations

See Abbreviations/Headings.

Capitalization

See Capitalization/Titles and Headings.

Italicization

If an italicized term appears in a heading, leave it in italics; do not “reverse out” the type to roman.

Roman chemical symbols should appear roman in italic headings. Italic variables should appear italic in
roman headings.

30 © ASCE
Hyphenation

Compounds

In general, follow §§7.84–7.89 of CMOS 17, for hyphenation of compound modifiers.

Ambiguous Compounds
Include or omit the hyphen in a compound term as necessary to avoid ambiguity:

Example: Lemley, a heavy construction veteran, is a typical small business owner.

Better: Lemley, a heavy-construction veteran, is a typical small-business owner.

Take care to identify alternative meanings before deciding whether to hyphenate an ambiguous
compound:

Example: permanent abutment displacement

Is it a displacement of permanent abutments or a permanent displacement of abutments? In other words, is
it the abutment or its displacement that the author is emphasizing the permanence of?

Example: unsteady flow model

Is it a flow model that is unsteady (i.e., the model is unsteady), or is it a model of unsteady flow?

Although comparatives are usually not hyphenated, the potential for ambiguity and confusion is higher
in engineering, so comparatives are much more likely to be hyphenated.

Ambiguous: In spite of the computational considerations, more general schemes are possible.
Better: In spite of the computational considerations, more-general schemes are possible.

In some cases, the decision to use hyphenation depends on the intended meaning:

The following conclusions are based on the four fiber geometries studied.
(The number of fiber geometries studied was four.)

The following conclusions are based on the four-fiber geometries studied.

(The focus is on the geometries that have four fibers, rather than other geometries.)

NOTE Query the author if you are unsure how to clarify an ambiguous compound.

Open Compounds
For hyphenation of open compounds, follow §6.80 of CMOS 17.

© ASCE 31
Units of Measure
Always hyphenate units of measure when they act as compound modifiers:

a 22-mm bolt hole and a 20-mm-diameter bolt but the bolt hole was 22 mm

The hyphens may be dropped if their use seems overly complex, especially if a conversion of units
intervenes between a unit and the name of the item being measured.

Unnecessary: … the 2.5-cm- (1-in.-) long sample was then …

Sufficiently clear: … the 2.5-cm (1-in.) sample was then …

Unnecessary: … the 1-m--1-m--1-m cube …

Acceptable: … the 1  1  1-m cube … [note that the last hyphen is retained]

NOTE If a compound modifier requires more than three hyphens, it may be clearer
with no hyphens.

Prefixes

The following prefixes are not followed by a hyphen in most cases (see also Appendix II: Engineering
Terms for preferred treatment of specific terms):

after- afterrunning
ante- anteport
anti- antialiasing; antioxidant
auto- autocorrelation
bi- bidirectional
bio- bioengineering
co- coauthor; coworker
counter- counterclockwise
cross- crossbolt
de- deicing; deairing
di- diisocyanate
down- downgradient
eigen- eigenvalue; eigenmode
elasto- elastoplastic
electro- electroosmosis
extra- extracellular
hydro- hydrodynamic
hyper- hypercube
hypo- hypoeutectic
infra- infrared
inter- interstory
intra- intragalactic
iso- isosolid; isobutyric
macro- macroeconomics
mega- megadose
meta- metasomatism
metallo- metalloprotein
micro- micropollutant; microorganism

32 © ASCE
 mid- midpoint
mini- minicomputer; minienterprise
mono- monosymmetric
multi- multiprocessing
non- nonnegative
off- offshore
on- onboard
ortho- orthonormalized
over- overconservative
photo- photointerpretation
physico- physicochemical
poly- polydispersivity
post- postbuckling; but post-tension or posttension (follow the author)
pre- preinstalled
pro- prostereoisomerism
proto- protomylonite
pseudo- pseudocode
re- reuse
semi- semicylindrical; but semi-infinite
servo- servohydraulic
socio- socioeconomic
stereo- stereospecificity
sub- subbasin
super- superlinear; superworkstation
supra- supratidal
thermo- thermomechanical
trans- transuranic
tri- triisobutylene; trisectrix
ultra- ultrahazardous
un- unbundled
under- underconservative
up- upcrossing
vibro- vibrocompaction
visco- viscoplastic

Exceptions:
back- back-analysis, back-propagation, back-calculate, back-substituting
half- half-space
ill- ill-defined, ill-conditioned
quasi-* quasi-brittle; quasi-three-dimensional; quasi-3D
self- self-excitation

*Note that in certain legal contexts, “quasi” is an independent word, not a prefix (e.g., quasi contract,
quasi corporation).

Retain the hyphen after a prefix in the following instances:

• with abbreviations (e.g., non-3D),

• with proper nouns (e.g., mid-August, non-Gaussian, trans-Pacific),
• with numerals (e.g., pre-1914),
• with compound terms (e.g., non-point-source pollution),

© ASCE 33
 • with adverbial phrases (e.g., non-federally irrigated land),
• with double prefixes (e.g., non-undrained, post-prestressed),
• with same-vowel combinations (e.g., anti-icing, semi-infinite), and
• if the resultant term is a different word (e.g., re-cover, re-create, un-ionized).

If you are unsure whether to hyphenate, check Appendix II: Engineering Terms. If the word is not in the
list, follow The Chicago Manual of Style and then Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.

Suffixes

Hyphenate the suffix “-fold” with numerals of 10 or more (e.g., 15-fold) and with decimal values (e.g.,
2.5-fold). Omit the hyphen for whole numbers less than 10 (e.g., twofold, ninefold).

The suffix “-like” forms solid words, except for words ending in “ll” (e.g., “concretelike,” “rodlike”, but
“barrell-like”).

When used with variables, the suffix “-th” is set in roman [e.g., ith, nth, (mn)th].

The suffix “-wide” forms solid words, except after proper nouns and after most words of three or more
syllables (e.g., “buildingwide,” “citywide,” “countrywide,” “industrywide,” “nationwide,”
“statewide,” “worldwide”, but “Orlando-wide,” and “university-wide”).

The suffix “-wise” forms solid words (e.g., “batchwise,” “streamwise,” “spanwise”).

34 © ASCE
Lists

Avoid “naked” lists (i.e., lists that have no numbers or bullets). Assign numbers or bullets as befits the
situation.

Bulleted Lists

If a list of items is necessary, but the order in which items are listed is not particularly important and it
does not seem appropriate to run the list in with text, then list the items with bullets.

In general, a bulleted list should be punctuated as a sentence, following the guidelines in §6.131 of CMOS
17. However, if each entry in a list consists of multiple sentences or phrases that mandate the use of
semicolons or periods within the entry, it is acceptable to start each entry with a capital letter and end
each entry with a period, provided the text introducing the list is a complete grammatical sentence.
Example:

Efforts to improve time management are thwarted by

• bad habits,
• negative attitudes, and
• counterproductive shortcuts.

Bulleted lists can also occur within numbered lists. Example:

1. Who is on the team?

• Our side?
• Their side?
2. What issues are involved?
• What questions should we ask?
• What questions might they ask?

NOTE Do not conclude a bulleted list’s introductory statement with punctuation

unless the introductory statement is a complete sentence.

Numbered Lists

In general, numbered lists are best used for sequences of steps in a process or items that are referred to
elsewhere in text (e.g., “Of the items just numbered, Item 3 is the most critical.”).

For run-in numbered lists, follow §6.129 of CMOS 17, with the exception of italic letters to avoid
confusing them with variables.

Enumerated stacked list entries begin with Arabic numerals followed by periods. Follow §6.131 of CMOS
17, for punctuation of stacked lists. Example:

© ASCE 35
 In this study, we examined
1. ice-floe motion,
2. wind-velocity measurement, and
3. wind force.

NOTE Do not conclude a stacked list’s introductory statement with punctuation unless
the introductory statement is a complete sentence.

For outlines, use the following format:

1. Division
a. Class
(1) Order
(a) Suborder
1) Family
a) Genus
i) First subgenus
ii) Second subgenus
2. The next division
a. Class
b. The next class
(1) Order
(2) The next order
(a) Suborder
(b) The next suborder
1) Family
2) The next family
a) Genus
b) The next genus
i) First subgenus
ii) Second subgenus
… and so on.

36 © ASCE
Manufacturer Information

Citation

If the manufacturer name for any specialized product, device, or equipment mentioned in a manuscript is
not provided, query the author for the missing information. When listing manufacturer information,
include the product name, company, and company location.

The company location is required only at the first mention of a manufacturer. Include the name of the city
and, if necessary, spelled-out states or foreign country names. Always delete “USA.” For a list of cities
that do not need to be followed by state or country, see Publication Cities Not Requiring State and/or
Country Names.

Delete Co., Ltd., Mfg., Inc., and trademark symbols. Do not replace an ampersand (“&”) in a company
name with “and.”

If provided in parentheses, manufacturer information should be presented in the following format:

… (product name, manufacturer name, manufacturer location).

If the product name is integral to the sentence structure, do not repeat it parenthetically:

… product name (manufacturer name, manufacturer location).

Examples:
Flat-bottom plates (Costar, Corning, Tokyo) were used in all experiments.
The SC6000 servohydraulic system (Shore Western, Monrovia, California) was used …

Trademarks

Do not use the trademark (™) or registered trademark ( ®) symbol in conjunction with a product name. If
either one of these symbols is provided, it should be deleted.

Capitalize all trademarked product names. A trademark name should always be used as an adjective in
combination with the generic term for the item:

Xerox photocopies Kleenex tissues Thermos bottle

Consult Appendix II: Engineering Terms regarding certain trademarked names that should be replaced
with generic equivalents (e.g., Plexiglas).

If you are uncertain whether an item is trademarked or need to confirm the correct spelling of the item,
consult the US Patent and Trademark Office’s database:
http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/process/search/

© ASCE 37
Mathematical Composition

If the guidelines in this chapter do not provide adequate guidance regarding proper mathematical
composition, follow the author.

Algorithms

An algorithm outlines a step-by-step procedure for solving a mathematical problem, particularly as

accomplished by a computer process.

Algorithm titles should be styled similarly to a table title. Example:

Algorithm 1. Macroscale problem not Algorithm 1

Macroscale problem

Do not insert hyphenation breaks into algorithms; maintain the line breaks and indents as presented in
the manuscript. Follow the authors styling for capitalization, italics, and punctuation. If changes seem
necessary to correct an obvious error, add a query to the author.

Click here for a sample of an algorithm in a published article.

Ambiguous Characters

Always be certain that the manuscript uses the correct characters or symbols, particularly those with
look-alikes. Table 12.4 in CMOS 17, lists potentially ambiguous symbols. Query the author if use of
symbols appears to be inconsistent.

NOTE Be sure that much less than (“≪”) and much greater than (“≫”) are
represented with the correct mathematical characters and not using two “less than” or
“greater than” symbols (i.e., “<<” and “>>”). See Table 12.1 in CMOS 17.

For empty fences () or [], add a thin space for clarity ( ) or [ ]

Asterisks

Asterisks can be interpreted in four ways; be sure that the typographer knows what is intended. In
computer equations, a centered asterisk indicates multiplication; e.g., DAILY * WEIGHT ^2 = TK. In other
equations, a product dot (· ) (also called a “chem point”) is centered vertically.

An asterisk in a line of computer code is correct if it means “multiply”; however, if an author uses it in
displayed equations for the multiplication dot, change it to either a dot or a multiplication sign (). Treat
displayed equations using scientific notation similarly:

5.1 × 106 not 5.1 * 106

Computer usage:

38 © ASCE
 1000 Y[5 * G(X * Z)] + FINAL

Citing Equations

Displayed equations are numbered consecutively throughout the text and appendixes, and they should
be cited by number within parentheses. For equations spanning multiple lines, the equation numbers
should be aligned with the last line of the equation. (note: this is a deviation from CMOS 17)

In text, cite displayed equations as follows:

In Eq. (1) … In Eqs. (4)–(8) … In Eqs. (3a)–(3c) …

In Eqs. (2) and (3) … In Eqs. (2b) and (2c) … … [Eq. (4)]
… Eqs. (48)–(50) or Eq. (51) In Eq. (S1) …

Computer Programs

Computer programs should be typeset if electronic text has been provided by the author. (If only a
graphic is provided, it does not need to be rekeyed.)

Lines of computer code should be set as text and not in MathType, even if they include math operators
(e.g., “FOR i = 1 TO ndat: fai(i) = alfa * faiav: s(i) = (sig1(i) + sig3(i))/2: t(i) = (sig1(i) - sig3(i))/2: NEXT I”).

If the author has included a lengthy section of coding (as an appendix, for example), query ASCE about
whether that text should be presented as supplemental data.

If any lines exceed the margins, query the author to determine whether program lines can be broken and
where. What is the proper alignment of the characters? Are all lines (especially borders) necessary?

Check for consistency of capitalization and query author as necessary.

See also Mathematical Composition/Algorithms.

Decimals

Insert a leading zero before decimals:

0.25 not .25 a–0.5 not a–.5

P < 0.01 not P < .01

Note that digits to the right of the decimal point are significant. For example, 0.2 is not the same as 0.200;
the zeros to the right of the “2” in “0.200” are called “significant figures” and must be retained as an
indication of how accurate the quantity is. Even when only a zero follows the decimal (e.g., 4.0), the
significant figure should be retained.

“E” Notation

If the authors have used “E” notation, query them to convert it to scientific notation.

© ASCE 39
For example,
1.23E07
1.23e07 should be 1.23 × 107
1.23E+7

1.23E-07
1.23e-07 should be 1.23 × 10−7
1.23E-7

This is particularly important in tables.

Ellipses

Use ellipses for a series (e.g., 0, 1, 2, … , n). Note that a comma must appear on both sides of the ellipses.

Use centered dots when juxtaposed with mathematical operators: 5𝑎 + ⋯ + 6𝑏. Highlighted items
should be roman
𝜀2𝑧 = 𝜀2𝑡𝑖𝑑𝑒 + 𝜀2𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 + 𝜀2𝑤𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑠 + 𝜀2𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑠 + ⋯

Explanation of Variables

In explanatory text following a displayed equation, replace words such as “is,” “are,” “equals,”
“denotes,” “represents,” and so forth with an equals sign (=). Separate the entries with semicolons.

x+y=z (5)

where x = value of the root; y = slope; and z = answer.

It is usually best to omit the definite article (e.g., “x = value” not “x = the value”).

In some cases, leaving words may be better than attempting to substitute an equals sign. For example,
when the function is being explained, rather the variable being defined:

where t(r) characterizes the temperature distribution. [Not where t(r) = temperature distribution.]
where pr is dependent on pcap. (Not where pr = dependent on pcap.)
where var( ) denotes the variance. [Not where var( ) = variance.]
where Hfu is the N × N transfer matrix. (Not where Hfu = N × N transfer matrix.)

If it is not clear whether to use words or substitute an equals sign, follow the author rather than
introducing a potentially incorrect change.

Do not place explanations of subscript words or functions within quotation marks (e.g., “where col
indicates …” not “where ‘col’ indicates …”).

NOTE Equals signs are needed only in definitions of variables that follow displayed
equations; for in-text equations, use text (for example, “is,” “are”).

40 © ASCE
Fences

See Punctuation/Parentheses for guidelines regarding the use of fences in text.

Fences (called ‘delimiters’ in CMOS 17) in math should appear in pairs. Query the author if an opening or
closing fence appears to be missing.

Angle brackets are not appropriate in the fence hierarchy. If they appear in math, please query the author
for a replacement.

Follow the author for order of fences.

NOTE In chemistry, brackets are used to indicate concentration and should not be
changed. Brackets are also used in descriptions of layers of materials (e.g., [0°/90°] 5) and
should not be changed. When fences are used to denote vectors, tensors, and matrices,
they are part of the symbol; therefore, they do not affect the hierarchy of fences.

Fractions

Equations that appear in running text, the notation list, figure captions, and table titles should be slashed
down. Slashed down equations may appear in headings, but if it is a particularly complex equation,
query the author to remove it from the heading or position it elsewhere.

It is not necessary to slash down displayed equations in (a) the text, (b) matrices, or (c) the body of a table.

Displayed equations can be stacked (top to bottom) or slashed down; follow the author. Diagonal
fractions are not allowed.

Ambiguous Fractions
Query the author if ambiguity exists. For example, in the case of the following equation,

a + b/c/d
the author may have intended any of the following:

b b ab  ab b

  a   a
c c  c 
a 
c c
    d
d d  d  d

Stacking and Slashing Fractions

Knowing how to stack and slash requires knowing the grammar of algebra. Example:

ab
does not equal a  b / c ; it equals (a  b) / c
c

© ASCE 41
By convention the order of operations in an expression is as follows:

1. raising to a power (or finding a root),

2. multiplication and
3. division, and
4. addition and subtraction.

For example, the expression a2b/c + d means the following:

• first, square a;
• then, multiply the result by b;
• take the result of that and divide it by c; and
• finally, add d to it.

If the example were instead d + ba2/c , the operations would be performed in the same order as in the
previous example; the series of operations is performed in accordance with the foregoing universal
convention, not the order in which the variables are arranged.

NOTE Always slash fractions in superscripts and subscripts (stacked fractions will not
fit). Example:
1
Incorrect: 𝜗𝑥 = −𝑅𝑎𝑥
2
θ′

1 2 ′ ⁄
Correct: 𝜗𝑥 = −𝑅𝑎𝑥 θ

The abbreviations e and “exp” can be substituted to avoid stacked fractions.

Parentheses
Parentheses indicate that the operations within them are to be performed before what they contain is
operated on. For example, the expression (a + b)Type equation here./c means that first a is to be added to
b; their sum is then divided by c.

In a stacked fraction, the horizontal line means the same thing as the slash, e.g.,

𝑎+𝑏
= (𝑎 + 𝑏)⁄𝑐
𝑐

The parentheses in some expressions are superfluous because they restate an order of performing
operations that is the same as the aforementioned universal convention. Example:

𝑎+𝑏+𝑐 =𝑑

Although they are redundant, authors often use these fences to emphasize relationships and improve the
readability of the mathematics. The author should approve any insertion or deletion of parentheses.

Superscripts
Slash stacked superscripts that are in displayed equations by using the usual slashing rules. Example:

1+0.9𝑚
Change: 𝑎+𝑏 25 to 𝑎 + 𝑏 (1+.09𝑚)⁄25

42 © ASCE
Punctuation

It is preferable to have no punctuation before a displayed equation. However, the sentence preceding a
displayed equation should end with a colon if it contains the word “following” or “follows.”

Examples:
The result is expressed as
a+b=c (1)

Smith et al. (2009) proposed the following expression:

x+4=0 (2)

If “e.g.” or “i.e.” precede a display equation, reword as “for example” or “that is.”

Radical Sign

Radicals may be depicted in various ways. Unroofed radicals use a fractional exponent (a superscript).
Material that would appear under the roof of the radical must be contained within appropriate fences:

(a  b) / c  [(a  b) / c]1/2  [(a  b) / c]0.5 (4)

Radicals with other indices (indicating roots other than the square root) require the appropriate fractional
exponent:

3
a  a1/3 (5)

Authors are free to use any of these styles, but they should be used consistently thoughout the paper.
Copyeditors should flag inconsistent uses for review by the author.

Related Equations

Related equations displayed on one line may be numbered within one pair of parentheses with one
number:

a + b = c; d + e = f; g + h = i (1)

Having one equation number in each set of parentheses is preferable to having more than one. For
example, if multiple equations are run-in with punctuation, assign only one equation number:

a + b = c; d + e = f; g + h = i;
j + k = l; m + n = p; q + r = s (2)

Follow the author’s punctuation.

© ASCE 43
Equation with Lettered Parts
If, however, the author has cited each equation separately in text [e.g., as Eqs. (2a)–(2f)] break them onto
separate lines and remove the punctuation (note: this is a deviation from CMOS 17):

a+b=c (2a)
d+e=f (2b)
g+h=i (2c)
j+k=l (2d)
m+n=p (2e)
q+r=s (2f)

Spaces

Close up the space between a number and the symbol it multiplies:

2a ab 2xz

Close up the space before and after superscripts, parentheses, braces, brackets, and vertical rules, except
for functions:

H  
2
(x)y –a{b} y[c] but sin2 x

Thin spaces will be applied automatically by the compositor.

Em Quad and Two-Em Quad

An em quad (or em space) is a unit of width equivalent to the type size of the font being used (e.g., a 10-
point em space is 10 points wide). Originally, it was equivalent to the width of an uppercase M in that
font, hence the name.

A two-em quad is twice an em quad. This spacing is used in displayed equations and appears between
two separate equations or inequalities in the same line of a display:

2 + y = c, x+y=b

Use a two-em quad between a symbolic statement and a condition on the statement or verbal expression:

x yz  A (n  0,1, , p)
x + y for all y > m

Use a two-em quad between an expression and its qualifier:

xz 0 if x  1
If different seperators are used in display equations across the paper, make them consistent and query the
author to review.

44 © ASCE
Special Fonts and Typefaces

In all displayed equations and mathematical expressions, all numerals and Greek characters are set
roman and all letters italic unless marked otherwise by the copyeditor.
uppercase
Bold {uppercase Greek}
Follow the author on apparent inconsistencies in bold font; something that appears to be an inconsistency
(e.g., the same character appearing in lightface and bold in different places) is assumed to be correct.
Query the author to confirm the inconsistency.

NOTE With the exception of “max,” “min,” “ave,” and other abbreviations, superscripts
and subscripts are set italic to preserve readability. In any case, follow the author.

Italics
Use italics for letters in the English language and all variables, including variables that are subscript and
superscript.

Lowercase Greek characters are italicized (uppercase Greek characters are not), except when they
represent units, for example, μg (microgram).

The derivative d is always italicized, with letter spaces on both sides.

Computer variables (e.g., QUE*0.2EXIST) are usually set in italic.

Roman
Abbreviations and acronyms used as variables or subscript should be roman. Also, words like “up” and
“down” in equations should be roman. Abbreviations in all capitals that are more than one character long
are set in roman.

Trigonometric functions (sin, cos, tan, sec, csc, cot), hyperbolic functions (look for the “h”; sinh, cosh,
tanh, sech, csch), logarithms (log, ln), and abbreviated words, such as max, min, ave, lim, Re, and Im are
set in roman type. Follow the author if they request that “d” (for differential) be set roman.

Body text is set in roman type, and displayed equations are in italic (note the previous exceptions).
Acronyms and geometric designations (lines, segments, points, angles) are set in roman.

Acronyms used as variables are usually set in roman if their use as a variable seems secondary to their
use as an acronym.

Mathematical functions and operators are roman; see Mathematical Composition/Special Fonts and
Typefaces/Functions and Operators for a comprehensive list.

Functions and Operators

Mathematical functions and operators should appear in roman type (but see exceptions in the following
lists). A comprehensive list follows:

© ASCE 45
 Abs absorptive part
abs absolute value
ad, adj adjoint
a.e. almost everywhere
Ai Airy function; Airy integral
am amplitude
antilog antilogarithm
arccos arccosine
arccot arccotangent
arccsc arccosecant
arcsec arcsecant
arcsin arcsine
arctan arctangent
arg argument
Bd bound
bdry boundary (topology)
bei Thomson-Bessel function
ber Thomson-Bessel function
Bi Airy integral
C complement (of a set)
card cardinal (of the set)
CDF cumulative distribution function (avoid “c.d.f.”)
c.f. characteristic function (not “cf.,” which means ”compare”)
Chi hyperbolic cosine integral
CI confidence interval (statistics)
Ci first cosine integral
ci second cosine integral
Cin Cin(x) = –Ci(x) + lnx + C
cis cos + isin [ciscos + isin = exp(i)]
CL confidence limit (statistical term)
Cl Clausen integral
cl closure
cn Jacobian elliptic function
COD coefficient of determination
cof cofactor
coker cokernal
colog cologarithm
const constant (no period needed)
COP coefficient of performance
cos cosine
cosh hyperbolic cosine
cot cotangent; avoid “ctg”
coth hyperbolic cotangent
COV coefficient of variation (avoid “C.O.V.”)
Cov covariance
csc cosecant (avoid “cosec”)
csch hyperbolic cosecant
curl (vector operator)
Det functional determinant
det determinant
diag diagonal (matrix)
dim number of dimensions; dimensionality

46 © ASCE
 disc discontinuity
div divergence
div grad Laplacian (prefer “2”)
dn Jacobian elliptic function
E( ) expectation operator (italic if author prefers)
E[ ] expectation operator (italic if author prefers)
Ei exponential integral
eig eigenvalue
erf error function
erfc complementary error function
ess sup essential supremum
exp exponential (same as e)
fr frontier (topology)
g.c.d. greatest common divisor; greatest commeon denominator
gd Gudermannian
Gi Airy integral
GL general linear
GL(n,R) full linear group of degree n over field R
glb greatest lower bound
gr group
grad gradient (prefer ““)
hei Bessel function
her Bessel function
Hom(M,N) group of all homomorphisms is M into N
hom homology
id identity
iff “if and only if” (mathematical logic)
Im imaginary part of
inf inferior; infimum (greatest lower bound)
int interior
kei Bessel function; Kelvin function
ker kernal; Bessel function; Kelvin function
lcm least common multiple
lim limit (not “Lim”; “lt”)
l.i.m. limit in the mean
lim inf limit inferior
lim sup limit superior
Lipc Lipschitz class of functions
ln natural logarithm
log base 10 logarithm
log10 logarithm; use “log”
loge use “ln”
lub least upper bound
max maximum (avoid “Max”)
min minimum (avoid “Min”)
mod modulus; modulo
n.a.s.c. necessary and sufficient condition
non negation (mathematical logic)
NRC noise-reduction coefficient
one-one one-to-one correspondence (set theory)
P property; principal value
PDF probability density function (avoid “p.d.f.”; “pdf”)

© ASCE 47
 p.p. almost everywhere (prefer “a.e.”)
Pr probability
Prob probability function
pt point
Re real part of
Res residue
rot rotation
SD standard deviation (prefer full words)
SE standard error
sec secant
sech hyperbolic secant
SEM standard error of the mean
sgn signum function
shi hyperbolic sine integral
Si first sine integral
si second sine integral
sin sine
sinh hyperbolic sine
SL special linear
s-lim strong limit
sn Jacobian elliptic function
Sp spur (same as Tr)
Sp symplectic
sp spin or linear span
sup superior; supremum (least upper bound)
supp support of a function
symm. symmetrical (matrix)
Sz(g) Suzuki group
tan tangent
tanh hyperbolic tangent
tn Jacobian elliptic function
Tr trace
tr trace
var variance (avoid “Var”)
vers versed sine
w* weak star
w-lim weak limit
wr wreath
zn Jacobian  function
ρ(χ) Weierstrass elliptic function

Exceptions:
The following functions and operators are italic:
A disjunction (mathematical logic)
a0 1 Bohr radius = 0.52917 Å
C implication (mathematical logic)
d differential (roman if author requests)
e exponential (same as “exp,” which prints in roman)
E equivalence (mathematical logic)
En Euclidean n-space
F Fourier transform

48 © ASCE
 highlighted 0
should be roman

g gravitational acceleration
H Hamiltonian
h Planck’s constant (10–34 J∙s)
H0(1)( ) Hankel function of the first kind of order zero
i 1 ; the square root of –1; the imaginary unit
K conjunction (mathematical logic)
Le Lewis number
N negation (mathematical logic)
O( ) “of the order of”
o “of order less than”
R multivariate correlation coefficient
R relation (set theory)
R2 coefficient of determination
r bivariate correlation coefficient
Sn n-sphere
T2 space Hausdorff space

Helvetica
The following notation should be set in Helvetica in text, tables, and figure captions and in Helvetica
roman in displayed equations:

F Froude number*
M Mach number
P Péclet number
Pr Prandtl number
R Reynolds number†
Ri Richardson number
S Strouhal number
Sc Schmidt number
W Weber number
*Avoid Fr and Fr and other representations of the Froude number; however, a designation such as
“where Fd = downstream Froude number” is permissible.
†Not Re, which is used for “real part of.”

