PLTW CIVIL ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE VOCAB
element of design
a basic visual component or building block of designed objects
deformation
a change in the shape of a structure or structural member caused by a load or force acting on the structure
free-body diagram
a diagram used to isolate a body from its environment
elevated floor
a floor that is above the level of the ground
Axial force
a force that acts along the longitudinal axis of a structural member.
deep foundation
a foundation that transfers building loads into the earth well below the building structure
Ballast
a heavy material installed over a roof membrane to prevent wind uplift and shield sunlight
easement
a limited right to make use of a property owned by another
decking
a material used to span across beams or joists to create a floor or roof surface
drainage fixture unit
a measure of the probable discharge into the drainage system by various types of plumbing fixtures
Baseline
a parallel of latitude running through an arbitrary point chosen as the starting point for all sectionalized land within a given area
built-up roof
a roof membrane laminated from layers of asphalt-saturated felt or other fabric, bonded together with bitumen or pitch
continuous beam
a single beam that is supported by more than two supports such that it has at least two distinct spans
concrete
a solid, hard material produced by combining portland cement, aggregates, sand, water and sometimes additional mixtures
EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer)
a synthetic rubber material used in roofing membranes
felt
a tar impregnated paper used for water protection under roofing and siding materials
contrast
a visual principal associated with change made in size, shape, color, or tone of graphic elements
fenestration
all areas in the building that let in light
circuit
the various things found along the path of electrical flow from the source, through the components and back to the source
dead load
the weight of the building or building components
What would the U-factor be of a material with an R-value of 10?
0.10 Btu/h ft^2 F
A floor plan is typically drawn to what scale?
1/4" =1'
A property owner prefers his building to be 65 degrees F inside when the outside temp is 35 degrees F. What is the heat loss through a wall that has no windows or doors, and that has a surface area or 160 ft^2 and an r-value of 23 (round answer to the nearest hundredth)?
208.70 BTU/H ft^2 degrees F
Beam
A structural member, usually horizontal, that carries a load that is applied transverse to its length
at would the total heat gain be through a 500 ft^2 west wall with an r-value of 25ft^2 times degree F times h/Btu and a difference in temperature between the outside and inside of 20 degrees F?
400 btu/hr
Occupancy Category
A category used to determine structural requirements based on occupancy of the building
Arch
A curved structure for spanning an opening, designed to support a vertical load primarily by axial strength.
Air Handling Unit (AHU)
A device used to condition and circulate air as part of a heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system.
Occupancy group
A specification that indicates by whom or how the structure will be used
The act made it necessary for property owners and architects to make public buildings accessible to individuals with disabilities
ADA
The _________ Act of 1990 provided clear guidelines for universal accessibility for the handicapped
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
ASD
Allowable Strength Design
AIA
American Institute of Architecture
Architect
An individual trained in the art and science of designing and constructing buildings.
What method is used to link related ideas graphically as a means of developing a fuller definition of a person, a term, or an idea?
Concept map
The structural component typically constructed from concrete that transfers the load of the structure to the soil is called a _____________.
Footing
The ___________ architectural style is a single story house that originated in the southwest United States
Ranch
A horizontal wood framing member that is placed at the top of windows, doors, and openings in walls is called a __________.
Header
On a section view of a residential exterior wall the structural member found above a door and window opening is referred to as a ______________.
Heading
What is the formula Q= AU change(triangle) T used to calculate?
Heat Loss/ Gain
Which of the following is commonly true for a road profile layout?
Horizontal scale is greater than the vertical scale.
What type of engineer would be responsible for the sizing of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system?
Mechanical Engineer
Allowable Strength
Nominal strength divided by the safety factor.
An exterior elevation drawing of a structure shows _____________.
Overall building height
The American architect Frank Lloyd Wright is known for originating this style of architecture?
Prairie
construction documents
drawings, plans, specifications, etc. associated with a construction project
What view would be used to show the interior detail of a building from the foundation up to the roof peak?
Section
What view would show how the roof level, floor level, and foundation level are connected together?
Section
The drawing that shows vertical relationships between structural materials and the construction method for a framing crew is called a (an) _______________
Section Drawing
Which of the following is NOT a utility?
