Steelwork Glossary

WHIL Steelwork Glossary
GLOSSARY OF STRUCTURAL STEELWORK TERMS

A
AISC Abbreviation for American Institute of Steel Construction.
ASB Abbreviation for Asymmetric Slimdeck Beam. Hot rolled I section
beam in which the bottom flange is wider than the top flange. Beam
is built into the depth of the slab with the bottom flange supporting
the decking, therefore reducing the overall depth of the construction.
ASTM
"A" FRAME A structural system utilizing members which when fastened together
resemble the letter A.
ABUT Joining the ends of construction members.
ABUTMENT Construction intended to resist lateral thrust and vertical load, usually from an
arch or bridge.
ACCEPTABLE PRODUCT An item named and specified by manufacturers reference meets the
specification in all respects and is acceptable to the Engineer. Products listed
in various sections are to be used as guides and do not imply exclusion of
unlisted manufacturers, models or materials.
ACCEPTABLE WORKMANSHIP Satisfactory to and approved by the reviewing authority associated

with the contract.
ACCEPTANCE TESTING Testing to establish whether a batch of products conforms to the
specified requirements.
ACCESS TO THE WORK The right of the contractor to ingress and egress, and to occupy the
work site as required to reasonably perform the work described in the
contract documents.
ACCESSIBILITY Ability of a space to be entered with ease.
ACCESSORY A building product which supplements a basic solid panel building
such window, light transmitting panel, roof vent, etc.
ACCIDENTAL LOAD Load that is not specifically foreseen because its occurrence is
unlikely but for which an allowance is made in design.
ACCURACY Quantitative measure of the degree of conformity with an accepted
reference value.
ACOUSTICS The science of sound. In housing, acoustical materials used to keep
down noise within a room or to prevent it from passing through walls.
ACTUAL COST The cost actually incurred by the Contractor in the performance of
the 'Work….which includes labour, material, actual ownership cost of
equipment or invoiced rental rates, and administrative overhead.
ACTUAL SIZE Achieved size obtained by measurement.
A-FRAME CONSTRUCTION Framed construction of triangular cross-section, with legs joined at the top
and braced horizontally further down, similar to the letter "A", used for simple
one and two storey buildings.
AGRICULTURAL BUILDING A structure designed and constructed to house farm implements, hay
grain, poultry, livestock or other agricultural products. Such
structures should not include: spaces meant for habitation or to be
occupied, spaces in which agricultural products are processed,
treated, or the possibility of being as a place of occupancy by the
general public.
AIR DUCT A pipe, usually made of sheet metal, that conducts air to rooms from
a central source.
ALTERATION Changing or modifying the character or condition of a building, plant
or civil engineering works.
ALTERNATE A Specified item of construction that is set apart by a separate sum.
An alternated may or may not be incorporated into the contract sum
at the discretion and approval of the owner at the time of contract
award.
ALUMINIUM COATED STEEL Steel coated with aluminium for corrosion resistance.
ANALYSIS An investigation of a domain that results in models describing its
static and dynamic characteristics. It emphasis question of "what",
rather than "how".
ANCHOR BOLTS Bolts used to anchor members to a foundation or other support. Also
known as Foundation Bolts.
ANGLE/ANGLE SECTION Rolled steel section with a cross - section resembling the letter L,
whose legs may be equal or unequal in width. (Also see RSA)
APEX 1) The horizontal line formed by opposing sloping sides of a roof
running parallel with the building length.
2) The high point/peak of a roof (also known as Ridge).
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APPROVAL DRAWINGS A Set of drawings that may include framing plans, elevations and
sections through the building for approval of the Main
Client/Checking Engineer.
APPROVED CONTRACTOR A Contractor who has demonstrated that they have the expertise,
resources, ability and desire to tender for a proposed project.
Selection of such contractors in normally a by preselection
procedures.
APPROVED SUBSTITUTION Refers to manufacturers, materials, products, systems, or equipment
approved by the AIE for use in place of those specified.
ARCH Curved structural member designed to carry loads between points of
support.
ARCH Abbreviation for Architect.
ARCHITECT A design professional responsible for developing the aesthetic,
functional, performance and overall form of a construction work to
meet owner or client requirements by preparing detail drawings,
specifications and schedules and ensuring actual construction
conforms with those aspects of design.
ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING Drawing which shows the appearance of general arrangements, assemblies,
component ranges and details of a construction project.
AS-BUILT DRAWING Drawing used to record the details of a structure following its completion.
ASD (Allowable Strength Design). Method of proportioning structural

components such that the allowable strength equals or exceeds the
required strength of the component under the action of the ASD load
combinations.
ASSEMBLY A group of mutually dependent and compatible components or
subassemblies of components.
ASSEMBLY DRAWING A drawing which shows the overall configuration and all details
required for the fabrication of a complete assembly. Assembly
drawings will show all the profile sizes, cutting lengths, drilling of
each of the component parts, and how they are to be incorporated
into the completed assembly.
ASSEMBLY MARK A number given to each separate part of the building for erection
identification.
ATRIUM An open court (usually with glass roof) within a building.
AUTOCAD 2-D detailing software.
AYRSHIRE A manufacturer of cold rolled Purlins and Side Rails.
AXIAL FORCE A force tending to elongate or shorten a member.
AXIS Line around which something rotates or is symmetrically arranged.
B
BCSA Abbreviation for British Constructional Steelwork Association.
B.O. Abbreviation for Bought Out. Bought Out lists are issued for
special/non standard components required for fabrication/erection.
BOB Abbreviation for Bottom of Baseplate
BQ Abbreviation for Bill of Quantities.
BS Abbreviation for British Standard.
BS5950 British Standard (Code of Practice) relating to the design of structural
steelwork in building construction.
B/S Abbreviation for Both Sides.
B.S.T. Abbreviation for British Summer Time. UK time between April and
October. Indian Time - 4.5 hrs.
BZP Abbreviation for Bright Zinc Plated.
BACK DRAFTING The process of updating drawings to incorporate
comments/corrections made by the checker.
BACKMARK Distance from the back (heel) of an angle or channel to a hole
positioned in the angle leg or channel flange.
BALCONY Accessible platform projecting or recessed from the external face of
a building.
BALCONY A deck projecting from the wall of a building above the ground.
BALUSTRADE A series of balusters or post connected by a rail, generally used
adjacent to stairs.
BANISTER A handrailing.
BARGEBOARD Finish board covering the projecting and sloping portion (end rafter)
of a gable roof.
BASE PLATE A plate attached to the bottom of a column, which rests on a
foundation or other support, usually secured by anchor bolts.
BASEMENT The lowest story of a building, partially or entirely below ground.
BATTEN Secondary members (plates, angles or channels) used to link twin
members together.
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BAY The space between the main frames measured normal to the frame.
BAY WINDOW A projection formed by three windows that are joined at obtuse
angels.
BEAM 1) A member, usually horizontal, that is subjected to bending loads.
Three types are simple, continuous and cantilever.
2) A horizontal structural member that carries a load.
BEAM AND COLUMN A Structural system consisting of a series of rather beams supported
by columns. Often used as the end fame of a building.
BEAM SPLICE A joint provided at mid span of a beam.
BEARING PLATE A steel plate that is set on the top of a masonry support on which a
beam or purlin can rest.
BEARING STRENGTH The strength of materials subjected to crushing.
BENCH MARK 1) A marked reference point on a permanent object, such as a metal
disk set in concrete, whose elevation is referenced to a datum is
known.
2) A mark made by a surveyor or general contractor to be used as a
reference point when measuring the elevation or location of other
points.
BENDING MOMENT The force generated when a load is applied at an eccentricity (out of
plane).
BEVEL CUT An angled cut to a steel section (also known as Bevel/Splay cut).
BILL OF MATERIALS (BOM) A complete listing with part marks and descriptions of each piece of
material required for the project. Used for the purposes of
ordering/fabricating materials.
BILL OF QUANTITIES (BQ) A complete listing, with descriptions, of each piece of material
required for the project. Used for the purposes of pricing/costing
materials.
BLACK BOLTS
BLAST PRIMER A ptimer which is applied to steel immediately after shotblasting in
order to maintain the blast cleaned surface in a rust free condition
until final painting can be undertaken.
BIRDS MOUTH NOTCH A rectangular slot placed in a fitting to allow it to fit around another
part, forming a cruciform section.
BOX GIRDER Girders, trucks or other members of rectangular cross section
enclosed on four sides.
BRACE Any stiffening member of a framework.
BRACED CORE Essentially a tower braced in all directions so as to provide stiffeness
to a multi-storey structure.
BRACED FRAME An essentially vertical truss system that provides resistance to lateral
loads and provides stability for the structural system.
BRACED PANELS Bracing provided between two adjacent columns. Braced panels
provided at various locations throughout a multi-storey structure in
order to provide stiffenes to the structure as a whole.
BRACED FRAMING Frame construction with posts and braces used for stiffening.
BRACING Rods, angles or cables used in the plane of the roof and walls to
transfer loads, such as wind, seismic and crane thrusts to the
foundation.
BRACKET A Structural support projecting from a structural member. Examples
are canopy brackets, lean - to brackets, and crane runway brackets.
BREACH OF CONTRACT The failure, without, legal justification, to fulfil obligations that are the
whole or part of an agreement, written or oral. The breach of contract
can be intentional, inadvertent, or caused by the negligence of the
party breaching the contract.
BRIDGE CRANE A load lifting system consisting of a hoist, which moves laterally on a
beam, girder or bridge which in turn moves longitudinally on a
runway made of beams and rails.
BUILDABILITY The extent to which the design of a building facilitates ease of
construction subject to the overall requirements for the completed
building.
BUILDING A structure forming an open, partially enclosed space constructed by
a planned process of combining materials, components, and
subsystems to meet specific conditions of use.
BUILDING CODE A collection of legal requirements for buildings designed to protect
the safety, health, and general welfare of people who work and live
them.
BUILDING HEIGHT The distance from finished ground level to the highest point of the
roof or parapet.
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BUILDING LINE Setback restrictions on property, established by zoning ordinances,

