Registered Civil Engineer - Water Conservancy & Hydropower (China) - independent engineering foundations key terms
Registered Civil Engineer - Water Conservancy & Hydropower (China) - independent engineering foundations · Get comfortable with the vocabulary.
- Effective stress
The total normal stress less pore-water pressure in a specified saturated-soil model, relevant to the skeleton response and drained strength.
- Hydraulic gradient
The hydraulic-head difference divided by the stated flow-path length, with direction and the actual groundwater model identified.
- Pore pressure
The fluid pressure within ground voids, distinguished from total overburden stress and from effective stress carried through the soil skeleton.
- Consolidation
Time-dependent volume change associated with pore-fluid dissipation and load transfer in a specified soil drainage and compressibility model.
- Undrained response
Ground response evaluated for conditions where the relevant loading duration does not allow the assumed drainage to occur.
- Negative skin friction
Downward shaft action mobilized where surrounding ground settles relative to a pile, requiring compatible displacement and load assessment.
- Bearing capacity
A model of ground resistance to a specified foundation load mechanism, separate from settlement acceptability and structural foundation resistance.
- Active earth pressure
A limiting lateral ground-pressure condition requiring sufficient compatible outward wall movement under the stated soil and water model.
- At-rest earth pressure
Lateral pressure associated with a constrained ground deformation condition, not automatically equivalent to mobilized active or passive resistance.
- Limit state
A specified boundary describing an unacceptable strength, stability or serviceability condition within the actual assessment framework and loading scenario.
- Load path
The connected sequence of members, joints and supports through which an applied action reaches its resisting ground or structural system.
- Buckling
An instability mechanism depending on geometry, stiffness, restraints and loading, which can occur before material strength is exhausted.
- Hydraulic radius
The wetted flow area divided by wetted perimeter for the stated channel section, rather than simply the water depth.
- Hydraulic grade line
A representation of elevation plus pressure head along a specified fluid system, distinct from the additional velocity head in total energy.
- Storage routing
An unsteady balance relating inflow, outflow and storage through the specified level-storage and discharge behavior of a reservoir system.
- Solids retention time
The average time a defined retained solids population remains in a treatment system, using a consistent inventory and wasting boundary.
- Lumen method
An average illuminance calculation based on supplied flux and utilization assumptions, not a complete treatment of glare or visual quality.
- Critical path
A controlling sequence in a specified project network whose duration and logic constrain the modeled completion time under the stated assumptions.
- Earned value
The budgeted value of completed scope under a defined baseline, distinct from actual cost paid or budget for all scheduled work.
- Traceability
The ability to connect a material, observation or completed task to its identified source, specification, records and relevant acceptance evidence.