NOTE Do not query authors with questions such as “Should this be Helvetica?”
Authors rarely know the names of typefaces, so it is better to simply set the character in
Helvetica roman and query the author to confirm (e.g., “Is this a Strouhal number?”).

Script Characters
It is acceptable for authors to use script characters for variables. Example:

Ek represents kinetic energy evaluated at r = r0

For matrices, tensors, and vectors, suggest to authors that they use either bold or fences. Froude and
Reynolds numbers, etc., should be set in Helvetica roman even though some authors request script
characters. “Real” and “imaginary” should be set as “Re” and “Im” (not R or R, etc.) in roman. For
eponymous notation such as the Fourier constant (F) or the Hamiltonian (H), suggest the use of regular
italic; note, however, that the Faraday constant is script (F ).

© ASCE 49
Subscripts and Superscripts

A superscript –1 means “reciprocal”; it can also be read as “per.” In other words, m•s–1 means the same
thing as m/s (i.e., meters per second).

Always slash fractions in superscripts and subscripts (stacked fractions will not fit). The abbreviations e
and “exp” can be substituted to avoid stacked fractions.

In displayed equations, slash fractions that are elements of matrices and determinants.

Check all subscripts. If a character is ambiguous (e.g., 0 versus o), query the author.

An asterisk can be subscript, superscript, or centered.

Subscripts and superscripts that are an abbreviation used in the paper or a word should be in roman type
in displayed equations. Example:

E = Cmax(Ftime  Ewater)

In general, all subscripts and superscripts should be set italic except

• math functions and operators and all dimensionless numbers (e.g., Froude and Reynolds
numbers);
• chemical expressions [e.g., Al (aluminum), C (carbon), Na (sodium)];
• complete lowercase words, e.g., in, out, up, down, off, open, closed;
• recognizable or defined lowercase abbreviations of at least three letters (e.g., max, min, avg)
[note: two-letter lowercase abbreviations should be set in italic, (e.g., s.d., sw, ne, af)];
• all units of measure [e.g., in. (inch), m (meter), s (second)]; and
• abbreviations and acronyms that are in all caps (e.g., GMS, E-W, CW, UV, UVB).

Summation and Product

The compositor will assume that the symbol  means “summation” rather than “capital Greek Sigma”;
the compositor will also assume that the symbol  means “product,” rather than “capital Greek Pi.”

Symbols versus Spelled-Out Terms

Spell out the name of a symbol/operator (for example, “approximately”) when it is used in text. If used
as an operator with a number, use the symbol. Examples:

... characteristics of hydraulic fracturing (~105 Pa) …

… used a pipe of approximately 2 in. diameter

50 © ASCE
Notation List

The notation list is optional; do not query for one if the author has not provided one. See Article
Sections/Order for the proper placement of the notation list relative to other sections.

List items in the notation list according to the following guidelines:

• List all items alphabetically.

• Capital letters precede lowercase letters.
• The Greek alphabet begins after the last letter of the English alphabet.
• Nonalphabetical symbols follow the Greek alphabet.
• Subscript numerals follow subscript letters.

The notation list should always be introduced with the phrase “The following symbols are used in this
paper:”

NOTE If the author provides the notation list in paragraph form, convert it to a list.

Acronyms and abbreviations are not permitted except when they are used in equations as variables. In
computer usage, variables often are words and abbreviations (e.g., FIRSTIN – LASTOUT = FILOPROFIT).

Delete definite and indefinite articles (a, an, the) from the definitions.

Definitions end with a semicolon. The penultimate item ends with a semicolon and the word “and”; the
last item is terminated with a period. Fractions are slashed as in text (displayed equations are not
permitted in the notation list).

Example:

Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
A = surface area of element;
[A] = coefficient matrix;
a = side length or radius of plate;
B = strain-displacement matrix;
{b} = augment vector;
E( ) = expectation operator;
e = 2.718281828;
F = Froude number;
Fd = downstream Froude number;
F0 = approaching Froude number;
g = gravitational acceleration;
M = Mach number;
R = Reynolds number;
Ri = Richardson number;
S = Strouhal number;
U = degree of consolidation;
Ut = average degree of consolidation;
u = excess pore-water pressure;

© ASCE 51
 {u} = excess pore-water pressure vector;
ut = excess pore-water pressure at any time t;
W = Weber number;
w = out-of-plane displacement;
α = coefficient;
ΔS = elemental surface area;
 = (t + T) – (t);
 = Him01/2;
r,geohorizontal stress in geotextile;
rc confining stress acting on column;
 rc0 = radial stress of column in compression condition;
rs lateral confining stress provided by surrounding soiland
 = wave number.

Subscripts, superscripts, and other types of characters may be grouped under a level 2 heading if the
author wishes. Do not include Greek characters here; they follow the English alphabet.

Example:

Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
A = surface area of element;
e = 2.718281828;
g = gravitational acceleration;
w = out-of-plane displacement;
α = coefficient; and
 = wave number.
Subscripts
j, k = positive integer indices;
p = threshold value corresponding to E = 1/p; and
1 = values at time t or t0 – u.

NOTE Not all terms used in the paper need to be in the list, but all terms in the list
need to be used in the paper.

NOTE If the author provides notation definitions within the text of the article, move
them to the notation list.

52 © ASCE
Numbers

Fractions

Spell out fractions completely or use numerals only; do not combine the two:

one-fifth scale model or 1/5-scale model not 1/5th scale model

Unusual use such as “1/10 highest wave” is correct jargon in contexts dealing with waves (authors do not
use “10th highest wave” in this context).

See also Mathematical Composition/Fractions.

Large Numbers

Always use a comma in numbers with four or more digits:

1,000
10,000
100,000

However, do not write out millions or billions numerically. This also applies when they’re followed by
units:

2 million (not 2,000,000)

5.5 billion (not 5,500,000,000) tons

Lists

See Lists/Numbered Lists.

Monetary Expressions

For monetary expressions, use the symbol or the 3-letter abbreviation for the currency, per CMOS 17:

$2.4 million (not “a $2.4 million dollar project”)

$5.5 billion or USD 5.5 billion
€14 or EUR 40

Numerals versus Spelling Out

Write out numbers of nine or less when not used with units of measurement:

“The nine samples were …” but “A conversion factor of 3.2 was used to…”

© ASCE 53
Avoid beginning sentences with numerals. If possible, recast the sentence so that it does not begin with a
numeral; if this is not possible, spell out the numeral.

Certain numbers less than 10 but without units may need to appear as numerals if the enumeration is
crucial to the terminology (e.g., scores, factors, parts or results of equations, etc.):

The eight strips were prepared in aspect ratios of 4 and 8.

In the second test, the force was increased by a factor of 2.
The sand had a coefficient of uniformity of 1.
The five columns of the 9 × 5 matrix are given in Eqs. (24)–(28).
A 2-story building … but The building had two stories …

For numbers 10 and greater, use numerals:

“The directional 30th highest hourly volume …” but “Ten tests were performed …”

When a series of numbers includes numbers of nine or less and 10 or greater, use numerals for all
numbers in the series unless the series begins a sentence:

“The results show that in 3 of 12 load tests …” but “Three of 12 load tests …”

Spell numbers out when not followed by a unit, and use numerals when followed by a unit. Examples:

The study used two pipes…

The study used 2-in. diameter pipes…

Ranges

Ranges of numbers are indicated with an en dash, per §9.60 of CMOS 17:

… see Figs. 8–10. … within 6–25% …

… as in Figs. 9(b–d) … … and in Tables 6–9.
… and in Figs. 11(c)–13 …

However, do not use the en dash if the result could be hard to read. Examples:

within –6 to –25%
The ratios are in the 7:1 to 31:1 range.

Do not use an en dash in “between/and” or “from/to” constructions. Examples:

between 6 and 25%

from 2007 to 2010
Incorporate SI conversions into a from/to range. Examples:

… was increased from 100 mm (4 in.) to 300 mm (12 in.).

… was reduced from 300 mm (12 in.) to 100 mm (4 in.).

NOTE Do not use the asymptote character for ranges (e.g., 6~25%).

54 © ASCE
Series

Series of numbers require conjunctions, just as lists of words do. Example:

d = 0, 1, 2, or 3 MPa

Dates

When listing a range of years, always repeat all digits (e.g., 1997–1999).

Use the month-day-year system for full dates. Place a comma both before and after the year:

December 7, 1941, was a day that shall live in infamy forever.

However, when giving only the month and year, do not use commas:

Fewer housing starts were recorded in April 2008 than in previous months.

Use “BCE” for dates before the common era; use “CE” for common era dates (e.g., 300 BCE, 1066 CE).

NOTE At first reference, September 11, 2001, should be a full date and should always
include the year (i.e., September 11, 2001). A descriptive phrase should also be included
(e.g., “The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, indicated that tall buildings …”). The
abbreviation 9/11 is permissible if a paper uses it frequently; the first reference to this
abbreviation should be as follows: “September 11, 2001 (9/11).” It is permissible to use
“post–September 11, 2001,” and “pre–September 11, 2001,” for periods before and after
that date.

Units and Symbols

Units are not repeated after numerical values in a series; the unit follows the last numeral:

… lengths of 1, 2, and 3 m were considered.

… the 1-, 2-, and 3-L samples were then …
… the cube was 1 × 1 × 1 m.
… 6–25%
… 1, 3, and 5%

However, repeat dollar signs and variables that are not measurable units:

… $800 to $1,000.
… three pile spacing values (2D, 4D, and 6D), considering a pile diameter (D) of 0.5 m.

Degree symbols are always closed up to the number (e.g., 37°C), both in text and in tables. Spell out
“degrees” when it is not used with a numerical value.

See also Mathematical Composition/Symbols.

© ASCE 55
Punctuation

Colon

Use a colon rather than a virgule in all ratios [e.g., “methanol:water (50:50)”].

Comma

Use serial commas.

Use a comma to separate numbers of four or more digits:

1,000 10,000 100,000 (but 2 million, 5.5 billion)

Use a comma to offset the day from a year:

January 14, 2008

Em Dash

Use an em dash in empty table cells to indicate no value obtained.

En Dash

Use an en dash in open compounds (see Hyphenation/Compounds/Open Compounds) and in all

numerical ranges (see Numbers/Ranges).

En dashes should be used for compound modifiers, where each element holds equal weight. Examples:

public–private partnership steel–concrete composite

Hyphen

See Hyphenation.

Parentheses

If parentheses fall within a set of parentheses, change the outer parentheses to square brackets and retain
parentheses for the inner set (note: this is a deviation from CMOS 17). Example:

… [Fig. 3(a)], but (Fig. 3) …

56 © ASCE
Quotation Marks

Periods and commas should be placed inside quotation marks; colons and semicolons, outside.

Use double quotation marks (“ ”); use single quotation marks (‘ ’) only for quotes within a quote.

Use quotation marks for

• direct quotes,
• chapter and paper titles, and
• section titles.

NOTE Use ellipses with direct quotes to indicate that

• the end of a quoted sentence has been deliberately left grammatically incomplete
(e.g., Lu and We describe these results in detail in the paragraph beginning “The
constant PF method …” and summarize their conclusions); and
• a passage has been shortened (e.g., Lu and We noted, “In summary … the two
quantile value methods yield similar results … and produce cost savings as well.”

The ellipses are not necessary here: Lu and We noted that “… the two quantile value
methods yield similar results …” and agreed with the researcher’s conclusions.

Do not use quotation marks for

• block quotes,
• emphasis (use italics instead),
• coined words or phrases (use italics instead),
• slang, or
• terms that are followed by a definition or an explanation (e.g., not “where ‘col’ indicates …”).

Semicolon

For use of semicolons, follow §§6.56–6.60 of CMOS 17.

© ASCE 57
References

The References section is the last section of the paper. It must include any reference cited in the text,
tables, and figures and should not include any works not cited.

References must be published works only. Exceptions to this rule are theses, dissertations, and
forthcoming articles, all of which are allowed in the reference list.

The level 1 head “References” is always plural, even if the section contains only one reference.

NOTE Bibiliographies are not allowed. If a bibliography is given for a paper that is not
in the Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction, add
any cited entries to the reference list and delete any uncited entries (and inform the
author that this has been done per ASCE style). If the bibliography is very large, notify
ASCE.

See Title Page/Abstract for treatment of citations in an abstract.

See Reference Types for detailed guidelines regarding proper styling of various reference types.

Abbreviations

For references other than journals (e.g., proceedings, reports, dissertations), use the following
abbreviations:

Conf. Conference ed. Edition Rep. Report

Dept. Department Int. International* Symp. Symposium
Div. Division No. Number Univ. University**
ed(s). Editor(s) Proc. Proceedings Vol. Volume

*Only in the title of the work; do not abbreviate in publisher or conference sponsor names (e.g.,
International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers).

**Only for names of universities (e.g., Center for Applied Coastal Research, Univ. of Delaware); do not
abbreviate for publisher names (e.g., Cambridge University Press).

Abbreviate all state names using the two-letter postal abbreviation (See Appendix V: City, State,
Province, and Territory Names for exceptions).

Abbreviate degrees in a thesis or dissertation. ASCE uses periods in abbreviations of academic degrees,
for example, Ph.D. (note: this is a deviation from CMOS 17).

Abbreviate name suffixes (e.g., Jr., Sr., II, III) and treat in the reference list as follows:

Smith, T. S., Jr., G. T. Jones III, …

58 © ASCE
Acronyms and Abbreviations

Acronyms and abbreviations in in-text citations need not be spelled out. Definitions, if necessary, should
be included in the reference itself.

Text: Austenitic steels are not susceptible to brittle fracture in average mid-Atlanic climates
(CEN 1992).

Reference: CEN (European Committee for Standardization). 1992. Design of steel structures, part
1.1. Eurocode 3. Brussels, Belgium: CEN.

Citations

All entries listed in the References section must be cited in the text, figures, or tables. Query the author to
add in-text citations for sources included in the reference list but not cited in the text (but retain the entry
in the reference list; do not delete it).

• It is acceptable for a reference to be cited only in the image of a figure; it need not be cited in the
figure caption or main text. If there are extensive reference citations that appear in the image
only, query ASCE for approval.
• It is acceptable for a reference to be cited only in a heading if absolutely necessary for clarity.
• It is not acceptable for a reference to be cited in a displayed equation.
• If a publication is referred to by name in the text, it should be in headline case and italics.
Example: “Common standards used in seismic regions, such as Seismic Design Criteria (Caltrans
2013) and Bridge Design Aids (Caltrans 1995) do not provide a detailed approach for …”

ASCE publications use the author-date method of citation described in Chapter 15 of CMOS 17. In an in-
text citation, the author’s last name and the year of publication are enclosed in parentheses. No
punctuation appears between the name(s) and the year:

… has been published elsewhere (Smith 1985).

Alternatively, the author’s name may simply be followed by the year in parentheses:

Smith (1985) has stated that …

… was studied by Smith (1985), Hadskey (1992), and Rogers (1994).

If more than one citation is in a set of parentheses, the citations are separated by semicolons, and they are
listed in the order that the author uses:

… has been published elsewhere (Smith 2010; Jones 1998).

If a citation has two authors, both names are used:

… has been published elsewhere (Smith and Jones 1985).

If there are three or more authors, use the first author’s name and “et al.” (note: this is a deviation from
CMOS 17). There is no comma between the first author’s name and “et al.”:

… has been published elsewhere (Smith et al. 1985).

© ASCE 59
 … has been published by Smith et al. (1986, 1987).

But if there is also a Smith 1987 reference, use

… has been published elsewhere (Smith et al. 1986, 1987; Smith 1987).

NOTE Citations may be listed in order of significance, so do not reorder them; this
includes citations for the same author with multiple years if other citations intervene.
Similarly, if multiple years for the same author have not been given in chronological
order in a citation, do not reorder them. For example, the following citations are
acceptable:

(Smith et al. 2012; Jones 1998; Smith et al. 1968)

(Smith et al. 2012, 1968; Jones 1998)

The following sections provide guidelines for special in-text citations.

See also References/Citations/Same Name and Year.

Building Codes
Abbreviations may be used after the first citation of a building code in text (see Appendix I: Standard
Abbreviations and Acronyms). Example:

… as specified by the 1997 International Building Code (IBC) (ICC 1997). According to IBC, the
criteria …

Legal References
When referring to a legal case (or law) in the text, use the form established by the legal profession:

In Wisconsin, the requirements for a valid will are as follows (Wisconsin Statute section
853.01 et seq.) …

… in which the trustee distributes the estate (Black’s 1990).

Nonauthor References
Cite works alphabetized by title in the References section in text by using enough of the title to enable
readers to find the work in the References section. Omit any initial articles (a, an, the) from the shortened
title.

(Survey 1988; “Evaluating” 1991; “Project” 1992)

The identifying word (or words) should be in the same style in which they appear in the References, e.g.,
in quotation marks or italics.

60 © ASCE
Parts of References
If an author chooses to include a specific page number or part of a cited reference, include the page
number or part immediately after the year of publication; offset each part with a comma:

… as reported by Jones (1992, p. 21).*

… as reported by Snyder (1987, Fig. 6).†
… as reported elsewhere (Jones 1992, p. 21).
… as reported elsewhere [Snyder 1987, Eq. (3-1)].
… as reported elsewhere (Snyder 1987, Table 3).
… as has been reported (e.g., Doakes 1993, pp. 21–42).

*Use “p.” or “pp.” before a page number or ranges of pages (note: this is a deviation from CMOS 17).

†Figures, tables, and equations from the cited work should be styled according to ASCE guidelines;
however, the numbering of figures, tables, and equations should follow the numbering used in the
original publication.

Same Authors
If authors refer to another work that they have published, cite that work as if it were written by a
different person with the same name:

Incorrect: In another paper (Gauri et al. 1992), we had attributed …

Correct: Gauri et al. (1992) attributed …

Incorrect: We had previously (Gauri et al. 1992) attributed the …

Correct: Gauri et al. (1992) attributed the …

NOTE One reason for this treatment is that often the “et al.” of the current paper is not
the same as the “et al.” of the other publications being cited.

Same Name and Year

Use “a,” “b,” “c,” etc., as designators for
• identical author surnames and years in citations with 2 or fewer authors, and
• identical first-author surnames and years in citations with 3 or more authors.

… as reported in Smith (1994a)

… as reported in Smith and Jones (1994a, b)
… as reported in Smith et al. (1994a, 2008b)

NOTE If the author has not added designators, add all possible designators to all of the
ambiguous citations and query the author at each instance to revise if needed. In the
References section, sources with the same author(s) and same year should be ordered
alphabetically by title.

See References/Order for further information about alphabetical designators for references that have the
same author and the same year.

© ASCE 61
Standards
Cite Standards in text as follows:

… was implemented in ASCE 7-88 (ASCE 1990). Also in ASCE 7-88, the criteria ...

A standard only needs to be cited at first mention in the text. However, if the author has included
citations with other mentions of that standard in the text, it is not necessary to delete them.

Citations for standards are not allowed in figure captions or tables; if a standard is cited only in a figure
caption or table, query the author to cite it in the text.

Query the author if a standard is cited in text but does not have a corresponding entry in the reference list
(e.g., if the text includes a sentence that begins “As seen in ASTM D3551,” ASTM D3551 must be included
in the reference list).

Order

List references alphabetically by author last name. If a paper has no author, alphabetize it by the first
word of the title. [Note: Initial articles (a, an, the) are ignored in alphabetizing. If a title has an initial
article, alphabetize it by the second word.]

When multiple references are from the same primary author, alphabetize as follows:

1. Alphabetize by first author’s last name.

2. For identical first author(s), alphabetize by second author’s last name and then by initials.
3. For identical full authorship, list chronologically, beginning with the earliest publication date.
4. For identical full authorship and date, alphabetize by title.

Also see References/Citations/Same Name and Year.

Example:

Li, G. 1992.
Li, G. 1993.
Li, W. 1991a.
Li, W. 1991b.
Li, W., et al. 1990.*
Li, W., T. Anderson, S. Zi, and Z. Zhang. 1989a.
Li, W., T. Anderson, W. Lau, Q. Cosgrove, S. Zi, and Z. Zhang. 1989b. †
Li, W., and Q. Cosgrove. 1964.
Li, W., and W. Lau. 1991.
Li, W., and W. Lau. 1992a.
Li, W., and W. Lau. 1992b.
Li, W., W. Lau, and C. Bluebeard. 1989c.
Li, W., W. Lau, and Q. Cosgrove. 1989d.
Li, W., P.-H. Xi, and Q. Cosgrove. 1989e.
Li, Y. 1979.

62 © ASCE
 *This reference has more than 10 authors (“et al.” is considered a placeholder; note: this styling is
a deviation from CMOS 17). Author lists abbreviated with “et al.” always precede standard
author lists.
†Although this reference does not have the same authorship as Li, Lau, and Bluebeard, it is

assigned a letter because its in-text citation will be the same, i.e., “Li et al.”

In a reference list, treat the particles “von” or “van” as part of the author’s surname:

von Hindenberg, T. S., J. Smith …

For guidance on alphabetizing names with St./Saint, Mc/Mac, etc., refer to §§16.73–16.74 in CMOS 17.

See References/Citations/Same Name and Year for information about citing references that have the
same author and the same year.

NOTE When an organization is the author of a source, use the abbreviation for the
organization, not the spelled out name, in the References section to simplify
alphabetizing the list (e.g., CEN, not European Committee for Standardization).

Publication Cities Not Requiring State and/or Country Names

Use two-letter postal abbreviations for US states, Canadian provinces, and Australian states and
territories (see Appendix V: City, State, Province, and Territory Names); abbreviate United
Kingdom as “UK.”

NOTE The inclusion of Canadian provinces is optional. If an author wishes to use the
name of a province in references, use the postal abbreviation; do not spell it out. Follow
the province with “Canada” (e.g., Cobourg, ON, Canada). This rule applies to the
References section only.

© ASCE 63
Reference Types

In general, ASCE follows the style for references described in Chapter 15 of CMOS 17. A few exceptions
to this general guideline are noted in the following examples. For each reference, give the following
information in the order listed:

• Author name(s). Authors’ surnames are spelled out, and initials are provided for given names.
Only the name of the first author is inverted (e.g., Brown, T., Z. Yu, and T. S. Smith).
o If a reference has 10 or fewer authors, list them all; if there are more than 10, list only the
first author followed by “et al.” (e.g., Smith, J., et al.; note: this is a deviation from CMOS
17).
• Year of publication followed by a period.
• Title of the article, report, paper, or thesis in quotation marks. In keeping with §15.38 in CMOS
17, use sentence case for titles (see §8.158 in CMOS 17, for principles and examples of sentence-
style capitalization).
o Some foreign languages capitalize other words as well. When in doubt, follow copy.
• Book title, journal name, or proceedings/conference title in italics, or report or code/standard
number in roman. Report numbers, journal names, and proceedings/conference titles are
capitalized headline-style.
• Edition number, if applicable.
• Editor name(s), if applicable, preceded by “edited by.”
o If a reference has 10 or fewer editors, list them all; if there are more than 10, list only the
first editor followed by “et al.” (e.g., edited by J. Smith et al.; note: this is a deviation from
CMOS 17).
• Volume and issue numbers, if applicable.
• Publisher’s name and location (city and state/country).
o Do not abbreviate any portion of the publisher’s name, but delete (in most cases) Co.,
Inc., Ltd., Verlag, Corp., Press (except for university presses), Publishing, and Gmbh. Do
not replace an ampersand (“&”) in a publisher’s name with “and.” Follow CMOS 17.
o Use postal abbreviations for US state names (but click here for exceptions). If no location
is given for a US government reference, use Washington, DC, for the location.
o In general, follow the author regarding the publisher’s location. If the author has omitted
this information, insert the publisher’s current location. For ASCE publications issued
before 1997, New York is the correct location.
• In references to theses or dissertations, the name of the institution where the research was
conducted and, if the manuscript was retrieved from a database, the relevant electronic
identifiers.
• Inclusive page numbers. All references to ASCE journal articles, book chapters, and proceedings
papers must have page numbers; they can be found in the ASCE Library
(https://ascelibrary.org/). Query authors for page numbers of other sources. If the author wishes
to cite a book, manual, or standard in its entirety, page numbers are not required. Do not use a
comma in four-digit page numbers.
o Content identifiers (CIDs) are permitted in place of page numbers; in this case, there is no
“end” page [e.g., Phys. Rev. Lett. 108 (4): 046801].

64 © ASCE
 o Never abbreviate page ranges (e.g., 215–245, not 215–45; note: this is a deviation from
CMOS 17). Use an en dash in all page ranges, and include periods at the ends of
references.

NOTE Do not change the wording or spelling of any publication title in the reference
list (e.g., retain British spellings, retain numbers, do not change “alpha” to “”); query
the author if there appears to be a significant error.

Books

If a whole book (or pages here and there throughout the book) is cited, page numbers need not be given.
If no author is listed, alphabetize by title.

Evans, G. M., and J. C. Furlong. 2003. Environmental biotechnology: Theory and applications.
Chichester, UK: Wiley.

Moody’s municipal and government manual. 1988. New York: Moody’s Investors Service.

NOTE If there is more than one city listed, use the city that is either (a) the location
closest to the corresponding author or (b) the first city listed on the title page.

Articles or Chapters in an Edited Book

If an author cites a chapter in a book, request the page numbers of the chapter. It is also helpful to include
a chapter’s title if it is more than a bare label such as “Chapter 19.”

Kurtz, M. 1991. “Section 7: Transformation of space in computer graphics.” Chap. 6 in

Handbook of applied mathematics for engineers and scientists, 7.1–7.42. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Books with Edition

The abbreviation “ed.” is used to indicate an edition number.

Meyer, M. D., and E. J. Miller. 2001. Urban transportation planning. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-
Hill.

Books with Volume

The abbreviation “Vol.” (using a capital “V”) is used to indicate a volume number. (note: this is a
deviation from CMOS 17).

Ettouney, M. M., and S. Alampalli. 2011. Theory and components. Vol. 1 of Infrastructure health in
civil engineering. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Books with Editor(s)

Carbon Task Group. 2017. Structural materials and global climate: A primer on carbon emissions for
structural engineers. Edited by Mark D. Webster. Reston, VA: ASCE.

© ASCE 65
For chapters in an edited book,

Goto, N., and T. Kawakita. 2004. “Bifurcation analysis for the inertial coupling problem of
a reentry vehicle.” In Advances in dynamics and control, edited by S. Sivasundaram, 45–47. London:
Chapman & Hall.

Zadeh, L. A. 1981. “Possibility theory and soft data analysis.” In Mathematical frontiers of the
social and policy sciences, edited by Lauren Cobb and R. M. Thrall, 69–129. Boulder, CO: Westview.

When an author name is not given, list the name(s) of the editor(s) in place of the author, followed by
“ed(s).”:

Colman, J. F., ed. 1964. Matrix methods of structural analysis. New York: Macmillan.

Encyclopedia Entries
For substantial, authored entries in reference works, follow the format for book chapters, omitting page
numbers.

Lill, G. C. 1989. “Moho (Mohorovi i discontinuity).” In McGraw-Hill concise encyclopedia of

science and technology. 2nd ed., edited by S. P. Parker. New York: McGraw-Hill.

For entries in general encyclopedias that do not include an author, the format is as follows:

Encyclopaedia Britannica. 1980. 15th ed. S.v. “Military engineering.”

The abbreviation “s.v.” stands for sub verbo, or “under the word.”