beyond which a building must be placed.
BUILT - UP ROOFING A roof covering made up of alternating layers of tar and materials
made of asphalt.
BUILT - UP SECTION A structural member, usually an "I" shaped section, made from
individual flat plates welded together.
BUILT-UP ROOF Roofing for low-slope roofs composed of several layers of felt and
hot asphalt or coal tar, usually covered with small aggregate.
BUMPER An energy - absorbing device for reducing impact when a moving
crane or trolley reaches the end of its permitted travel, or when two
moving cranes or trolleys come into contact.
BUTTRESS Vertical masonry or concrete support, usually larger at the base,
which projects from a wall.
C
C/L Abbreviation for Centre Line.
C.F.W. Abbreviation for Continuous Fillet Weld.
CHS Abbreviation for Circular Hollow Section (Round shaped steel
member).
C/Crs Abbreviation for Cross Centres.
CofG Abbreviation for Centre of Gravity.
CSK Abbreviation for Countersunk Bolt
CUB Abbreviation for Castellated Universal Beam (See Castellated
Beam).
"C" SECTION A member in the shape of a block "C" formed from steel sheet, that
may be used either singularly or back to back.
CAD DRAWING 1) The presentation of selected parts of a CAD model as projected
on a drawing sheet. Visibility on the drawing can be controlled by
viewpoints and layers. The drawing sheet can also contain additional
graphics, such as borderlines, title-blocks and legends. CAD
drawings can also be produced independently without an underlying
CAD model (a drawing-oriented approach as opposed to the model-
oriented approach).
2) Drawing which is produced by a printing or plotting device or on a
screen, governed by a computer programme.
CAD MODEL CAD data file(s) organised according to the physical parts of the
objects represented (e.g. a building). Models can be two-dimensional
or three-dimensional.
CADMIUM PLATED Similar to Zinc plating, but Cadmium used instead. Rarely used for
strucutral projects.
CAMBER Curvature of a flexural member in the plane of its web before loading.
CANOPY A projecting roof system that is supported and restrained at one end
only.
CANTILEVER A projecting beam or structural member anchored at only one end.
CANTILEVER BEAM A beam supported only at one end with the other end free to move.
CAP PLATE A plate located at the top of a column or end of a beam for capping
the exposed end of the member.
CASTELLATED BEAM A standard rolled UB or UC which is cut down the middle of the web
with an hexagonal line. The two halves of the beam are then welded
back together to produce a beam with a deeper section.
CAVITY WALL Double masonry wall having an air space between the skins.
CELL BEAM A welded plate girder with holes cut in the web plate in order to
reduce the self weight of the section.
CELLULAR BEAM A standard rolled UB or UC which is cut down the middle of the web
with a semi-circular cut line. The two halves of the beam are then
welded back together to produce a beam with a deeper section.
CENTRE OF GRAVITY (CofG)

CENTRE LINE The geometrical centre of a section.
CHALK LINE A string that is heavily chalked, held tight, then plucked to make a
straight guideline against boards or other surfaces.
CHAMFER Bevelled edge formed by removing the sharp corner of a material.
CHANGE ORDER 1) A Change Order is a written amendment to the Contract prepared
by the Consultant and signed by the Owner and the Contractor
stating their agreement costs and implications of changes required to
the building during construction.
2) A written order to the Contractor for extra work, increases or
decreases Contract quantities, and additions or alterations to the
plans or specifications, within the scope of the Contract.
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CHANGES IN THE WORK - SIGNIFICANT When the character of the work, as altered, (1) differs materially in
kind or nature from that involved or included in the original proposed
construction, or (2) when a major item of work as defined elsewhere
in the Contract is increased in excess of 125 percent or decreased
below 75 percent of the original Contract quantity.
CHANGES TO THE WORK Additions, deletions, or revisions to the work within the general scope
of the contract.
CHANNEL SECTION Rolled steel section with a cross-section resembling the letter "C".
CHANNEL, HOT ROLLED A member formed while in a semi-molten state at the steel mill to
shape having standard dimensions and properties.
CHECK DIMENSIONS A dimension between two given reference points used for the
purposes of checking a multi-part assembly (e.g. crank beams, stair
stringers etc).
CHORD Top or bottom member of a truss.
CIRCULAR SAW A saw having a circular blade which is used to cut steel sections to
length.
CORUS British-Dutch producer of structural steel sections.
CLADDING 1) The exterior metal roof and wall panelling of a Metal Building
System. See also Covering.
2) The non-loadbearing external surfacing of a building designed to
provide a weather-proof enclosure, fixed to framing. Cladding panels
are generally fromed from cold-rolled trapizoidal sheets with
insulation sandwiched between inner and outer sheets.
CLASH CHECK A check performed in 3-D CAD models in order to eliminate problems
in the model such as overlapping members (duplicated material)
unconnected members etc).
CLEAT An angle fitting (usually with holes) used to pick-up connections for
other members/elements of the structure.
CLEADER RAIL A small section, cold formed, angle used to trim edges/projections of
roof purlins/side rails.
CLEAR SPAN Distance between opposite faces of supports.
CLEARANCE HOLE A bolt hole of a slightly bigger diameter (2 to 3mm) than the bolt
diameter to allow easy insertion of the bolt.
CLIENT Person or organization that requires a construction to be provided,
altered or extended, and is responsible for initiating and approving
the brief.
CLOSE TOLLERANCE BOLTS Special bolt type which is manufactured to a higher level of precision.
Used in conjunction with tight fitting holes. Rarely used for strucutral
works due to cost.
COLD FORMED/COLD FORMING The process of using press brakes or rolling mills to shape steel into
desired cross sections at room temperature.
COLD ROLLED "Z" and "C" section Purlins and Side Rails which are cold formed.
COLUMN A main member used in a vertical position on a building to transfer
loads from main roof beams, trusses, or rafters to the foundations.
COLUMN SPLICE A joint provided along the length of a column/to join two column
section sizes together.
COLUMN RESTRAINTS Small section angles which connect diagonally between the inside
flange of a column and the side rails. Used to provide restraint to the
inside flange of the column.
COMMENTS INCORPORATION The process of updating calculations/detail drawings in line with
comments made by the checker.
COMPONENT A part used in a Metal Building System. See also Components and
Cladding.
COMPOSITE Composite items are items made from more than one material where
each material plays a significant role (e.g. windows with timber
frames and aluminium sashes). "Composite" is not used for items
made predominantly of one material but which include minor items of
another material.
COMPOSITE Form of construction in which the concrete slab is linked into the
CONSTRUCTION/COMPOSITE SLAB steel frame via welded shear studs. Resulting design is more
economic as both slab and frame act together to resist loadings.
COMPRESSION A force that tends to make a member fail because of crushing.
CONCRETE COVER Distance between concrete surface and surface of reinforcement or
duct of prestressing tendons.
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CONCRETE ENCASED Term used to describe steel members which have concrete cast
around them. Encasement may be done on site after erection (In-
Situ), or Pre-Encased. If Pre-Encased then the requirement may
need to be shown on the fabrication details. Members which are
encased are usually left unpainted so as to form proper bond
between steel and concrete.
CONCRETE SLAB Concrete construction, horizontal or nearly horizontal, of large area

relative to its thickness.
CONDENSATION The formation of frost or drops of water on inside walls when warm
vapour inside a room meets a cold wall or window.
CONDUIT A channel built to convey water or other fluids; a drain or sewer. In
electrical work, a channel that carries wires for protection and for
safety.
CONNECTION Combination of structural elements and joints used to transmit forces
between two or more members.
CONNECTION DESIGN The design of bolts, welds, cleats, plates and fittings required to
provide an adequate load path between the end of a member and
the component it connects to.
CONSTRUCTION DRAWING Drawing which specifies construction information.
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT A process to administrate and manage the actual construction of a
project or parts of a project on behalf of an owner or a project
manager; usually begins with overseeing the bid process (usually
multiple bids), coordinating and monitoring construction activities,
establishing a progressive commissioning process; the process may
involve consultation or direction to the design consultants during the
latter portion of the design development stage where it overlaps the
construction phase.
CONSTRUCTION PROJECT The process of planning, organizing and administering control and
MANAGEMENT result assessment of a construction project.
CONSULTANT A person (or organization) with an area of expertise or professional
training who contracts to perform a service.
CONTINUITY The terminology given to a structural system denoting the transfer of
loads and stresses from member to member allowing the members
to act as a single unit.
CONTINUOUS BEAM Beam that spans three or more supports.
CONTINUOUS BEAM A beam that has no intermediate supports.
CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION The process of directing, administering, and monitoring the progress
of a construction contract.
CONTRACT DOCUMENT Document forming part of a contract.
CONTRACT DRAWINGS The drawings forming part of the contract documents which describe
the work to be executed.
CONTRACT NUMBER A unique number which is assigned to each project done by WHL.
Allows all documents, drawings and assemblies associated with that
project to be easily identified as belonging to that contract.
CONTRACTOR The Contractor is the person or entity identified as such in the
Agreement. The term Contractor means the Contractor or the
Contractor's authorized representative as designated to the Owner in
writing.
CONTRACTOR A person, firm, or corporation contracting with the owner (client),
undertaking the execution of the work and to construct the facility;
usually referred to as a general contractor.
COUNTER FORMED HOLE A hole with a pressed recess in thin material (e.g. cold rolled
sections) to allow the insertion of a countersunk bolt.
COUNTERSUNK BOLT A bolt having a flat head so that it can be installed flush with once
face of the connecting steel.
COUNTERSUNK HOLE A hole having an angled recess so as to enable it to receive a
Countersunk Bolt
COVERING The exterior metal roof and wall panelling of a Metal Building
System.
CRANE A machine designed to move material by means of a hoist.
CRANE GIRDER The principal horizontal beams of the crane operates, defined by the
crane span and the uninterrupted length of Crane Runway.
CRANE RAIL A track supporting and guiding the wheels of a top-running bridge
crane or trolley system.
CRANE RUNWAY BEAM The member that supports a crane rail and is supported by columns
or rafters depending on the type of crane system. On underhung
bridge cranes, the runway beam also acts as the crane rail.
CRANE SPAN The horizontal distance centre - to - centre of runway beams.
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CRANE STOP A device to limit travel of a trolley or crane bridge. This device
normally is attached to a fixed structure and normally does not have
energy - absorbing ability.
CRANE SUPPORT COLUMN A separate column that supports the runway beam of a top - running
crane.
CRITICAL PATH METHOD (CPM) A planning and scheduling system which combines all relevant
information into a single plan defining the sequence and duration's of
operations and depicting the interrelationship of the work elements
required to complete a project. The critical path is defined as the
longest sequence of activities in a network that establishes the
minimum length of time for accomplishment of the end event of a
project.
CROSS BRACING A system of diagonal members used to provide stability to a

