PE Construction key terms

A hierarchical breakdown of total project scope into progressively smaller, manageable work packages that can be estimated, scheduled, and assigned to a responsible party.

A structured review of design documents by construction personnel during design to find details that are difficult, costly, or unsafe to build, so problems are solved before construction starts.

Engineered or non-engineered structures and systems built to support construction but not part of the permanent facility, such as formwork, shoring, falsework, and excavation support.

The temporary mold, along with its supporting frames and bracing, that holds fresh concrete in the required shape and position until the concrete gains enough strength to stand alone.

Manufacturer-supplied table giving the maximum load a crane may lift at each radius, boom length, and configuration, after deducting the weight of block, slings, and other rigging.

Water content boundaries that define the consistency of fine-grained soil: liquid limit, plastic limit, and shrinkage limit, found by standardized laboratory tests on material passing the No. 40 sieve.

The numerical difference between a soil's liquid limit and plastic limit; it shows the moisture range over which the soil stays plastic, with higher values indicating more clay and greater volume change.

A laboratory compaction test in which soil is placed in a mold in three layers and compacted with a 5.5-lb hammer dropped 12 in., producing a curve of dry density versus water content.

The water content at which a given compaction effort produces the highest dry unit weight for a soil; field compaction is usually specified as a percentage of this maximum dry density.

Loss of soil strength when saturated loose sands are shaken and pore water pressure rises until effective stress nears zero, letting the ground behave like a fluid.

The horizontal stress a soil mass exerts on a retaining wall or shoring, computed as active, at-rest, or passive depending on how much the wall is allowed to move.

The relationship stating that flow velocity through soil is proportional to the hydraulic gradient, with the coefficient of permeability as the constant of proportionality.

A graph of internal bending moment along a beam or frame, plotted from shear values, used to locate maximum moment and to size structural members.

The portion of a floor or roof area whose load is carried to a particular beam, column, or wall; used to convert uniform loads into equivalent point loads for member design.

A peak-flow equation, Q = CiA, multiplying a runoff coefficient, the rainfall intensity for the time of concentration, and the drainage area; limited to small watersheds.

The time for water to travel from the most hydraulically remote point of a drainage area to the outlet; it sets the storm duration used to pick rainfall intensity.

A dimensionless ratio of runoff to rainfall for a given surface and storm, reflecting infiltration, depression storage, and surface type; used in the rational method.

A plot of piezometric head along a pipe or channel, equal to the energy grade line minus velocity head; its position shows whether flow is pressurized or open channel.

A field test in which fresh concrete placed in a standard cone is allowed to settle after the cone is lifted; the measured drop indicates consistency and workability.

The mass of water divided by the mass of cementitious material in a concrete mix; it controls strength, permeability, and durability, with lower ratios producing stronger concrete.

Maintaining adequate moisture and temperature in concrete after placement so cement hydration continues; curing duration strongly affects strength gain and long-term durability.

The length of embedment needed for a reinforcing bar to transfer its design force into the surrounding concrete without pulling out, based on bar size, coating, and cover.

A series of small-diameter pipes with screened tips installed along a header pipe and connected to a vacuum pump, used to lower the groundwater table for shallow excavations.

Interlocking steel or timber sections driven into the ground to form a continuous earth-retaining wall and cut off seepage in excavations, cofferdams, and waterfront work.

A network scheduling technique that calculates early and late dates for each activity and identifies the longest path, which fixes the shortest possible project duration.

The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project completion date; it equals late finish minus early finish, or late start minus early start.

The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the early start of any successor activity.

A cost and schedule control technique that compares the budgeted value of work performed against actual cost and planned value to forecast performance and final completion cost.

Earned value divided by actual cost; a result below 1.0 means the work completed has cost more than the budget allowed.

Earned value divided by planned value; a result below 1.0 indicates that work is progressing more slowly than the baseline schedule intended.

A budget allowance added to the base estimate for scope that is expected but not yet defined, such as minor changes and quantity growth; it does not cover major scope changes.

A systematic measurement of work items from the drawings and specifications, expressed in the units of the contract pay items, forming the basis of an estimate.

A formal written question from the contractor to the designer seeking clarification of the contract documents; the written response becomes part of the project record.

Contractor-prepared shop drawings, product data, or samples sent to the designer for review and approval before the related work is fabricated or installed.

A written modification to the contract, signed by the owner, that adds, deletes, or revises work and adjusts the contract price and/or contract time.

The stage when the work, or a designated portion, is complete enough for the owner to use it for its intended purpose, shifting risk and starting warranty and punch-list periods.

Under OSHA, one who can identify existing and predictable hazards and has authority to take prompt corrective action; required for excavations, scaffolding, and similar high-hazard work.

Sloping, benching, shoring, or shielding installed to protect workers from cave-ins in trenches and excavations, selected according to soil type and depth.

Guardrail, personal fall arrest, safety net, or other system required for workers exposed to falls of six feet or more in construction, including controlled access zones.

A space with limited entry and exit, not designed for continuous occupancy, where hazardous atmospheres or engulfment may exist; entry requires a permit, atmospheric testing, and an attendant.