Monographs
Evans, B., J. T. Fredrich, and T.-F. Wong. 1990. The brittle-ductile transition in rocks: Recent
experimental and theoretical progress. Geophysical monograph 56. Washington, DC: American
Geophysical Union.

highlighted m
Non-English-Language Books should be M
For books that use a non-Latin alphabet, provide a translated title only and specify the language of
publication in brackets following the title:

Clini, C., I. Musu, and M. L. Gullino, eds. 2008. Sustainable development and environmental
management: Experiences and case studies. [In Chinese.] Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.

Cite non-English-language books using the Latin alphabet as you would English-language books:

Duvant, G., and J. L. Lions. 1972. Les inéquations en méchanique et en physique. Paris: Dunod.

66 © ASCE
Building Codes and Provisions

Treat building codes, provisions, and standards like reports. Alphabetize them by the abbreviated name
of the promulgating institution (note: this is a deviation from CMOS 17).
ACI (American Concrete Institute). 1989. Building code requirement for reinforced concrete. ACI 318-
89. Farmington Hills, MI: ACI.
AISC. 1986. Manual of steel construction load and resistance factor design. Chicago: AISC.

BOCA (Building Officials and Code Administrators International). 1993. The BOCA national
building code. Country Club Hills, IL: BOCA.
BSSC (Building Seismic Safety Council). 1991. NEHRP recommended provisions for the development
of seismic regulations for new buildings. Washington, DC: BSSC.

CEN (European Committee for Standardization). 1992. Design of steel structures, part
1.1. Eurocode 3. Brussels, Belgium: CEN.

ICBO (International Conference of Building Officials). 1997. Uniform building code. Whittier, CA:
ICBO.
SBCCI (Southern Building Code Congress International). 1991. Standard building code.
Birmingham, AL: SBCCI.

NOTE Use or define abbreviations according to their status as a standard or

nonstandard abbreviation (see Appendix I: Standard Abbreviations and Acronyms).

Conferences

See Reference Types/Proceedings.

Databases

General citations for databases use the following format:

LTPP. 2010. Long-term pavement performance standard data release 24.0. Washington, DC: Federal
Highway Administration, US Department of Transportation. CD-ROM.

Data Sets

References for data sets should include author name, year of publication, titles (followed by edition or
version number) in quotation marks, publisher or distributor, access date, and electronic identifier (DOI
or URL). Examples:

Ansolabehere, S., M. Palmer, and A. Lee. 2014. “Precinct-level election data. V1.” Harvard
Election Data Archive. Accessed January 20, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1902.1/21919.

Thernstrom, S. 1986. “Boston mobility study, 1880.” ICPSR 7550. Inter-university Consortium for
Political and Social Research. Accessed November 28, 2017.
https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR07550.

© ASCE 67
Electronic Materials

CD-ROM
For a CD-ROM, give the section, chapter, and page numbers only if available:

Liggett, J. A., and D. A. Caughey. 1998. “Fluid statistics.” Sec. 7 in Fluid mechanics, 140–156.
Reston, VA: ASCE. CD-ROM.

Website
For website content, including online news media and blog posts, provide the author of the material or
owner of the website (if available), the year of publication (if available; use “n.d.” if no date is available),
the title or description of the specific page, the title or description of the website, and an access date.
Conclude the entry with the URL, followed by a period. Titles of blogs and online news media are
typically italicized; all other website titles are set in roman.

State of California. n.d. “Transportation and sustainable communities.” California Climate

Investments. Accessed October 11, 2017. http://www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov/sustainable-
communities-clean-transportation/.

Foucher, J. 2017. “The role of construction companies before, during, and after disaster.”
Construct Connect (blog). Accessed October 11, 2017.
https://www.constructconnect.com/blog/operating-insights/role-construction-companies-
disaster/.

If a URL must be broken at the end of a line, follow the guidelines in §14.18 of CMOS 17. The break
should be made after a colon or a double slash (//); before a single slash (/), a tilde (~), a period, a
comma, a hyphen, an underline (_), a question mark, a number sign, or a percent symbol; or before or
after an equals sign or an ampersand.

NOTE Ideally, all URLs will be included only in the References. In the rare scenarios
that they absolutely cannot be moved to the References section and need to be listed in
the text, query ASCE.

Wikipedia
Wikipedia references are not allowed. Query the author to provide an alternate and reputable source.

Journal Articles

The standard format for a paper published in a US journal is as follows:

Beskos, D. E. 1987. “Boundary element methods in dynamic analysis.” Appl. Mech. Rev. 40 (1): 1–
23. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3149529.

Oh, B. 1992. “Flexural analysis of reinforced concrete beams containing steel fibers.” J. Struct. Eng.
118 (10): 2821–2835. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9445(1992)118:10(2821).

68 © ASCE
 See marked correction for proper style when a journal article only has a volume number.

Weck, T. L. 1987. “Hazardous wastes within the transportation planning context.” Transportation
Research Record, 1148, 62–67.

All journal references must be verified online to be sure all elements of the reference are correct and
updated. If the DOI provided by the author differs from CrossRef’s report, query the author. If you are
unable to validate the DOI, retain what the author provided.

ASCE Journals – CIDs

In 2013, ASCE journals began using CIDs in lieu of traditional page ranges. References for articles with
CIDs should be styled as follows:

Irish, J. L., and D. T. Resio. 2013. “Method for estimating future hurricane flood probabilities and
associated uncertainty.” J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng. 139 (2): 0401301.
https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)WW.1943-5460.0000157.

Some journals may identify issues by month, rather than by number. Be sure to verify online that the
issue is legitimately identified in this way; if the author has mistakenly used a month, amend it to the
appropriate issue number. For an issue covering two months, use a slash (e.g., “March/April”).

See Reference Types/Journal Articles/Journal Abbreviations for comprehensive lists of current

ASCE journal abbreviations and ASCE journal abbreviations used before 1983.
Use Chicago style
for months, this
Closures
exaple should be
Closures are by one, some, or all the authors of the original paper. The format is as follows: Mar/Apr
Articles with page numbers:

McCuen, R. H. 1992. “Closure to ‘Guidance for engineering-design-class lectures on

ethics’ by R. H. McCuen.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract. 118 (2): 215–216.
https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1052-3928(1992)118:2(215.2).

Articles with CIDs:

Tullis, B., and B. Crookston. 2014. “Closure to ‘Hydraulic design and analysis of labyrinth weirs.
I: Discharge relationships’ by B. M. Crookston and B. P. Tullis.” J. Irrig. Drain Eng. 140 (8):
07014022. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000752.

Discussions
The format for Discussions is as follows:

Articles with page numbers:

Vesilind, P. A. 1992. “Discussion of ‘Guidance for engineering-design-class lectures

on ethics’ by R. H. McCuen.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract. 118 (2): 214–215.
https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1052-3928(1992)118:2(214.2).

Articles with CIDs:

© ASCE 69
 Vatankhah, A. 2014. “Discussion of ‘Hydraulic design and analysis of labyrinth weirs. I:
Discharge relationships’ by B. M. Crookston and B. P. Tullis.” J. Irrig. Drain Eng. 140 (8): 07014021.
https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000751.

Multipart or Companion Papers in ASCE Journals

The format for multipart or companion papers is as follows:

Articles with page numbers:

Frater, G. S., and J. A. Packer. 1992. “Weldment design for RHS truss connections. I:
Applications.” J. Struct. Eng. 118 (10): 2784–2803. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-
9445(1992)118:10(2784).

Frater, G. S., and J. A. Packer. 1992. “Weldment design for RHS truss connections. II:
Experimentation.” J. Struct. Eng. 118 (10): 2804–2820. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-
9445(1992)118:10(2804).

Articles with CIDs:

Zerihun, D., C. A. Sanchez, and K. Nolte. 2014. “Field-scale sprinkler irrigation system hydraulic
model. I: Hydraulic characterization.” J. Irrig. Drain Eng. 140 (7): 04014019.
https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000727.

Zerihun, D., C. A. Sanchez, and K. Nolte. 2014. “Field-scale sprinkler irrigation system hydraulic
model. II: Hydraulic simulation.” J. Irrig. Drain Eng. 140 (7): 04014020.
https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000723.

Foreign Journals
An author may want to give an English translation of a non-English-language title. Some non-English-
language journals also have titles and abstracts in English, although the research papers are in the foreign
language.

Glock, D. 1977. “Überkritisches Verhalten eines starr ummautelten Kreisrohres bei Wasserdruck
von aussen und Temperaturdehnung” [Critical behavior of liners of rigid pipeline under external
water pressure and thermal expansion]. Der Stahlbau 7, 212–217.

The English translation is optional; do not add or query for a translation if one is not provided. If the
author has included the parenthetical noting the original language, retain it even if no English translation
of the title is provided.

For journal articles written in a foreign language that does not use the Latin alphabet, provide a
translated title only and specify the language of publication in brackets following the article title:

He, Y., J. Li, and H. Lu. 2009. “Analyses of impacts of designated subcontracting to the client.” [In
Chinese.] Constr. Archit. 2009 (15): 56–58.

70 © ASCE
Forthcoming
Articles that are “forthcoming” (i.e., those that have been accepted but have not yet been published) may
be included in the reference list. No date is given for these references, and they should follow any
published works by the same author in the reference list. Style as follows:

Smith, D. O., J. E. Lee, and E. M. Kim. Forthcoming. “Influence of the geometric and material
characteristics on the strength of chestnut timber joints.” Mater. Des.

Query the author to request updated information for each “forthcoming” article.

ASCE journal articles that are “forthcoming” should include the article DOI:

Han, C.-Y., J.-H. Wang, X.-H. Xia, and J.-J. Chen. Forthcoming. “Limit analysis for local and
overall stability of slurry trench in cohesive soil.” Int. J. Geomech.
https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000268.

No Volume, Issue, or Page Numbers

For non-ASCE journals that do not use traditional volume/issue/page designations, use the DOI as the
identifier:

D’Agostino, S. 2011. “A math major, Polya, invention, and discovery.” J. Humanist. Math.
https://doi.org/10.5642/jhummath.201102.05.

It is acceptable for a CID to be provided instead of a page number. When a CID is provided, then a page
range does not apply; if the author has provided a page range or if one appears on that journal’s website,
amend the citation to show the CID only.

Incorrect:
Caner, F. C., Z. P. Bazant, C. Hoover, A. Waas, and K. Shahwan. 2011. Microplane
model for fracturing damage of triaxially braided fiber polymer composites.” J. Eng. Mater.
Technol. 133 (2): 021024-1–021024-12. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4003102.

Correct:
Caner, F. C., Z. P. Bazant, C. Hoover, A. Waas, and K. Shahwan. 2011. “Microplane
model for fracturing damage of triaxially braided fiber polymer composites.” J. Eng. Mater.
Technol. 133 (2): 021024. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4003102.

Supplement
Phenrat, T., T. F. Marhaba, and M. Rachakornkij. 2004. “Examination of solidified and stabilized
matrices as a result of the solidification and stabilization process of arsenic containing sludge
with portland cement and lime.” Supplement, Songklanakarin J. Sci. Technol. 26 (S1): 65–75.

© ASCE 71
Journal Abbreviations
Use the Woodward Library of the University of British Columbia
(http://woodward.library.ubc.ca/research-help/journal-abbreviations/) as a primary resource for journal
title abbreviations.

If an abbreviation of an ASCE journal differs from that given in the Woodward Library database, the
ASCE journal abbreviation overrides the Woodward Library abbreviation. Example:

Woodward abbreviation: Inter. J. Geomech.

ASCE abbreviation: Int. J. Geomech.

As a secondary resource, the List of Title Word Abbreviations (LTWA) at the International Standard
Serial Number (ISSN) website is acceptable: http://www.issn.org/services/online-services/access-to-
the-ltwa/.

Abbreviations for ASCE journals

ASCE-ASME J. Risk Uncertainty Eng. Syst., J. Irrig. Drain. Eng.
Part A: Civ. Eng. J. Leg. Aff. Dispute Resolut. Eng. Constr.
Int. J. Geomech. J. Manage. Eng.
J. Aerosp. Eng. J. Mater. Civ. Eng.
J. Archit. Eng. J. Nanomech. Micromech.
J. Bridge Eng. J. Perform. Constr. Facil.
J. Cold Reg. Eng. J. Pipeline Syst. Eng. Pract.
J. Compos. Constr. J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract.
J. Comput. Civ. Eng. J. Struct. Eng.
J. Constr. Eng. Manage. J. Surv. Eng.
J. Energy Eng. J. Sustainable Water Built Environ.
J. Eng. Mech. J. Transp. Eng., Part A: Systems
J. Environ. Eng. J. Transp. Eng., Part B: Pavements
J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. J. Urban Plann. Dev.
J. Hazard. Toxic Radioact. Waste J. Water Resour. Plann. Manage.
J. Highway Transp. Res. Dev. (English Ed.) J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng.
J. Hydraul. Eng. Leadership Manage. Eng.
J. Hydrol. Eng. Nat. Hazards Rev.
J. Infrastruct. Syst. Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr.

72 © ASCE
Abbreviations for previous titles of ASCE journals
CO IR
J. Constr. Div. (1957–1982) J. Irrig. Drain. Div. (1956–1982)
EE
J. Environ. Eng. Div. (1973–1982) ST
J. Sanit. Eng. Div. (1956–1972) J. Struct. Div. (1956–1982)

EI SU
J. Prof. Issues in Eng. (1983–1990) J. Surv. Mapping Div. (1956–1982)
Issues in Eng. (1979–1982)
Eng. Issues (1971–1978) TE
J. Prof. Activities (Dec. 1966–1970) Transp. Eng. J. (1969–1982)
J. Prof. Pract. (1958–May 1966) J. Aero-Space Transp. Div. (1962–1968)
J. Board of Dir. (1956–1957) J. Air Transp. Div. (1956–1961)
J. Hwy. Div. (1957–1968)
EM J. Pipeline Div. (1956–1968)
J. Eng. Mech. Div. (1956–1982)
UP
EY J. Urban Plann. Dev. Div. (1964–1982)
J. Energy Div. (1979–1982) J. City Plann. Div. (1956–1963)
J. Power Div. (1956–1978)
WR
GT J. Water Resour. Plann. Manage. Div. (1976–1982)
J. Geotech. Eng. (1983–1996)
J. Geotech. Eng. Div. (1974–1982) WW
J. Soil Mech. Found. Div. (1956–1973) J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Div. (1977–1982)
J. Waterway, Harb. Coastal Eng. Div. (1970–1976)
HY J. Waterway and Harb. Div. (1956–1970)
J. Hydraul. Div. (1956–1982)
??
HZ J. Tech. Topics (1983–1985) (ceased)
Pract. Period. Hazard. Toxic Radioact. Waste J. Tech. Councils (1977–1982)
Manage. (through 2010)

Legal and Government Documents

Legal and public documents are not normally included in the reference list because the legal profession
has developed a concise citation style suitable for parenthetical in-text citations. If a legal document is
discussed in a book or article, cite the book or article. If the author or copyeditor believes that it is
necessary to give full references for legal cases in a particular paper, the format is as follows:

Hart Planners and Architects v. Evergreen, Ltd., 787 F. Supplement 753 (S.D. Ohio 1992).

Government circulars follow the ASCE style for reports:

FHWA (Federal Highway Administration). 1992. Evaluating scour at bridges. Hydrualic

Engineering Circular No. 18, FHWA-IP-90-017. Washington, DC: FHWA.

© ASCE 73
Federal Register and Code of Federal Regulations citations, which typically do not include author names or
titles, need appear in text only:

[33 Fed. Reg. 10756 (July 27, 1968)]

[40 C.F.R. 112 (2011)]

See Reference Types/Patents for guidelines regarding the proper citation of patents in text.

See Appendix VIII: Guidelines for the Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and
Construction for treatment of legal documents in the Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in
Engineering and Construction.

Maps

Use the following format for maps:

Brown, R. J. E., cartographer. 1967. Permafrost in Canada. Map 1246A. Ottawa, ON: Geologic
Survey of Canada.

Smith, R. L., R. A. Bailey, and C. A. Ross, cartographers. 1970. Geologic map of the Jemez Mountains,
New Mexico. USGS Misc. Invest. Map, I-571. Washington, DC: USGS.

It is not necessary to include size and scale information in map citations (note: this is a deviation from
CMOS 17).

If the source of the map is a webpage or a book, it should be cited accordingly.

Newspaper Articles

Give the author (if known), year, title of the article in quotes, name of the newspaper in italics, and date.

Mossberg, W. S. 1993. “Word isn’t perfect but new WordPerfect is too much for words.” Wall
Street Journal, December 2, 1993.

If the author is unknown, the title of the newpaper stands in place of the author:

Washington Post. 2000. “Factory liability limits backed.” February 3, 2000.

Patents

Patents should not be included in the reference list because they can be cited concisely in the text. If the
patent is discussed in a book or article, cite the book or article. Examples:

… has been patented (US Patent No. Re. 20,727).

… using a patented (Great Britain Patent No. 368,387) process . . .
… has been patented [US Patent No. P.P. 1,200 (1935)].

74 © ASCE
 … has been patented [J. P. Walaschek, “Rubberized coal tar pitch emulsion,” US Patent No.
3,897,380 (1975)].

The year may be given if it is available.

Personal Communications

See Reference Types/Unpublished Material.

Presented Papers

If a report or paper was presented at a conference or meeting, query the author to find out whether it has
been published (e.g., in a conference proceedings, on the internet, or anywhere else). If the work has not
been published, treat it as unpublished material.

Proceedings

The location of a conference or symposium is required only if it is part of the title of a proceedings. The
name and location of the publisher are required.

If there is no “publisher,” the name and location of the conference sponsor are required. The name of
the sponsor is sometimes part of the title of a proceedings. If given, include the editor name(s) and
volume number.

Eshenaur, S. R., J. M. Kulicki, D. R. Mertz. 1991. “Retrofitting distortion-induced fatigue cracking

of noncomposite steel girder-floorbeam-stringer bridges.” In Proc., 8th Annual Int. Bridge Conf.,
380–388. Pittsburgh: Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania.

Karam, G. N. 1991. “Effect of fiber volume on the strength properties of short fiber reinforced
cements with application to bending strength of WFRC.” In Vol. 1 of Proc., 6th Technical. Conf. of
the American Society for Composites, edited by A. Smith, 548–557. Lancaster, PA: Technomics.

The abbreviation “Vol.” is always capitalized, and if a volume number is provided, it precedes the title of
the proceedings, as in the preceding example (note: this is a deviation from CMOS 17).

A paper number may be given in addition to or in place of page numbers. Listing one or both is fine.

Add the following query to all Proceedings references that do not list a publisher:

“Please provide the name and location of the publisher of the proceedings. If there is no
publisher, please provide the name and location of the sponsor of the conference.”

Most proceedings references will need to be researched online to be completed properly per ASCE style.

For example, the author has provided the following:

Jaksa, M. B., W. S. Kaggwa, G. A. Fenton, and H. G. Poulos. 2003. “A framework for quantifying
the reliability of geotechnical investigations.” Applications of Statistics and Probability in Civil
Engineering, ICASP9, Vol. 2, Millpress, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 1285−1291.

© ASCE 75
After online research, the edited reference would appear as follows:

Jaksa, M. B., W. S. Kaggwa, G. A. Fenton, and H. G. Poulos. 2003. “A framework for quantifying
the reliability of geotechnical investigations.” In Vol. 1 of Proc., 9th Int. Conf. on Applications of
Statistics and Probability in Civil Engineering, edited by A. Der Kiureghian, S. Madanat, and J. M.
Pestana, 1285−1291. Rotterdam, Netherlands: Millpress.

An ASCE Geotechnical Special Publication (GSP) should be treated as a Proceedings. Do not include
“Proc.”:

Burke, G. K. 2004. “Jet grouting systems: Advantages and disadvantages.” In GeoSupport 2004:
Drilled shafts, micropiling, deep mixing, remedial methods, and specialty foundation systems,
Geotechnical special publication 124, edited by J. P. Turner and P. W. Mayne, 75–87. Reston, VA:
ASCE.
highlighted should be upper case
Click here to view the published GSP.

See also References/Abbreviations.

Reports

Benedict, A. H., and V. L. Roelfs. 1981. Joint dry-wet weather treatment of municipal wastewater at
Clatskanie, Oregon. Rep. No. EPA-600/2-81-061 (NTIS PB81-187262). Cincinnati: EPA.

Gupta, A., and H. Krawinkler. 1999. Seismic demands for performance evaluation of steel
moment resisting frames structures. John A. Blume Earthquake Engineering Center Rep. No. 132.
Stanford, CA: Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford Univ.

Alphabetize anonymous reports by the name of the institution that produced them.

EPA. 1986. Development of advisory levels for PCB cleanup. Rep. No. EPA/600/6-86/002.
Washington, DC: Office of Health and Environmental Assessment, EPA.

If a report was prepared by an author at a consulting engineering firm, university, etc., for someone else,
treat the author’s affiliation as the source of the report. In some cases, the “source” of the report is the
entity for which it was prepared. In many cases, the names of both the preparer’s institution and the
receiving entity are included because the name of the receiving entity is part of the report’s title.

McFarland, W. F., J. B. Rollins, and R. Dheri. 1983. Documentation for incremental benefit-
cost technique. Technical Rep. Prepared for Federal Highway Administration. College Station, TX:
Texas A&M Univ.

ASCE Committee Reports

ASCE committees, task forces, etc., publish reports, proposed codes and standards, commentaries on
codes and standards, and so on. Treat the committee as the author.

Technical Committee for the Underground Technology Research Council. 2007. Geotechnical
baseline reports for underground construction: Suggested guidelines. Reston, VA: ASCE.

76 © ASCE
Software Packages
Software applications and modeling packages should include the version number, when applicable, at
first mention of the text. They should not be included in the References section. Also, a computer “model”
refers to or describes output from a computer program and does not need a reference.

However, citations to manuals of software or modeling packages must appear in the reference list.
Include the name of the software, publication year, name of the manual with the version number, and the
publisher’s name and location.

SIMULIA. 2008. Abaqus 6.9 user’s manual. Providence, RI: SIMULIA.

If it is not clear from the context whether the author intended to cite the software application (versus the
user manual), query to confirm. Otherwise, assume that the author has cited the intended reference.

NOTE Software names, including programs, models, and operating systems, should be
roman throughout. Do not include the software manufacturer name or location when
mentioning the software in text.

Standards
Standards should be referenced and cited in the same way as reports.

ASCE. 1990. Minimum design loads for buildings and other structures. ASCE 7-88. New York: ASCE.

ASTM. 1997. Standard test method for electrical indication of concrete’s ability to resist
chloride ion penetration. C1202-97. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.

CSA (Canadian Standard Association). 2006. Canadian highway bridge design code. CAN/CSA S6-
06. Rexdale, ON, Canada: CSA.

A standard may be cited and referenced with multiple publication years. Separate reference information
for each publication year must be listed.

If the author cites and references a range of years [e.g., “ASTM (2007–2013)”], query whether the citation
can be limited to a specific year. If it is necessary to cite a range, each year must be cited separately.

See Appendix I: Standard Abbreviations and Acronyms for the acronyms of many standards
organizations.

NOTE “ASTM” is the official name of that organization. It never needs to be spelled
out. In the codes that identify ASTM standards, ASTM has changed its style so that there
is no space between the letter and number (e.g., E380-91). When referring to ASTM
Building Codes in text, use roman type with the appropriate number.

Symposiums

See References Types/Proceedings.

© ASCE 77
Theses and Dissertations

Theses can be for Ph.D., M.S., M.Sc., M.S.C.E., and other degrees. Some institutions use specific
terminology (e.g., “doctoral dissertation” rather than “Ph.D. thesis”). If the document was consulted
online, include a URL; for documents retrieved from a database, the name of the database and an ID
number should be supplied. If neither locator is available, provide the name of the department within the
university so that researchers can locate a thesis.

Wood, D. M. 2016. “Solving unsteady convection-diffusion problems in one and more

dimensions with local discontinuous Galerkin methods and implicit-explicit Runge-Kutta time
stepping.” M.S. thesis, Ohio State Univ.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1461181441.

Miller, C. L. 2011. “A perception-based assessment of systems engineering effort estimation.”

Ph.D. thesis, George Washington Univ. PQDT Open (3548005).

Koo, B. 2004. “Formalizing construction sequencing constraints for the rapid generation of
scheduling alternatives.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford
Univ.

Translated Works
It is not necessary to name the translator of a work, nor is it necessary to state that a work is a translation.
However, if an author wishes to identify the translator of a work, he or she may do so. Example:

Melan, J. 1913. Theory of arches and suspension bridges. Translated by D. B. Steinman. Chicago:
Myron C. Clark.

Authors should cite only the source that they used. If the author never used the untranslated, original
work, then publication information for the original should not be included in the references. If an author
wishes to reference the original as well as a translation, the original must have its own in-text citation and
entry in the reference list.

Unpublished Material

Do not include unpublished material in the references (except for journal articles that are in press and
archived materials). Delete unpublished material from the reference list and cite in text as follows:

… other researchers (Orton et al., unpublished data, 1992) …

In some cases (A. W. Pinter, personal communication, 1979) …

Working papers and submitted papers are considered unpublished. Cite them in text with a reference to
the publisher as follows:

(B. Smith, “[title of paper],” working paper, Salk Institute, Pittsburgh)

(B. Smith, “[title of paper],” submitted, Salk Institute, Pittsburgh)
(J. Brown, “[title of paper],” submitted, J. Eng. Mech., ASCE, Reston, Virginia)

If the author cites an unpublished report, query for the source of the report. If it is indeed unpublished, it
should be cited according to one of the following formats:

78 © ASCE
 (author name[s], name of report, presented at ___, 2012)
(author names, name of report, unpublished report)

A paper or poster that has been presented at a conference or meeting but is otherwise unpublished
should be cited as an “unpublished report”:

… in Chang and McTavish (unpublished report, 1991) …

NOTE Do not simply delete citations for unpublished material; this incorrectly implies
that the author of the paper is the source of the information.

Archived Material
Archived material, such as unpublished correspondence, which is accessible in a university archives or
similar institution, can be included in the references if the repository information is available. Include the
author, date, material descripton, box number, folder number, collection number, collection name,
institution name, and location. Example:

Norerenberg, C. E. 1907. Letter to Thomas Nolan, June 10, 1907. Box 1, Folder 28, Coll. UPB8.4,
1900–1932 Office of the Dean Records, University Archives and Records Center, Univ. of
Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

Preprints
Journal article preprints should be cited as below:

Huang, Z.. “Revisiting the cosmological bias due to local gravitational redshifts.” Preprint,
submitted April 24, 2015. http://arxiv.org/abs/1504.06600v1.

© ASCE 79
Spelling

Consult the most recent edition of Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary for preferred spelling.

Use American spelling, not British, in the text, figure captions, and tables. Examples:

aluminum, not aluminium

amid, not amidst
draft, not draught
hematite, not haematite
toward, not towards

However, leave British spellings in reference titles as they in all likelihood were used in the original
publication. British spellings should also be retained in institution names.

See also Appendix II: Engineering Terms.

80 © ASCE
Supplemental Data

Supplemental data are elements that cannot easily be printed (e.g., movie files, audio files, animated
.GIFs, 3D rendering files), as well as color figures, data tables, and text (e.g., Appendixes), that enhance
the article but are not vital to support the science presented in the article.

Supplemental data are not copyedited, typeset, or proofread; the author is responsible for accuracy and
file functionality.

ASCE only publishes supplemental material that has full copyright clearance. The author is responsible
for obtaining all permissions before publication.

For information regarding the submission requirements for Supplemental Data files, see
http://ascelibrary.org/doi/pdf/10.1061/9780784479018.ch05.

Citations

Supplemental materials need not be cited in the text, but allow citations if the author has provided them.
If cited, use the following formats:

Fig. S2 Table S5 Video S1 Audio S1

Appendix S1

The numbering should start at 1, since these items are numbered independently from items in the article.