structure.
CROSS CENTRES The distance between two holes placed symmetrically about the
centre line in the flange of a beam or column section.
CROSS-SECTION Section which shows a cut that is perpendicular to the longitudinal
direction of the object.
CROPPING Process of cutting plates and angles to length using a cropping
machine. Process is similar to Guilotineing in that members are
sheared by a vertically dropping blade.
CURTAIN WALL Perimeter wall panels that carry only their own weight and wind load.
D
D.F.T. Abbreviation for Dry Film Thickness.
D.O. Abbreviation for Drawing Office.
D.T.I. WASHERS Abbreviation for Direct Tension Indicating Washers
DATUM A reference point of starting elevations used in mapping and
surveying.
DAYWORK Labour and materials which have to be devoted to work on items
which are not a part of the original contract. They are paid at rates
agreed beforehand in the contract documents, which have to cater
for unepxected as well as expected situations.
DAVER STEELS Proprietary system of tension rods.
DAWSON SHACKLE A clamping device which is used for the purposes of lifting columns
into position.
DEAD LOADS The dead load of a building is the weight of all permanent
construction, such as floor, roof framing, and covering members.
DECK LAYOUT A drawing showing the overall layout and construction details of
metal decking, which is used to support the floor slab.
DECK SUPPORT PLATE/DECK SUPPORT A plate or cleat added to a beam or column for the purposes of
CLEAT providing local support to floor decking.
DEFECT ACTION SHEET (DAS) A part of WHL Quality Assurance procedure. All errors notified via
Non Conformance Reports are investigated on Defect Action Sheets.
DESIGN A process that uses the products of analysis to produce a

specification for implementing a system. A logical description of how
a system will work.
DESIGN CALCULATIONS Calculations prepared by the Engineer showing the design and
analysis of the structure.
DESIGN DRAWINGS Fully dimensioned drawings or electronic equivalent prepared by the
Engineer showing all members with their size and material grades,
the forces to be developed in their connections, any cambers and
eccentricities and other information necessary for the design of the
connections and completion of fabrication and Erection Drawings.
DESIGN PROCESS The Activities entailed by the further conceptual elaboration of the
desired Facility (brief), prior to the Production Process.
DESIGN SPECIFICATION Specifications for the evaluation of engineering or architectural
design.
DETAIL DRAWING Drawing showing parts of a construction or a component, generally
enlarged, and including any specific information about the form and
construction or about the assembly and joints.
DIAGONAL BRACING See Bracing.
DIAGONAL TIES A system of wires (or angles) used in conjunction with Side Rail
Supports/Struts to provide restraint to cold-rolled Side Rails/Purlins.
DIAPHRAGM ACTION The resistance to racking generally offered by the covering system,
fasteners, and secondary framing. Distortion of the overall roof, floor,
or wall shape.
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DIMENSION LINE A line with arrowheads at each end to show the distance between
two points.
DIRECT TENSION INDICATING WASHERS Used in conjunction with High Strength Friction Grip (HSFG)
Bolts.
DOOR GUIDE An angel or channel used to stabilize or keep plumb a sliding or
rolling door during its operation.
DORMER Top-floor projection of a room built out from a sloping roof to allow
light and ventilation
DOUBLE SHEAR A two sided bolted connection having two shear planes (e.g. two
sided end plate connection to column web).
DRAFT DRAWING Drawing serving as a basis for the choice of a final solution and/or
discussion between involved parties (synonym = preliminary
drawing).
DRAFTSPERSON A person that prepares drawings under the supervision of an
architect or engineer.
DRAWING Technical information, graphically represented with dimension in
sufficient detail to fabricate/execute the work.
DRAWING EDITING Working with detail drawings created using 3-D CAD software to
refine them so as to ensure that all necessary information is
presented in a clear fashion to the workshops.
DRAWING 001/DRAWING No. 001 A drawing produced by the WHL UK Project Engineer to
summarise/confirm the basic requirements of a project as required
by the detailing team.
DRAWING GENERATION The process of numbering a 3-D CAD model at the completion of
modelling (connection application) and creating the detail drawings,
prior to drawing editing.
DRIFT PIN A tapered pin used during erection to align holes in steel members to
be connected by bolting.
DRY FILM THICKNESS (D.F.T.) A test which is performed as a means of checking the quality of a
finished paint finish to fabricated steel.
DUCTS Sheet metal conductors for warm and cold air distribution.
DURBAR PLATE Hot rolled plate with a patterned surface which is used as flooring in
walkways/platforms/stairs/landings.
DUMMY PARTS Parts which are shown in a 3-D CAD model for reference purposes
only and which do not therefore form part of the main working model.
E
EOT Abbreviation for Electric Overhead Travelling Crane
EAVES The line along the sidewall formed by the intersection of the planes
of the roof and wall.
EAVES BEAM A beam positioned at the eaves of a building.
EAVES CANOPY A projecting roof system on the sidewall whose overhanging edge is
supported at the building.
EAVES GUTTER See Gutter.
EAVES HEIGHT The vertical dimension from finished floor to the top of the eaves
strut.
EAVES STRUT A structural member located at the eave of a building that supports
roof and wall panelling.
EDGE BEAM A beam positioned at the perimeter edge of a floor slab.
EDGE DISTANCE The distance from the centre point of a hole and the edge of the
plate/flange/leg of the part that it is drilled in.
ELASTIC DESIGN A design concept utilizing the property of materials allowing for non -
permanent shape distortion under a specified range of loading.
ELASTIC LIMIT The limit to which a material can be bent or pulled out of shape and
still return to its former shape and dimensions.
ELECTRONIC DATA Computer data and similar data transferred between parties
providing essentially equivalent information to traditional drawings.
ELEVATION View on a vertical plane outside face of a structure.
ELEVATION DRAWING Drawing which shows a view on a vertical plane on the outside face
of a structure.
END BAY The bays adjacent to the endwalls of a building. Usually the distance
from the endwall to the first interior main frame measured normal to
the endwall.
END FRAME A frame located at the endwall of a building that supports the loads
from a portion of the end bay.
END DISTANCE The distance from the centre point of a hole and the edge of the
plate in in the direction of the load.
END ELEVATION The elevation on the gable end of a building (also known as the
Gable Elevation).
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END STOP A device attached to a crane runway or rail to provide a safety stop
at the end of a runway.
ENGINEER The engineer or architect who is responsible for the overall design of
the building project. The manufacturer's engineer is not the Engineer
of Record.
ENGINEER A design professional responsible for developing the structural or
engineering components or systems of a construction work by
preparing detail drawings, specifications and schedules and ensuring
actual construction conforms with those aspects of design.
ERECTION The process of assembling pre-fabricated components into a whole

strucutre. It is taken to include the transport of the coponents, their
storage on site before being lifted into position and the final lifiting
and fixing by bolting or welding.
ERECTION BRACING Materials used by erectors to stabilize the building systems during
erection, also typically referred to as Temporary Bracing or
Stability Bracing.
ERECTION DRAWINGS Roof and wall erection (framing) drawings that identify individual
components and accessories furnished by the manufacturer in
sufficient detail to permit proper Erection of the metal Building
System.
ERECTION DRAWINGS Drawings, prepared when necessary by the Steelwork Contractor,
showing details to amplify the information given in the Steelwork
Contractor's erection method statement and showing details of any
temporary steelwork.
ERECTION GAP The distance left in detailing between the end of a member and the
face of the supporting member. Erection Gaps are provided to
enable steel beams to be easily erected between two fixed faces.
See Also Erection Tolerance
ERECTION SEQUENCE The steps/key activities necessary for the successful construction of
a steel framed building.
ERECTOR A person or party who assembles/erects/puts together a steel framed
building.
ESTIMATE The anticipated sum for which some future builder – usually unknown
– will agree to execute at some future date – often indeterminate –
certain works which are frequently only partially defined at the time
the estimate is made.
ESTIMATING A technical function with the aim of predicting the cost of
construction.
ESTIMATOR A person carrying out the estimating function in a building or building
related organisation. Such a person may be a specialist or may carry
out the estimating function in conjunction with other functions, such
as quantity surveying, general management, etc.
EXPANSION JOINT A break or space in construction to allow for thermal expansion and
contraction of the materials used in the structure.
EQUAL ANGLE An angle (RSA) in which the two leg lengths are identical (I.e.
100x100).
F
F.F.L. Abbreviation for Finished Floor Level.
F.P.B.W. Abbreviation for Full Penetration Butt Weld
F.R.W. Abbreviation for Flat Round Washer
F/S Abbreviation for Far Side.
FABRICATION 1) The manufacturing process performed in a plant to convert raw
steel materials into finished components for a steel framed building.
The main operations are cold forming, cutting, punching, welding,
cleaning and painting.
2) Work done on parts of a structure at the factory before delivery to
the building site.
FABRICATION DATA Electronic means of communication for automatic or semi-automatic

methods of fabrication (also known as NC Data)
FABRICATION DRAWINGS Drawings or electronic equivalent prepared by the Steelwork
Contractors, showing all necessary information required to fabricate
the structural steelwork.
FABRICATOR A person, firm, or corporation who produces completed steel
components for the construction of steel framed buildings.
FACADE Face or front elevation of a building.
FASCIA 1) A decorative trim or panel projecting from the face of a wall.
2) Outside horizontal face of member on the edge of a roof or cornice
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FASTNERS Nuts and bolts, rivets and other devices which are used to connect
steelwork together.
FAST TRACK The process of dividing the design of a project into phases in such a
manner as to permit construction to start before design is complete.
The overlapping of the construction phase with the design phase.
FATIGUE A weakening of structural members

