Category Archives: Vocabulary

Ponding

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vocabularyWhen I first started working in the construction industry it was with roofing contractors and often you hear strange terms such as “ponding” when, in retrospect, make perfect sense.

Ponding is a condition prevalent with flat, built-up roof systems where there are drainage issues but it is not a term solely used on roofs, it can be used to describe water pooling in a parking lot, too.

According to the Construction Dictionary, 9th Edition © 2001 published by the Greater Phoenix, Arizona Chapter #98 of the National Association of Women in Construction lintel is defined as follows:

(1) Curing method for flat surfaces whereby a small earth dam or other water-retaining material is placed around the perimeter of the surface and the enclosed area is flooded with water.  (2)  The gathering of water at low or irregular areas on a roof.

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Lintel

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vocabularyLintel, not to be confused with “a widely cultivated Eurasian annual leguminous plant” which is the lentil bean, is a structural term.

According to the Construction Dictionary, 9th Edition © 2001 published by the Greater Phoenix, Arizona Chapter #98 of the National Association of Women in Construction lintel is defined as follows:

(1) A piece of wood, stone or steel placed horizontally across the top of the door and window openings to support the walls immediately above the openings. (2) In steel work, the horizontal steel member spanning an opening to support the load above.

Where the legume may give your body the structural support it needs in the form of proteins, lintels give structural support to door and window openings–a small, subtle difference.

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Berm

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vocabularySome construction jargon comes from the appearance of wildlife and, after consideration, makes sense, like the term “alligatoring.” While others like “girder” come to life from related words. In this case, I have no frame of reference for the term “berm.”

However, Merriam-Webster gives us the word origin:

French berme, from Dutch berm strip of ground along a dike; akin to Middle English brimme brim | First Known Use: 1704

According to the Construction Dictionary, 9th Edition © 2001 published by the Greater Phoenix, Arizona Chapter #98 of the National Association of Women in Construction alligatoring is defined as follows:

(1) An artificial ridge of earth, generally side slopes of a roadbed and commonly called the shoulder.  The space between the toe and slope and excavation made for intercepting ditches or borrow pits.  Berms are built to hold water on land that is to be flood irrigated. (2) In dam construction, a horizontal step or bench in the sloping profile of an embankment dam.

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Alligatoring

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vocabularyNo, this does not refer to a hunt for alligators in the Everglades, neither are were talking shoes or belts; relax, no need to contact PETA (but you may need to contact your general contractor). This term often refers to a condition where the asphaltic concrete is cracked and buckled so that it appears like the skin of an alligator.

This term can apply to a variety of surfaces including paint finishes, flat roofing membranes, and AC paving, and is also known as crazing or crocodiling.

According to the Construction Dictionary, 9th Edition © 2001 published by the Greater Phoenix, Arizona Chapter #98 of the National Association of Women in Construction alligatoring is defined as follows:

(1) Cracks in the surface layer of materials only, which widen from contraction caused by a sudden change in temperature, lack of binder, not sufficient drying time between coats, poor penetration or applying a hard film over a soft undercoat.

(2) Extensive breaking of paint film resulting from the second coat being applied over a primer not thoroughly dried. Sometimes referred to as crocodiling.

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CMU

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vocabularySome construction terms are more cryptic than others but this week’s post is for a simple acronym: CMU.

CMU stands for concrete masonry unit and is used in various ways; when I was a kid CMU blocks supported planks that held up the stereo system and record player (emblematic of the 1970’s).

According to the Construction Dictionary, 9th Edition © 2001 published by the Greater Phoenix, Arizona Chapter #98 of the National Association of Women in Construction concrete masonry unit (CMU) is defined as follows:

A solid or hollow masonry unit made from water, portland cement, and suitable aggregates such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, bituminous or anthracite cinder, expanded clay or shale, pumice, volcanic scoria, aircooled or expanded blast furnace slag, with or without other materials and molded into various shapes.

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