Supplemental Data Section

If a paper has supplemental data, a section titled “Supplemental Data” (level 1 heading) must appear. See
Article Sections/Order for the proper placement of supplemental data relative to other sections.

The Supplemental Data section should only contain a direct list of what is included in the supplemental
data and where those materials can be found online. Descriptions of the supplemental materials should
not be included here. Example:

Supplemental Data
Figs. S1–S22 are available online in the ASCE Library (www.ascelibrary.org).

© ASCE 81
Tables

Every table must have a table number and a title, and tables must be numbered sequentially.

Citations

Every table should be cited in the text in numerical order. If the tables are not cited sequentially, do not
renumber; instead, insert the following query:

The tables have not been cited sequentially in the text. Please renumber the tables so
they are cited in numerical order in the text per journal style.

Incidental mentions of a table that occur out of sequence early on in a paper are acceptable, as long as that
table is later cited in sequence and the primary discussion or description of that table occurs with the later
citation. In this case, there is no need to query the author to renumber.

Do not abbreviate the word “Table(s)” when a table is cited, regardless of whether it appears in text, in
parentheses, or at the beginning of a sentence:

Table 1 shows …
… are provided in Tables 1 and 2.
… are given in Tables 1–3.
The load capacity (Table 4) was …

Edit redundancies in citations of tables in text:

Redundant: A summary of X, Y, and Z is provided in Table 5.

Better: Table 5 summarizes X, Y, and Z.

Use the verbs “provided” or “given” rather than “shown” when describing the data in a table:

Incorrect: The coefficients for A and B are shown in Table 6.

Correct: The coefficients for A and B are provided in Table 6.

NOTE Preface a table citation with “see” only when the citation is integrated into a
sentence and is not cited parenthetically (e.g., “See Table 3 for further information.”).

Uncited Tables
If a table is not cited in text, add a citation and query the author for approval. If it is too difficult to
determine a logical location for the citation, simply add it to the citation of the previous table and inform
the author that the citation has been added temporarily.

NOTE See also Mixed Citations

82 © ASCE
Credit Lines

If a credit line applies to the table as a whole, place it in a source footnote that precedes the general
footnote. Preface the source footnote with “Source:” or “Sources:” as shown in the following examples:

Source: Reproduced with permission from Li and Rowe (2001), © 2008 NRC Canada.

Sources: Data from Estes (1997); Jones (2016).

Source: Reprinted from ASCE (2014), © ASCE.

See Sample Table 2.

If a credit line applies only to a portion of the data in the table, list it as a lettered footnote:

aData from Smith and Jones (2012).

See Copyright and Permissions for additional guidelines regarding permissions.

Format

Title
Table titles begin with the bold “Table,” followed by a bold Arabic number and a period. They are set in
sentence case and do not end in a period:

Table 1. Ultimate rotations at joint interfaces and beam ends

If a table title consists of more than one sentence, place semicolons where periods would normally be
placed and do not place a period at the end of the title.

Remove articles (a, an, the) from table titles whenever possible.

Tables Spanning Multiple Pages

If a table runs on more than one page, the legend format is as follows:

Table 1. Project breakdown by district, contracting method, and project type

Table 1. (Continued.)

Body
Avoid setting column headings within the body of the table.

Where it makes sense to do so, place em dashes in blank cells.

NOTE Spell out ‘Number’ in tables; do not use “No.”.

© ASCE 83
Alignment
Align columns of single-value numbers on the decimal point, if there is one.

NOTE Never add decimal points to numbers that do not have them. Follow the author.

See Sample Table 1.

Fractions
It is not necessary to slash down fractions in the table body; if the author has stacked them, follow copy.

Fractions should be slashed down in the table title and in table footnotes.

Rules
Do not use vertical rules in a table.

Horizontal rules are used only to offset column headings at the top of the table and footnotes (if any) at
the bottom of the table and to separate major sections of tables.

Straddle rules
If the column headings have multiple levels, use straddle rules to offset the different heading levels.

See Sample Table 1 and Sample Table 2.

Symbols and units of measure

Avoid repeating symbols and measurements. For example, if every value in a column is a percent, put the
percent sign (%) in the column heading and remove it from each entry. If “%” is not used in a column
heading but is used in the table, spell it out if it does not follow a number [e.g., change “MDA (%)” to
“MDA (percentage)”].

See Sample Table 1

Headings
Column headings
All columns must have a heading. If a column does not have a heading, attempt to create an appropriate
heading and query the author. All column headings should be set in sentence case.

Each table should have only one set of column headings at the top of the table (though that set may have
multiple levels). Avoid using additional column headings within the body of the table; if unavoidable,
the additional column headings should be set in sentence case and offset by horizontal straddle rules.

Row headings
Row headings appear in the far left column of a table and should be set in sentence case. Subheadings are
sentence case as well and should be placed under primary headings, with an em space indent.

84 © ASCE
Footnotes
General footnote
A general footnote should be used to convey any information that pertains to the table as a whole; it
should precede any lettered footnotes. Preface the general footnote with “Note:” as shown in the
following example:

Note: Δy = notional yield displacement; Δu = axial shortening at peak load; Δf = axial shortening
at the failure load; λ = deformability factor; and η = displacement ductility factor.

Abbreviations that require definition in a table should be defined in alphabetical order in the general
footnote. Separate abbreviations from definitions with an equals sign (=); separate multiple definitions
with semicolons. Examples:

Note: Shear strength calculations were governed by flexural and shear action of the masonry
panel. ECC = engineered cementitious composite; and MSI = material sustainability index.

Note: CH = cross hole; DH = downhole; and SH = suspension logger.

NOTE Do not allow lettered footnotes to be used within the general footnote.

NOTE If a displayed equation appears in the general footnote, query the author to
incorporate it into the text.

See Sample Table 2 and Sample Table 3.

Lettered footnotes
Lettered footnotes should follow the general footnote (if there is one). Use lowercase superscript letters:

aLength of compression zone.

bFlexuralshear strength of the masonry panel.
cBased on Smith et al. (2009).

For tables with more than 26 lettered footnotes, use double-letter identifiers (i.e., aa, bb, cc, etc.).

Lettered footnote symbols should be ordered in the table headings and body in top-to-bottom, left-to-
right fashion.

NOTE Credit lines should appear in a lettered footnote only if they apply to a portion
of the data in the table; if a credit line applies to the entire table, place it in a source
footnote that precedes the general footnote (see Tables/Permissions).

NOTE Lettered footnotes are not allowed on table titles.

See Sample Table 2, Sample Table 3, and Sample Table 4.

Graphic Elements

Do not allow photographs, sketches, line art, or other graphic elements in tables. Any tables that include
graphics must be treated and numbered as figures.

© ASCE 85
Highlighting and Shading

Do not allow highlighted or shaded components in a table; they will not be reproduced in print. Use bold
font if emphasis is needed.

Math

“E” Notation
See Mathematical Composition/“E” Notation.

Equations
Mathematical equations are allowed in the table body, though they should be avoided if possible.

When possible, do not allow equations to appear in a table but nowhere else in the paper; equations
should appear in the text of the paper as enumerated displayed equations.

If equations must appear in a table, do not number them.

Use “Eq.” when referring to numbered equations in table titles:

Table 6. Comparison of ratios in Eq. (2)

Multipart Tables

Do not allow tables with multiple parts (e.g., Table 1a, Table 1b, Table 1c). Tables with multiple parts
should either be combined into one table or split into separate tables (e.g., Table 1, Table 2, Table 3),
whichever befits the situation. Query ASCE if a manuscript contains multipart tables.

References

If references are cited in a table, cite them as you would in running text under the column heading
“References.”

See Sample Table 4.

Repeated Information

If any aspect of a table refers the reader to a previous table, repeat the information. For example, if a
column heading, table body cell, or footnote says “Same as Table 1,” this reference should be replaced
with the corresponding data from Table 1.

86 © ASCE
Sample Tables

Sample Table 1

Table 1. True stress-strain data for FEA

1.5-mm G450 sheet steel 3.0-mm G450 sheet steel
True strain Plastic strain True stress True strain Plastic strain True stress
Point (10−3) (10−3) (MPa) (10−3) (10−3) (MPa)
2 3.02 0.00 590 2.64 0.00 535
3 19.8 16.8 600 41.9 39.3 595
4 41.9 38.9 640 144 141 660
5 144 141 710 1,000 997 660
6 1,000 997 710 — — —

Sample Table 2

Table 2. Geometric properties of subassemblage specimens

Position of Longitudinal reinforcementb
Test curtailment (mm) A-A section B-B section Bottom bars at the
specimena 101 102 Top Bottom Top Bottom middle jointsc
S1-0.90 1,000 ND 2T10 (0.90%) 2T10 (0.49%) 2T10 (0.49%) 2T10 (0.49%) Continuous
S2-0.73 925 ND 3T10 (0.73%) 2T10 (0.49%) 2T10 (0.49%) 2T10 (0.49%) Lap splice
S3-1.24 1,000 345 3T13 (1.24%) 2T10 (0.49%) 2T13 (0.82%) 1T13 (0.90%) Lap splice
S4-1.24 1,000 ND 3T13 (1.24%) 2T13 (0.82%) 2T13 (0.82%) 2T13 (0.82%) Continuous
S5-1.24 1,000 ND 3T13 (1.24%) 3T13 (1.24%) 2T13 (0.82%) 3T13 (1.24%) Continuous
S6-1.87 1,000 345 3T16 (1.87%) 2T13 (0.82%) 2T16 (1.25%) 2T13 (0.82%) Continuous
S7-1.24 780 ND 3T13 (1.24%) 2T13 (0.82%) 2T13 (0.82%) 2T13 (0.82%) Continuous
S8-1.24 560 ND 3T13 (1.24%) 2T13 (0.82%) 2T13 (0.82%) 2T13 (0.82%) Continuous
Source: Reprinted with permission from Smith (1992).
Note: The beam sections are 150 mm wide and 250 mm deep for all specimens (i.e., b = 150 mm and h =
250 mm); the concrete cover thickness is 20 mm for all specimens; total net span L = 2Ln+250 (mm); and
test results of Specimens S1 and S2 are shown in Yu and Tan (2011). ND = not determined.
aThe seismic detailing in terms of the arrangement of the stirrups is indicated by S.
bReinforcement ratio in brackets is calculated by As/bd, where b = 150 mm and d = 215 mm; the A-A and

B-B sections are given in Fig. 1.

cThe lap-splice lengths for the bottom bars of Specimens S3 and S6 are 410 and 530 mm, respectively. The

lap-spliced position is through the middle joint.

© ASCE 87
Sample Table 3

Table 3. Holocene sites used to develop VS-based CRR chart

Site Test type Critical layer depth (m) VP (m/s)
Japan
Hanshin Expressway 5a SL 2.1–5.3 900
Kobe-Nishinomiya Expressway SL 4.4–10.5 1,540
Owi Island DH 4.5–7.8 1,300
United States
Coyote Creeka CH 3.5–6.0 332
Marina District Schoola CH 2.7–4.3 1,360
Bay Bridge Toll Plazaa CH 5.0–7.5 1,540
Note: CH = cross hole; DH = downhole; SL = suspension logger.
aSites of historic liquefaction occurrence.

insert and
{downhole; and SL =
Sample Table 4

Table 4. Summary of five external sources from literature on steel H-piles embedded in cohesive soils
Estimated Measured pile Estimated pile Estimated pile
average Cha resistance at t resistance at t resistance at EOD
References Hammer type (cm2/min) (kN) (kN) (kN)
Huang (1988) Kobe KB60 0.873 4,485a 5,150 3,220b
7,250c 5,874
Lukas and Vulcan 80C 0.025d 1,139c 1,089 671b
Bushell (1989) 1,308 c 1,131
Long et al. (2002) Delmag D19–32 0.291 1,202c 1,966 1,174e
2,537 f 2,902 1,677
aPile resistance estimated using CAPWAP during restrike.
bPile resistance estimated by research team using reported hammer blow rate.
cMeasured pile resistance using SLT based on the criteria of Davisson (1972).
dEstimated using a combination of Eqs. (4), (6), and (7).
eEstimated pile resistance at EOD condition taken 7 days after the pile installation.
fAverage pile resistance estimated using WEAP during restrikes.

88 © ASCE
 Title Page

The title page information consists of the following components:

Title
Author byline
Conference footnote
Author footnotes
Submitted/approved/published note*
Abstract*
DOI number*
Author keywords
*Only appears in Technical Notes, Technical Papers, Invited Papers, and Case Studies.

These components precede other article sections and are described here in the order shown.

Title

Titles should have a maximum of 100 characters, including spaces. (Note: Copyeditors are not expected
to enforce length limits on titles.)

Abbreviations and Acronyms

See Abbreviations/Article Title.

Capitalization
See Capitalization/Titles and Headings.

Editing the Title

Titles may be edited without ASCE’s approval as follows:

• Remove unnecessary articles (a, an, the) at the beginning of a title or subtitle; allow them
elsewhere in the title or if the title/subtitle would read awkwardly without them (e.g., “Wave
and Surge Risk during Landfalling Hurricanes: A Probabilistic Approach”).
Query the author to review the edited title.
• Remove extraneous words such as “On …,” “Some …,” “A Note on …,” “Note that …,” and
“Toward a …”
Query the author to review the edited title.
• Adjust punctuation around a part label (see Title Page/Title/Multipart or Companion Papers).

All other edits must be approved by ASCE, both at the copyediting stage and the author correction stage.

© ASCE 89
Multipart or Companion Papers
For multipart or companion papers (i.e., papers that are part of a series), do not use the word “Part” in
the main title to introduce the subtitle. End the main title with a period and use a roman numeral to
precede the subtitle; use a colon to separate the numeral from the subtitle. Example:

Stochastic Theory for Irregular Stream Modeling. I: Flow Resistance

Stochastic Theory for Irregular Stream Modeling. II: Application

NOTE The main title should be identical for all papers in the series.

Author Byline

Author names are listed in a single byline just below the article title. Separate two or more authors with
semicolons (but see exception below); the semicolon follows the superscript author footnote symbol.
Offset professional designations and ASCE membership grades with a comma. Examples:

John Smith1; Joe Smith2; and Pete Johns3

John Jones, M.ASCE1; and C.-Y. Chang2
Fred E. Chu, P.E.1; and Charles C. Miller Jr., F.ASCE2
R. Richards Jr., M.ASCE1; and D. G. Elms, M.ASCE2
William W.-G. Yeh, P.E., M.ASCE1
Shu-Guang Li, M.ASCE1; Lakshmi Venkataraman2; and Dennis McLaughlin3
C. R. “Chuck” Pennoni, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE1
Daniel S. Seed, M.ASCE1; T. Baker, F.ASCE2; and R. Bo, M.ASCE3

Exception: Omit the semicolon if there are only two authors and the first author has no professional
designation and no ASCE membership grade:

G. K. Anderson1 and G. Yang2

Do not use a comma to offset a name suffix from an author’s surname:

James Malloy Jr., M.ASCE1; David Strasburg Sr., F.ASCE2; and Arthur Watson III, M.ASCE2

NOTE Follow the author on the use of initials instead of first names; do not expand
an author’s first name if initials have been provided, and do not query for expansion.

NOTE Never change the order of the author names in the author byline.

Professional Designations
Include Professional Engineer or Licensed Surveyor designations as appropriate, as well as up to two
additional professional designations indicated at the member’s discretion. If the Ph.D. designation is used
in conjunction with these professional designations, they should appear in the following order: Ph.D.,
P.E., ASCE membership grade (e.g., John Doe, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE).

The following professional and academic designations are currently approved for all journals: Ph.D., P.E.,
S.E., D.WRE, Hon.D.WRE, D.GE, D.CE, D.OE, D.PE, D.NE, NAE, DEE, P.Eng., C.Eng., L.S., P.L.S.,
Dr.Tech., Dr.Eng., D.Sc., Sc.D., G.E., P.G., P.H., AICP, CPEng, J.D.

90 © ASCE
 NOTE Include only those designations that appear in the original manuscript, and
delete any designations not listed previously. Additional designations (including any
provided in the XML) should not be added without approval from ASCE.

ASCE Membership Grades

One ASCE membership grade may accompany an author’s name. The grades and their abbreviations are
as follows:

Aff.M.ASCE Affiliate Member

A.M.ASCE Associate Member
Dist.M.ASCE Distinguished Member
F.ASCE Fellow
Hon.M.ASCE Honorary Member
M.ASCE Member
Pres.XX.ASCE* President Emeritus
S.M.ASCE Student Member

*“XX” should be replaced with the last two digits of the year of the presidency. Alternatively, a
president may choose to use the designation “ASCE President [year].”

NOTE “Life Fellow” and “Life Member” are not membership grades; change to
F.ASCE or M.ASCE, respectively.

ASCE Committees
For papers by ASCE committees, list the authors with affiliations per ASCE style. Include the committee
name in parentheses on a new line below the author byline. Click here for a sample.

In some cases, a subcommittee is also an author.

Arthur Jones, M.ASCE1; Thomas Lee, F.ASCE2; and ASCE Task Committee on Sustainable Design3
(ASCE Task Committee on Design Criteria for Composite Structures in Steel and Concrete)

Conference Footnote

If a paper is from a conference, assign the number “1” to the conference footnote and place it before the
author footnotes. Add a corresponding footnote number at the end of the article title. Example:

Bed-Load Transport1

1Presented at the ASCE National Water Resources and Ocean Engineering Convention,
April 5–8, 1986, San Diego, CA. (Preprint 2716).

The author footnotes then begin with footnote “2.”

© ASCE 91
Author Footnotes

Each author must have a footnote that includes his or her title (optional), place of affiliation, and current
address; the footnotes should be numbered following the order of authors in the author byline. Email
addresses are optional, but omit telephone or fax numbers. Abbreviate only the following: Dept., Univ.,
and street address information (e.g., St., Rd., Ln., Ct.). Use two-letter postal abbreviations for US states,
Canadian provinces, and Australian states and territories (see Appendix V: City, State, Province, and
Territory Names); abbreviate United Kingdom as “UK.” Example:
1Professorand Head, Geotechnics Resource Group, Dept. of Civil and Structural
Engineering, Univ. of Manchester Institute of Technology, Manchester M60 1QD, UK.

Street addresses are optional for colleges or universities, but they are required for private businesses. A
postal abbreviation is always required, even if a street address is not given.

NOTE Abbreviate “Univ.” only for names of universities in author footnotes and
references; do not abbreviate for university names in the text (e.g., the research
laboratory at Cambridge University).

Do not repeat campus locations of large state universities unless they are part of the university’s official
name. As a general rule, follow the institution’s website. Examples:

Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA, not Univ. of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA or Univ. of

California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Univ. of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO
Univ. of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI.
Univ. of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, IL

Exception: If the physical location of the institution differs from the location in the name, include
both. Example:

Univ. of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA

NOTE Always delete the word “The” from the beginning of an institution’s name even
if it is part of the official name of that institution (e.g., “Ohio State Univ.,” not “The Ohio
State Univ.”).

Corresponding Author
Include a parenthetical designation for the corresponding author unless a paper has only one author. A
valid email address is required:

1Ph.D. Candidate, School of Civil Engineering, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN 47907
(corresponding author). Email: smith@purd.edu

NOTE A paper can have only one corresponding author, and the corresponding author
cannot be changed without approval from ASCE.

92 © ASCE
ORCID
Include an ORCID only for the corresponding author. Only validated ORCIDs should be published. The
ORCID should be added just before the email address in the follow format: ORCID:
https://orcid.org/[ORCID].

2AssociateProfessor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai,

Mumbai 400076, India (corresponding author). ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4934-4598.
Email: dasaka@civil.iitb.ac.in

Deceased Author
Note “deceased” in the footnote for an author who died during the publication of his or her paper:

2Deceased April 28, 1994; formerly, Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, …

The date of death is optional; it is not necessary to query for it.

Email Address
An author’s email address may be included at the end of the footnote, following the period. Do not place
any punctuation after the email address. Do not allow web pages, social media screen names, and so
forth.

3Director,
Plasma Application Research Facility, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Atlanta,
GA 30332-0800. Email: lou.circeo@gtri.gatech.edu

Multiple email addresses are allowed and should be separated with a semicolon:

1AssociateProfessor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of California,

Davis, CA 95616 (corresponding author). Email: kanvinde@ucdavis.edu; amkan@ucsf.com

Multiple Affiliations

3Principal,
e.construct.USA, LLC, 11823 Arbor St., Suite 200, Omaha, NE 68144; Professor
Emeritus, Civil Engineering, Univ. of Nebraska–Lincoln, 1110 S. 67th St., Lincoln, NE 68182.
Email: mtadros@mail.unomaha.edu

Note there is no “and” separating the affiliations.

Former Affiliation
Both current and former affiliations are given if the author’s affiliation has changed since the paper was
written:

1Assistant
Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX 78712; formerly,
Graduate Student, Dept. of Civil Engineering., Univ. of California, Davis, CA 98102.

© ASCE 93
Any corresponding author notes or email addresses are still placed at the end of the footnote.

NOTE It is acceptable to (a) add one new affiliation or (b) set a new affiliation and retain
the previous affiliation as a “formerly” affiliation, but all other changes must receive
ASCE approval.

If an author does not have a current affiliation (i.e., he or she is between positions), list as “1Formerly, …”

Retired Author
A retired author may be identified as such if he or she desires:

1Retired, 137 Flamingo Pl., Winter Garden, FL 32999; formerly, Professor …

Temporary Address
Occasionally, an author may want to include a temporary address or mailing address.

For a temporary address, introduce the address with “presently, …”:

1Professor,Dept. of Civil Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique, Montréal, QC, Canada

H3C 3A7; presently, Visiting Professor, Division of Bridge and Structural Engineering,
Dept. of Civil Engineering, Changsha Railway Univ., Changsha 410075, China.

For a mailing address, introduce the address with “mailing address: …”:

2Research Assistant, Dept. of Agriculture and Biological Engineering, Pennsylvania State

Univ., University Park, PA 16802; mailing address: 222 Maple Dr., University Park, PA 16803.

If there are two or more mailing addresses, separate them with a semicolon and include the word “and”
before the final address:

2Research Assistant, Dept. of Agriculture and Biological Engineering, Pennsylvania State

Univ., University Park, PA 16802; mailing address: 222 Maple Dr., University Park, PA 16803;
and 1234 Elm St., Haddonfield, NJ 08033.

Submitted/Approved/Published Note

The submitted/approved/published note appears below the last author footnote in the printed article.

Use the following format for all papers:

Note. This manuscript was submitted on February 10, 2013; approved on June 14, 2013;
published online on June 16, 2013. Discussion period open until November 16, 2013; separate
discussions must be submitted for individual papers. This paper is part
of the Journal of Aerospace Engineering, ©ASCE, ISSN 0893-1321.

94 © ASCE
The information for this footnote must be updated for each paper according to the article metadata.

NOTE Use “paper” for Technical Papers, Case Studies, and Invited Papers; change
“paper” to “technical note,” “technical breakthrough abstract,” or “legal note” as befits
the article type.

Abstract

The abstract should be 150 to 175 words long. (Note: Copyeditors need not enforce length limits on
abstracts, nor query the author to shorten them.)

The abstract is a single paragraph with no structured headings. The heading Abstract: (note the colon)
should precede the abstract text:

Abstract: This paper describes an investigation to quantify the behavior of a precast

deck system. As part of this investigation, a live-load test was performed …

Nonstandard abbreviations may be used even if the abbreviated term appears only once in the paper.

Because abstracts must be self-contained, citations to references, standards, figures, and tables are not
allowed in the abstract text. In general, such citations should be converted to a general statement and the
author should be queried for confirmation. Examples:

Original: “In 1946, L. A. Galin provided an analytical solution to the state of stress in an infinite
plate with a circular notch and biaxial tensile stress. This solution requires that a plastic region
fully surrounds the notch. In an existing paper, a minor reshaping mistake …”

Edited: “The literature provides an analytical solution to the state of stress in an infinite plate
with a circular notch and biaxial tensile stress. This solution requires that a plastic region fully
surrounds the notch. In an existing paper, a minor reshaping mistake …”

Original: Experimental results were compared with the design values specified in the Canadian
Highway Bridge Design Code for barrier anchorage.

Edited: Experimental results were compared with other design values for barrier anchorage.

Occasionally, however, a specific code or manual is essential to the subject matter of the paper and the
citation must be retained, as shown in the following example. In these cases, query ASCE.

Dutch, German, and British design guidance from the 1990s was updated using results of
research projects supported by the European Commission and subsequently unified with the
publication of the European Manual for the Assessment of Wave Overtopping, or EurOtop
[EurOtop (2007). European Manual for the Assessment of Wave Overtopping, T. Pullen, et al., eds.],
now used all over the world. This paper explores five technical issues that were not well covered
in the unified manual.

DOI Number

All ASCE papers are assigned a DOI. Technical Notes, Technical Papers, Case Studies, and Invited Papers
always display a unique DOI. See Appendix VI: Discussions and Closures for details on diplaying DOIs

© ASCE 95
in Discussions and Closures; see Appendix VII: Guidelines for Front and Back Matter for details on
displaying DOIs in Corrections and other front and back matter article types.

Author Keywords

For Technical Papers, Technical Notes, Case Studies, Features, and Scholarly Papers, authors may include
keywords to describe important concepts that their manuscript covers.

Keywords should be added only if they are included in the manuscript file. If fewer than 3 or more than
10 keywords are provided, query the author to add to or shorten the list as applicable.

The list of keywords should be preceded by the bold heading “Author keywords” followed by a colon.
The keywords should each be set in sentence case and need not appear in alphabetical order (follow the
author for order of keywords). They must be edited for consistency with the rest of the article. Separate
keywords with a semicolon, and end the list with a period. Example:

Author keywords: Urban area; Congestion; Signalized intersection; Left-turn prohibition.

NOTE Nonstandard abbreviations may be used as keywords as long as they are

defined within the list of keywords; do not allow an abbreviation and its expanded term
to be used as two separate keywords. Example: Amplitude (am), not Amplitude; am.

NOTE Author keywords are optional. Do not query for missing keywords.

CEDB Subject Headings

Civil Engineering Database (CEDB) subject headings were phased out in June 2014, and ASCE no longer
uses them. If a paper contains CEDB subject headings, query ASCE.

96 © ASCE
Usage

Commonly Misused Words and Phrases

CMOS 17, has a helpful glossary of problematic words and phrases (see §5.250). If you are not certain an
author has chosen the best word, ASCE highly recommends that you consult Chicago. Following are a few
points of usage specific to ASCE papers:

above/below Do not refer to items or points of discussion as being “above” or “below” (e.g., “As
shown above …”); use terms such as “preceding” or “subsequent” instead. Simiarly, do not use “above-
mentioned” or “below-mentioned”; use “aforementioned,” “foregoing,” “preceding,” “following,” or “in
the following” instead.

although Use instead of though.

article/paper When referring to the paper at hand, follow the author’s use of “article” or “paper” (e.g.,
“The following symbols are used in this article”; “The work reported in this paper was funded by …”).
Both are acceptable, but be consistent; do not allow both in a single paper. Do not use “manuscript,” and
do not use the article type (e.g., “This Technical Note describes …”).

as Use only in a temporal sense; otherwise, use because (e.g., “Because the patient did not respond to
therapy …”).

authors/writers In Discussions, refer to the authors of the original paper as “the authors.” The authors
of the Discussion should refer to themselves as “the discussers.” In a Closure, the discussers are still
called “the discussers,” but the writer of the Closure should refer to himself or herself as “the writer.”
Note: In Technical Papers, Technical Notes, Case Studies, and Invited Papers, the authors can be referred
to as either the “authors” or the “writers.” Follow the author’s preference, but be consistent.

below/above See above/below.

bimonthly/semimonthly Prefer “twice a month” or “every other month,” depending on meaning.

different Use with the preposition “from,” not “than.”

earlier Do not refer to items or points of discussion as coming “earlier”; use “previous” or “previously”
instead.

employ Replace with use as appropriate (i.e., when not used within the context of a person’s
employment).

etc. Abbreviation for “and so forth.” Avoid at the end of a sentence. Prefer using “such as” or “for
example” preceding the list.

gender/sex Use gender when discussing the social constructs of male and female; use sex when
discussing the biological constructs.

identical Use with the preposition “with,” not “to” (e.g., “The replica was identical with the original”).

last Use instead of “past” when referring to time (e.g., “The last 10 years …” not “The past 10 years
…”).

later Do not refer to items or points of discussion as coming “later”; use “subsequent” or
“subsequently” instead.