FILLET WELD A weld, other than a butt or edge weld, which is approximately
triangular in transverse cross section and which is made without
preparation of the parent material.
FIRE DOOR A door that will resist fire.
FIRE PARTITION A partition designed to restrict the spread of fire.
FIRE-STOP Tight closure material or blocking to prevent the spread of flame or
hot gases within
FITTINGS Plates, flats or rolled sections which are welded or bolted to
structural steel components.
FIXED BASE A column base that is designed to resist rotation as well as horizontal
or vertical movement.
FLAME CUTTING See Thermal Cutting
FLANGE The projecting edge of a structural member (e.g the top and bottom
horizontal projections of an steel beam/column/channel.
FLANGE BACKING PLATE A plate welded to the inside face of a member flange, usually for the
purpose of stiffening the flange for tension.
FLANGE BRACE A member used to provide lateral support to the flange of a structural
member.
FLASHING Sheet-metal work used in roof or wall construction to prevent water
from seeping into the building.
FLAT ROOF A roof with minimum pitch for rainwater drainage.
FLAT ROUND WASHER (FRW) Standard washer used with ordinary bolts. Available in "Form E"
(smallest), "Form F" and "Form G" (largest) sizes.
FLOOR GRATING A system of bars and rods arranged in a rectangular grid and used
as floor panels in walkways/platforms/stairs/landings - also known as
Open Mesh Flooring/Grating.
FLOOR PLAN The top view of a building at a specified floor level. A floor plan
includes all vertical details at or above windowsill levels.
FLUSH SURFACE A continuous surface without any projections.
FOLLOWING TRADES A term that describes other sub-contractors which follow with their
work once the steel frame has been erected.
FOOTING A pad or mat, usually of concrete, located under a column, wall or
other structural member, that is used to distribute the loads from that
member into the supporting soil.
FOOTPRINT The outline of a building at ground level/the outermost extents of a
building.
FOR CONSTRUCTION DRAWING Drawing issued for actual construction use as opposed to one issued
for approval, guidance, coordination, costing or for information only.
FORM E WASHER Type of Flat Round Washer (FRW), smallest in size. Most common
type of washer used - provided with all standard Ordinary bolt
assemblies.
FORM F WASHER Type of Flat Round Washer (FRW).
FORM G WASHER Type of Flat Round Washer (FRW), largest in size. Sometimes used
in Ordinary Bolt assemblies in oversized/slotted holes.
FOUNDATION The substructure, which supports a building or other structure.
FOUNDATION BOLTS Bolts used to anchor members to a foundation or other support. Also
known as Anchor Bolts
FOUNDATION PLAN Drawings, prepared by the Steelwork Contractor or the Engineer,
indicating location of column bases and details of foundation
connections to the steelwork.
FRAMING PLANS See Erection Drawings.
FULL PENETRATION BUTT WELD A weld between elements which may be in-line, in the form of a tee,
or a corner in which the weld metal achieves full penetration
throughout the joint thickness.
FULL PROFILE WELD A weld which is applied to all external faces of a member.
FULLY THREADED BOLTS A bolt which is fully threaded along the length of its shank (also
known as Set Screws).
G
G.D.R. Abbreviation for Gratings Drawing Review
G.M.T. Abbreviation for Greenwich Mean Time - UK Time between
November and March - Indian Time - 5.5hrs.
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GABLE The triangular portion of the endwall from the level of the eave to the
ridge of the roof.
GABLE ELEVATION The elevation on the gable end of a building (also known as the End
Elevation).
GABLE OVERHANG The purlin extension at the gable end of a building.
GABLE ROOF A roof consisting of two sloping roof planes that form a ridge and
form a gable at each end.
GALVANISE A lead and zinc bath treatment to prevent rusting.
GALVANISED Steel coated with zinc for corrosion resistance.
GANTRY CRANE A crane similar to an overhead crane except that the bridge for
carrying the trolley or trolleys is rigidly supported on one or more legs
running on fixed rails or other run-way.
GENERAL ARRANGEMENT DRAWINGS Drawings, prepared by the Steelwork Contractor, showing plans,
(GA DRAWINGS) cross sections and elevations, main dimensions and the erection
marks of Components.
GENERAL NOTES Information placed on a drawing which relates to general material
specification for grades, sizes, inspection, testing, etc. This
information may be placed on one drawing and is common to all
drawings within the project for that discipline.
GHOST PARTS Elements shown in faint dotted lines on GA's/Client Drawings for
reference purposes. Can be non steel elements of the structure (e.g.
vessels) or steel belonging to adjacent buildings/models.
GUILLOTINE/GUILLOTINE SHEAR A machine which is used to cut (chop) standard width flats to length.
GIRDER A main horizontal or near horizontal structural member that supports

vertical loads. It may consist of several pieces.
GLAZING Glass panes or panelling used in windows and doors.
GO-DATA Software used for the purposes of material listing/production control.
GOUGING The use of a flame or plasma cutter to remove part or all of a

completed weld. Used as a means of removing defective welds.
GRADE 4.6 BOLTS A bolt strength designation. Strength < 8.8 Bolts. Rarely used in
structural works.
GRADE 8.8 BOLTS A bolt strength designation. Strength > 4.6 Bolts < 8.8 Bolts. Most
commonly used bolt strength bolt used in structural works.
GRADE 10.9 BOLTS A bolt strength designation. Strength > 8.8 Bolts. High strength bolts
- rarely used in structural works.
GRADIENT Inclination or angle of a surface.
GRATING A system of bars and rods arranged in a rectangular grid and used
Floor Grating/Grating.
GRILLAGE BEAM A beam placed at ground level and used to spread/transfer loads
from a column above to the concrete below.
GROUPING The planning/coordination of work activities within a 3-D CAD model
so as to ensure that all similar work tasks are completed together.
Ensures consistency and efficiency of work is maximised.
GROUND FLOOR The floor which is nearest the level of the outside ground.
GROUT A mixture of cement, sand and water used to fill cracks and cavities.
Sometimes used under base plates or levelling plates to obtain
uniform bearing surfaces.
GUSSET/GUSSET PLATE Connecting plate used for members in a bracing system or Main
booms/internals of a truss or girder.
GUTTER A light gauge metal member at an eaves, valley or parapet (low
points of a roof) designed to collect rainwater.
H
H.D. BOLTS Abbreviation for Holding Down Bolts
H&S Abbreviation for Health and Safety.
Hp/A RATIO Used as a measure of the fire resistance of steel members, where
Hp = Exposed perimeter of the section (m) and A = the cross
sectional area of the section (m2). The lower the Hp/A ratio, the
slower the section will heat in fire situation. Also known as "Section
Factor".
H.S.F.G. BOLT Abbreviation for High Strength Friction Grip Bolts
"H" SECTION A steel member with a cross section in the shape of an "H".
HALFEN CHANNELS Proprietary system used for attachment of secondary construction
elements.
HANGER A vertical member suspended from the underside of its supporting
beam.
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HARD FLAT ROUND WASHER Washer used with HSFG Bolts.

HAUNCH The deepened portion of a column or rafter designed to
accommodate the higher bending moments at such points. (Usually
occurs at the intersection of the column and the rafter).
HEAD The upper frame on a door or window.
HEADER The horizontal framing member located at the top of a framed
opening.
HEADROOM Vertical clearance in a passageway or above a stairway, measured
from the edge of the nosing.
HIGH RISE Definitions vary, but generally considered as a Multi-Storey structure
comprising of more than 20 floor levels.
HIGH STRENGTH FRICTION GRIP BOLTS A type of bolt used in critical connections for which no slippage
between the connecting parts should occur.
HIGH STRENGTH STEEL Structural steel having a yield stress in excess of 36000 pounds per
square inch.
HINGED BASE See Pinned Base.
HIP The line formed at the intersection of two adjacent sloping planes of
a roof.
HIP RAFTER Diagonal rafter that extends from the plate to the ridge to form the
hip.
HIP ROOF A roof that is formed by sloping planes from all four sides.
HOIST A mechanical lifting device usually attached to a trolley that travels
along a bridge, monorail, or jib crane. May be chain or electric
operated.
HOT DIP GALVANISING The process of applying a zinc rich galvanised finish to structural
steel.
HOT- ROLLED SECTIONS Steel sections (angles, channels, "I" shapes, "H" shapes, etc.) which are
formed by rolling mills while the steel is in a semi-molten state.
HOLDING DOWN BOLTS Bolts used to anchor members to a foundation or other support. Also
known as Anchor Bolts.
I
I.F.C. Abbreviation for Issued For Construction
I.S.T. Abbreviation for Indian Standard Time.
I BEAM A steel beam with an I-shaped cross section.
IMPACT LOAD A dynamic load resulting from the motion of machinery, elevators,
craneways, vehicles, and other similar moving forces.
IMPACT WRENCH A power tool used to tighten nuts or bolts.
IMPORTED STEEL Member copied into a 3-D CAD model from another 3-D CAD model.
INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS A low-level steel structure comprising primarily of columns and roof members
(either rafters or trusses). Used primarily as a manufacturing
plant/warehouse. Variations include Portal Frames and Sheds
INTERMITTENT WELD A weld which stops and starts at set intervals.

INTERMEDIATE COAT(S) Additional coats of paint applied to structural steel in order to build the total
film thickness of the paint system prior to the application of the top coat.
INTERFACE The junction between:

1) Two adjacent structures
2) Adjacent models
3) Steel connections to concrete.
INTUMESCENT PAINT A special paint finish applied to steel members in order to insulate them from
fire damage. Intumescent paints are typically 1-3mm thick (depending upon
the amount of fire protection required, expressed in terms of minutes/hours).
Paint contains a compound which releases a gas when a fire breaks out,
causing the paint to expand into a thick carbonaceous foam which provides
the necessary protection.
INSTALLATION The on-site assembling of fabricated Metal Building System components to