Septic system
A homebuyer wishes to build a house that will have many south facing windows. She would like to make sure these windows are not obstructed. What drawing should she consult?
Site Plan
Which site would generate the most runoff from a given rainfall?
Sloping, clayey soil
The line on an electrical plan that goes from the switch to the lighting fixture is known as a _____________.
Switch Leg
A window or door schedule table references the floor plan and assigns a letter or number to a door or window on the plan or elevation. This notation is called a(n) _____________.
Tag
ASCE
The American Society of Civil Engineers
Aesthetics
The quality of an object that deals with art, beauty, and taste.
Abet
The recognized accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology.
Beam Analysis
The use of physical laws and mathematics to compute internal forced, stresses, and deformations.
egress
exits or a way out
nonportable Water
Water not safe for drinking, personal, or culinary utilization
force
an agent that causes stress on an object
dome
an arrangement of several arches whose bases form a circle and whose tops meet in the center
circuit breaker
an electrical safety switch that automatically opens a circuit when excessive amperage occurs
civil engineer
an engineer trained in the design and construction of public works, such as bridges or dams, and other large families
curtain wall
an exterior building wall that is supported entirely by the frame of the building, rather than being self-supporting or load bearing
electric meter
an instrument used to measure electric power
charrette
an intensive workshop in which various stakeholders and experts are brought together to address a particular design issue
column
an upright structural member acting primarily in compression
drain
any pipe that carries wastewater or water-borne wastes in a building drainage system
A client survey that incorporates the design requests for a building is generated in an interview with the ___________.
architect
An architect's chief role in developing a structure is __________.
art and design
A design process that is used to represent room locations, spatial relationships and traffic flow within a building is referred to as ___________.
bubble diagramming
CMU
concrete masonry unit. a block of hardened concrete, w or w/o holes, designed to be laid the same as bricks
cast-in-place concrete
concrete that is poured in its final location
floor joists
horizontal structural members used to carry the floor and ceiling loads
When water stops flowing in a pipe, the pressure in the pipe ___________.
increases
Access to (and from) a roadway from (and to) a building is referred to as ____________.
ingress abd egress
Building code
legal requirements designed to protect the public by providing guidelines for structural, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical areas of a structure.
form
the shape and structure of something as distinguished from its substance or material
An elevation is a(n) __________ drawing depicted one side of a building and is used to show information including building height and materials such as siding and roofing
orthographic projection
ducts
pipes, typically made of sheet metal, used to conduct hot or cold air in the HVAC system
drainage system
piping within a building that conveys sewage, rainwater, or other liquid wastes to a point of disposal
Documentation for an architect that consists of sketches, working drawings, renderings and a list of previous clients is referred o as a(n)
portfolio
drainage
removal of groundwater or surface water, or of water from structures, by gravity or pumping
The designers of the Leaning Tower of Pisa did not intend the structure to lean. What did these civil engineers fail to properly account for?
soil type
Bearing walls
solid walls that provide support for each other and for the roof of a structure
emphasis
stress or prominence given to an element of a design
design load
the applied load determined by the required load combinations
design temperature differential
the difference between the indoor temperature winter and the outdoor design temperature in winter.
deflection
the distance a beam or structure deforms under loading, typically due to bending in a beam
facade
the exterior face of a building
fascia
the finish board covering the edges of rafters and eaves
foundation
the lower part of a building, which transfers structural loads from he building to the soil
footing
the lowest, widest part of the foundation that distributes the load over a broad are of the soil
compression strength
the maximum compressive stress a material can withstand without failure
Balance
the pleasing or harmonious arrangement or proportion of parts or elements in a design or composition
Building envelope
the portion of a building that encloses the treated environment, including the walls, ceiling or roof, and floor
design principals
the rules that describe how designers might put together various design elements to create an aesthetic finished product
An evaluation process that takes into account the factors that will influence and determine the successful implementation of a proposed project is referred to as _______________.
viability analysis
An empty lot in your town has been put up for sale. You are interested in purchasing this property and developing a site. By what means can the allowable use of property be determined?
zoning laws