© ASCE 97
paper/article See article/paper.

sex/gender See gender/sex.

thus Try not to use more than once per manuscript page; “thus” can become a verbal tic.

times less Avoid the phrase “times less” in constructions such as the following: “The flux through the
liner was 40 times less than permitted by law.” The phrase is not always immediately understood as
being the opposite of, for example, “40 times more.” Better: “The flux through the liner was 1/40 the
amount permitted by law.”

versus Always spelled out in text, figure captions, and table titles. The abbreviation “v.” is appropriate
in titles of court cases.

vis-à-vis Prefer “in relation to,” “compared with,” and so on, as appropriate.

where/in which Do not use “where” as a relative pronoun; it is a locative.

writers/authors See authors/writers.

written as The “as” is usually superfluous: “Thus, the equation is written x + y = z,” not “written as x +
y = z.”

Computer Terminology

Check computer terms, including names of computer programs and languages, for spelling and
capitalization. If possible, check these terms against a manufacturer’s website; alternatively, use a general
internet search to find the most standard representation of the term. If a standard spelling cannot be
found, follow the author.

Contractions

Do not allow contractions in any ASCE papers.

Gender-Neutral and Bias-Free Language

Use bias-free and gender-neutral language whenever possible. Avoid language that readers may find
offensive or distracting. Modify biased language and query the author if the meaning is in question. A
paper can, however, present objective statistical evidence comparing people of different ages, sexes,
race/ethnicity, and so forth.

Be sensitive about labels and avoid stereotypic bias. Avoid using a phrase such as “typically male
behavior”; instead, specify the behavior (e.g., “being goal-directed”) without reference to sex, race, or
ethnicity.

Avoid language that perpetuates stereotypes of any kind, even if they are favorable. For example, in the
passage “His German ingenuity enabled him to perform his task well …,” omit the word “German.”

Avoid language that implies a normative standard. For example, do not casually use the terms “non-
Christian” or “non-White,” because they imply that Christianity is the norm or that White is the norm;

98 © ASCE
instead, specify the different religions or ethnic groups to which you are referring only if this information
is relevant to the paper.

Age
Do not imply that all members of an age group possess a specific characteristic (e.g., “accident-prone
younger workers”); instead, specify results indicating, for example, that young people tend to have more
on-the-job accidents.

Do not use the term “elderly” as a noun since some people find it objectionable. Instead, specify age
ranges.

Disabilities
When referring to people with disabilities, place the person first, rather than the disability. For example,
say “the person with a learning disability” instead of the “learning-disabled person.”

In addition, use emotionally neutral expressions. For example, instead of saying that an individual “is
confined to a wheelchair,” use the phrase “uses a wheelchair” (because, “is confined to” suggests
helplessness).

Gender
Strive to use gender-neutral terms. Examples:

Term Gender-Neutral Alternative

cameraman photographer
forefathers ancestors
foreman supervisor
male nurse nurse
man or mankind humanity, human beings, people, we
man hours work hours or staff hours
man-made artificial, synthetic, manufactured
spokesman spokesperson
stewardess flight attendant

Do not use such phrases as “he/she” or “s/he,” and use such phrases as “his or her” sparingly. However,
in situations in which only males or only females are involved, use either the masculine or the feminine,
as appropriate: e.g., “In World War II, each Air Force pilot took responsibility for his crew” or “The
pregnant worker should get a note from her doctor.”

The following are common methods for revising a sentence to make it gender-neutral:

Recast the noun and pronoun in the plural:

Original: Although the physician has many patients, he should take his time with each one.
Revision: Although physicians have many patients, they should take their time with each one.

Delete the pronoun:

Original: A good engineer relies on his common sense.
Revision: A good engineer relies on common sense.

© ASCE 99
 Replace the masculine pronoun with an article:
Original: Every engineer should have his master’s degree.
Revision: Every engineer should have a master’s degree.

Recast the sentence to change the subject:

Original: A good engineer attempts to complete his work on time.
Revision: Completing work on time is an attribute of a good engineer.

Racial and Ethnic Identity

Do not mention an individual’s ethnic identity unless it is relevant.

Capitalize racial designations. The terms “African American,” “Native American,” “Hispanic,” “Asian
American,” and “Asian” are preferred. However, because the terms “Hispanic,” “Latino/a,” and
“Chicano/a” all have slightly different meanings, follow the author’s preference.

Follow the author’s use of “White” versus “Caucasian” (but be consistent within a single paper).

Italics

Use of italics in text is acceptable in the following situations:

• English letters used as mathematical variables;

• titles of publications such as books, journals;
• legal cases mentioned in text;
• uncommon foreign words;
• genus and species names; and
• for emphasis (sparingly).

NOTE Never italicize such foreign terms as “in situ” and “a priori” or other foreign
terms that appear in the current version of Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.

Do not italicize chapter titles or section numbers; place chapter titles in quotation marks.

See also Mathematical Composition.

Personal Names and Particles

Many personal names include particles such as de, d’, de la, von, van, and so forth. Follow the author’s
preference for capitalization, or look in a biographical dictionary or other authoritative source.

Placeholders

Do not use placeholders for missing information (e.g., XXX, XXX, etc.). Instead, edit the text in such a way
that placeholders are not needed and query the author to supply the missing information.

100 © ASCE
Variables at Beginning of Sentence

Avoid beginning sentences with variables.

Avoid:  was found to be less than …

Better: The value of  was found to be less than …

Verbs

Passive versus Active Voice

Avoid passive voice; use active voice whenever possible (e.g., “We concluded …” not “It was concluded
…”).

Tense
The past tense should be used to describe experiments or tests that have been completed. Previous
studies or other research cited in the paper should also be referred to in the past tense.

When discussing other matters in the paper (e.g., drawing conclusions), the present tense should be used.

© ASCE 101
Appendix I: Standard Abbreviations and Acronyms

For updated lists of engineering societies and associations, consult

https://www.engineering.com/Directories/ProfessionalAssociations/tabid/3455/Default.aspx and
http://www.aaes.org/members. For other general abbreviations and ASCE institute or committee
abbreviations, follow the author.

Authors are free to use their own abbreviations as long as they are clearly defined at first use.

Abbreviations may be used even if the term that is being abbreviated appears only once in the paper.

The following abbreviations and acronyms are considered standard and thus do not need to be defined,
even at first mention (but see Abbreviations/Article Title for exceptions).

AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

(Washington, DC) (formerly American Association of State Highway Officials
[AASHO])
ABET Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Inc. (Baltimore, MD)
AFB air force base
AISC American Institute of Steel Construction (Chicago)
ANCOVA analysis of covariance
ANOVA analysis of variance
ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers (Reston, VA)
ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange
ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers (New York)
ASTM The official name of ASTM is its acronym; formerly, American Society for Testing
and Materials (West Conshohocken, PA)
BASF Badische Anilin und Soda Fabrik
BET method Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method
BFGS Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno algorithm
Caltrans State of California, Department of Transportation
COE Corps of Engineers (USACE)
DOE US Department of Energy
DOT US Department of Transportation; department of transportation
EPA Environmental Protection Agency (both EPA and USEPA are acceptable
abbreviations; follow the author)
FEM finite-element method
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency (Washington, DC)
GAF (trademark) “film”
GIS geographic information system
GPO Government Printing Office Government Publishing Office
HVAC heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning
IBM International Business Machines Corp. (Armonk, NY)
IEEE The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (New York)
ISO International Organization for Standardization
JONSWAP Joint North Sea Wave Program
LRFD load and resistance factor design
LVDT linear variable differential transducer
N/A not applicable; not available
NEC National Electric Code (US)

102 © ASCE
 NGVD National Geodetic Vertical Datum
NHK Nippon Hoso Kyokai (Tokyo)
NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology [Gaithersburg, MD (formerly
NBS; follow copy, and when in doubt, use “NIST”)]
PVC polyvinyl chloride
RC reinforced concrete (not “R/C,” “R-C”); “RC member design”
RCA Radio Corporation of America
RILEM International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials,
Systems and Structures
RMS root-mean square (avoid “rms”)
SAAB Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget (Sweden)
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
USACE US Army Corps of Engineers
USDA US Department of Agriculture
USEPA US Environmental Protection Agency (both EPA and USEPA are acceptable
abbreviations; follow the author)
USGS US Geological Survey

© ASCE 103
Appendix II: Engineering Terms

This appendix presents a list of (a) words and terms that are commonly used in civil engineering but that
may not appear in a dictionary and (b) common words that are often misspelled or miscapitalized. In
cases where one or more alternative forms are provided in this list, follow the author. For additional
guidance, refer to CMOS 17, and the current edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.

Text within parentheses is not part of the term. It is provided for explanatory purposes only.

Words in quotation marks after trademarked terms are generic alternatives to the trademarked terms.
Use the generic alternatives when the trademarked terms are not essential for context.

0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

0–9
#200 mesh
10Base-T
2 by 4; 2 by 4s; 2 × 4; 2 × 4s
2.5-dimensional model
3D effect (use “three-dimensional effect”for first instance)

A
Abram’s strength law
abrasion-resistant surface
Acanthamoeba sp. (a type of protozoa)
accident-analysis technology
Achromobacter sp.
Achromobacter xyloxidans
acid phase
acid-former
acid-phase effluent
acid-test ratio
Acinetobacter sp.
across-variable
across-wind
acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene
Actinomyces sp.
activated-sludge process
active-biomass concentration
activity-on-node model
adviser (not “advisor”)
aerated grit chamber
Aeromonas
aerotriangulation (use “arialtriangulation”)
aftercooling
Agfa (trademark) “film”
agglomerate breccia
agonic line
Alcaligenes denitrificans

104 © ASCE
alinement (reserve for surveying contexts; otherwise use “alignment”)
alkali-carbonate rock reaction
Alka-Seltzer (trademark) “antacid analgesic tablet”
Allen (trademark) “wrench”; “hexagonal wrench”
along-channel velocity component
along-wind
along-wind displacement
Amagat-Leduc’s rule
Amagat’s law
American Express (trademark) “charge-card services”
Ampere’s law
amperometric electrochemical cell
analcite
anatexis
Ancyclostoma dirodenale
Ancyclostoma sp.
Andrade’s equation
Angoff procedure
Anguilla anguilla (eel)
anorthoclase
antenna (sing.); antennas (pl.); antennae (pl.)
anticlinal spring
apexes (not “apices”)
aphanitic rock
apodization
apogean tides
apparatus; apparatuses
appendixes
aquiclude
aquifuge
Archimedes’ principle
arctic climate
areal gross rain
Arizona hinshawii
Arm & Hammer (trademark) “baking soda”; “laundry detergent”
Arrhenius constant
artesian formation
Arthrobacter globiforms
Arthrobacter sp.
Arvin-Tehachapi earthquake [Richter magnitude 7.7 (1952); also called the “Kern County earthquake”]
AS/400 (trademark) “computer hardware”; “computer software”
asbestos-cement pipe
Ascaris lumbricoides (causes ascariasis)
Aseishi-Gawa Dam, on the River Iwaki, in Aomori Prefecture, Japan
aseismic
Asellus aquaticus
Aspergillus niger
Aspergillus sp.
Asphalt Institute method
Aston process
AstroTurf (trademark)
atactic polymer

© ASCE 105
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.
arialtriangulation (avoid “aerotriangulation”)
attemperator
Atterberg limit
auger-hole method
austempering
austenitic stainless steel
austenizing
auto collimator
autocumulant (but “cross-cumulant”)
autopositive
autotrophic bacteria
autumnal equinox
auxiliary lane
Avogadro’s law
Avogadro’s number (6.0220943 × 1023)
avulsive cutoff
axonometric view
azimuths from the north; azimuths from the south
Azotobacter chroococcum
Azotobacter vinelandii

B
Bacillus cereus (B. cereus is acceptable on second use)
Bacillus megaterium
Bacillus sp.
back azimuth
back span
back substitution
back-calculate
back-calculation
back-propagate
back-propagation
backshore
backsight
backswamp deposits
backwashing
Baetis rhodani (mayfly)
Baggie (trademark)
bahada
bainite
Bakelite (trademark)
balanced reinforcement ration
Balantidium coli (protozoa)
Balling scale
Balmer series
band-pass filter
bank-full river
banktop
bar-map scale
base flow
base-circle failure

106 © ASCE
base-height ratio (also called “K-factor”)
base-isolation system
base-10 number
bathtub distribution
bathymetric chart
batter decrement
batture (elevation of a riverbed)
Baudot code
Baumé hydrometer
Bauschinger effect
Bay mud (refers only to San Francisco Bay mud; acceptable on second use)
Bayer process
Bayes’ theorem
bay-head beaches
Baylis turbidimeter
Bazin formula
Beaman arc
beam-column
bearing-capacity factor
bearing-type connections
bed load
bedform
bedform regime
bed-material properties; bed-material sample
bed-shear velocity
before-and-after comparison
Beggiatoa
beidellite
bell-pitting
bench mark (the mark placed by surveyors)
benchmark (the point from which measurements are made indicated by a bench mark)
bench-scale disphasic anaerobic process
bend radii
bending moment distribution
Beneckea
benefit; benefited; benefiting
benefit-cost analysis (prefer “cost-benefit analysis”)
benefit-cost ration method
Benelux countries
bentonite-slurry trenching fluid
Beijerinckia sp.
Bernoulli trial
Bernoulli’s equation
Bessel function
Betti’s theorem
bias; biased
biaxial compression–compression stress state
Bic (trademark) “pen”
bifurcation ratio
Bingham fluid
biofilm model
Biot number

© ASCE 107
birkenes
Bishop sand sampler
bituminous-treated bases
bivariate quintic interpolation algorithm
black water
Blasius equation
Bloch wall
blow count
Board of Direction (ASCE)
Bode plot
Boeing 747 (type of aircraft)
bolt preloading
Boltzmann’s constant
bootstrap loader
borewell
bornhardts
Boston blue clay
boundary shear
boundary-restraint conditions
boundary-value problems
Bourdon pressure gauge
Boussinesq’s equation
Bowen ratio
Bowie method
Boyle’s law
brace-buckling loads
brace-weld failure
Brackett’s law
Bragg’s law
Brale indenter
branch-and-bound method
Bravais lattice
Brayton cooling cycle
break-even analysis
breaking reaction-perception time
breakpoint chlorination
Brevibacterium sp.
Brewster’s angle
Brinell hardness
Brix scale
broad-crested weir
Bromo-Seltzer (trademark) “antacid”
Bronsted-Lowry theory
Brunton compass
Buckingham π-theorem
bulk-substrate concentration
bull’s-eye level
Bundt (trademark) “baking pan”
Burger’s vector
buried-valley aquifer
buses
Byers-Aston process

108 © ASCE
bytownite

C
cable-and-tool drilling
cabosil
cadaster; cadastre
Cal Tech (acceptable in all uses for California Institute of Technology, Pasadena)
calcrete
Cam-clay
Cambrian period
Cam-clay plasticity model
camkometer
Camp formula
canceled (not “cancelled”)
candela per square meter (formula is cd/m2)
Candida albicans
cantilever footing
capacity-reduction factor
capillary constants
carbonaceous demand
carbonate alkalinity; carbonate hardness
carbon-fiber-reinforced laminate
Carboniferous period
carbon-removal process
carryover moment
Carte Blanche (trademark) “credit-card services”
Cartesian coordinate system
Cartesian unit vector
Casagrande method
castellated beam
Castigliano’s theorems
cataclasis
catalog (not “catalogue”)
cataloged (not “catalogued”)
Category I structure (ASCE 7-88)
Caterpillar (trademark)
cation-exchange capacity
cationic polymers
Cauchy-Schwartz theorem
cell-action factor
cell-yield coefficient
cement-bentonite trench
cement-treated base
Cenozoic era
Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analysis
center-to-center distance
centigrade scale (use “Celsius”; “°C”)
central Europe (geographical)
Central Europe (political)
central-limit theorem
centrifuge thickening
centroidal mass moment of inertia

© ASCE 109
cetane number
Channel (use caps when referring to the English Channel)
Chapman-Kolmogorov equation
Charles’s law
Charpy test
Chebyshev
chemoheterotrophic
Chézy coefficient; Chézy equation
Chézy-Manning equation
Chick-Watson model
Chinese Institute of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering
chi-square distribution (or χ2 distribution)
chloramine destruction
chlorinated copperas
chlorine-ammonia treatment
chlorine-contact chamber
chlorophenol compounds
chlorophyll a; chlorophyll b
Choleski decomposition
Cipoletti weir
Class A CTB
Class B CTB
classical adjoint
classical density-current theory
classical-theory prediction
Clausius-Clapeyron equation
clear-water dynamic viscosity
clinographic projection
Clorox (trademark) “bleach”; “detergent”; “cleaner”
Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens is acceptable on second use)
Clostridium tetani (causes tetanus)
cloverleaf interchange
c-means
cnoidal (math jargon from the abbreviation “cn” for Jacobian elliptic function; do not confuse with
“conoidal”)
cokriging
Colebrook equation
Coleman (trademark) “stove”; “lantern”
collimation adjustment
colon bacilli
common-ion effect; common-ion-effect law
complexione
composite concrete construction
composite welded-plate girder
compressible fluids
Concorde (trademark) “jet airplane”
concrete-deck diaphragm
concrete-plank diaphragm
concrete-shear strain
condensable
confined-compression tests
conjugate-beam method

110 © ASCE
connate water
conoidal (do not confuse with “cnoidal”)
constant-head permeameter
constant-head tests
constant-value dollars
constructability
contaminant-plume configuration
contaminant-transport model
conterminous United States (the 48 states before the admission of Alaska and Hawaii)
Cook equation
Cooper pair
coordiscope
copositive
copper sulfate treatment
Coregonus spp. (whitefish)
Coriolis acceleration
Coriolis effect
Corning Ware (trademark)
Corynebacterium
cost-optimization formulation
Coulomb friction
coulombic
Coulomb’s earth-pressure theory; Coulomb’s equation
course work
Cox chart
Coxsackievirus, Group A; Coxsackievirus, Group B
crack-transformed moment of inertia
Craelius core orientor
Cramer’s rule
Crank-Nicholson scheme
Cretaceous period
Crisco (trademark) “cooking oil”; “shortening”
cristobalite
criterion-referenced method
critical oxygen deficit
critical-slenderness ratio
crop-growth model
crop-water-requirement model
crossband
cross-bedding
crossbolt
cross-cumulant (but “autocumulant”)
crosscutting relationships
cross-flow
crossfoot
crosshaul
crosshead motion
crossing plates
crossover flange
crossover joint
crossover length
cross-power

© ASCE 111
cross-rolling
crosstalk
crosstie
crossvein
Cryptococcus
Cryptosporidium cyst
Cuisinart (trademark) “food processor”
cunette
curricula (pl.)
curved beam element
curve-fitting technique
curvilinear interpolation
cuspate bar
cut to right-of-way clearance
cut-and-sum method
cyanogen halides
Cyclone (trademark) “chain-link fence”

D
Dacron (trademark) “polyester fiber”
D’Alembert’s paradox
Dalton’s law of partial pressures
Damköhler number
Daphnia spp.
Darcy formula
Darcy’s law
Darcy-Weisbach friction factor
D’Arsonval meter
data (always treat as plural)
data bank
data point
data set
database
database-management systems
datum(s) (commonly found in surveying and mapping contexts; do not change to “data” without
querying)
day care
Day-Glo (trademark) “fluorescent paint”
dBase IV (trademark)
DC-10 (trademark) “airplane”
De Broglie wavelength
De Moivre’s theorem
De Morgan’s theorem
Debaryomyces
decision maker
declinometer
dedolomitization
defluoridation
degrees of freedom [“five degrees of freedom (DOF)”; “20-degree-of-freedom plane rectangular
element”]
dehydrohalogenation
Delauney triangulation scheme

112 © ASCE
Delft sampler
Delta, the (region in Mississippi)
depth-area [duration analysis (1/n)]
desalination
desertification
desiccation cracks
design axial-load strength
design flood
design/build
design/build process
design-storm frequency
Desulfomonile tiedjei
desuperheater
detritus tank
Devonian period
dezincification
diachronism
diagrammatic index
diallage
dialogue
diaphragm gauge
dibasic acids
dichloramines
Dientamoeba fragilis (protozoa)
Diesel cycle
differential leveling; differential settlement
digester-gas heating value
Digital (trademark of computer company)
dilatancy test
dimple spring
dipmeter
diprotic acid
Dirac delta function; Dirac δ-function
direct shear stress
direct vernier
directional design hourly volume
disc (follow Merriam-Webster for usage)
discretize; discretizing
disk (follow Merriam-Webster for usage)
Disneyland (trademark) “amusement park”
distill (not “distil”)
distillation
Dixie (trademark) “paper cup”
Dolby (trademark) “noise-reduction system”
dolines
dolostone
dot product
double subscript (but “double-subscripted”)
double-extra-strong pipe
double-Fourier integrals
double-Tee roof system
double-tube swivel-type core barrel

© ASCE 113
doubly reinforced beam
downdrag
downgradient groundwater supply
downhole
downthrow
Dracunculus medinensis (causes dracontiasis/dracunculiasis)
Dramamine (trademark) “motion-sickness preparation”
Drano (trademark) “drain opener”
drillhole extensometer
drop-in length
Drucker-Prager cone
Druit equation
Drygas (trademark) “gasoline additive”
Du Noüy ring method
Du Noüy torsion balance
dual-media filters
ductile pipe
Duhamel’s convolution theorem
Dulong and Petit law; Dulong-Petit law
Dulong’s formula
dummy-unit-load method
Dumpster (trademark) “trash container”
dumpy level
Duracell (trademark) “battery”
duricrust
Dutch cone penetrometer
dynamically similar pump

E
E. coli (ATCC 11229)
eagre (also called “tidal bore”)
Earth (our planet); earth (soil)
earth fills
earthflow
earthquake ground motions
east declination
echelon matrix
Eckert number
eclogites
eddy-current testing
Edgeworth distribution
Edison effect
effective-stress parameters
Eichleay formula
eigenfunction; eigenmode; eigenvalue; eigenvector
eikonal equation
Ekman dredge
Ektachrome (trademark) “film”
El Centro earthquake [Richter magnitude 7.1 (1940)]
elastic-stiffness matrix
elastic-strain energy

114 © ASCE
elastomeric bearing
elastoplastic
elastoplastic-material-properties matrix
elastoviscoplastic
electronvolt
electrorefiner
emulsified-oil removal
end point (completion of a process such as a chemical reaction)
Endangered Species Act
end-condition coefficient
endoergic impact
Endomyces
endpoint (in geometry, the end of a line segment or ray)
endpoint deflection
end-restraint coefficient
end-user
en-echelon shear fracture
energy-dissipating structure
Entamoeba histolytica (causes amebic dysentery)
Enterobius vermacularis
Enterovirus
envelope of rupture
Eötvös number
epsomite
equal-tangent parabolic curves
equatorial Africa
equigranular texture
equilibrium transport rate
equipotential lines
equivalent axial-compression method
equivalent axle loadings
equivalent wheel loads
equivalent-moment factor
eriochrome black T
erodible canals
erratum (sing.); errata (pl.)
erythrocyte protoporphyrin
Escherichia coli (E. coli acceptable on first use)
Esox lucius (pike)
estop (permissible in legal contexts for “stop”)
ettringite
eubacteria
Euler load
Euler spiral
Eurocode No. 8
European method
European Nuclear Commission
European Nuclear Society
eutectoid steel
Eveready (trademark) “battery”
exceedance problem
excess pore pressures

© ASCE 115
Exner equation
explement angle
explicit probability problems
Express Mail (trademark) “overnight mail delivery”
exterior curtain-wall system
extraneous roots
extrema and optimization
eyebars (bars that have holes for pins; do not mistake for I-beams)

F
Faber polynomial
Faber series expansion
Fact Sheet No. OSHA 93-47
fall time
fanhead
Fanning friction factor
Fanno flow
Faraday’s law
fast Hartley transform
fathogram
Fathometer (trademark)
fatigue-crack growth rate
faunal succession law
feasible region
fecal (avoid “faecal”)
Federal Express (trademark) “mail delivery service”
federal government
FedEx (trademark) “mail delivery service”
feedforward (n, adj)
feedwater
feldspathoids
felsic minerals
Fermi-Dirac probability function
Fiberglas (trademark)
fiberglass (generic word for the nontrademarked product)
Fibonacci method
Fick’s diffusion law
fictitious sun
field density tests
filename (acceptable in computer contexts)
filterable solids
fineness modulus
finite-element analysis
finite-element discretization
finite-element mesh
finite-element modeling
fire resistance
fire water network (provides water for fighting fires)
fire-alarm station
Fisher ratio
fit-up cost

116 © ASCE
fixed-bed flume
fixed-end moment
fixed-percentage method
fixed-time controllers
fixity factor
flagellum (sing.); flagella (pl.)
flange-to-web toe fillet
flange-width limitations
Flavobacterium sp.
flexible asphalt concrete
flood prone
flood proofing
flood tide
flood wall
floodplain zone
flow choking
flow depth
flow field
flow net
flow path
flow rate
flow-continuity equation
flow-measuring device
flow-through period
flow-velocity profile
fluid-mixture problems
fluid-shear stress
fly leveling
focused
folding vernier
food-to-microorganism ratio
footing-depth factor
force-displacement equation
Forchheimer equation of motion
foreign engineering
Formica (trademark) “laminated plastic”
formula (sing.); formulas (pl.)
forum (sing.); forums (pl.)
four-cell tetrads
Fourier analysis
Fourier-series expansion
Fourier-transform technique
four-way stop signs
Foyers hydroelectric scheme
fracture-critical member
fragipan
F-ratio
frazil ice
free available chlorine
freeze-thaw cycle
freeze-thaw-induced degradation
French windows

© ASCE 117
Frenkel defect
Freon (trademark) “refrigerant”
frequency histogram
fresh water (n.) (connotation is contrast with water that is not fresh)
freshwater (n.) (connotation is nonsalty water that is a natural resource)
Fresnel integral function
Freundlich constant
Freundlich isotherm coefficient
friction head
frost line
frost susceptibility
fulfill
full intercept (but “half-intercept”)
full-scale
fulvic acid
Fungi imperfecti

G
gamma-ray log
gamma-ray testing
Gantt chart
gauge (avoid “gage”)
Gaussian white noise
Gauss’s theorem
Gauss-Seidel iterative technique
gehlenite
geomats
geomembrane
geometric stiffness matrix
geotextiles
Giardia lamblia
Giardia muris
Gibbs surface excess
gilgai
Ginsu (trademark) “knife”
Gischlard-Arnodin-type sloping-cable bridge
glass-transition region; glass-transition temperature
glass-walled tank
global maximum moment
Glotzl cell
gluing
glyoxal
Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco)
Goodman diagram
Goodman line
goodness of fit
good-quality samples
Google (trademark) “search engine” or “search”
Gopher (trademark)
Gore-Tex (trademark) “water-repellent fabric”
Grade 40 steel (per ASTM)
Graetz number

118 © ASCE
grain-size effect
granular-activated-carbon reactor (GAC reactor)
Grashof number
gravity-load-carrying system
graywater
Green-Lagrange strains
Green’s function
greenschists
gridiron layout
gross bearing capacity
gross k
ground motion
groynes
grykes
Gumbel type I asymptotic distribution
Gunite (trademark) “iron carbide alloy”
Gutenberg-Richter b-line
gypcrete
gypcrust