form a completed structure.
INSIDE PROFILE WELD A weld which is applied to the inside faces of a member only.
INPUT Drawings or documents on which the project/work assignment will be based
upon.
INSULATION Any material used in building construction to reduce heat transfer.
J
JACK RAFTER Rafter shorter than a common rafter; especially used in hip-roof
framing.
JACK TRUSS A truss used to support another beam, rafter, or truss and eliminate a column
support.
JAMB Vertical members of a door or window opening.
JIG A device used to hold pieces of material in a certain position during
fabrication. Used to assist in the fabrication of multi-part assemblies such as
Trusses.
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JOINT Area Where two or more ends, surfaces, or edges are attached.
Categorized by type of fastener or weld used and the method of
force transfer.
JOIST Small section I beam with tapered flanges.
K
K BRACING A form of bracing which is shaped like the letter "K"
KNEE The connecting area of a column and rafter of a structural frame such as a
rigid frame.
KNEE BRACE A diagonal member at a column and rafter intersection designed to resist
horizontal loads.
L
LAP JOINT Joint produced by lapping and joining two similar members.
LBG SHACKLE A clamping device which is used for the purposes of lifting beams
and other members into position.
LAMINATED PACK A pack comprising of multiple plates, usually of varying thicknesses.
Pack thickness adjusted by changing number of plates/combination
of thickness in order to achieve the adjustment required.
LAYOUT DRAWING Drawing showing the location of sites, structure, buildings, spaces,
elements, assemblies or components (synonym = location drawing).
LEAN - TO A structure having only one slope and depending upon another structure for
partial support.
LENGTH The dimension of the building measured perpendicular to the main framing
from outside to outside of endwall girts.
LEVELLING PLATE A steel plate used on top of a foundation or other support on which a
structural column can rest.
LIFT (CRANE LIFT) Maximum safe vertical distance through which the hook, magnet, or bucket
can move.
LIFTING BEAM 1) A beam which is supplied specifically for the purposes of lifting members
into position.
2) A beam which is provided within a strucutre for lifting/hoisting operations.
LIFTING BRACKET A plate or bracket which is supplied specifically for the purposes of lifting
members into position.
LINTEL Horizontal support over a window or door opening
LIVE LOAD Loads that are produced (1) during maintenance by workers, equipment, and
materials, and (2) during the life of the structure by movable objects and do
not include wind, snow, seismic, or dead loads. Also see Roof or Floor Live
Load.
LOAD Force or other action that results from the weight of building
materials, occupants and their possessions, environmental effects,
differential movement, or restrained dimensional changes. See also
LIVE LOAD, DEAD LOAD AND WIND LOAD.
LOAD FACTOR Factor that accounts for deviations of the nominal load from the
actual load, for uncertainties in the analysis that transforms the load
into a load effect, and for the probability that more than one extreme
load will occur simultaneously.
LOAD INDICATING WASHERS A washer with dimples, which flatten when the high strength bolt is tightened.
The bolt tension can then be determined by the use of feeler gauges to
determine the gap between the washer and the bolt head.
LOAD-BEARING WALL Wall designed to support the weight imposed upon it from above.
LOCK NUTS Half sized Nut. Used in bolted connections subjected to dynamic
loads to prevent nuts working loose. Used in bolts subjected to pure
tension to prevent bolt threat stripping.
LONGITUDINAL The direction parallel to the ridge or sidewall.
LOUVER An opening provided with fixed or movable slanted fins to allow flow of air.
LOW RISE BUILDING A description of a class of buildings usually less than 60' eave height.
Commonly, they are single story, but do not exceed 4 stories.
LRFD Load and Resistance Factor Design.
M
MAG Abbreviation for Metal Active Gas Welding. Form of welding in which
the arc and weld pool are shielded by a gas which does not react
with molten steel. More commonly known as MIG (Metal-Intert GAS)
welding, even though inert Argon can not be used with steel.
MIG Abbreviation for Metal Intert Gas Welding - see MAG welding for
more details
M.I.S. Abbreviation for Management Information System.
Page 13/24 12/09/2009

MEWP Abbreviation for Mobile Elevated Working Platform.

MMA Abbreviation for Manual Metal-Arc Welding. Welding electrode
consists of a steel core wire and flux coating. Welding rod is about
300mm long - best used for short weld runs since much time can be
lost by welders having to change rods.
M.P.I. Abbreviation for Magnetic Particle Inspection, a form of Non-
Destructive weld testing.
M.T.O. Abbreviation for Material Take Off.
MACALLOY Proprietary system of tension rods.
MAIN CLIENT The company which has employed WHL as a contractor for the
supply of a steel frame.
MAIN FRAME An assemblage of rafters and columns that support the secondary framing
members and transfer loads directly to the foundation.
MAIN WIND FORCE RESISTING SYSTEM A structural assembly that provides for the overall stability of the building and
receives wind loads from more than one surface. Examples include shear
walls, diaphragms, rigid frames, and space structures.
MAGENTA ITEMS Colour coding used in 3-D CAD models to identify members for which
doubts/queries exist.
MAGNETIC PARTICLE INSPECITION (MPI) A form of Non-desructive weld test.
MANSARD ROOF A roof with two slopes on each side, with the lower slope being
nearly vertical and the upper nearly horizontal.
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM Software used for the purpose of managing/monitoring activities
(MIS) within a company/project.
MASS APPLICATION The process of applying typical connections at multiple locations
throughout a 3-D CAD model (See Typical Connection Generation).
MASONRY General term for brickwork, stonework, concrete blockwork, or similar
materials.
MASTIC See Sealant., Any material that is used to seal cracks, joints or laps.
MAJOR AXIS A term used to describe the direction of the section having the greatest
strength (I.e for a UB beam section the major axis is aligned along the depth
of the beam).
MATERIAL TAKE OFF activities related to the “take-off” (listing) of materials for the purposes of
estimating/measuring the weight of steel materials in a job, including pricing
of materials, pre-ordering of materials and measurement of completed jobs.
MEAN ROOF HEIGHT Average height of roof above ground.

MEDIUM RISE Definitions vary, but generally considered as a Multi-Storey structure
comprising of less than 20 floor levels.
MEMBER A single piece of material used in a structure.
METHOD STATEMENT A document which provides an outline description of how a steel
framed building will be erected, giving consideration to buildability
and Health and Safety issues.
METSEC A manufacturer of cold rolled Purlins and Side Rails.
METAL BUILDING SYSTEM A complete integrated set of mutually dependent components and
assemblies that form a building including primary and secondary framing,
covering and accessories, and are manufactured to permit inspection on site
prior to assembly or erection.
METAL DECKING See Decking.

MEZZANINE An intermediate level between floor and ceiling occupying a partial area of
the floor space.
MILL Factory in which rolled steel sections are produced.
MILL ORDER Steel materials which are to be pre-ordered direct from an steel producer.
MINOR AXIS A term used to describe the direction of the section having the weakest
strength (i.e. for a UB beam section the major axis is aligned along the width
of the beam).
MOMENT The tendency of a force to cause rotation about a point or axis.
MOMENT CONNECTION A connection designed to transfer moment as well as axial and shear forces
between connecting members.
MOMENT FRAME Framing system that provides resistance to lateral loads and
provides stability to the structural system primarily by shear and
flexure of the framing members and their connections.
MOMENT OF INERTIA A physical property of a member, which helps define strength and deflection
characteristics.
MONOLITHIC Term used for concrete work poured and cast in one piece without
joints.
MONOLITHIC CONSTRUCTION A method of placing concrete grade beam and floor slab together to form the
building foundation without forming and placing each separately.
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MONORAIL CRANE A crane that travels on a single runway beam, usually an "S" or "W" beam.
MULLION Structural support member between a series of windows

MULTI - GABLE BUILDING Buildings consisting of more than one gable across the width of the building.
MULTI-STOREY A structure consisting of multiple, repeating floors.

MULTI - SPAN BUILDING Buildings consisting of more than one span across the width of the building.
Multiple gable buildings and single gable buildings with interior columns are
examples.
N
NDT Abbreviation for Non Destructive Testing. Tests which are
prerformed on welds to verify that the welds are of the required
standard/quality. Include radiographic, ultrasonic, magnetic particle
or dye-penetrant.
NSSS Abbreviation for National Structural Steelwork Specification -
document which set-out fabrication and erection tolerances for British
steelwork projects. (Also know as N-Triple-S)
N/S Abbreviation for Near Side.
NC DATA Abbreviation for "Numeric Control". Data file produced from CAD
software or from manual input. Used to define cutting and drilling of
main sections and fittings.
N.T.S. Abbreviation for Not To Scale
NEUTRAL AXIS The position within the depth of a member at which bending stresses
will zero (i.e. neither tension or compression exists).
NOMINAL DIMENSION 1) The desired optimal dimension, although some deviation from the
actual value stated is permitted according to the prevailing
conditions.
2) A dimension which should be in the region of the exact figure
shown.
NOMINAL LOAD Magnitude of the load specified by the applicable building code.
NONBEARING WALL A dividing wall that does not support a vertical load.
NON-CONFORMANCE An error or an omission, which, if it is not corrected, will lead to a
decision taken on a wrong basis by the client or will lead to a
situation where the physical object resulting from the engineering
services will not fulfil the expected (by the client and/or the
consultant) needs.
NON COMPOSITE DESIGN Form of construction in which the concrete slab is designed to act
independently of the supporting beams.
NONFERROUS METAL Metal containing no iron, such as copper, brass, or aluminium.
NOSING The rounded edge of a stair tread.
O
ONE PACK PAINT SYSTEM A chemical resistant paint (acrylated rubbers, vinyl's) which is
supplied as a single component. Note this does not refer to the
number of coats required to any given paint system.
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE An organized compilation of project technical documents,
MANUAL manufacturer's data, and project site records provided to the owner
at the conclusion of the construction project, to assist the owner to
properly operate and maintain the constructed facility.
OPEN MESH FLOORING A system of bars and rods arranged in a rectangular grid and used
Floor Grating/Grating.
ORDINARY BOLT ASSEMBLIES A bolt used in a non-preloaded bolt assembly which is designed to
carry forces in shear and bearing or tension.
ORIENTATION The positioning of a house on a lot in relation to the sun, wind, view,
and noise.
OTHER TRADES A term which is used to describe the work of other contractors on a
project (e.g. Civils, Cladders, Glaziers etc) . Often used in contract
documents and drawings to define the scope of work of the steelwork
sub-contract.
OUTRIGGER
OVERHANG Projecting area of a roof or upper story beyond the wall of the lower
part.
OVERHANGING BEAM A simply supported beam that extends beyond its support.
OVERHEAD DOORS Doors constructed in horizontally hinged sections. They are equipped with
springs, tracks, counter balancers, and other hardware, which roll the
sections into an overhead position clear of the opening.
OVERSIZED HOLE A bolt hole deliberately made a larger diameter to provide additional
clearance for insertion of the bolt.
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P.E. Abbreviation for Project Engineer - person responsible for technical

coordination of a project.
PFC Abbreviation for Parallel Flange Channel ("C" Section steel member)
P.M.S. Abbreviation for Piece Monitoring System.

