Architectural and Engineering Glossary
B
1.Abbr.for British Standards Institution.2.Abbr.for “Building Stone Institute.”
On drawings,abbr.for basement.
Abbr.for “building space requirements.”
Abbr.for “British Standard Specification.”
Abbr.for “bastard.”
Abbr.for “bituminous treated base.”
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Abbr.for British thermal unit.
Glass in which decorative bubbles have been introduced during manufacture.
Bubbles of entrapped air or solvent vapors which protrude from a paint surface;formed either on application or during drying of the paint film.
A structure to house cows.
A west African wood,light red to violet in color,often with purple stripes,frequently figured;hard,high density;used as interior finish and for decorative paneling.
1.A door buck.2.A sawhorse.
A rough opening.
A type of earth scraper;when filled,the scoop is raised from the ground by runners on each side.
An attachment for a materials handling or excavating machine that digs or carries loose materials such as earth,gravel,stone,or concrete;may be shaped like a scoop,with provision for opening and closing for convenience in unloading.
A plumbing fixture whose basin is located near the floor so that it provides easy access to a water supply and drain.
A mechanical,buoyancy operated steam trap which is designed to prevent steam from passing through the trap;makes use of an inverted or upright cup.
An ornament used in the decoration of friezes;sometimes circular or lozenge shaped.
The collapse of a slender vertical element which has been subjected to compression,leading to a sudden sideways deflection.
The load,1 under which a structural member distorts under compression.
A saw consisting of a blade set in an H-shaped frame;used for cutting wood on a sawhorse.
A sculptured ornament representing the head or skull of an ox,often garlanded;frequently used on Roman Ionic and Corinthian friezes.
Same as lotus capital.
1.To clean and polish a surface so that a high luster results.2.To grind down and/or polish a floor finish of terrazzo or other exposed aggregate concrete.
Small regular or irregular cavities,usually not exceeding 5⁄8 in.(15 mm) in diameter,resulting from entrapment of air bubbles in the surface of formed concrete during placing and compaction.
A two-wheeled or fourwheeled cart,often motor driven,usually rubber tired,for transporting small quantities of concrete from hoppers or mixers to forms.
Same as fit out.
To apply successive layers to form a thicker mass.
A bracket attached to a windowsill,which projects outside the window;used to support a scaffold.
1.A level,1 which is set in a long wood or alloy frame.2.A simple type of tilting level or dumpy level.
A hoist,1 used to lift workers and materials to upper stories of a structure during its construction.
A specialized form of property insurance to cover work,1 in the course of construction.Also see property insurance.
A heavy scaffold which is constructed of square timbers,braced together;usually used for the handling of heavy materials.builder’s tape A tape measure;in the US,usually 50 ft or 100 ft long,contained in a circular
A trench that is dug to seat the foundation of a building during its construction.
Same as Shed style.
A more or less enclosed and permanent structure for housing,commerce,industry,etc.distinguished from mobile structures and those not intended for occupancy.Also see accessory building.
The total area of a site which is covered by buildings as measured on a horizontal plane at ground level.Terraces and uncovered porches usually are excluded from this total,although the stipulations of a mortgage lender or governmental program may require their inclusion.
An element in a building which demonstrates human workmanship,such as a stained glass window.
A rectangular masonry unit,other than a brick,made of burnt clay,cement,concrete,glass,gypsum,or any other material suitable for use in building construction.
Any sheet of building material,often faced with paper or vinyl;suitable for use as a finished surface on walls,ceilings,etc.
Brick for building purposes,not esp treated for texture or color.
The designation of a building according to its use or occupancy.
See division
A building drain which conveys both sewage and storm water.
building combined sewer A building sewer which conveys both sewage and storm water.
The fabrication and erection of a building by assembling or combining building components,subsystems,or systems.
See contract documents.
Same as the footprint of a building.
The fraction or percentage of a site’s total area which is taken up by buildings.
All piping provided for carrying waste water,sewage,or other drainage from the building to the street sewer or place of disposal.