H
Hagen-Poiseuille equation
half-intercept
haloacetic acids
haloacetonitriles
haloaldehydes
haloketones
halon systems
halophenols
halopicrins
handheld calculator
Handi-Wrap (trademark) “plastic film”
Hankel function
Hankel-transform-based integral equations
Hanning window
Hansenula
Hanshin Daishinsai [the Great Ōsaka-Kobe Earthquake (January 17, 1995)]
Hantush method
Hardesty-Wessman method
Hardy Cross method
Har-Tru (trademark) “tennis-court surface material”
Hatley chain bridge
Hatta number
haversine
Hawthorne experiments
Hazen uniformity coefficient
Hazen-Williams formulas
hazwaste; hazwaste disposal (acceptable for “hazardous waste”; “hazardous-waste disposal”)
head loss
headhouse
headwall
Heaviside function

© ASCE 119
hemicrystalline
Henry’s law
hepatitis virus A
Hertzian contact problem
heterocoagulation
heterotrophic bacteria
high point
high-accident-frequency locations
high-early-strength concrete
high-gravel-content soil
high-purity-oxygen aeration
high-rate aeration
Hollerith code
Hollofil (trademark) “synthetic fiber”
holocrystalline
holohyaline
homologous pump
Hookean spring constant
Hooke-Jeeves numerical optimization method
Hooke’s law
Hoover (trademark) “vacuum cleaner”
horizontal ground motions
Horton equation
Hortonian infiltration model
hourglass failure
H-tail
hundred-year flood
Hund’s rule
Hurricane Andrew (August 24, 1992)
Hurwitz criterion
Huygens’s principle
Hveem’s resistance-value test
Hvorslev method
hydraulic conductivity
hydraulic jump
hydraulic mean depth
hydraulic-grade line
hydroelectric power generation
hydrogen sulfide removal
Hydrogenomonas sp.
hydrographs
hydrolizing metal ions
hydropower plant
hydro-thermal power system
hyetograph
hygroscopic water
hypereutectoid steel
hypermelanocratic rocks
Hyphomicrobium sp.
hypoeutectoid steel

120 © ASCE
I
I-beam (beam whose cross section is shaped like a capital letter “I”; do not mistake for eyebar)
Iceland spar
idempotent law
if-then rule
illitic clays
Imhoff cone; Imhoff tank
immiscible liquid
Imperial Valley earthquake [Richter magnitude 6.6 (1979)]
implicit probability problems
impulse-momentum principle
in situ shear test apparatus
incompressible-flow problem
index (sing.); indexes (pl.) (but “indices” in mathematics)
inequigranular texture
information-retrieval system
infrared flame detectors
inkjet printer
Inonotus circinatus
input/output statements (“I/O statements” acceptable after first appearance)
Insituform (trademark)
intensity-duration-frequency curves
interfacial-shear stress
interference pressure
intermittent sand filters
internal-stress distribution
International d’Unités; also Système International (SI units)
interrill
interstory
intrinsic water
inverted siphon
ionic charge
I-section
isenthalpic curve
isochoric process
isohyetal method
isopiestic equilibrium
isosolid
Isosora bella
ith (the suffix “th” is never superscript)
Itô’s differential rule; Itô’s formula; Itô’s integral
Izond test
Izzard formula

J
Jackson candle apparatus
Jacquinot stop
Jacuzzi (trademark) “whirlpool bath”
Jaumann strains; Jaumann stresses
Jeep (trademark) “all-terrain vehicle”
Jell-O (trademark) “gelatin pudding”

© ASCE 121
jobsite (n, adj)
John Deere (trademark)
John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)
joint venture
Jominy test
Joule-Kelvin coefficient
Joule-Thompson coefficient
judgment [not “judgement” (except in quoted matter that uses the spelling and legal contexts)]
Jurassic period

K
kainite
Kalman filter
Kalman’s theorem
Kanai-Tajimi spectral-density function
kandite
Kantō Daishinsai (the Great Toōkyoō Earthquake of 1923; the Great Earthquake of 1923)
kaolinitic clays
kaolinization
karstic aquifer
Kelvin-Planck statement
Kern County earthquake [Richter magnitude 7.7 (1952); also called the “Arvin-Tehachapi earthquake”]
Keulegan-Carpenter number
Keys, the (Florida)
K-factor
kierserite
kilograin
kilovolt-amp ratings
kinematic viscosity
kinetic pumps
kinetic-rate equation
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Kirchhoff quadrilateral
Kirchhoff stresses
Kirchhoff-Piola stresses
Kjeldahl
Kleenex (trademark) “paper tissues”
Kliegl (trademark) “light”
Klinkenberg effect
klippe
k-means
K-monel metal
k-nearest neighbor
knickpoint
Knudsen number
Kodachrome (trademark) “photographic film”
Kodacolor (trademark) “film”
Kodak (trademark) “camera”; “film”
Kolmogorov microscale
Kolmogorov-Smirnov test statistic
Kostiakov infiltration equations

122 © ASCE
k-out-of-n systems
Kozeny-Carmen equation
Kraus process
Krazy Glue (trademark) “adhesive”
kriging
kth (the suffix “th” is never superscript)
Kuenzi beam
Kutta-Joukowsky theorem
Kutter equation

L
labeled (not “labelled”)
lagging storm method
Lagrange; Lagrange-multiplier technique
Lagrange’s differential equation; Lagrange’s equations of motion; Lagrange’s identity; Lagrange’s
interpolation formula; Lagrange’s law; Lagrange’s theorem in group theory; Lagrange’s theorem of
divisibility
Lagrangian; Lagrangian density function; Lagrangian interpolating polynomial
Laguerre polynomial
Lambert’s cosine law
Lambert’s law of absorption; Lambert’s law of emission
lamellae (pl.)
lamellar tearing
Lamé’s elastic constant; Lamé’s functions; Lamé’s solution
lamina (sing.); laminae (pl.)
Lami’s theorem
land cover
land form
land use (n.)
landline
landside
land-use planning
lane 1
lang prospector
Langevin diamagnetism equation
Langevin-Debye equation
Langmuir adsorption isotherm
Langmuir sorption reaction equilibrium constant
lapilli (pl.)
Laplace transformations
Laplace’s coefficients; Laplace’s equation; Laplace’s integrals; Laplace’s law; Laplace’s principle
Laplacian operator; Laplacian smoothing algorithm
larnite
latera recta (pl.)
laterolog
Latin hypercube
latus rectum
Laué equations; Laué symmetry group
Laundromat (trademark) “self-service laundry”
Laurent’s expansion
Laves phases

© ASCE 123
layer-thickness equation
Le Chatlier’s principle
lead time
lead-core elastomeric bearing
lead-rubber bearing system
leads off
Learjet (trademark) “airplane”
least squares (n.); least-squares (adj.)
Leda clay
Legendre’s coefficients; Legendre’s elliptic integrals
Legionella pneumophila
Leibnitz’s rule; Leibnitz’s test; Leibnitz’s theorem
Lenz’s law
Leptospira sp.
Leslie matrix model
leucocratic rocks
leveling rods
level-of-service analysis (“LOS analysis” is acceptable after first appearance)
Lewis-Randall rule
L’Hôpital’s rule
Lie algebra; Lie bracket; Lie group
Liénard-Weichert potential
life cycle
lifeline
lift-slab construction
limit design method
limit-equilibrium method of analysis
limit-state equation; limit-state surface
linear regression equation
line-of-sight analysis
Linz-Donawitz process
Liouville’s theorem for a function; Liouville’s theorem for statistical mechanics
Lipschitz condition
liquefy
liquid penetrant testing
liquidity index
Lissagous figure
L-moment
load bearing
load cell
load test
load-displacement curve (not “load-versus-displacement curve”)
load-factor design method
load-safety factor
log spiral analysis
log-log graph
log-log paper
log-log point
log-Pearson Type III (LP3)
Loma Prieta earthquake [Richter magnitude 7.1 (1989)]
London clay
London equation for superconductors

124 © ASCE
London force
London’s equation for intermolecular attraction
Long Beach earthquake [Richter magnitude 6.3 (1933)]
longshore
Lorentz transformation
Lorenz number
Löscher-type timber bridge
Loschmidt number
Lota lota (burbot)
Love wave (seismology)
low flow
low shear-strength values
Lower Jurassic period
lower-level brace; lower-level-brace force
low-heat portland cement
L-shaped beams
Lucite (trademark) “acrylic resin”
Luder’s bands
Ludwig-Soret effect
lump sum
Lunge scale
Lyapunov exponent
Lycra (trademark) “spandex fibers”
Lyddane-Sachs-Teller relation
Lyman series

M
Mach 1, Mach 2, etc.
Macintosh (trademark) “computer”
Mackintosh probe
Maclaurin series
Magic Marker (trademark) “felt-tip pen”
magnesioferrite
magnetic particle testing
Magnus effect; Magnus lift; Magnus movement
manganese zeolite process
Manning equation; Manning roughness coefficient
Manning’s n
Mann-Whitney test
Marconi antenna
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (Pub. L. No. 92-532) (1972)
Mariner 4 (spacecraft)
Markov chain; Markov-chain approach
Marquardt method
Marston’s formula
Mason-Dixon Line
Masonite (trademark) “hardboard product”
mass action equation
mass-spring-dashpot system
MasterCard (trademark) “credit-card service”
material specimen constant

© ASCE 125
matrices (pl.)
matrix progression method
maxima (pl., acceptable in mathematics contexts; otherwise prefer “maximums”)
Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution
Maxwell’s reciprocal theorem
McGraw-Hill (with hyphen)
Mealan suspension equation
mean square error
media (pl.)
median valley slopes
Meinzer units
Mellin transform
memorandums (pl.)
Menard pressuremeter
Mercalli scale
merocrystalline
mers
mesocratic rocks
mesophilic bacteria
Mesozoic era
metacentric height
meteoric water
methane phase
Methanobacteriaceae
Methanosarcina barkeri
Methanosarcina mazei
Methanosarcina sp.
Methanospirillum hungatei
Methanothrix
Methanotrophs
methyl orange alkalinity
Methylocystis parvus OBBP
Methylomonus sp. MM2 (and others)
Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b
metric system (not strictly a synonym for “SI system”)
Metro I
Meyerhof capacity factors
Michelson-Morley experiment
microammeter
Microbacterium sp.
Micrococcus cerificans
Micrococcus sp.
microlaterolog
microlog curves
micropiracy
Micropterus dolomieui (smallmouth bass)
Micropterus salmoide (largemouth bass)
microsilica
MicroStation 5 (trademark)
microstrainers
microtunneling
microtwinning

126 © ASCE
mid-Atlantic ridge
midcourse correction
middepth
Middle Atlantic states
midextreme tide
midfan
mid-frequency gain
midheight
midlength
midocean canyon
midplane
midproduct method
midrange material requirements
midrise condominium
midseason
midsize vehicle
midspan
midsquare method
midsurface
miliolite
Miller index
Millman’s theorem
Miner’s rule
minimum layer thickness
minimum minimorum (minimum of minimums)
minimums (pl.)
minuscule (not “miniscule”)
Miracle-Gro (trademark) “plant food”
Mixmaster (trademark) “food mixer”
modeling
modified Proctor test
modula
modulus of rupture
modulus of subgrade reaction
Mohlman index
Mohr-Coulomb equations; Mohr-Coulomb theory
Mohr’s circle
Mohs hardness
moisture-density relationship
molecular-level change
moment-area method
moment-distribution method
moment-gradient multiplier
moment-resisting capacity; moment-resisting connections
Monin-Obukhov length
monochloramines
Monod kinetics
monodromy condition
monotectic reaction
Monte Carlo simulation; Monte Carlo–simulation approach
Moody friction factor
Moon (for the Earth’s moon); moon (for descriptive uses and the moons of other planets)

© ASCE 127
Mooney-Rivlin law
moto-reducer drives
Mount St. Helens (erupted May 18, 1980)
movable
moving-average forecast
mud line
Muller-Breslau principle
multicrop model
multifield problem
multiobjective
municipal engineering
Muskingum routing equation
Muzak (trademark) “background music”
Mwords (megawords)
Mycobacterium frotuitum
Mycobacterium sp.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Mycobacterium vaccae
Mycotorula
Mylar (trademark) “polyester film”
mylonites
mylonitization

N
Naegleria fowleri
nanofiltration
nanomolar
nanorobot
Napierian logarithm
Napier’s rules
National Priorities List (EPA) (but “national priority site”)
National Research Council
Naugahyde (trademark) “plastic-coated fabric”
Navajo Dam
Navier equations in elastic analysis
Navier-Stokes equation
n-butane
Near North (Chicago)
near term
near-ultraviolet
Necator americanus
need-hierarchy theory
needle valve
Nef reaction
Neil’s parabola
Nernst effect
Nernst heat theorem
Nernst solution pressure
Nernst zero of potential
Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
Nernst-Lindemann equation
Nernst’s distribution law

128 © ASCE
Nernst-Simon statement
Nernst-Thomson rule
net positive suction head
Neumann problem
Neumann-Kopp rule
Neuman’s Bessel functions of the second kind; Neuman’s expansion; Neuman’s formula; Neuman’s law;
Neuman’s method for organic phosphorus; Neuman’s principle; Neuman’s series
Neves Dam
Newton method (but “quasi-Newtonian method”)
Newton-Cotes formula
Newton-Gauss interpolation formula
Newtonian fluid
Newton-Raphson formula
Newton-Raphson iteration scheme
Newton’s approximation method for roots of an equation; Newton’s equation for conjugate distances;
Newton’s equation for the velocity of sound; Newton’s first law; Newton’s identities; Newton’s
interpolation formula; Newton’s law of cooling; Newton’s law of gravitation; Newton’s laws of
mechanics; Newton’s laws of motion; Newton’s law of resistance; Newton’s method for determining
the roots of an equation; Newton’s rings; Newton’s theory of lift; Newton’s theory of light; Newton’s
3/8th rule
Newton-Stirling interpolation formula
Nexis (trademark) “computer-assisted research service”
next-event incrementing
nigrosin
Nikon (trademark) “camera”
Nikuradse
nines complement
Nitrosomonas europaea
Nixon regime formulas
no-build alternative
Nocardia corallina
Nocardia erythropolis
Nocardia sp.
Nocardia tartaricans
no-load case
nominal axial-load strength
nominal moment-carrying ability
nominal shear strength
noncarbonate hardness
nonclog pump
noncohesive
nondestructive seam test
nonfilterable solid
nongranular Newtonian grout
non-heat treatable
nonionic polymer
nonlinear load-displacement behavior
nonliquefaction condition nonsignalized
non-Newtonian fluid
nonpathogenic weight
nonperiodic (use “aperiodic”)
nonplastic soil

© ASCE 129
non-point-source (pollution)
nonsequential drought method
non-steady-flow type curve
nonuniform flow
Nordheim’s rule
Nörlund’s definition
normal portland cement
normal-to-the-failure surface
normal-weight concrete
Norman distribution
norm-referenced method
Norris-Eyring reverberation formula
North Polar ice cap
North Temperate Zone
Northridge earthquake [Richter magnitude 6.6 (January 17, 1994)]
Norton-Hoff viscoplastic law
Norton’s theorem
Norwalk agent (causes sporadic viral gastroenteritis)
no-seepage condition
no-slip bottom condition
Novocain (trademark) “local anesthetic”
n-space
nth
nuclear electric power generation
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
nuclear-waste disposal
nucleus (sing.); nuclei (pl.)
nuées ardentes
nulling technique
Nusselt number
Nyquist rule
Nyquist’s theorem

O
Occam’s razor
occidental (adj.)
ocean thermal energy conversion
O’Conner and Dobbins formula
offlap
ogee; ogee spillway
Ohm’s law
Old Dominion (Virginia)
oligotrophication
ombotrophic bogs
on the order of (“on” is the idiomatic preposition)
Oncorhyncus mykiss (rainbow trout)
one-half (“half” is often sufficient)
one-percent flood (prefer “1% flood”)
one-stage trickling filter
one-tail test
onetime event
one-way moment; one-way shear

130 © ASCE
Onsager coefficient; Onsager conductivity equation; Onsager equation for dielectric constant
Onsager’s reciprocal relations
open-ended pile
open-spiral auger
open-web joist
ordnance datum; ordnance survey
Ordovician period
organics-removal efficiencies
orifice plate
Orlon (trademark) “acrylic fiber”
Oroville Dam
orthoconglomerates
orthophoto system
orthotropic plate; orthotropism
Osaka-Kobe [use “Osaka-Kobe Earthquake of 1995” or “Hanshin Daishinsai” (January 15, 1995)]
Osterberg piston sampler
Osterizer (trademark) “blender”
Ostwald dilution law
Ostwald’s adsorption isotherm; Ostwald’s solubility coefficient
outwash fans
overburden pressure
overchute
overconsolidation pressure
overflow rate; overflow spillway
Overhauser effect
overhead variance
overland flow
overload factor
oxalic acid

P
P wave (no ital.; “P” stands for “primus”)
P-Δ effect (uses hyphen, not minus)
P-δ effect (uses hyphen, not minus)
Pacific coast (in general); Pacific Coast (of the United States)
Pacoima Dam (near San Fernando, CA)
pad foundation
pad-type tamping roller
Paenia Dam
palagonite
Palais Royal
Paleozoic era
palygorskite
paneled (not “panelled”)
Paperitz’s equation
Pappus’ theorems
Pappus-Guldinus theorem
PAR meter
paraboloid of revolution
paraconformity
parallel; paralleled (not “parallelled”)

© ASCE 131
Parkfield earthquake [Richter magnitude 5.5 (1966)]
Parseval’s identity; Parseval’s theorem
Parshall flume
Pascal’s law; Pascal’s limaçon; Pascal’s theorem; Pascal’s triangle
Paschen series
Paschen’s law
passive earth-pressure coefficient
passive-wedge failure
path length
Pauli exclusion principle
peak runoff
Peal-Reed curve
Peano’s axioms
Pearson’s distributions
Péclet number
pediplain
peel strength
Pelikan-Esslinger method
Pellian equation
Peltier effect
Pendaflex (trademark) “file folder”
penetration depth
Penman method for evapotranspiration
Penning effect
Pennsylvanian period
Pentium (trademark) “computer chip”
per diem fee
percent eccentricity
percent pore space
percentage of compaction
percentile rank
perched spring
percussion-bored pile foundation
periglacial soil
perimeter shear stress
peritectic reaction
peritectoid reaction
Perkin’s phenomenon
permanent-deformation approach; permanent-deformation method
permeameter
Permian period
permittivity of geotextiles
Perry-Robertson formula for column strength
Perspex (trademark)
Petzval surface
Pfaffian differential equation
Pfefferkorn test
Phanerochaete chrysorhiza
Phanerochaete filamentosa
Phanerochaete laevis
Phanerochaete sanguinea
phanerocrystalline rock

132 © ASCE
pharmacokinetic model
phase-measurement error
phasor form
phenolphthalein alkalinity
phenomenon (sing.); phenomena (pl.)
Philadelphia rod
phosphogypsum
photic zone
photoelasticity
photoelastic-stress measurement
photoelectric detector
photoheterotrophic
Photostat (trademark) “copier”
phreatic surface
phreatic water
phreatic zone
phthalic anhydride
phyllites
physicochemical process
Picard’s method
Pichia
piecewise linear
pier deflection
Pieve di Cadore Dam
piezocone
piezoelectric crystal
piezometer level; piezometer tap
piezometric tube
pi-group (prefer “π-group”)
pile driving
pile-group efficiency
pile-head movement
Ping-Pong (trademark) “table tennis”
Piola-Kirchhoff stress tensor
Pioneer 11 (spacecraft)
pipe flow
pipe-load coefficient
Pippard coherence length
pitcher sample
pitot tube
pitot-static gauge
plain footing; plain sedimentation
Planck’s constant; Planck’s quantum theory; Planck’s radiation formula
plane of failure; plane of maximum principal stress
plastic strain
Plastic Wood (trademark) “cellulose-fiber filler”
Plasticine (trademark) “modeling paste”
plasticity index; plasticity test
plastic-limit theorem
plastic-moment diagram
plastic-section modulus
plat

© ASCE 133
plate tectonics
plate-bearing test; plate-bearing value test
Plexiglas (trademark)
plexiglass (generic word for the nontrademarked product)
Pliocene epoch
plug flow; plug-flow reactor
plutonites
pneumatic construction
Pockel’s effect
poikilitic rocks
Poincaré map; Poincaré time history
point-bearing pile
point-matching method
point-slope form
Poiseuille’s formula
Poisson distribution law
Poisson’s bracket; Poisson’s equation; Poisson’s integral formula for Bessel functions; Poisson’s law;
Poisson’s ratio [usually indicated by l.c. Gr. nu (ν)]; Poisson’s sum formula
poker vibrator
polar climate
polar moment of inertia
polar regions
Polaroid (trademark) “cameras”; “film”
Pole (use “the Pole” for the North Pole or the South Pole, but “the poles”)
pole-zero diagram
poliovirus
poljes
polymethylmethacrylate
polyphosphate
polypropylene sheet
polystyrene resin
polytope search algorithm
polyurethane paint
ponors
population standard deviation (use “standard deviation for the population” at first occurrence)
porphophyroblasts
porphyritic rocks
portal frame
Portevin–Le Chatelier effect
Portland Cement Association (Skokie, IL)
portland cement; portland cement concrete; portland cement concrete pavement
positive-displacement pump
Post-it Notes (trademark)
posttensioned; post-tensioned (follow the author)
potential-strain approach
Pourbaix diagram
power grid
power-density spectrum
PowerPC 601 (trademark) microchip
Poyet-type bridge
Poynting’s theorem; Poynting’s vector
pozzolanic additive; pozzolanic reaction

134 © ASCE
pozzolans
Prager’s rule
Prandtl mixing-length theory; Prandtl number
Prandtl-Reuss theory; Prandtl’s layer theory
Precambrian era
prepakt grout
pressure cell
pressure gauge
pressure head
pressure meter (general terms for all instruments that measure pressure other than the specific
instrument used in geotechnical engineering)
pressuremeter (used in geotechnical engineering)
pressure-momentum theorem
pressurized-core barrel
Preston tube
prestressed beam; prestressed-concrete pavement
prestressing tendon
pretension; pre-tension (follow the author)
pretensioned; pre-tensioned (follow the author)
Prévost theory of heat exchange
price-earnings ratio
primary settlement
principal axes
principal moment of inertia
principal stress
Pringsheim’s theorem for a convergent series
probability theory
problem solving; problem-solving ability
process-control strategy
Procopin effect
Proctor curve; Proctor test
product of inertia
Project Apollo (name of space program)
prokaryotic
proof stress
propellant-actuated anchor
protomylonite
Prym’s function
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Pseudomonas cepacia
Pseudomonas fluorescens
Pseudomonas glatheri
Pseudomonas mendocina
Pseudomonas methanica
Pseudomonas paucimobilis
Pseudomonas putida F1
Pseudomonas sp.
Pseudomonas stutzeri
Pseudomonas testosteroni
Pseudomonas vesicularis
pseudophase
pseudotachylite

© ASCE 135
psychrometric chart
Ptolemy’s theorem
public health
Public Law 102-250 (also “Pub. L. No. 102-250”)
pullout resistance
pullout test
pultrude
pultrusion
pumiceous tuff
pump performance curve
pump-and-treat method
pumpback system
pumped storage
pusher arm
push-off test
pycnometer
Pyramid Dam
Pyrex (trademark) “dish”; “glassware”
Pythagoras’ theorem
Pythagorean theorem

Q
Q joints
Q-Tips (trademark) “cotton swab”
quarter point
quarter-span
quarter-wave symmetry
quasi-brittle fracture
quasi-laminar boundary layer
quasi-static stresses
Quaternary era
quaternary phase equilibrium
queuing model
quick test
Quincke effect
Quine method
Quonset (trademark) “prefabricated building”

R
Raabe’s test for convergence
racking resistance of timber frame
radial-flow impeller; radial-flow turbine
radii (pl., acceptable in mathematics contexts; otherwise “radiuses”)
radioactive waste (“radwaste” is acceptable after first occurrence, e.g., “radwaste disposal”)
radiolabel; radiolabeled
railway sleeper
railway tie
rainfall-runoff model
ramp up (v.)
Ramsauer effect
Ramsay-Young rule

136 © ASCE
Rankine cycle; Rankine efficiency; Rankine temperature scale; Rankine theory
Rankine-Hugoniot relations
Rankine’s formula
Raoult’s law
rapid transit railways
rapid-mix flash unit
rate of grade change; rate of oxygen transfer
rational method
rational runoff coefficient
raveling (not “ravelling”)
Rayleigh criterion; Rayleigh distribution; Rayleigh modes; Rayleigh scattering; Rayleigh waves
Rayleigh-Jeans formula
Rayleigh-Ritz method
Rayleigh’s equation of group waves
ready-mixed concrete
real-time data
rebar; #5 rebar
reconsolidation index
rectangular hyperbola
recurrence interval
Red Willow Dam
redox reaction
reduced-eccentricity model
regenerant
RegNeg approach
regroutable
Rehbock coefficient
Rehbock equation
Reiher-Meister scale
reinforced masonry; reinforced soil
reinforcing steel
relative paddle velocity
relieving-platform walls
reloading curve
reoxygenation coefficient
repetitive loading
residual shear strength
resilient modulus
resin mortar
resistance per unit length of weld
resistivity value
resonant-column test
restrained dilatancy effect
resurfacing
retardance coefficient
retention time
reversible reaction
rheological behavior
rheopectic fluid
Rhodotorula
Riccati matrix
Riccati-Bessel functions

© ASCE 137
Riccati’s equation
Richard’s equation
Richardson effect
Richardson-Dushman equation
Richter scale
Riemann ζ function; or Riemann-function
Riemann-Christoffel tensor
Riemann’s lemma; Riemann’s surfaces; Riemann’s symbol
Righi-Leduc effect
right circular cone; right circular cylinder
right of access
right-of-way (sing.); rights-of-way (pl.)
rigid frames
rigid-frame connection
rippability of rock mass
Rippl diagram
rising-head test
rising-water-level method
Ritz combination principle
Ritz method
river flow
robustness of buildings
rock mechanics
rockbolt
rockfill
rock-filled rib breakwater
Rockwell hardness
Rodrigues formula
roentgen
Rolaids (trademark) “antacid tablet”
Rolex (trademark) “watch”
rollcrete dam
Rolle’s theorem
roll-on/roll-off vessel
Rolodex (trademark) “rotary card file”
roman numerals
Röntgen (when referring to the person; for unit, use “roentgen”)
root-mean-square value (RMS value)
rotary-action pump
rotary-bored pile foundation
rotational symmetry
Roth’s theorem
rough-grading control
roundtable
Routh-Hurwitz criterion
Routh’s rule; Routh’s rule of inertia
Rth-order difference
rubber-tired roller
rubble-mound breakwater
Runge-Kutta method of numerical integration
Runge’s law; Runge’s rule
runoff potential

138 © ASCE
run-time library
Rust-Oleum (trademark) “rust-prevention coating”
Rutgers equation
Rydberg constant