P.P.B.W. Abbreviation for Part Penetration Butt Weld.
PACK A combination of thin plates used to allow for adjustment to member
level or length. Pack thickness adjusted by increasing or decreasing
number of plates as necessary. Also known as Shim Packs or
Laminated Packs.
PAINT CODE A reference which appears on fabrication drawings and other
documents allowing the paint finish of an assembly to be identified.
PAL NUT A proprietary half nut made from pressed metal - used as an
alternative to a lock nut.
PANELS Cladding: The exterior metal roof and wall panelling of a Metal
Building System. See also Covering.
PARAPET That portion of the vertical wall of a building that extends above the
roofline.
PART DRAWING Drawing depicting a single part (which cannot be further
disassembled) and which includes all necessary information required
for the definition of that part.
PARTIAL PENETRATION WELD A weld formed using a technique which ensures a specified
penetration which is less than the depth of the joint.
PARTITION An interior wall that separates two rooms.
PEAK The uppermost point of a gable.
PERMANENT LOAD Load in which variations over time are rare or of small magnitude. All
PERSONNEL DOOR other
Doorsloads
used are variable loads.
by personnel for access and exit from a building.
PIECE MARK A number given to each separate part of the building for erection
identification. More commonly known as Assembly Mark.
PIER A concrete structure designed to transfer vertical load from the base
of a column to the footing.
PILES Long posts driven into the soil in swampy locations, or whenever it is
difficult to secure a firm foundation, upon which the foundation
footing is laid.
PIN CONNECTION A connection designed to transfer axial and shear forces between
connecting members, but not moments.
PINNED BASE A column base that is designed to resist horizontal and vertical
movement, but not rotation.
PITCH See Roof slope. The tangent of the angle that a roof surface makes
with the horizontal, usually expressed in units of vertical rise to 12
units of horizontal run.
PITCH Slope of a roof usually expressed as a ratio.
PLAN View, section or cut, in a horizontal plane, seen from above.
PLAN A horizontal, graphic representational section of a building.
PLAN DETAIL Drawing which to a large scale shows a part of a plan.
PLANS Approved Contract drawings showing the location, type, dimensions,
and details of Contract work to be performed.
PLASMA CUTTING The use of a electrically charged gas flame to cut steel members to
the correct length/shape.
PLASMA PUNCH Machine used for the fabrication of fittings - profiles cut and holes
formed via plasma cutter.
PLASTIC DESIGN A design concept based on multiplying the actual loads by a suitable
load factor, and using the yield stress as the maximum stress in any
member, and taking into consideration moment redistribution.
PLATE GIRDER An I section beam which is fabricated from plates welded together.
PLENUM SYSTEM A system of heating or air-conditioning in which the air is forced
through a chamber connected to distributing ducts.
PLOT The land on which a building stands
PLOT FILE An exported drawing file produced for the purpose of printing a hard
copy of the drawing.
PLUMB Term used to describe the vertical alignment of a column or structure
as a whole. A column which is correctly aligned is said to be "In
Plumb", one which is incorrectly aligned is "Out of Plumb".
PORTAL FRAME A rigid frame so designed that it offers rigidity and stability in its
plane. It is generally used to resist longitudinal loads where other
bracing methods are not permitted.
POST A perpendicular supporting member.
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POST & BEAM CONSTRUCTION Wall construction consisting of large, widely spaced posts to support
horizontal beams.
POST AND BEAM A structural system consisting of a series of rafter beams supported
by columns. Often used as the end frame of a building.
PRECAMBER A preset radius/arc applied to a member so to counteract deflection
of the member under loading.
PREFABRICATED BUILDINGS Buildings that are built in sections or component parts in a factory,
and then assembled at the site.
PRELIMINARY DRAWING Drawing of a designer's concept of a project and which is expected
to be modified.
PRELIM MARK/PRELIM NUMBER A reference number assigned to each member which is ordered via a
Preliminary Material List. Is used to track materials through ordering,
supply to the workshop and fabrication.
PRESET An increase to the height of roof members applied at the apex so as
to counteract the effects of deflection when load is applied.
PRIMARY FRAMING Main Frame: An assemblage of rafters and columns that support the
secondary framing members and transfer loads directly to the
foundation
PRIMER The first coat/base coat/undercoat of a paint system.
PROGRAMME The programme of dates given in the Project Specification, or agreed
with the Steelwork Contractor, for the release of all necessary
PROJECT information
The Project for the progress
means the total of the works;contemplated
construction the preparation,
of which the
submission
Work may be and
theacceptance
whole or a of fabrication drawings, calculations and
part.
information; the intended starting and completion for steelwork
PROJECT DOCUMENTATION Documentation
erection. applying to a particular project.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT The utilization of skills and knowledge in coordinating the organizing,
planning, scheduling, directing, controlling, monitoring and evaluating
of prescribed activities to ensure that the stated objectives of a
project, manufactured product, or service, are achieved.
PROJECT MANAGER Person responsible for day to day management of a project within an
organisation.
PROJECT SPECIFICATION A specifications prepared for a specific building project The Works
which includes the National Structural Steel Work Specification and
qualifies it where necessary.
PROPRIETARY SYSTEM A specific product unique to a particular manufacturer.
PUNCH/PUNCHING A machine which is used to form holes or slots in plate or angle
fittings.
PURLIN Horizontal structural member that supports roof deck and is primarily
subjected to bending under vertical loads such as snow, wind or
dead loads.
PURLIN EXTENSION The projection of the roof beyond the plane of the endwall
Q
Q.A. Abbreviation for Quality Assurance
Q.S. Abbreviation for Quantity Surveyor.
OUTSTAND LEG The projecting leg of an angle or cleat (e.g. in the case of a shelf
angle the outstand leg is the horizontal leg which supports the slab).
QUALITY ASSURANCE Activities concerned with the provision of systems, equipment and
personnel necessary to achieve the required level of quality.
QUANTITY SURVEYOR Person responsible for measurement of materials, labour and other
costs in a completed project. Is responsible for making applications
for payment to the Main Client.
R
RSA Abbreviation for Rolled Steel Angle (L section steel member).
RSC Abbreviation for Rolled Steel Channel (C section steel member).
RSJ Abbreviation for Rolled Steel Joist (Small size I beam with tapered
flanges).
RHS Abbreviation for Rectangular Hollow Section (Box section steel
member).
RQSC
RAFTER Inclined structural members used to frame a roof.
RAFTER RESTRAINTS Small section angles which connect diagonally between the bottom
flange of a rafter and the roof purlins. Used to provide restraint to the
bottom flange of a rafter.
RAIL (CRANE) Crane Rail: A track supporting and guiding the wheels of a top-
running bridge crane or trolley system.
RAILS (DOOR) The horizontal stiffening members of framed and panelled doors.
RAKE The intersection of the plane of the roof and the plane of the endwall.
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REACTIONS The resisting forces at the column bases provided by foundations

that hold a structure in equilibrium under a given loading condition.
REBAR Steel reinforcing bar.
REFERENCE MODEL A 3-D CAD model which is used for the purposes of cross checking
connections at the interfaces between two adjacent models or other
such activities.
REINFORCING HOLES Holes drilled in steel members for the purposes of passing concrete
reinforcing bars through, so as to interlink adjacent concrete.
RESTORATION Rebuilding s structure so it will appear in its original form.

RESTRICTIONS Limitations on the use of real estate building materials, size, or
design styles.
RESTRAINT A secondary member used to hold in position a main structural
member.
RETAINING WALL A wall to hold back an earth embankment.
RETROFIT The installation of new components into a steel structure after
erection of the intiial main frame has been completed (also known as
Retrofit Works).
RIB The longitudinal raised profile of a panel that provides much of the
panel's bending strength.
RIBBED PANEL A panel, which has ribs with sloping sides and forms a trapezoidal
shaped void at the side lap.
RIDGE 1) The horizontal line formed by opposing sloping sides of a roof
running parallel with the building length.
2) The high point/peak of a roof (also see Apex).
RIGID CONNECTIONS A connection designed to transfer moment as well as axial and shear
forces between connecting members.
RIGID FRAME A structural frame consisting of members joined together with
moment connections so as to render the frame stable with respect to
the design loads, without the need for bracing in its plane.
RISE The vertical height of a roof.
RISER The vertical board in a stairway between two treads.
RIVET A fastner which can be used to join two elements of steel together.
Fastner is placed inside hole, heated and then compressed to form
head. Rarely used in modern constuction since bolts are much
quicker to install.
ROLL UP DOOR A door that opens by travelling vertically and is gathered into a roll
suspended some distance above the floor.
ROLLING DOORS A structural frame consisting of members joined together with
moment connections so as to render the frame stable with respect to
the design loads, without the need for bracing in its plane.
ROLLING PROGRAMME Schedule issued by a steel producer confirming the schedule of
production for available section sizes.
ROOF COVERING The exposed exterior roof surface consisting of metal panels.
ROOF DECKING Term used to describe Cladding sheets when used in the roof
construction.
ROOF OVERHANG A roof extension beyond the endwall or sidewall of a building.
ROOF PLAN Drawing which specifies in detail the roof seen from above.
ROOF SLOPE The tangent of the angle that a roof surface makes with the
horizontal, usually expressed in units of vertical rise to 12 units of
horizontal run.
RUNNING DIMENSION The total cumulative dimension to a part or hole on a detail drawing
from a given reference/datum point/zero point. Is shown on detail
drawings so as to avoid the need for platers to add several
intermediate dimensions together so as to arrive at a hole or part
position.
RUNWAY BEAM Crane Runway Beam: The member that supports a crane rail and is
supported by columns or rafters depending on the type of crane
system. On underhung bridge cranes, the runway beam also acts as
the crane rail.
S
S275 Steel Material Grade, having a yield strength of 275 N/mm2
S355 Steel Material Grade, having a yield strength of 355 N/mm2
SA Standard grade reference for abrasive blast cleaned steels
(shotblasted).
SA1 = Light Blast Cleaning
SA2 = Through Blast Cleaning
SA2 1/2 = Very Through Blast Cleaning
SA3 = Blast Cleaning to Visually Clean Steel.
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SAW Abbreviation for Submerged-Arc Welding. SAW is a mechanical

process used for welding plate girders. The flux is placed along the
joint in the form o f granules while a welding head traverses along
the length of the joint to perform the weld.
SCI Abbreviation for Steel Construction Institute (UK Trade organisation).
SHS Abbreviation for Square Hollow Section (Square shaped steel

member)
S.O.P. Abbreviation for Set Out Point.
S/S 1) Abbreviation for Superseded
2) Abbreviation of Stainless Steel.
Context in which the abbreviation is used will help to determine the
meaning. In the case of superceded, then this should be clearly
written in bold red letters across the drawing or document front page.
If applied to Stainless Steel then it will most likely appear as a note
on a Main Client's Drawing.
S.S.L. Abbreviation for Structural Slab Level.

