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Civil Engineering Vocab

Subject : engineering
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. An agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior charged with the planning and administration of all parks and monuments in the federal park system. The NPS is often referred to as the largest single employer of landscape architects in the United Sta






2. A wall that supports any vertical load in addition to its own weight.






3. Any method of determining the weight a compacted material is able to support without damage or displacement. Usually stated in pounds per square foot.






4. A dimensioned drawing indicating the form of an existing area and the physical objects existing in it and those to be built or installed upon it.






5. A record of each person involved in the handling and possession of a sample from the person who collected the sample to the person who analyzed the sample in the laboratory and to the person who witnessed disposal of the sample.






6. The movement or dislocation of underground soil or structure. Earth shift is usually caused by external forces such as surface loads - slides - stresses or nearby construction - water movements or seismic forces.






7. Harmonious use of the land for more than one purpose; not necessarily the combination of uses that will yield the highest economic return - e.g. - a mix of residential and commercial developments in the same area.






8. Material used to fill in a trench or excavation






9. Movement of soil from one place to another. Generally accompanies SILTING of a sewer system. Where infiltration is taking place and silt is carried into a sewer system - such silt or soil is removed from the ground around the sewer pipe and the resul






10. A site that might appear to be natural but has elements and features that were planned and specified by a landscape architect. Designed landscapes include Central Park in New York to the siting of buildings.






11. A multinational organization of landscape architects whose purpose is the promotion of landscape design and planning.






12. Any attempt to restore to beneficial use land that has lost its fertility and stability; most often applies to mining reclamation - such as the restoration of strip mines and quarries.






13. A strip of unspoiled - often treed - agricultural or other outlying land used to separate or ring urban areas.






14. A manhole in which the rate of the water entering is greater than the capacity of the outlet under gravity flow conditions. When the water in the manhole rises above the top of the outlet pipe - the manhole is said to be 'surcharged.'






15. That part of the precipitation falling on a drainage area which does not escape as surface stream flow during a given period. It is the difference between total precipitation and total runoff during the period - and represents evaporation - transpira






16. A material - other than aggregate - cementitious material or water - added in small quantities to the mix in order to produce some (desired) modifications - either to the properties of the mix or of the hardened product.






17. A system of gutters - catch basins - yard drains - culverts and pipes for the purpose of conducting storm waters from an area - but intended to exclude domestic and industrial wastes.






18. The man-made creation of or alterations to a specific area - including its natural resources. This is in contrast to the 'natural environment.'






19. A holding basin in which variations in flow and composition of a liquid are averaged. Such basins are used to provide a flow of reasonably uniform volume and composition to a treatment unit. Also called a balancing reservoir.






20. The creative illustration - planning and specification of space for the greatest possible amount of harmony - utility - value and beauty.






21. Sedimentation basin overflow weir. A plate with Vnotches along the top to ensure a uniform flow rate and avoid shortcircuiting.






22. A reservoir for the storage of filtered water of sufficient capacity to prevent the need to vary the filtration rate with variations in demand. Also used to provide chlorine contact time for disinfection.






23. One or a series of oneinch diameter holes through a manhole lid for purposes of venting dangerous gases found in sewers.






24. A break in a lateral pipe somewhere between the sewer main and the building connection.






25. A sewer line that receives wastewater from many tributary branches and sewer lines and serves as an outlet for a large territory or is used to feed an intercepting sewer.






26. Downstream opening or discharge end of a pipe - culvert - or canal.






27. The elements of supply inherent to an area that can be used to satisfy human needs - including air - soil - water - native vegetation - minerals and wildlife.






28. A relatively clear or forested area left untouched in or near a city. It may be active open space - such as a baseball field - or passive open space - such as an area of natural woodland.






29. Tamping or rolling of a material to achieve a surface or density that is able to support predicted loads.






30. An opening in pipes or sewers designed for rodding or working a snake into the pipe in either direction. Twoway cleanouts are most often found in building lateral pipes at or near a property line.






31. A water treatment process in which solid particles settle out of the water being treated in a large clarifier or sedimentation basin.






32. A flat board or plate - deflector - guide or similar device constructed or placed in flowing water or slurry systems to cause more uniform flow velocities - to absorb energy - and to divert - guide - or agitate liquids (water - chemical solutions - s






33. A septic tank or other holding tank which serves as a temporary wastewater storage reservoir for a Septic Tank Effluent Pump (STEP) system. See SEPTIC TANK.






34. A coordinating agency formed in 1961 for state boards that administer licensing exams and maintain records for landscape architects to practice.






35. A railing composed of balusters capped by a handrail.






36. A small box-like structure that contains valves used to regulate flows.






37. Masonry composed of irregularly shaped stones laid without regularity of coursing - but well bonded.






38. A pipe or conduit (sewer) intended to carry wastewater or waterborne wastes from homes - businesses - and industries to the POTW (Publicly Owned Treatment Works). Storm water runoff or unpolluted water should be collected and transported in a separat






39. A type of easement granting permission to a constructor or developer to build over a street or structure.






40. Water that does not contain objectionable pollution - contamination - minerals - or infective agents and is considered satisfactory for drinking.






41. A line from which heights and depths are calculated or measured. Also called a datum plane or a datum level.






42. The dropping or lowering of the ground surface as a result of removing excess water (overdraft or overpumping) from an aquifer. After excess water has been removed - the soil will settle - become compacted and the ground surface will drop and can cau






43. Masonry composed of roughly shaped stones fitting approximately on level beds - well bonded and brought at vertical intervals to continuous level beds of courses.






44. The science and art of design - planning - management and stewardship of the land. Landscape architecture involves natural and built elements - cultural and scientific knowledge - and concern for resource conservation to the end that the resulting en






45. A tank used to store a chemical solution of known concentration for feed to a chemical feeder. A day tank usually stores sufficient chemical solution to properly treat the water being treated for at least one day. Also called an AGE TANK.






46. An authorization issued by a government agency allowing construction of a project according to approved plans and specifications.






47. A plan for conserving or protecting various natural or manufactured resources. Such a plan is used as a management tool in making decisions regarding soil - water - vegetation - manufactured objects and other resources at a particular site.






48. In landscape architecture - an essential sheet showing site boundaries and significant site features - used as a basis for subsequent plan development.






49. Material used in backfilling of an excavation - selected for desirable compaction or other characteristics.






50. Downward movement of the soil or of a structure which it supports