S
S joints
S wave (no ital.; also known as “equivoluminal wave”; “S” stands for “secundus”)
Sabatier-Senderens reduction
sabkha (use “sebkha”)
Sabine formula
Saccharomyces
Sackur-Tetrode equation
sag vertical curve
Saha’s equation
Saint-Venant plasticity (but St. Venant torsion)
Saint-Venant’s principle
salinity
Salmo trutta (brown trout)
Salmonella paratyphi A, B, C
Salmonella sendai
Salmonella sp. (more than 1,500 serotypes)
Salmonella typhosa (causes typhoid fever)
salometer scale
Salvelinus fontinalis (brook trout)
Salvelinus spp. (lake trout)
sample standard deviation (use “standard deviation of the sample”)
San Fernando earthquake [Richter magnitude 6.4–6.6 (February 9, 1971); also called “Sylmar earthquake”]
San Fernando fault
San Francisco Bay mud
San Francisco earthquake [Richter magnitude estimated to be 8.3 (MW = 7.9; April 18, 1906)]
sand drying beds
sand dune
sand-lightweight concrete
sanidine
sanitary engineering
sanitary landfill
Santa Barbara earthquake [Richter magnitude 6.3 (1925)]
sapropel
Sarrus rule
Saybolt scale
scale buildup
Schistosoma sp. (causes schistosomiasis)
Schläfli’s integral
Schlomlich’s expansion; Schlomlich’s infinite product
Schlumberger configurations; Schlumberger method; Schmertmann procedure
Schmid factor
Schmid’s law of critical stress shear
Schmidt nets; Schmidt number
Schoenflies crystallographic notation
Schottky defect; Schottky noise
Schrödinger wave equation

© ASCE 139
Schulz and Sing formula
Schur’s lemma
Schwarz principle of reflection; Schwarz-Christoffel transformation
Schwarz’s inequality
Scotch (trademark) “transparent tape”
Scotchgard (trademark) “fabric protector”
scouring velocity
Scruton number
S-curve
sea ice
sebkha (avoid “sabkha”)
secant formula
Secchi disk
second law of thermodynamics
secondary compression index
secondary compression ratio
second-order differential equations
second-stage recarbonation
sediment transport
Seebeck effect; Seebeck voltage
seed organisms
Seidel aberrations; Seidel sums
seif
Seiffert’s spherical spiral
seismic cone-penetration test
seismic design
seismic downhole survey
seismic response
Selenotila
self-boring pressuremeter
self-cleansing velocity
self-equilibrating
self-excitation
self-weight
sensible heat-flux density to the soil
September 11, 2001 (9/11)
sericite schists
series pipe systems
Serratia marascens
Serret-Frenet formulas
service flow rate
service-load conditions
servocontrolled actuator
sessile dislocation
settleable solids
settlement control
settlement-time relationship
sewage disposal
sewage treatment
sewer pipes
Shannon’s sampling theorem
sharp-crested weirs

140 © ASCE
shear modulus
shear strength
shear stress
shear stress-strain behavior
shear tests
shear-strength values
shear-wave velocity
sheet flow
sheet piles
Sheetrock (trademark) “plaster wallboard”; “plasterboard”
Sheffield Dam
shell structures
Sheppard’s correction
Sherwood number
shielded arc welding
Shields curve
Shields parameter
Shigella sp. (causes bacillary dysentery)
shore protection
shore scleroscope hardness
short-range irrigation scheduling model
short-term performance
Shubnikou groups
Shubnikou–de Haas effect
side span/main span ratio
side-friction factor
sidereal time
sidesway
signal; signaled; signaling
siliceous biogenous sediment
siliceous coatings
siliceous-gel zeolite
silkscreen
Silsbee effect
silty sand stratum
Silurian period
silver-silver chloride reference anode
Simpson integration
Simpson’s line; Simpson’s rule
single- and multiunderreamed
single-main system
single-rod extensometer
single-suction impellers; single-suction pump
sizable
skelp
Skemptom-Bjerrum correction
slake-durability index
slaty cleavage
sleeper (railway) tie (chiefly British and Asian term)
slip liner; slip lining
slipforming
slope circle failures

© ASCE 141
slope-deflection method
slope-intercept form
slow down (v.); slowdown (n.)
slow sand filter
sludge-drying beds
sludge-volume index
slurry-trench containment
smolder (not “smoulder”)
smooth-drum vibratory roller
S-N curve (hyphen, not minus)
Snell’s law
snow cover
snow water
Snyder synthetic hydrograph
soil layers
soil mechanics
soil moisture
soil-aggregate mixture
soil-bearing pressures
soil-bentonite slurry wall; soil-bentonite trench
soil-cement bases
soil-foundation interface
soil-inclusion interaction
soil-reinforcement friction
soils saturated
soil-soil friction
soil-support value
solar radiation
soldier pile
solid contact units
solid-rib arch
solid-set system
solid-stem augers
solid-volume method
solute-transport and dispersion model
Sommerfeld’s theory
Sörensen pH-scale
Soret effect
sound-pressure level
South American continent
South Temperate Zone
southern pine
space exploration
Spackle (trademark) “surfacing compound”
spatial (not “spacial”)
specific-energy diagram
spectra (pl.)
Spencer method
spentwash
spheroidizing
spill over (v.); spillover (n.)
spiral curve

142 © ASCE
spiral-to-curve transition
spirochetes
split casing
split-spoon sampler
splitting tensile test
spoilheaps
Sporidiobolus
Sporobolomyces
spread tandem axles
spring constant of a bolt
springwater
St. Clair till
St. Venant torsion (but Saint-Venant plasticity)
stabilometer test
stadia measurement
stadia-interval factor
stadiums (pl.)
stairwell-exit doors
stand-alone interface
standard curve method
standard normal variable
standard penetration resistance
standard Proctor compaction test
standard project flood
stand-scale flux
Standt’s theorem
Stanton number (inverse of Prandtl number)
start-up (n.)
States, the (meaning the US)
static loading test
static pile-bearing capacity
statical moment
static-discharge head
static-suction head
stationariness
stationarity
statistical analysis
steady-state performance
steel formula
steel-deck diaphragm
Stefan-Boltzmann constant
Steiner’s theorem
Steinman-Baker method
Steinmetz exponent
Steinmetz’s law
Sterno (trademark) “cooking fuel”
Stieltjies integral
stiff bearing stratum
stimulus (sing.); stimuli (pl.)
Stirling’s formula; Stirling’s series
Stokes’ law; Stokes’ number; Stokes’ phenomenon; Stokes’ theorem
Stokes wave; second-order Stokes wave

© ASCE 143
stopping-sight distance
storage-handling capacity
storativity
storm flow
storm wave
storm-induced settlement
stormwater
straight-line interpolation
strain-energy method
strata (pl.)
stream gauging
stream water
streamflow
Streeter-Phelps equation
strength-design method
strength-reduction factor
Streptomyces aureofaciens
Streptomyces sp.
stress-concentration factors
stress-contour charts
stress-strain relationship
stress-wave measurements
Strickler’s equation
strike-slip fault
Strongyloides stercoralis
structural engineering
Struve functions
Sturm-Liouville equation;
Sturm’s functions; Sturm’s theorem
Styrofoam (trademark) “plastic foam” or “polystyrene foam”
subcritical flow
subgrade drainage; subgrade modulus
submain
submerged-metal arc welding
subordinant (antonym is “superordinant”)
subrouting
substrate-utilization rate
subsurface runoff
subsurface-soil assessment
subtropical
sulfate-resistant portland cement
sulfonated soaps
sulfur-asphalt concrete
sulfur-extended asphalt
Sun Belt, the (US)
Superconducting Super Collider
supercritical flow
superelevation runoff
Superfund site
superhigh frequency
superordinant (antonym is “subordinant”)
superposition theorem

144 © ASCE
supersede (not “supercede”)
surf zone
surface detention
surface retention
surfaces of revolution
surge-relief valve
Sutherland’s formula
Suttro weir
swallow holes
Sylmar earthquake [Richter magnitude 6.4–6.6 (February 9, 1971); also called “San Fernando earthquake”]
Sylvester’s theorem
sylvite
syndets
synthetic organic chemicals
systems engineering

T
Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse
Tafel equation; Tafel line
taliks
tangent stiffness matrix
tangent-plane function
tangent-to-spiral transition
Taylor chart; Taylor method; Taylor square-root-of-time method
Taylor-Orowan dislocation
Taylor’s theorem; Taylor’s series; a Taylor series
T-beam
Technicolor (trademark) “motion picture processing services”
Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
technology assessment
Teflon (trademark) “polytetrafluorethylene”
Telenet (trademark)
Teletype (trademark) “communications equipment”
temblor (not “tembler”; “trembler”; “tremblor”)
ten states standards
tender out
Tenderloin, the (San Francisco)
tendon/tube assemble
tension-field-action equation
tenure-track position
ternary system
Tertiary period
Terzaghi one-dimensional consolidation theory
Terzaghi-Buisman equation
Terzaghi-Meyerhoff equation
Terzaghi’s bearing-capacity factors
Terzaghi-type penetrometer
tetrafunctionality
thalweg
Theis method
Theory X; Theory Y

© ASCE 145
thermal pollution
thermal-print recorder
thermoelastoviscoplastic
thermoelectric-power generation
Thermopane (trademark) “window”
thermosiphon
thermostat; thermostated
Thévénin’s theorem
Thiessen weighting technique
Thinsulate (trademark) “thermal insulation”
Thiobacillus albertis
Thiobacillus thiooxidans
Thiobacillus thioparus
Third World (use sparingly)
Thompson’s formula; Thompson’s theoretical gas/liquid curve
three-dimensional effect (“3D effect” after first appearance)
three-hinged arch
Thue’s theorem
tidal hydraulics
tie down (v.); tie-down (n.)
timber construction
time dependence
time frame
time line
time shift
time span
time step
time-area curve
timesaving
Timoshenko suspension equations
Title X
toll bridge
toll roads
tombolas
Tonankai earthquake
Toōkyoō (use “Toōkyoō Earthquake of 1923”; “Kantoō Daishinsai”; the Great Earthquake of 1923)
Torricellian vacuum
Torricelli’s equation; Torricelli’s law of efflux
Torrid Zone, the
Torulopis
Townsend coefficient; Townsend discharge
Toxoplasma gondi
tractive force
trailing off
Trametes hirsuta
transesterification
transmission lines
travel; traveled; traveler; traveling
tree enumeration technique
tremie-seal method
Tresca hexagonal yield criterion
trial and error (n.)

146 © ASCE
trial-and-error procedure
Triassic period
triaxial tests
Trichoderma viride
Trichosporon
Trichuris trichiura (causes trichuriasis)
trimonite
triple-difference vector solution
triple-tube swivel-type core barrel
triprotic acid
Tropical Storm Agnes (1972)
Tropics, the; but “tropical”
trusses (pl.)
Tschebyscheff (use “Chebyshev”)
t-test
tuff breccia
tuffites
Tums (trademark) “antacid tablets”
tunneling (not “tunnelling”)
Tupperware (trademark) “food-storage container”
turbulent-flow coefficient
t-value
twist-off bolt
two-way shear; two-way track bed
tying (not “tyeing”)
Type I cement (Type II, etc.) (ASTM designation for cement; use roman numerals)
type I distribution
type I error; type II error

U
U-Haul (trademark) “truck rental service”
ultramylonite
Ultrasuede (trademark) “fabric”
undergraduate and graduate-level courses undergraduate- and graduate-level courses
underreamed
underwater construction
undrained shear strength
Union Bay earthquake (Seattle, WA)
un-ionized (not ionized)
univariate kriging
upgradient
upper bound
Upper Carboniferous period
Upper Michigan
upper-bound estimate
Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (Pub. L. No. 95-604) (1978)
Urbach’s rule
urban development
urban planning
urethane
US Army; the Army (always capped when referring to the US Army)
usable (not “useable”)

© ASCE 147
U-shaped valley
uvalas

V
value engineering
Van Allen radiation belts
van der Waals force
van ’t Hoff equation (note space before apostrophe)
Varignon’s theorem
variograms
Vaseline (trademark) “petroleum jelly”
Velcro (trademark) “hook-and-loop fastener”
Venturi injector
Venturi meter
Verrazano Narrows Bridge
vesicle trains
Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor serotype Inaba
Vibrio comma (causes Asiatic cholera)
Vibrio sp.
vibrocompaction
vibroflot
vibrographs
Vice-Grip (trademark) “clamp”
Vickers hardness
View-Master (trademark) “slide viewer”; “movie viewer”
Virginia Tech (acceptable in all uses for Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg,
VA)
Visa (trademark) “credit-card services”
Vlasov warping
Vlasov-type elastic foundation
V-notch
Volterra integral equation
von Kármán
von Mises criteria
von Mises elastoplastic model
Voyager 2 (spacecraft)

W
wackes
Waco Dam
Wang (trademark) “word processor”; “computer”
warmwater (adj.)
wash-boring rig
waste disposal
waste-containment liner
waste-site cleanup
waste-stabilization pond
wastewater-treatment plant
water application depth
water year
waterwall
wave crest

148 © ASCE
wave function
wave gauge
wave group
wave height
wave number; wave-number domain
wave spectra
wave-cut notches
wave-energy flux
wavefront
wavemaker
wavemeter
wave-propagation modeling
Weald clay
Weibull distribution
Weibull probability paper
weigh-in-motion scale
well drawdown
Wenner configurations
Wenner method
Western world, the
Whittier earthquake [Richter magnitude 6.1 (1987)]
width-thickness ratio
Wiener-Khinchin relations
wind load
wind speed
wind stream
wind-effect study
Windex (trademark) “glass cleaner”
wind-speed data
Winfrey method
win-win solution
wood-truss assembly
work hour
work shift
work steps
work zone
workflow
working-load estimation
worksite
worst-case scenario
Wulf nets
wye connection (prefer “Y-connection”)
wye level (prefer “Y level”)
wythe (not “withe”)

X
x- and y-directions
X-Acto (trademark) “knife”
Xanthobacter autotrophicus
Xanthomonas sp.
x-axis
x-coordinate; X-coordinate

© ASCE 149
x-direction
Xerox (trademark) “photocopy”
X-ray defractometer
x-translation
x,y-plane
XyWrite III Plus (trademark)
x,y,z-coordinates

Y
Y level (avoid “wye level”)
y-axis
Y-connection (avoid “wye connection”)
y-direction
Yersinia enterocolitica
Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
yield-prediction tool
Young’s modulus; Young’s moduli

Z
Zamboni (trademark) “ice-resurfacing machine”
Z-direction; z-direction
Zener diode
zero air voids density
zero-plane estimate
zeros (pl.)
zeroth (no ital.)
zeugens
ziggurat
Ziploc (trademark) “resealable plastic bag”
Zippo (trademark) “cigarette lighter”
Zuider Zee scheme
Zylerion xylestrix

150 © ASCE
Appendix III: Units of Measure

Every manuscript must use Système International (SI) Units (and units acceptable in SI), except
descriptive nontechnical papers in the Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and
Construction. Other units may be given in parentheses, dual-unit tables, or an appendix.

Prefixes are applied directly to unit symbols (e.g., millimeter, mm; megawatt, MW; kilonewton, kN;
gigapascal, GPa), except in the case of the kilogram, for which all prefixes are applied directly to the
gram; for example, MG (megagram) is 103 kg.

NOTE Do not query for conventional units if the author has not used them, but do
query for SI units if only conventional units are given; it is not necessary to convert
conventional units to SI units.

A B C D E F G H–J K L M N–O P–Q R S T U–W X–Z α–Ω

A ampere(s); SI base unit for electric current; do not use “amp” or “amps”
Å angstrom; query for nm
acre query for ha
acre-ft query for m3
Ah ampere-hour (avoid “amp h”)
A/m ampere/meter
atm atmosphere; query for Pa
AU absorbance units
au atomic units
AUFS absorbance units full scale

b barn(s) = 10–28 m2
bar prefer kPa for accuracies within 0.01 bar; prefer MPa for accuracies within 10
bars (1 bar = 105 Pa)
bbl barrel; query for L3
BCM billion cubic meters
BeV billion (109) electron volts (query for GeV)
bhp brake horsepower
biot cgs unit; do not use
board ft query for m3
Bq becquerel(s); 1/s; SI-derived
Btu query for J

C coulomb(s); A·s; SI derived

°C degree(s) Celsius (not “centigrade”); SI-derived; no space with numbers
(e.g., 100°C)
cal calorie(s); query for J

© ASCE 151
 cc query for m3 or mL
cd candela(s); SI base unit for luminous intensity
centares also “centiares”; use “square meters” or “m2”
centipoise query for Pa·s
cfd cubic feet per day (cu ft/day)
cfh cubic feet per hour (cu ft/h)
cfm cubic feet per minute (cu ft/min)
cfs cu ft/s; query for L/s
cfu colony-forming unit(s) (acceptable in SI contexts; not CFU)
Ci curie(s); prefer Bq (= 3.7 × 1010 Bq)
cm centimeter(s); prefer m or mm
cm3 cubic centimeter
CMD do not use; use m3/d
cmHg centimeter of mercury; query for Pa
C/mol coulombs per mole
cP centipoise; query for Pa·s
cp candlepower
cps cycles per second; use Hz if appropriate
cSt centistoke; query for m2/s
cu ft cubic feet; query for m3
cu in. cubic inches; query for mm3
cu yd cubic yards; query for m3
cwt hundredweight

darcy acceptable because based on metric units

day always spell out
dB decibel(s) (permissible in SI)
dBA decibel A scale (permissible in SI)
dBa adjusted decibel; decibel adjusted
dBmV decibel above (or below) one millivolt
dBmW decibel above (or below) one milliwatt
dcf dry cubic feet
degrees 1° = (/180) rad
density query for kg/m3
dS/m decisiemens per meter
dyne query for N

E einstein(s); unit of light energy; permissible in SI

emu electromagnetic cgs units; do not use
erg query for J
erlang acceptable unit of traffic in SI contexts
eV electronvolt(s)

152 © ASCE
F

F farad(s); C/V; SI derived

°F query for °C (or K)
f femto- (SI prefix); fermi
fL footlambert; query for cd/m2
fpm feet per minute; use m/s (ft/min)
fps feet per second; use m/s (ft/s)
f-p-s foot-pound-second
franklin cgs unit; do not use
ft foot; query for m
ft3 use “cu ft”; prefer m3
ft-c footcandle; query for lx
ft-lb foot pound
ft-lbf foot pound-force

G giga- (prefix); 109 (billion)

g gram(s)
Gal cgs unit; query for m/s2
gal. gallon(s); query for L (for mgd query for m3/s)
gauge pressure absolute pressure minus ambient pressure; query for Pa
gauss cgs unit; query for T
GeV billion (109) electron volts (avoid “BeV”)
GHz gigahertz
gilbert cgs unit; do not use
gm gram(s); query for kg or g
GPa gigapascal(s)
gpd gallons per day (gal./day)
gph gallons per hour (gal./h)
gpm gallons per minute (gal./m)
gr grain (unit of weight)
GW·h gigawatthour
Gy gray(s); J/kg; SI derived

H henry(s); Wb/A; SI derived

h hour(s); 3,600 s
ha hectare(s); 1 ha = 104 m2
hp horsepower; query for W
Hz hertz (sing. and pl.); 1/s; SI derived

IA international angstrom; use nm

in. inch; query for mm or m; 1 in. = 25.4 mm
iph indicated horsepower
ips inches per second (in./s)

© ASCE 153
J

J joule(s); N·m; SI derived

J/K joule per kelvin
J/kg · K joule per kilogram-kelvin

K kelvin(s); SI base unit for thermodynamic temperature (do not use “°K” for
temperature or temperature intervals; see °C)
k kilo- (prefix); 103 (thousand)
KB kilobytes; used without space, e.g., 512KB
kbar kilobar
kcal kilocalorie(s); query for J
kg kilogram(s); SI base unit for mass
kg/m3 kilograms per cubic meter (density, mass)
kgforce query for N (1 kgforce = 9.80665 N)
kgmass use kg
kilogram-force query for N
kip unit of weight equal to 1,000 lb; query for N or kN
kip-ft query for J
kip/sq in. query for Pa
km kilometer(s)
km/h kilometers per hour (acceptable deviation from use of s for time)
kN∙m moment of force (not kN-m)
knots can query for m/s, but OK per SI website
kPa kilopascal(s)
Kph use km/h
Ksi kilopound per square inch; query for kPa
kW∙h kilowatthour(s) (= 3.6 MJ)
k kilohm

L liter(s) (not “1”; not “litre”)

lambert cgs unit; query for cd/m2
lb pound; query for kg
lb/cu ft query for kg/m3
lbf query for N (newton)
lbforce query for N (newton)
lbm query for kg
lbmass query for kg
lb/sq ft query for Pa
lb/sq in. query for kPa
lm lumen(s); cd·sr; SI derived
long ton 2,240 lb; query for t (or Mg)
L/s liters per second (not “l/s”)
lx lux (sing. and pl.); lm/m2; SI derived

154 © ASCE
M

M mega- (prefix); 106 (million) (do not use for “thousand”)

M mol L–1; molar; usually no confusion in chemistry contexts
m meter(s); SI base unit for length
m milli- (prefix); 10–3 (thousandth)
m2 square meter
m3 cubic meter (volume)
mA milliampere
MAF million acre-feet
mas milliarcsecond
maxwell cgs unit; do not use
MB megabyte (8 × 1,020 bits)
Mb megabit (1,020 bits)
mbar millibar
Mbps megabits per second
MCF thousands of cu ft; query for m3
Mcm or mcm; for million cubic meters, use 106 m3
meq milliequivalent; permissible in SI; e.g., 21 meq/100 g
metric ton 1,000 kg; use t (do not use “tonne”); ASTM E380 prefers to reserve this for
commercial usage and prefers to use Mg
MeV million electron volts
Mg megagram(s) = 1 t = 1,000 kg (ASTM E380 prefers this to metric ton and t)
mgd million gallons per day; query for m3/s
Mg/m3 megagrams per cubic meter
mg N/g milligrams of nitrogen per gram; confusion with newtons unlikely in
chemistry contexts
mho use S
MHz megahertz
mHz millihertz
mi mile; query for km (nautical mile OK per SI website)
micron use “micrometer”
mil (for milli-inch) query for m
mil (for milliliter) query for m3 or mL
millibar acceptable in meteorology, otherwise use Pa
millimicron use nm
millistrain acceptable
min minute(s)
MIPS million instructions per second
MJ megajoule(s) = 106 J
mL milliliter(s); prefer m3
mM millimole (acceptable in SI)
mm millimeter(s)
Mm3 cubic megameter(s)
mmHg query for Pa
mol mole; SI base unit for amount of substance; always use with a value; use
“mole” if no value is given
MPa megapascal(s)
mph mi/h; query for km/h
MPN most probable number (e.g., for fecal coliform counts) (permissible with SI)
mR milliroentgen

© ASCE 155
 mrad milliradian(s)
ms millisecond (avoid “msec”)
m/s meters per second (velocity) (= m·s–1)
m/s2 meters per second squared (acceleration) (= m/s2)
mV millivolt(s)
mV/min millivolts per minute (SI units)
MW megawatt
mW milliwatt
M megohm(s)

N

N newton(s); kg·m/s2; SI-derived

n nano- (prefix); 10–9 (billionth)
N·m newton(s) meter (moment of force); not “N-m”
N/m newton(s) per meter (surface tension)
nm nanometer(s)
ns nanosecond (avoid “nsec”)
NTU nephelometric turbidity units (permissible in SI)

Oe oersted; cgs unit; query for A/m

oz ounce; query for g or kg

P, Q

P poise; query for kg/(m·s) or Pa·s

p pico- (prefix)
Pa pascal(s); N/m2; SI derived (do not use kg/cm2)
Pa· s pascal second
pcf lb/cu ft; query for kg/m3
pdl poundal; query for newtons
pF picofarad (avoid “pFd”)
PFU plaque-forming units (acceptable in SI contexts)
phot cgs unit; query for lm/m2
poise cgs unit; query for kg/(m·s) or Pa·s
ppb parts per billion
ppm parts per million
ppmv parts per million per volume
ppt parts per thousand; parts per trillion (define at first use)
ps picosecond (avoid “psec”)
psf (or lb/sq ft) query for Pa
psi (or lb/sq in.) query for kPa or MPa
psia query for “absolute pressure of . . . kPa”
psig query for “gauge pressure of . . . kPa”
pt pint
qt quart; query for L

156 © ASCE
R

R roentgen(s); prefer C/kg (= 2.58 × 10–4 C/kg)

°R degree(s) Rankine; prefer K or °C
rad radian(s); supplementary SI unit for plane angle (authors are permitted to use
rads)
rd rad(s); prefer Gy (= 0.01 Gy)
rpm revolutions per minute
rps revolutions per second

S siemens (sing. and pl.); A/V; SI derived

s second(s); SI base unit for time; spell out with cardinal numbers (e.g., 80th
second)
scp spherical candlepower
sfm use “sq ft/min” and give SI equivalent
short ton 2,000 lb; query for t (ASTM E380 prefers Mg)
shp shaft horsepower; query for SI units
sq ft query for m2
sq in. query for mm2
sq mi query for km2
sq yd query for m2
sr steradian(s); supplementary unit for solid angle
standard atmosphere query for kPa
std acceptable in chemistry contexts for “standard”; in other uses, spell out
stilb cgs unit; query for cd/m2
stokes cgs unit; query for m2/s
submicron (adj.) acceptable because the word “submicrometer” is not in use
supramicron (adj.) acceptable because the word “supramicrometer” is not in use
Sv sievert(s); J/kg; SI derived

T tera- (prefix); 1012

T tesla(s); Wb/m2; SI derived
t ton(s) = 1,000 kg; the word “ton” is now presumed to be “metric ton,” so the
word “metric” is not needed. ASTM E380 and ASCE Committee on
Metrication prefer the use of Mg, but some civil engineers have not embraced
this; do not use “tonne”
TB terabyte
technical atmosphere query for kg
TeV teraelectronvolt
THz terahertz
tonne 1,000 kg; use t (ASTM E380 prefers Mg)
tons of TNT (for nuclear weapons); query for J
torr prefer Pa
TPD tons per day
TW terawatt

© ASCE 157
 V

V volt(s); W/A; SI derived

VA volt-ampere
var reactive volt-ampere
VC volt-coulomb

W watt(s); J/S; SI-derived

Wb weber(s); V·s; SI-derived
W·h watthour
W·s wattsecond (= 1 J)
wt% use “% by weight”

Y, Z

yd query for m
year(s) always spell out
Zm zettameter

α–Ω
 micro- (prefix) (l.c. Greek mu); 10–6 (one-millionth)
E microeinstein (permissible in SI)
m micrometer (not “micron”); 10–6 m
 ohm(s); V/A; SI derived
℧ mho; use S

Conversion Factors from US Customary to SI Units

Copyeditors are not expected to compute any conversions. This information is provided to verify any that
the author may provide (in table footnotes, for example).

US customary unit (symbol) SI unit (symbol) Multiply by

acre (acre) hectare (ha) 0.405
acre-foot (acre/ft) cubic meters (m3) 1.23 × 103
gallon (gal.) liter (L) 3.79
inch (in.) millimeter (mm) 25.4
kilogram force (kgf) Newton (N) 9.81
mile (mi) kilometer (km) 1.61
pound force (lbF) Newton (N) 4.45
pound force per square inch (psi) kilopascal (kPa) 6.89
pound mass (lbm) kilogram (kg) 0.454

158 © ASCE
SI Prefixes Applicable to Engineering

Factor Prefix Symbola

10 9 giga G
106 mega M
103 kilo k
102 hecto h
101 deka da
10-1 deci d
10-2 centi c
10-3 milli m
10 -6 micro 
10-9 nano n
a Unit symbols only used when units are preceded by a numeral.

© ASCE 159
Appendix IV: Chemistry
Following are common chemical symbols, formulas, and terminology that may be helpful in clarifying
ambiguities or inconsistencies in chemistry-heavy manuscripts.