STET Term used to identify a checking comment which has been made
incorrectly.
S.W.I. Abbreviation for Site Work Instruction
S.W.L. Abbreviation for Safe Working Load
SAFETY FACTOR 1) The ultimate strength of the material divided by the allowable
working load. the element of safety needed to make certain that
there will be no structural failures.
2) A multiplier applied to a working load in order to ensure that the
member/structure will be designed with a sufficient margin of safety
so as to prevent failure under unexpectedly high loading conditions,
defects in materials or failures in workmanship.
SAG MEMBER A tension member such as rods, straps or angles used to limit the
deflection of a girt or purlin in the direction of its weak axis.
SCHEDULE Listing of members/items/components.
SCOPE OF WORK A document or statement which clearly defines the activities to be
undertaken as part of a project/work assignment, and the
product/documents to be returned to the client at the completion of
the project/work assignment.
SCREED Thin coating of cement or concrete applied to the top of a strucutral
slab in order to ensure a smooth finish to the floor.
SECONDARY FRAMING Members that carry loads from the building surface to the main
framing. For example - purlins.
SECTION The drawing of an object that is cut to show the interior. Also, a panel
construction used in walls, floors, ceilings, or roofs.
SECTION FACTOR See Hp/A Ratio.
SELF-CHECKING The review of completed work by an individual before that work is
handed-over to a Team Leader/Checker for independent checking.
The purpose of self checking is to try and ensure that all work is
complete and error free before it is handed over to the checker.
SELF - TRAPPING SCREW A fastener that taps its own threads in a predrilled hole.
SELF- DRILLING SCREW A fastener that combines the function of drilling and tapping.
SELF-WEIGHT The weight of members/materials used in construction.
SERVICE HOLE A hole/opening formed in a steel beam to enable electrical, M&E
services to pass through.
SET SCREW Bolt which is fully threaded along the full length of its shank.
SETTING-OUT DRAWING Drawing used to establish marks and lines to define position and
level of elements for construction work so that work can proceed with
reference to them.
SET OUT POINTS (SOP) The primary points between which a member is set-out (also see
Working Points).
SHANK The round portion of a bolt.
SHEAR 1) The force tending to make two contacting parts slide upon each
other in opposite directions parallel to their plane of contact.
2) A force tearing which tears a bolt or section along its depth.
SHEAR STUD A plane bar with a upset head. Welded to steel beams prior to the
concrete being cast, thereby ensuring composite action between
steel and concrete. Also known as Studs
SHEAR WALL Wall that provides resistance to lateral loads in the plane of the wall
and provides stability for structural systems.
SHELF ANGLE An angle welded to the web of a floor beam for the purpose of
supporting the floor slab.
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SHERADISED A type of surface treatment to bolts.Items are tumbled in hot zinc

dust. Gives higher qaulity finish than zinc plating or galvanising but
process is more expensive.
SHIM/SHIM PACK A combination of thin plates used to allow for adjustment to member
level or length. Pack thickness adjusted by increasing or decreasing
number of plates as necessary. Also known as Shim Packs or
Laminated Packs.
SHOP BOLTED Items which must be bolted together in the fabrication shop prior to
delivery to site.
SHOP DRAWINGS Drawings prepared for a fabricator to use in a workshop. Based on
Working Drawings, but with full dimensions, and extended to show
each piece of work individually.
SHOP PRIMER PAINT The initial coat of primer paint applied in the shop. A temporary
coating designed to protect the steel during shipping and erection
until the building exterior and interior finish coverings have been
installed. This coating may or may not serve as a proper prime coat
for other finishing paints.
SHOT BLASTER Machine which is used to clean off mill scale and surface oxidisation
(rust) off of structral steel members prior to fabrication.
SHOULDER BOLT Special bolt type used in slotted connections. Bolt shank has one
portion at a large diameter and one portion at a smaller diameter.
SIDE ELEVATION This configuration
1) The elevation onallows oneface
the long ply in
of the connectionframe
a shed/portal to freely move in
building.
a
2)lateral direction.along the eaves of a shed/portal frame building.
The elevation
SIDE CLADDING Cladding on the elevation of a building.
SIDE RAIL A secondary horizontal member - usually a cold formed "Z" or "C"
section -positioned of the elevations of a building and used to
support the cladding.
SIDE RAIL SUPPORT A vertical strut used to provide mid span restraint to a side rail.
SIGN OFF A meeting held with the Main Client to review WHL GA's for a "Pre
Engineered" model. Comments/changes made as necessary. Mark-
up set of drawings kept as a record of any changes implemented.
SILL Horizontal exterior member below a window or door opening. In

frame construction, the lowest structural member that rests on the
foundation.
SIMPLE CONNECTION Pin Connection: A connection designed to transfer axial and shear
forces between connecting members, but not moments.
SINGLE PART VIEW A detail shown on a fabrication drawing of any parts/fittings which are
to be included as a part of the assembly.
SINGLE PART DRAWING A sketch which is separate from the fabrication details showing all
details necessary for the fabrication of a single part/fitting.
SIMPLE SPAN A term used in structural design to describe a beam support
condition at two points which offers no resistance to rotation at the
supports.
SINGLE SLOPE A sloping roof in one plane. The slope is from one sidewall to the
opposite sidewall.
SINGLE SHEAR A single sided bolted connection having one shear plane (e.g. bolted
end plate to column flange).
SITE Area of land or water where Construction Work or other development
is undertaken.
SITE PLAN Location drawing giving the position of construction works in relation
to the setting out points, the means of access and the general layout
of a site. It may also contain information on service networks, road
work and the landscape.
SITE WORKS Drilling, welding, cutting activities which are carried out on the
construction site for the purposes of rectifying problems or
implementing client changes to the structure.
SITE WELDING Welding operations which must be carried out on site after the
erection of components.
SITE WORK INSTRUCTION 1) A written instruction from the Main Client instructing the steelwork
contractor to proceed with the implementation of a change to the
structure involving site works.
2) A document issued by the DO instructing the site erection team to
undertake site modifications to the structure to a given set of
drawings.
SKETCH Drawing commonly prepared freehand and not necessarily to scale.
SKEW CUT An angled cut to a steel section (also known as Bevel/Splay cut).
SKYLIGHT An opening in the roof for admitting light.
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SLAB CONSTRUCTION A reinforced concrete floor and foundation system

SLAB LAYOUT DRAWING A drawing showing the overall layout/construction of a concrete slab.
SLAG Deposit left over a weld following MMA welding. Must be cleaned off
before surface treatment is applied.
SLEEVE A short length of member used to strengthen the connection
between two adjacent purlins or side rails.
SLIMDECK BEAM See ASB.
SLIMFLOOR BEAM A normal rolled UB or UC section which has a wide plate welded to
the bottom flange. Plate used to support floor decking. Beam is built
into the depth of the floor slab, therefore reducing the overall height
of the floor construction.
SLOPE Roof Slope: The tangent of the angle that a roof surface makes with
the horizontal, usually expressed in units of vertical rise to 12 units of
horizontal run.
SLOTTED HOLE Holes which is elongated in one direction. Used in Expansion Joints
in which movement is required and other connections in which
tolerance is required (e.g. connections to concrete).
SNOW LOAD Roof Snow Load: The load induced by the weight of snow on the
roof of the structure
SNUG TIGHT The tightness of a bolt in a connection that exists when all plies in a
joint are in firm contact.
SOFFIT Underside of an overhang such as the eaves, a second floor, or
stairs.
SPAN The distance between two supports.
SPECIFICATION A written document with technical directions and conditions
describing the quality of materials and standard of workmanship of
the project or parts of a project. It deals with items that cannot be
shown on drawings or in the schedules and is normally presented in
a sequence of Trades. The Specification forms part of the Tender
Documents and, with agreed modifications (if any), of the Contract
Documents.
SPLAY CUT An angled cut to a steel section (also known as Bevel/Skew cut).
SPLICE Joining of two similar members in a straight line.
SPLICE PLATES Plates which are used for the purpose of connecting two main
assemblies together along their length (e.g. Beam Splice, Column
Splice).
STAINLESS STEEL An alloy of steel, which contains a high percentage of chromium to
increase corrosion resistance. Also may contain nickel or copper.
STAGGERED WELD A two sided weld which stops alternates at set intervals between
welded and unwelded portions (I.e. welded portion on one side of the
welded part coincides with the unwelded portion on the other side).
STALK PLATE The outstand (web) portion of a welded tee section.

STEEL FRAMING Skeleton framing with structural steel members.
STEELWORK CONTRACTOR The Company appointed to fabricate and / or erect the structural
steelwork. Where required by the Project Specification, the Steelwork
Contractor may also be responsible for design.
STEEL STOCKIST Company which specialises in selling plain lengths of steel to
fabricators.
STEM The outstand (web) portion of a rolled or cut tee section.
STIFFENER A member used to strengthen a plate of main section against lateral
or local buckling.
STOCK ORDER Steel materials which are to be purchased from a steel stockist.
STOCKIST See Steel Stockist.
STOREY HEIGHT Height measured from floor finish to floor finish. For single-storey
buildings and the top floor of multi-storey buildings, the height shall
be measured from floor finish to notional floor finish (level at which
the next floor would be likely if there was one).
STOREY Space between two floors of a building.
STRAIN The deformation per unit length measured in the direction of the
stress caused by forces acting on a member. Not the same as
deflection.
STRESS A measure of the load on a structural member in terms of force per
unit area.
STRESS Any force acting upon a part or member.
STRINGER One of the sides of a flight of stairs. The supporting member cut to
receive the treads and risers.
STRUCAD 3-D CAD modelling and detailing software for structures.
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STRUCTURAL FRAME Columns, beams, joists, walls, floors, trusses, etc., which act
together as the structural frame to which non-structural items or
materials are attached.
STRUCTURE Organised combination of connected parts designed to provide some
measure of rigidity, or a Construction Works having such an
arrangement.
STRUT A member fitted into a framework, which resists axial compressive
forces.
STRUT A secondary member used to provide mid span restraint to roof
purlins.
STUD A plane bar with a upset head. Welded to steel beams prior to the
concrete being cast, thereby ensuring composite action between
steel and concrete. Also known as Shear Studs.
STUD WELDING The process of welding shear studs to the floor beam. Usually done
on site, but sometimes done in the shop, in which case the
necessary details must be shown on the fabrication details.
SUBASSEMBLY A portion or subclass of an Assembly.
SUB-CONTRACT Contract to carry out part of a larger contract.
SUBCONTRACTOR A company or single person providing consultancy services to the
engineering consultancy company.
SUPESEDED Written on drawings and documents to indicate that the
drawing/document is out of date (not the latest revision) and should
not therefore be used as a working copy.
SURVEY DRAWING Drawing that records measurements of an existing structure.
SURVEYOR A person skilled in land measurement.
T
TL Abbreviation for Team Leader
T.B.A. Abbreviation for To Be Advised
T.B.C. Abbreviation for To Be Confirmed
T.B.D. Abbreviation for To Be Determined
T.F.U. Occasionally used as an abbreviation for Top Flange Unpainted.
T.O.C. Abbreviation for Top Of Concrete
T.O.F. Abbreviation for Top Of Foundation
T.O.G. Abbreviation for Top Of Grating
T.Q. Abbreviation for Technical Query. TQ's are issued as a means of
querying missing information/clarifying doubts relating to a project.
T.O.S. Abbreviation for Top Of Steel.
TAPERED MEMBERS A built up plate member consisting of flanges welded to a variable
depth web
TABLE PLATE The base (flange) portion of a welded tee section.
TACK WELD A small "spot" weld, used to temporarily hole members in place
during fabrication prior to full welding.
TEMPLATE A full size paper or card representation of a fitting which is used in
order to cut-out and drill the fitting - rarely used today due to the use
of automated machinery and NC data.
TEMPORARY WORKS Items or strucutres which do not form part of the permanent
structure, but which are necessary to support parts of the permanent
strucutre as it is built. They can often be major strucutres in their own
right and desrve as much care in their design.
TENDER Written offer to execute at a stated price or rate an order for the
supply of goods or services or the execution of works in given
conditions.
TENDER DOCUMENTS Documents submitted for the compiling of tenders such as Bills of
Quantities, Drawings, Specifications and Contract Conditions.
TENSILE STRENGTH The greatest longitudinal stress a structural member can resist
without adverse affects (breaking or cracking).
TENSION FORCE Forces acting on a member tending to elongate it.
THERMAL CUTTING The use of a gas fueled flame torch or plasma cutter to cut steel
members to the correct length/shape. (Note, conventional gas fueled
flame torch cutting also widely known as Flame Cutting).
THRESHOLD Wood, metal, or stone member placed directly below a door.
TIE Forces acting on a member tending to elongate it.
TIMBER HOLES Holes drilled in steel members for the purposes of attaching timber
members (usually at roof level).
TIRFORS Tie wires used to stabilise/tie members in during erection.
TOLERANCE The acceptable variance of dimensions from s standard size.
TOP COAT The final coat in a paint system applied to strucutral steel.
TORSION 1) A twisting force
2) A load applied at an eccentricity (in plane)
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TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT The consistent integrated orchestration of the total complex of an
organization's work processes and activities to achieve continuous
improvement in the organization's processes and products.
TOUCH-UP The process of making good/repairing any damage to the surface
coating of painted steel members which has occurred during
delivery/erection/site works.
TORUE CONTROL Method of tightnening bolts. Bolts are tightened to a pre-defined
torque (twisting force) via a manual toque wrench or power tool with
torque cut-out device. Ensure that bolts are tightened correctly
without applying overstress to the threads. Method is mainly used for
HSFG bolts, but is also applicable to ordinary bolts as well.
TRANSVERSE The direction parallel to the main frames.

