How much?
The ration of water to cement, usually by weight (water weight divided by cement weight) in a concrete mix. The water cement ration includes all cementitious components of the concrete, including fly ash and pozzolans, as well as portland cement.
Water-cement ratio
A ground-supported concrete slab 3 1/2" or thicker that is used as foundation system. It combines concrete foundation walls with a concrete floor slab that rests directly on an approved base that has been placed over the ground. Also called Slab-at-grade.
Slab-on-grade
Abbreviation for reinforcing bars. Also called rerod.
Rebars
Concrete when it is first mixed and is in a semi liquid and moldable state.
Plastic concrete
Leveling newly placed concrete to an established grade. Also called striking off.
Screeding
The ash produced during the reduction of iron ore to iron in a blast furnace.
Slag
Soil prepared and compacted to support a structure or pavement.
Subgrade
Deformed reinforcing bars that are rolled from carbon-steel axles used on railroad cars.
Axle-steel
Concrete that has hardened but has not yet gained its structural strength.
Green concrete
Concrete placed informs in a continuous pour without construction joints. Also known as a monolithic pour.
Monolithic slab
A metric measurement of pressure.
Pascal
Horizontal pieces placed on the outsides of the form walls to strengthen and stiffen the walls. The form ties are also fastened to the walers.
Walers
Deformed reinforcing bars that are rolled from selected used railroad rails.
Rail-steel
Concrete that has hardened and gained its structural strength.
Cured concrete
A diagonal supporting member used to reinforce a form against the weight of the concrete.
Brace
An informal unit of force that equals 1,000 (kilo) pounds.
Kip
American Concrete Institute
ACI
Wood or metal structures built to contain plastic concrete until it hardens.
Forms
The catalytic action water has in transforming the chemicals in portland cement into a hard solid. The water interacts with the chemicals to form calcium silicate hydrate gel.
Hydration
The base of a foundation system for a wall, column and chimney. It bears directly on the undisturbed soil and is made wider than the object it supports to distribute the weight over a greater area.
Footing
The distance a standard-sized cone made of freshly mixed concrete with sag. This is known as a slump test.
Slump
Work connected with concrete slabs used for walks, driveways, patios and floors.
Flatwork
American Plywood Association's trade name for reusable material for constructing concrete forms.
Plyform
Materials that are added to a concrete mix to change certain properties of the concrete such as a retarding setting time, reducing water requirements or making the concrete easier to work with.
Admixtures
Column-like structural members that penetrate through unstable, nonbearing soil to lower levels of loadbearing soils. They provide support for grade beams or columns that carry the structural load of a building
Piles