Chemical Symbols and Formulas

Common chemical symbols and formulas include the following:

Ac actinium
AcCh acetylcholine
AcChE acetylcholinesterase
Ag silver
Al aluminum
Al2O3∙2H2O hydrated aluminum oxide; bauxite
Am americium
Ar argon
As arsenic
At astatine
Au gold
Br− bromide anion
C carbon
CaC2 calcium carbide
CaCl(OCl) calcium hypochlorite; bleach
CaCO3 calcium carbonate; chalk; limestone
CaO calcium oxide; quicklime
Ca(OH)2 calcium hydroxide
CaSiO3 wollastonite
CaSO4∙2H2O calcium sulfate; gypsum
CH3OH methanol; wood alcohol
(CH3)2CO acetone
CH4 methane
C2H2 acetylene
C2H3O acetyl
(C2H5)2O diethyl ether; ether
C2H5OH ethanol; grain alcohol
C3H5(OH)3 glycerin
C6H5NH2 aniline
C6H5OH phenol; carbolic acid
C12H4O2Cl4 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)
Cl chlorine
Cl− chloride anion
CO carbon monoxide
CO2 carbon dioxide
CO(NH2)2 urea
F− fluoride anion
FeCl2∙4H2O ferrous chloride
FeS ferrous sulfide
H− hydride anion

160 © ASCE
 HCl hydrochloric acid
HCN hydrogen cyanide
HgS mercuric sulfide
H2S hydrogen sulfide
I− iodide anion
KCl potassium chloride
K2CO3 potassium carbonate; potash
KOH potassium hydroxide
Md mendelevium
MeCl methylene chloride
Mn manganese
Mo molybdenum
N− nitride anion
Na sodium
Na2B4O7∙10H2O sodium tetraborate; borax
NaCl sodium chloride; table salt
Na2CO3 sodium carbonate; soda ash
NaHSO4 sodium bisulfate
NaNO3 sodium nitrate
NaOH sodium hydroxide; lye; caustic soda
Na2SO4∙10H2O decahydrated sodium sulfate
Nb niobium
Nd neodymium
NH3 ammonia
NH4Cl ammonium chloride
NH4OH ammonium hydroxide
NO nitric oxide
No nobelium
NO2 nitrogen dioxide
N 2O nitrous oxide; laughing gas
NOx nitrogen oxides, e.g., NOx emission limit
Np neptunium
O oxygen
O− oxide anion
O3 ozone
OH− hydronium ion
Os osmium
P− phosphide anion
PACl polyaluminum chloride
Pb lead
Pd palladium
Pm promethium
Po polonium
Pu plutonium
Ra radium
Rb rubidium
Rh rhodium
Rn radon
Ru ruthenium

© ASCE 161
 S sulfur
S− sulfide anion
Sb antimony
Sc scandium
Se selenium
SF6 sulfur hexafluoride
Si silicon
SiC silicon carbide; Carborundum (note: capitalize Carborundum because it is a
trademark)
SiO2 silicon dioxide; sand; silica
Sm samarium
Sn tin
SnCl2∙2H2O stannous chloride
SO2 sulfur dioxide
SOx sulfur oxides
Sr strontium
Ta tantalum
Tb terbium
Tc technetium
Te tellurium
Th thorium
Ti titanium
Tl thallium
Tm thulium
U uranium
V vanadium
W tungsten
Xe xenon
Y yttrium
Yb ytterbium
Zn zinc
Zn(II) zinc(II)
ZnS zinc sulfide
Zr zirconium

Chemistry Terms

alt Alternating; italic in chemistry use.

12
atomic number Example: 6C is the atomic number; 12 is the mass number; carbon-12); see also isotope
number.

chem dot Authors often use a period (.) in chemical formulas when a “chem dot” symbol is intended.
Example: 3CaO Al2O3 CaCl2●10H2

cis- Italic as description in chemical name.

cisoid Italic as description in chemical name.

162 © ASCE
ions Ions are given in the following format:

Example: the copper(I) ion or Cu+ (note no space between the element name and parentheses)
Example: the iron(III) ion or Fe3+ (not Fe+3)
Example: iron(III) oxide or Fe2O3

It is contrary to American Chemical Society style to repeat pluses and minuses:

O2– (not O–2) Fe2+ (not Fe++) O– is OK

Author confusion about placement of the plus (+) and minus (–) symbols may relate to a false analogy
with exponential notation.

Example: Table 2 gives the PCB concentrations for the sites if a risk goal of 10 –6 is chosen.

isotope number Examples: 14CO2 , 14C-labeled polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH); see also atomic
number.

mol/molar Example: Commercial PACl was added to 1 L of deionized water at an aluminum

concentration of 0.011 M.

normal Example: The pH was adjusted by adding either 0.1 N NaOH or 0.1 N HCl.

number prefixes Example: 8-hydroxyquinoline

pH Hydrogen ion concentration; plural is “pHs.”

pOH Opposite of pH.

sec- Italic as description in chemical name.

tert- Italic as description in chemical name.

trans- Italic as description in chemical name.

© ASCE 163
Appendix V: City, State, Province, and Territory Names

Cities

The following US cities should not be followed by their respective states when they appear in the title or
text (except for affiliations):

Atlanta Dallas Las Vegas New York San Antonio

Baltimore Denver Los Angeles Oklahoma City San Diego
Boston Detroit Miami Philadelphia San Francisco
Chicago Honolulu Milwaukee Phoenix Seattle
Cincinnati Houston Minneapolis Pittsburgh St. Louis
Cleveland Indianapolis New Orleans Salt Lake City Washington, DC

All cities should be followed by the two-letter US postal abbreviation, separated by a comma, in
affiliations and references. In the text and titles, states should be spelled out.

The following non-US cities should not be followed by their respective countries when they appear in the
title or text (except for affiliations):

Beijing Hong Kong Mexico City Québec Toronto

Berlin Jerusalem Monaco Rome Vatican City
Geneva Kuwait Montréal San Marino
Gibraltar London Moscow Seoul
Guatemala City Luxembourg Ottawa Singapore
Havana Macao Paris Tokyo

Any city not listed above should be followed by the country name, separated by a comma.

States, Territories, and Provinces

Spell out Australian states and territories, Canadian provinces, and US states when they stand alone or
when they follow the name of a city or other geographic term in the text.

Use postal abbreviations in the author footnote, references (click here for exceptions), and a bibliography
(the latter only if provided; see Article Sections/Order).

Australian States and Territories

Australian Capital ACT South Australia SA

Territory
New South Wales NSW Tasmania TAS
Northern Territory NT Victoria VIC
Queensland QLD Western Australia WA

164 © ASCE
Canadian Provinces

Alberta AB Northwest Territories NT

British Columbia BC Ontario ON
Labrador LB Prince Edward Island PE
Manitoba MB Québec QC
New Brunswick NB Saskatchewan SK
Newfoundland and Yukon Territory YT
Labrador NL
Nova Scotia NS

United States

Alabama AL Hawaii HI Missouri MO Puerto Rico PR

Alaska AK Idaho ID Montana MT Rhode Island RI
American AS Illinois IL Nebraska NE South Carolina SC
Samoa
Arizona AZ Indiana IN Nevada NV South Dakota SD
Arkansas AR Iowa IA New Hampshire NH Tennessee TN
California CA Kansas KS New Jersey NJ Texas TX
Canal Zone CZ Kentucky KY New Mexico NM Utah UT
Colorado CO Louisiana LA New York NY Vermont VT
Connecticut CT Maine ME North Carolina NC Virgin Islands VI
Delaware DE Maryland MD North Dakota ND Virginia VA
District of DC Massachusetts MA Ohio OH Washington WA
Columbia
Florida FL Michigan MI Oklahoma OK West Virginia WV
Georgia GA Minnesota MN Oregon OR Wisconsin WI
Guam GU Mississippi MS Pennsylvania PA Wyoming WY

© ASCE 165
Appendix VI: Discussions and Closures
Discussions give readers an opportunity to respond to a paper with comments or questions. In a Closure,
the authors of the original paper address the discussers’ remarks and answer their questions.

The banner head for all discussions and closures should read “Discussions and Closures.”

Discussions usually deal with ASCE journal papers or Technical Notes, but occasionally they address
other article types (e.g., Forums) or material that appeared somewhere other than in an ASCE journal.
Discussions of ASCE proceedings are also acceptable.

Although Discussions and Closures are separate manuscripts, Discussions and Closures that refer to the
same article should be edited together for consistency.

NOTE Always consult the ASCE Library to confirm that the title, author byline, and
bibliographic information match the original article.

Click here for an example of a Discussion; and here for an example of a Closure.

Title

The title of each Discussion and Closure includes the title and authors of the original paper. Do not
include P.E., membership status, or other honorifics in the title of a Discussion or Closure. Author names
should be listed exactly as they are in the published article; do not abbreviate given names unless they
appeared that way originally.

Discussion of “Accidental Torsion in Buildings” by Wen-hsiun Lin, Anik K. Chopra, and

Juan Carlos de la Llera

Closure to “Accidental Torsion in Buildings” by Wen-hsiun Lin, Anik K. Chopra, and

Juan Carlos de la Llera

Do not use a comma between the title of the original paper and the names of the author(s) of the original
paper. If two Discussions deal with the same paper, the title should be repeated as shown. In the Closure
title, replace “Discussion of” with “Closure to.”

Bibliographic Information

The title is followed by the DOI of the original paper. Example:

https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0000000

Byline

The authors’ names and affiliation footnotes follow the title and bibliographic information. Each name
should be followed by a footnote number. The footnotes in each Discussion and Closure begin with the
number 1. Use a semicolon to separate the authors’ names. Example:

Pavel Popela1; Pavel Marek2; and Milan Gustar3

166 © ASCE
The affiliation footnotes appear immediately after the names and are styled the same as in Technical
Papers and Technical Notes. Example:
1GraduateStudent, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of California, Berkeley,
CA 94720-1710.

Text

If the discusser or writer of a Closure encloses a quotation from the article or the Discussion in quotation
marks, verify that it is a direct quotation and not a paraphrase.

In Discussions, refer to the author of the original paper as “the author.” Discussers should refer to
themselves as “the discussers.” In the Closure, the discussers are still called “the discussers,” but the
writer of the Closure should refer to himself or herself as “the writer.”

In text, the words discussion and closure are lowercased and set in roman.

Be certain that Discussions and Closures do not include any language that is disrespectful of the author(s)
or the discusser(s).

Begin equation, table, and figure numbers with 1 in each Discussion and Closure. For example, if a paper
has two Discussions and one Closure, the figures, tables, and equations in each discussion begin with
“Fig. 1,” “Table 1,” or “Eq. (1).” The figures, tables, and equations in each Closure also begin with “Fig.
1,” “Table 1,” or “Eq. (1).”

If a discusser or writer of a Closure takes an equation directly from the original paper, treat it as an
unnumbered equation. The next equation is Eq. (1) if it is the first new equation in the Discussion or
Closure.

If the text of a Discussion or Closure refers to a figure, table, or equation from the original paper, inform
the compositor as follows:

• If the text refers to a figure, insert the comment “Comp: Fig. not missing.”
• If the text refers to a table, insert the comment “Comp: Table not missing.”
• If the text refers to an equation, add the comment “Comp: Equation not missing.”

Pay close attention to the content of Closures. If a Closure addresses two or more Discussions but you do
not seem to have all the relevant Discussions, contact your production representative.

NOTE If figures or tables from the original paper are cited, the citation should be
followed by “of the original paper.” References from the original paper cited in the
Discussion or Closure must be included in the reference list for the Discussion or
Closure.

References

If the text of a Discussion or Closure cites references that do not appear in the reference list, check the
original paper for the references. If they appear in the original paper, add them to the Discussion or

© ASCE 167
Closure. If they do not appear in the original paper, query the writer of the Discussion or Closure. If a
Closure cites references from a Discussion, they should appear in the reference list for the Closure.

In a Discussion or Closure, the reference list should not include the original paper (or the Discussion or
Closure).

Erratum in a Closure

If the author includes an erratum in the Closure, place it at the end of the body of the Closure (but before
any references). “Erratum” should be the section heading. Example:

Erratum
The following correction should be made to the original paper:
“Page 1217, reference 5 should read: Loewenthal, R. E., and Marais, G. V. R. (1976).”

168 © ASCE
Appendix VII: Guidelines for ASCE Front and Back
Matter

Front matter and back matter are usually written or compiled by a journal’s editor or an associate editor.
This appendix uses the term front matter loosely to refer to both front and back matter.

IMPORTANT: Verify the titles and authors of all papers mentioned in the material being copyedited. If
the material being copyedited mentions a paper that has already been published, use the ASCE Library at
https://ascelibrary.org. Change the manuscript that you are copyediting so that information in the
manuscript matches the information in the ASCE Library. Query the author about any discrepancies.
If the paper being mentioned is not available in the ASCE Library, query ASCE.

General Guidelines

“The Journal”
Referring to the relevant ASCE journal as “the Journal” is an acceptable means of abbreviating the full
name of the journal. The word Journal should be capitalized and italicized in such cases.

If the term “journal” is being used more generically, however, do not capitalize or italicize it.

Titles
It is acceptable for titles in the front matter to have a more conversational tone. Allow more leeway with
articles (a, an, the).

Author Names and Affiliations

The author’s affiliation appears immediately below the author’s name. Affiliations are headline case and
run in with appropriate punctuation. Example:

Lisa K. Spainhour, P.E., M.ASCE

Florida A&M Univ.–Florida State Univ., College of Engineering and Applied Science, Dept. of
Civil Engineering, 2525 Pottsdamer Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32310. Email: spainhou@eng.fsu.edu

John T. Smith, P.E., M.ASCE

Minnesota Dept. of Transportation, 3485 Hadley Ave. N, Oakdale, MN 55128. Email:
jtsmith@umn.edu

NOTE Omit affiliation footnote numbers in front matter.

Photos
When a photograph in front matter (with the exception of a Forum) is a head shot of an individual, the
caption should give only the individual’s name rather than indicate a figure number. (In a Forum, all
figures are numbered.)

© ASCE 169
Headings
Headings within the body of the front matter are treated the same as headings in regular text.

Tone

Front matter is often less formal in tone than Technical Papers and Technical Notes. Allow moderate use
of slang and a conversational feel; however, do not allow contractions.

Types of Front and Back Matter

Announcements
Announcements are short and often do not include an author’s name. They must, however, have a title.

The banner head is always “Announcement” (note singular usage). The text appears in two-column
format; very short Announcements may be run in a single column with approval from ASCE.

Click here for an example of an Announcement.

Awards
The banner head is always “Award” (note singular usage).

Some of the journals print information about awards at certain times of the year. These awards can be one
piece (a piece is defined as a section with its own title and author), can include a number of individual
pieces (by several authors), or can be a list of award papers.

Titles for awards depend on the type of award. Examples of titles include “Student Member Essay
Contest,” “Younger Member Essay Contest,” “ASCE Awards Based on Meritorious Papers,” “Best
Paper,” or “Call for Nominations.” These titles need to be noted on the manuscript.

If there is only one piece, such as “Call for Nominations,” use the Announcement format or Editor’s Note
text format. If it is an Editorial-like piece that briefly describes winners of the best paper awards, use the
Editorial text format. Query ASCE if you believe the article has been supplied with an incorrect article
type.

If the Award section includes a list of awardee papers (click here for an example), it must have an
introduction. If the manuscript provides no introduction, please query ASCE.

Click here for an example of an Award.

Book Reviews
Many journals print book reviews at the end of the journal.

The banner head is always “Book Review” (note singular). The review title and bibliographic information
for the book follows.

170 © ASCE
Each title must begin “Review of …” followed by the book title in italics and then the names of the
authors. Example:

Review of Advanced Mechanics of Materials by William B. Bickford

Titles are set italic and in headline case. On the line below the title is the bibliographic information.
Complete information should include the publisher, publisher location, year of publication, ISBN, total
pages, and price (in that order). Query the author for any missing information.

Following the bibliographic information is the reviewer name and affiliation.

Use quotation marks for chapters and sections of books.

If there is a review of software, videos, DVDs, etc., title them as follows:

Software Review of …
Video Review of …

Click here for an example of a Book Review.

Corrections
There are four article types under the banner head Corrections: Erratum; Expression of Concern; Notice
of Redundant Publication; and Retraction.

Erratum
An Erratum is printed in the back of the journal when it is not included in a Discussion or Closure. The
banner head is always “Corrections,” even if there is only one Erratum.

Following the banner is the title, which is always preceded by “Erratum for” and includes the authors of
the original paper. Author names should be listed exactly as they are in the published article; do not
abbreviate given names unless they appeared that way originally. Example:

Erratum for “Accidental Torsion in Buildings” by W. Lin, A. K. Chopra, and J. C. de la Llera

Erratum for “Discussion of ‘Evaluation of Some Net Radiation Models for Improving Daily
Reference Evapotranspiration Estimation in Iran’ by A. A. Sabziparvar, R. Mirgaloybayat, S.
Marofi, H. Zare-Abyaneh, and M. Khodamorad Pour” by Pau Martí

The title is followed by the DOI of the original paper. Example:

DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0000000 Note that full doi of original paper,

including https://doi.orgshould be used
Errata usually begin with the following statement (modify if necessary):

“The following correction should be made to the original paper:”

This statement is followed by an explanation for the Erratum.

Click here for an example of an Erratum.

© ASCE 171
Expression of Concern
The banner head for an Expression of Concern is “Corrections,” even if there is only one Expression.

Following the banner is the title, which is always preceded by “Expression of Concern for” and includes
the authors of the original paper. Author names should be listed exactly as they are in the published
article; do not abbreviate given names unless they appeared that way originally. Example:

[example to come]

Notice of Redundant Publication

A Notice of Redundant Publication is printed in the back of the journal. The banner head is
“Corrections,” even if there is only one Notice.

Following the banner is the title, which is always preceded by “Notice of Redundant Publication for” and
includes the authors of the original paper. Author names should be listed exactly as they are in the
published article; do not abbreviate given names unless they appeared that way originally. Example:

[example to come]

Retraction
A Retraction is printed in the back of the journal. The banner head is “Corrections,” even if there is only
one Retraction. A Retraction does not need a byline.

Following the banner is the article listed in ASCE journal article reference format, except that the article
title is set in headline case.

For articles published before 1983 (without a DOI), use the volume, issue, AND page numbers. The entire
title is always preceded by “Retraction” followed by a colon. Example:

Retraction: Thompson, T. 1970. “Analysis of Sedimentation Data.” J. Eng. Mech. 97 (2): 589–597.

For articles published under the issue-based system, use the volume, issue, and page numbers, followed
by the DOI. The entire title is always preceded by “Retraction” followed by a colon. Example:

Retraction: Ficker, T. 2010. “Fractal Dimensions of Fracture Surfaces.” J. Eng. Mech. 136 (2):
174–178. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9399(2010)136:2(174).

For articles published in the issues in progress (IIP) workflow, style with the DOI, volume, issue, and
CID. Example:

Retraction: Grosskopf, K. R., and K. Herstein. 2013. “Airflow and Door Position: A Case Study
on Aerosol Dispersion within a General Patient and Airborne Infectious Isolation Room.” J.
Archit. Eng. 20 (1): 04013064. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)AE.1943-5568.0000120.

A Retraction usually begins as follows (but do not insert this text if it is not present):
“This paper has been retracted at the request of the editor.”

This statement is followed by an explanation for the Retraction. This text is authored by ASCE and
should not be copyedited.

Click here for an example of a Retraction Notice.

172 © ASCE
Editorial
Editorials are submitted by readers, associate editors, or guest editors. Although Editorials never have an
abstract, they may have Acknowledgments and References. References must always be the last section of
an Editorial.

The banner head is “Editorial” (note singular). Every Editorial must have a title that is set in headline
case. Author/affiliation information follows the title.

Very short Editorials may be run in a wide single column with approval from ASCE.

An editorial represents an author’s personal opinion. The author can indicate that he or she does not like
an article in a previous issue or that a statement in an article is incorrect or invalid; however, the author
must not disparage the author of an article or make ad hominem attacks.

Click here for an example of an Editorial.

Editor’s Note
An Editor’s Note includes descriptions of that particular journal issue or a new process.

A title is optional. If the manuscript contains a title, it should appear in the proof and should also be used
in the Table of Contents. If the manuscript does not contain a title, no title should appear in the proof, and
“Editor's Note” should be used as the title in the Table of Contents.

An Editor’s Note may also include a “Papers of Interest” section that lists papers in other ASCE journals.
If papers of interest are included in the Editor’s Note, edit them as references and put them in
alphabetical order. Also, verify that they are correct by checking the actual proofs or published articles in
the ASCE Library.

The banner heading is always “Editor’s Note” even if there is more than one author.

Following the Editor’s Note banner is an optional title and the author’s name with “Editor” or “Associate
Editor” below it. If you are not sure of the author’s title, check the previous version of the journal. There
is no need for affiliation information after the name in an Editor’s Note; however, if the author provides
it, include it.

Very short Editor’s Notes may be run in a wide single column with approval from ASCE.

Click here for an example of an Editor’s Note.

Forum
Forums can be long and can include references. If references are present, the reference section must be the
last section of the paper.

The banner head is “Forum” (note singular usage). Forums always have a title, and it is set in headline
case. Author/affiliation information follows the title and is set the same as in an Editorial.

Forums represent an author’s personal opinion. The author of a Forum can therefore indicate that he or
she does not like an article in a previous issue or indicate that a statement or theory in an article is

© ASCE 173
incorrect or not valid; however, the author should not disparage the author of an article or make ad
hominem attacks.

The following disclaimer should be reproduced verbatim above the DOI.

Forum papers are thought-provoking opinion pieces or essays founded in fact, sometimes containing
speculation, on a civil engineering topic of general interest and relevance to the readership of the
journal. The views expressed in this Forum article do not necessarily reflect the views of ASCE or the
Editorial Board of the journal.

Forums display the DOI number in print after the author/affiliation information.

Click here for an example of a Forum.

In Memoriam
The banner head is “In Memoriam.” The title consists of “In Memoriam:” followed by the individual’s
name. If the article includes only one photograph, do not include a figure number.

Click here for an example of an In Memoriam.

Lecture Papers
The “paper” itself for these lectures is treated as a Technical Paper, rather than as front matter. The first
page of a Lecture is an Introduction; the lecture begins on the second page. The lecture itself follows the
Introduction. The lecture paper does not have a banner head, but the Introduction has the standard
“Introduction” banner.

Click here for an example of a Lecture Paper Introduction; click here for an example of a Lecture Paper.

Reviewers
This section prints once a year. The banner head is “Reviewers”; the lists are in a three-column format.

The introduction text precedes the list of reviewers’ names and their affiliations and is run wide.

Names appear first name, then last, in alphabetical order by last name. Present names as provided,
including hyphenating middle and last names.

If unsure about the alphabetization of a name, proceed with its current position.

If affiliations are present, they follow the names on a separate line, are indented, and are set in italics. No
need to query about missing affiliations.

Lists should be edited for consistency and use of official names of institutions, except removing “The”
from the beginning of university names. Use postal abbreviations for states where necessary (only in
extended affiliations).

Click here for an example of Reviewers.

174 © ASCE
Special Collection Announcement
Most special collections have an introduction. The banner head reads “Special Collection
Announcement.” The title should be centered on the page. The names of the special collection editors and
their affiliations appear flush left following the title. The special collection editors write the Special
Collection Announcement.

The URL of the collection should be listed in the opening sentence. Titles of any papers mentioned in the
announcement should match the titles in the final published versions.

Click here for an example of a Special Collection Announcement.

Synopsis of Court Verdict

This article type is published only in the Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and
Construction.

Click here for an example of a Synopsis of Court Verdict.

Technical Breakthrough Abstract

This article type is published only in the Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering. It can be
only one composed page in length. If it exceeds this length, query the author to revise.

Click here for an example of a Technical Breakthrough Abstract.

© ASCE 175
Appendix VIII: Guidelines for the Journal of Legal
Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and
Construction

The types of submissions in the Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and
Construction include the following:

Announcements Scholarly Papers (instead of Technical Papers)

Editorials Case Studies
Awards Legal Notes (instead of Technical Notes)
Letters to the Editor Book Reviews
Editor’s Notes Synopses of Court Verdicts
Editorials Conference Reviews
Forums Discussions and Closures†
Special Collection Announcements Corrections
Features

†For Features, Scholarly Papers, Case Studies, and Legal Notes

Scholarly Papers, Case Studies, Features, and Legal Notes should all include an abstract of approximately
150 to 175 words. Query the author if a manuscript lacks an abstract.

Copyediting Style

SI units are not required in nontechnical descriptive material; however, in technical material, the use of SI
units and units acceptable in SI is mandatory.

Use the following rules for italic type and capitalization:

• Titles of books and reports mentioned in the text are italic and headline case. Use quotation
marks around titles of book chapters.
• Set Latin words and abbreviations in roman per ASCE style (e.g., de facto, ex parte).
• In references and notes, use italic type for such English words and phrases as see, see also, but see,
see e.g., see infra, see generally, appeal of, and reprinted in, as well as ibid., id., supra, and cert. granted.
• The title of a House or Senate bill or act mentioned in text, references, or notes is set in roman
(e.g., “H.R. 456, the Endangered Species Act of 1972”).
• Congressional or legislative acts are roman in text, references, and notes.
• Legal cases are italic in text and endnotes but roman in the list of cases.
• The word “act” is lowercase unless used as part of the full title of an act (e.g., “Clean Water Act,”
but “the act”).
• Bill numbers are always roman, e.g., H.R. 26593 or S. 54321.
• The word “government” is generally lowercase.
• The word “court” used by itself is capitalized only when referring to the Supreme Court.
• “Public Law” is always spelled out in text and capitalized when it precedes a public law number
(e.g., Public Law 102-250); in citations, endnotes, and references, use the abbreviation “Pub. L.
No.” followed by the number (e.g., Pub. L. No. 102-250).

176 © ASCE
Appendixes

Any appendixes should appear before the References section. If an article in this journal includes
Acknowledgments and/or Supplemental Data sections, they should immediately follow the appendixes,
preceding the References section.

Types of Citations

The Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction divides citations into five
categories that should appear (as level 2 headings) in the following order under the References heading:

References
(1) List of Cases
(2) List of Statutes
(3) Endnotes
(4) Bibliography
(5) Works Cited – The traditional references should be included under this subsection.

Citations should be listed under the appropriate category heading.

Authors do not need to use all of these categories. The style for lists of cases, lists of statutes,
bibliography, and endnotes should match the style of the references in layout and font size.

List of Cases (not “Cases”)

When plaintiff versus defendant information is mentioned in text, format as follows (note the italic text):

Excavation-Construction, Inc., v. United States

Community Heating & Plumbing Co., Inc., v. Kelso

The list of cases should include the full citation at the end of the paper:

Excavation-Construction, Inc., v. United States, ENG BCA 3851 (1984).

Community Heating & Plumbing Co., Inc., v. Kelso, 987 F.2d 1575 (Fed. Cir. 1993).

Note that the case name is set in roman in the full citation list.

List of Statutes
The list of statutes gives specific state or federal statutes pertaining to legislation. Example:

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-336, §2, 104 Stat. 328 (1991).

Endnotes
Endnotes in the Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction may include
commentary and other remarks, as shown in the following:

© ASCE 177
 1Idlecapacity; because of delay, staff are not fully engaged in productive work for
the delayed project during the delay period.

Endnote numbers in text are set as superior numbers (e.g., 3). Endnote numbers follow any punctuation
mark except for dashes, which they precede. They appear after closing parentheses. The paper’s abstract
cannot contain endnote citations.

If a court case is included in the list of cases and has already been cited in the text, it may be subsequently
cited in an endnote. In the endnote, the author should provide the short-form citation of the case.
Example:

27Excavation-Construction.

NOTE Follow the author’s style for endnotes. Some endnotes include long discussions
and run for many paragraphs. Edit for grammar, but be careful with quoted material.
Many authors in the Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and
Construction are lawyers, so they know how to cite court cases and decisions. Look only
for errors in roman versus italic type and errors in caps and lowercase.

Bibliography
Some papers may also include uncited references; these references should appear in a Bibliography.

178 © ASCE