TRANSMITTAL A covering front page recording all details (drawing numbers,
document numbers, revisions) in a document issue.
TREAD The step or horizontal member of a stair.
TRIAL ERECTION The assembly of steel components on site so as to ensure accurate
fit-up prior to delivery to site.
TRIM The light gauge metal used in the finish of a building, especially
around openings and at intersections of surfaces. Sometimes
referred to as flashing.
TRIMMER The longer floor or ceiling-framing member around a rectangular
opening into which headers are joined; both headers and trimmers
are doubled.
TRUSS A structure made up of three or more members, with each member
designed to carry a tension or compression force. The entire
structure in turn acts as a beam.
TRUSS Structural unit of members fastened in triangular arrangements to
form a rigid framework for support over long spans.
TURN-OF-NUT METHOD A method for pre-tensioning high strength bolts. The nut is tightened
an additional amount from the Snug Tight position, corresponding to
a few blows of an impact wrench or the full effort of a man using an
ordinary spud wrench. The amount of rotation required depends on
the bolt diameter and length.
TURNED BAREL BOLTS Similar to Close Tollerance Bolts but manufactured to an even higher
level of precision so as to ensure accuracy in the bolt/nut thread
sizes. Used in conjunction with tight fitting holes. Rarely used for
strucutral works due to cost.
TYPICAL CONNECTION GENERATION The process of creating and checking one version of each calc
reference within a 3-D CAD model prior to the application of the
connections at multiple locations (Mass Application).
TWIN MEMBERS Two members which are paired-up to form a single member.
Examples include back to back angles or channels.
TWO PACK PAINT TREATMENT A chemical resistant paint (epoxy, urethane) which is supplied as a
two components (base and curing agent). Note this does not refer to
the number of paint coats required for any given paint system.
U
UB Abbreviation for Universal Beam ("I" Section steel member)
UC Abbreviation for Universal Column ("H" Section steel member)
U/S Abbreviation for Underside.
UNDERPINNING A foundation replacement or reinforcement for temporary braced
supports.
UNEQUAL ANGLE Angle (RSA) in which each leg length is different (I.e. 150x90).
UPLIFT Wind load on a building, which causes a load in the upward direction.
V
V.O. Abbreviation for Variation.
VALLEY The internal angle formed by two slopes of a roof.
VALLEY GUTTER Wind load on a building, which causes a load in the upward direction.
VALLEY JACKS Rafters that run from a ridgeboard to a valley rafter.

VALLEY RAFTER Diagonal rafter at the intersection of two intersecting sloping roofs.
VALUE ENGINEERING A practice function targeted at the design itself, which has as its
objective the development of design of a facility or item that will yield
least life-cycle costs or provide greatest value while satisfying all
performance and other criteria established for it.
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VARIATION Work that is neither expressly included in nor implied by the original
contract and therefore is not in the contract price, whether it
represents a change or alteration to the original work or simply an
addition to or omission from it.
VESSEL A tank or cylinder used for the storage of liquids or gases.
VENT A screened opening for ventilation.
VIERENDEEL GIRDER A rigid jointed rectangular frame or member.
VIEW Orthogonal projection showing the visible part of an object and also,
if necessary, its hidden outlines.
W
W/C Abbreviation for Week Commencing.
W/E Abbreviation for Week Ending.
W.P. Abbreviation for Working Point.
WHL CLIENT WHL-UK or WHL-UAE as appropriate.
WASHER PLATES Used in conjunction with H.D. Bolts/Anchor Bolts - cast into concrete
to lock the bolts into place.
WALLS Vertical assemblies which are load-bearing.
WEATHER STRIPPING Strips of fabric or metal fastened around the edges of windows and
doors to prevent air infiltration.
WEATHERING STEELS High strength, low allow structural steel which possess good weather
resistance to atmospheric conditions without the need for protective
coatings. Often used in bridge construction.
WEB That portion of a rolled steel section between the flanges.
WEB PLATE A plate welded to the web of a rolled section between root fillets,
primarily for the purpose of increasing the shear capacity of the web
(also can contribute to the bearing and buckling strength of the
section).
WEB STIFFENER Stiffener: A member used to strengthen a plate against lateral or
local buckling.
WEDGES A triangular piece of steel used to adjust the line and level of
columns.
WHEEL BASE Distance from centre-to centre of the outermost crane wheels.
WHEEL LOAD The vertical forces without impact produced on a crane ok wheel
bearing on a runway rail or suspended from a runway beam.
Maximum wheel load occurs with the crane loaded at rated capacity
and the trolley positioned to provide maximum vertical force at one
set of wheels.
WIND COLUMN A vertical member designed to withstand horizontal wind loads,
usually in the endwall.
WINDOWS Glazed openings in partitions, walls and cladding.
WORKING DRAWINGS A set of drawings issued for construction, showing the detailed
architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic,
landscaping or other design solutions and details for a project.
WORKING LINE (W.L.) The line formed between Working Points to which a member is set-
out
WORKING MODEL A 3-D CAD model produced for the purposes of generating
fabrication details and other related project activities.
WORKING POINTS (W.P.) The primary points between which a member is set-out (also see
Set-Out Points).
X
XOX Abbreviation for an Ordinary Bolt assembly, comprising of a
Hexagonal (X) head bolt, a Round (O) shank, and Hexagonal (X)
head nut.
XOX-SS Designation used in X-Steel to define Set Screws/Fully Threaded
Bolts.
X-BRACING Bracing system with members arranged diagonally in both directions
to form an "X". See Bracing.
X-STEEL 3-D CAD modelling and detailing software for structures.
Z
"Z" SECTION A member cold formed from steel sheet in the approximate shape of
a "Z".
ZINC PLATED Most common type of surface finish applied to bolts. Treatment is
electrostatically deposited. Abbreviated to BZP (Bright Zinc Plated).
ZINC - ALUMINIUM COATED Steel coated with an alloy of zinc and aluminium to provide corrosion
resistance.
Page 24/24 12/09/2009

Steelwork Glossary

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What are some common structural steel components described in the glossary?

What are some common structural steel components described in the glossary?

What is the purpose of weathering steels?

What is the purpose of weathering steels?

WHIL Steelwork Glossary

GLOSSARY OF STRUCTURAL STEELWORK TERMS

ACCEPTABLE WORKMANSHIP Satisfactory to and approved by the reviewing authority associated

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ASD (Allowable Strength Design). Method of proportioning structural

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BUILDING LINE Setback restrictions on property, established by zoning ordinances,

CENTRE OF GRAVITY (CofG)

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CONCRETE SLAB Concrete construction, horizontal or nearly horizontal, of large area

CRANE SPAN The horizontal distance centre - to - centre of runway beams.

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CROSS BRACING A system of diagonal members used to provide stability to a

DESIGN A process that uses the products of analysis to produce a

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ERECTION The process of assembling pre-fabricated components into a whole

FABRICATION DATA Electronic means of communication for automatic or semi-automatic

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FATIGUE A weakening of structural members

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GIRDER A main horizontal or near horizontal structural member that supports

GOUGING The use of a flame or plasma cutter to remove part or all of a

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HARD FLAT ROUND WASHER Washer used with HSFG Bolts.

INTERMITTENT WELD A weld which stops and starts at set intervals.

INTERFACE The junction between:

INSTALLATION The on-site assembling of fabricated Metal Building System components to

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MEWP Abbreviation for Mobile Elevated Working Platform.

MEAN ROOF HEIGHT Average height of roof above ground.

METAL DECKING See Decking.

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MULLION Structural support member between a series of windows

MULTI-STOREY A structure consisting of multiple, repeating floors.

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P.E. Abbreviation for Project Engineer - person responsible for technical

P.M.S. Abbreviation for Piece Monitoring System.

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REACTIONS The resisting forces at the column bases provided by foundations

RESTORATION Rebuilding s structure so it will appear in its original form.

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SAW Abbreviation for Submerged-Arc Welding. SAW is a mechanical

SHS Abbreviation for Square Hollow Section (Square shaped steel

S.S.L. Abbreviation for Structural Slab Level.

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SHERADISED A type of surface treatment to bolts.Items are tumbled in hot zinc

SILL Horizontal exterior member below a window or door opening. In

SKETCH Drawing commonly prepared freehand and not necessarily to scale.

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SLAB CONSTRUCTION A reinforced concrete floor and foundation system