ABBE L6 Building Surveying flashcards
ABBE L6 Building Surveying · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Rising damp
- Groundwater rising through permeable masonry by capillary action, typically limited to about 1–1.5 m above ground and controlled by a continuous damp-proof course.
- Interstitial condensation
- Condensation forming within a construction when water vapour reaches its dew point inside the fabric; assessed by the Glaser method or dynamic hygrothermal modelling.
- Thermal bridge
- A localised area of higher heat loss where geometry or material changes, measured by linear thermal transmittance (psi value) in W/mK.
- Carbonation
- Reaction of atmospheric carbon dioxide with cement hydrates, lowering pore-water pH and depassivating embedded steel, allowing corrosion to begin.
- Cavity wall ties
- Metal connectors tying the two leaves of a cavity wall; corrosion-resistant ties maintain structural integrity and prevent leaf separation.
- Damp-proof course
- A continuous impermeable layer in masonry that prevents moisture rising by capillary action; discontinuity or bridging defeats its purpose.
- Characteristic strength
- The strength value below which no more than 5% of test results fall, used as the basis for concrete class designation at 28 days.
- Timber moisture content
- The percentage of water by mass in timber; above about 20% it creates conditions for fungal decay and insect attack.
- Schedule of condition
- A record of the existing condition of premises, often prepared at lease commencement, used as a baseline for later dilapidations liability.
- Thermal imaging survey
- An infrared survey identifying surface temperature differences; it detects thermal anomalies rather than moisture directly and requires corroboration.
- Condition rating scale
- A consistent grading (e.g., 1–5 or A–D) applied to each building element to record defect severity and urgency for maintenance planning.
- Party Wall etc. Act 1996
- Legislation in England and Wales governing works to party structures, excavations near adjoining buildings, and new walls at boundaries.
- Listed building consent
- A separate consent required for works affecting the character or appearance of a listed building, in addition to any planning permission.
- CDM 2015
- The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, imposing duties on clients, designers, and contractors to manage health and safety.
- U-value
- Thermal transmittance in W/m²K, measuring heat flow through a building element per unit area and temperature difference; lower values mean better insulation.
- Air permeability
- A measure of the building envelope's airtightness, expressed in m³/h·m² at 50 Pa and determined by a pressure test.
- Legionella control
- Management of water temperatures and system design to limit Legionella growth, including stored hot water above 60 °C and cold water below 20 °C.
- Re-pointing mortar
- Mortar used to replace weathered joints; it should be weaker and more permeable than the masonry to weather sacrificially and avoid spalling.
- Practical completion
- The contract stage at which works are complete except for minor defects, triggering the defects liability period and release of part of retention.
- Pay less notice
- A notice issued under statutory payment provisions reducing the amount otherwise payable; it must be given within the contract's specified period.
- Professional indemnity insurance
- Insurance covering a professional's liability for negligent acts, errors, or omissions in the provision of services, excluding deliberate wrongdoing.
- CDM risk hierarchy
- The requirement to eliminate, reduce, or control health and safety risks at source before relying on personal protective equipment.
- Whole-life carbon
- The sum of embodied and operational carbon emissions over a building's life, used to compare retrofit and new build options.
- Minimum intervention
- A conservation principle favouring the least invasive repair necessary to retain significance and fabric, with reversibility where practicable.
- Dry rot
- Fungal decay by Serpula lacrymans requiring moisture and poor ventilation; it can spread through masonry and behind plaster.
- Movement crack monitoring
- Recording crack width over time with tell-tales or gauges to distinguish live movement from dormant, stabilised cracking.
- Building Safety Act 2022
- Legislation introducing higher-risk building duties, including the golden thread of information and accountable persons for building safety.
- MVHR
- Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, a balanced supply and extract system recovering heat from exhaust air; requires filter maintenance.
- Underpinning
- Strengthening or deepening foundations, using methods such as mass concrete, mini-piled, or beam-and-pile, selected by ground conditions and load.
- Adjudication
- A statutory dispute resolution process giving a binding decision until final determination, enforceable through the courts.
- Glaser method
- A steady-state calculation of interstitial condensation risk comparing vapour pressure with saturation vapour pressure through construction layers.
- Adaptive reuse
- Retaining and repurposing an existing building for a new use, usually reducing embodied carbon compared with demolition and new build.