APPENDIX (GLOSSARY AND DATA)

APPENDIX

GLOSSARY

Accuracy: Nearness to a true standard. Often confused with precision (q.v.).

Attitude Adjustment: A meeting at the close of each work session in which technical and job-related issues are discussed. Yah, sure.

Axial: Along the axis, or center-line of a structural member.

Beam: Structural member that carries loads by bending in a plane 90 degrees from its long axis, i.e. is loaded transversely. Following are specialty names for beams.

· Channel – rolled steel beam shaped like a sideways “u”
· Girder – built up steel beam for super heavy loads and long spans
· GluLam – manufactured wooden beam for heavy loads and long spans
· Header – commonly, a beam over the wall opening for doors or windows
· Horse – an inclined beam for stair tread support
· I-beam – describes the shape of a rolled steel or built up wooden beam
· Joist – for floor, ceiling, or roof support
· Ledger – beam parallel with and attached to a wall, that transfers load to the wall
· Girt – Heavier ledger receiving horizontal thrust besides vertical loads
· Lintel – another name for a header
· Mast – upright cantilever beam
· Purlin – beam supporting a roof between trusses or heavier beams
· Rafter – sloping beam for transferring roof loads, usually to a bearing wall
· Plank – a beam with the wide face up for load-bearing
· Stringer – longitudinal beam in bridge work
· T-beam – shape descriptor for a built-up beam, often composed of concrete and steel
· TJI (Not TGI) – brand name for an “I” beam manufactured from wood materials

Buck: Term suggested by Dan Baker. Next time you see Dan, ask him what it means.

Camber: Arching or bowing purposefully formed in a Glu-Lam or other beam. The purpose is to compensate for expected beam deflection. Be aware of this, if fastening to it another part of the structure that should appear level, such as a ceiling.

Cantilever: A beam anchored against bending at one end only, as apposed to a beam supported at two or more places. A tree limb is a cantilever beam.

Cement: Often mistaken as concrete (q.v.), but actually a constituent part thereof, when combined with water, sand and gravel. Discovered by Roman Engineers.

Column: Structural member that carries loads in compression along its long axis. A tree trunk is a column. (It’s also a cantilever when the wind blows.)

Compression: The force that resists loads by push.

Concrete: Often mistaken for cement. Concrete is placed, not poured, and cured, not dried. Invented by Roman Engineers.

Deflection: The amount of bend or sag in a beam when loaded.

Error: Not a mistake. An error is an unavoidable discrepancy from the true measure.

FBM: Foot Board Measure. Lumbermens’ speak for “board-foot”, 1” x 1” x 12”.

Footing: Bottom of a foundation, and wider than. Transfers loads to the earth.

Foot-Pound: A measure of bending stress or load. One pound push at the end of a restrained stick one foot from the restraint generates one foot pound of bending in the stick at the point of restraint.

Foundation: Stem wall extending up from the footing, upon which is placed and anchors the suprastructure.

Gismo: Thingamajig, only shorter.

Glossary: List of words with definitions, as understood by some Laborers.

Mistake: A flub. Reading “68” for “86”, for example. Everyone makes them, so don’t despair. Just rectify it, or design a work-around.

Moment: A fancy word for bending. Measured in foot-pounds (sometimes inch- pounds).

Normal: Perpendicular to a reference line.

Plate: The top or bottom end of a stud wall. The top plate is double, the bottom plate is single and of treated material when necessary. The bottom plate is also called the sill.

Power Nailer: A nasty tool invented for high speed anchoring of feet to a floor. The Romans did not have this, so they could wear sandals.

Precision: Refinement of measurement. Over precision wastes time, under precision wastes material and effort.

Project Manager. That guy who’s sometimes seen on the job, but most often on the phone. Some times he hollers. He prays a lot.

Psf: Pounds per square foot.

Psi: Pounds per square inch.

q.v.: Abbreviation of a Roman Engineering term which means “look it up”.

Shear: Cutting or sliding.

Shear wall: Wall especially anchored and constructed to resist seismic (earth quake) loads.

Sill: See Plate, above.

Strain: Amount of change in dimension (e.g. squashing or stretching) of a structural member due to load.

Stress: The internal force resisting an external load. The load imposed is limited by the capacity of the member, called the allowable stress. Direct stress is measured in pounds per square inch. Distinguished from strain.

Suprastructure: The correct spelling of “superstructure”. It comes from Latin, the lingo of Roman Engineers. Some of their stuff is still standing, which makes them “super”.

Tension: Pull; the opposite of compression.

Web: The interior parts of a beam or truss. The web members of a truss are usually in direct tension or compression.