LA Landscape flashcards

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

Lump sum contract

A fixed-price contract for a defined scope of work. The contractor bears cost-overrun risk, so drawings and specifications must be complete before bidding.

Construction change directive

A written order directing the contractor to proceed with work before price and time are agreed. It is later converted into a change order.

Substantial completion

The stage when the work is sufficiently complete for its intended use. It starts warranty periods and typically triggers partial retainage release.

Total float

The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project completion date. Exceeding float on the critical path delays the project.

Slope percentage formula

Slope percent equals rise divided by run, multiplied by 100. A 2 percent slope drops 2 feet over 100 feet, or one-quarter inch per foot.

USDA soil textural triangle

A chart classifying soil by percentages of sand, silt, and clay. Loam, near 40 percent sand, 40 silt, and 20 clay, is the agronomic ideal.

Overlay suitability mapping

A method combining factor layers such as slope, soils, floodplain, and vegetation into a composite map showing where development is most and least suitable.

Viewshed analysis

Mapping the area visible from a point or route using elevation data, observer height, and screening by vegetation or structures.

CSI MasterFormat divisions

The organizational standard for specifications. Site work falls in Division 31 earthwork, Division 32 exterior improvements, and Division 33 utilities.

Plant schedule fields

A table listing symbol, botanical name, common name, size, root condition, quantity, and remarks for each plant species specified.

Record drawings

Drawings documenting actual installed conditions, prepared from contractor markups during construction and retained for the owner's facility records.

Rational method

A formula estimating peak runoff: Q equals C times i times A, where C is runoff coefficient, i is rainfall intensity, and A is area in acres.

Detention versus retention

Detention temporarily stores runoff and releases it slowly. Retention holds water permanently in ponds or basins. Infiltration practices allow water to soak into the ground.

Manning's equation

A formula for open-channel flow: Q equals 1.486 divided by n, times area, times hydraulic radius to the two-thirds power, times slope to the one-half power.

Cut and fill balance

Designing grading so excavated soil volume roughly equals fill volume, minimizing hauling cost. Average end area method computes volume between cross sections.

Cation exchange capacity

A measure of a soil's ability to hold positively charged nutrients. Clay and organic matter raise CEC; sandy soils leach nutrients readily.

Critical root zone

The protected soil area around a tree, often one foot of radius per inch of trunk diameter, fenced before demolition and grading begin.

Evapotranspiration

The combined water loss from soil evaporation and plant transpiration. It drives irrigation scheduling and is influenced by temperature, wind, and solar radiation.

Control joints in concrete

Planned cracks in concrete slabs, spaced about 1 to 1.5 times the slab thickness in feet, to control where cracking occurs.

Flexible versus rigid pavers

Flexible pavers are sand-set on compacted aggregate base. Rigid pavers are mortar-set on a concrete base. Both require edge restraint.

Weep holes

Small openings in retaining walls that allow water to drain, preventing hydrostatic pressure buildup. They are paired with drainage gravel and filter fabric.

Silt fence

A temporary erosion control barrier of filter fabric on posts, installed downslope of disturbed areas to trap sediment before it leaves the site.

Floor area ratio

The ratio of gross floor area to lot area. A 0.5 FAR on a 20,000 square foot lot allows 10,000 square feet of building.

Accessible parking dimensions

Standard accessible spaces are 96 inches wide with a 60-inch access aisle. Van-accessible spaces are 132 inches wide and must be signed.

Base flood elevation

The elevation of the 100-year flood, the flood with a 1 percent annual chance of occurring. It controls lowest floor elevation in regulated floodplains.

Riparian buffer

A vegetated strip along a stream, commonly 25 to 100 feet wide, that filters runoff, stabilizes banks, and protects aquatic habitat.

ADA running slope limit

Accessible routes may not exceed a 1:20 running slope, which is 5 percent. Steeper ramps require handrails, landings, and edge protection.

OSHA trench shoring

Excavations 5 feet or deeper require protective systems such as sloping, shoring, or shielding, inspected daily by a competent person.

Standard of care

The skill and care ordinarily provided by professionals under similar circumstances. It is not a guarantee of perfection or of a specific result.

Request for information

A written contractor question about the contract documents. The landscape architect's written response clarifies intent and may become part of the contract.

Punch list

A list of incomplete or defective work identified near substantial completion. The contractor completes items and the landscape architect verifies before final payment.

Wetland delineation

Identifying wetland boundaries using hydric soils, hydrophytic vegetation, and wetland hydrology, following the US Army Corps of Engineers manual.

Section 106 review

A requirement of the National Historic Preservation Act that federal undertakings be reviewed for effects on historic properties before approval.