Tamil Nadu HSE First Year Basic Civil Engineering flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Civil Engineering

The branch of engineering that deals with the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure such as buildings, roads, bridges, dams, and water supply systems for society.

Igneous Rock

Rock formed by cooling and solidification of molten magma or lava. Granite and basalt are examples and are generally hard, strong, and durable for construction use.

Seasoning of Timber

The process of removing moisture from timber before use. It reduces shrinkage, prevents warping and decay, and improves the strength and durability of the wood.

Mild Steel

A ductile ferrous material with low carbon content, widely used as reinforcement in concrete and in structural members because it can bend without sudden failure.

Surveying

The art and science of determining the relative positions of points on or near the earth's surface by measuring distances, angles, and directions for planning and layout of works.

Reduced Level

The elevation of a point above a chosen datum, computed from staff readings in levelling. It is used to fix foundation and road levels.

Benchmark

A fixed, permanent reference point whose reduced level is known and used as the starting point for levelling operations on a site.

Contour Line

A line on a map joining points of equal elevation. Contour lines never cross each other, and closely spaced contours indicate a steep slope.

Damp-Proof Course

A layer of impervious material such as bitumen or cement concrete laid at plinth level in walls to prevent capillary rise of moisture into the building.

English Bond

A brick masonry bond in which one course of headers alternates with one course of stretchers. It is strong and commonly used for load-bearing walls.

Lintel

A horizontal structural member placed across an opening such as a door or window to support the wall load above the opening and transfer it to the sides.

Floor Area Ratio

The ratio of the total floor area of all storeys in a building to the area of its plot. Building bye-laws fix the permissible FAR for an area.

Setback

The open space left between the building line and the plot boundary. It provides light, ventilation, and privacy and is fixed by building bye-laws.

Plan Drawing

A horizontal section of a building cut at about 1.2 m above floor level, showing walls, openings, and room arrangements drawn to a suitable scale.

Staircase Rise

The vertical height of one step in a staircase. It is usually kept between 150 mm and 190 mm for comfortable and safe climbing.

Stress

The internal resistance offered by a material per unit area to an applied load. It is expressed in N/mm2 and may be tensile, compressive, or shear.

Strain

The deformation of a material per unit original length. It is a dimensionless quantity obtained by dividing the change in length by the original length.

Young's Modulus

The ratio of stress to strain within the elastic limit of a material, denoted by E. It measures the stiffness of the material.

Cantilever Beam

A beam fixed at one end and free at the other. A point load at the free end produces maximum bending moment at the fixed support.

Water-Cement Ratio

The ratio of the mass of water to the mass of cement in a concrete mix. Lower ratios generally increase strength but reduce workability.

Slump Test

A simple field test that measures the workability of fresh concrete by observing the vertical settlement of a concrete cone after removal of the mould.

Curing of Concrete

The process of keeping concrete moist after placing so that cement hydration continues. It develops strength and durability and is done for at least seven days.

Segregation

The separation of coarse aggregate from the mortar in a concrete mix, usually caused by excessive water, over-vibration, or dropping concrete from a height.

Per Capita Demand

The average quantity of water required per person per day for domestic and other uses. In Indian towns it is commonly taken as about 135 litres.

Sedimentation

A water treatment process in which suspended particles settle to the bottom when water is kept nearly still in a tank, usually before filtration.

Manhole

An opening in a sewer line with a cover that allows workers to inspect, clean, and maintain the sewer. Manholes are provided at intervals and at junctions.

Septic Tank

An on-site sewage treatment unit for individual houses in which sewage is retained long enough for solids to settle and decompose before the effluent is disposed of.

Camber

The cross slope provided on a road surface to drain rainwater quickly to the sides. It is usually about 2 to 3 percent for bituminous surfaces.

Superelevation

The inward transverse slope provided on a horizontal curve to counter centrifugal force and help vehicles negotiate the curve safely at design speed.

Stopping Sight Distance

The total distance a vehicle travels during the driver's reaction time plus the braking distance, needed to stop safely before an obstruction on the road.

California Bearing Ratio

A penetration test value that indicates the strength of the subgrade soil. It is used in the design of the thickness of flexible pavement layers.

Flexible Pavement

A pavement with a bituminous surfacing over granular layers that transfers load gradually to the subgrade. It is designed using the CBR value of the soil.