Glossary | S to Z

Sample The number of specimens drawn from a lot.

Sanitary Sewers designed for the transportation of contaminated waters and wastes to treatment plants, septic, anaerobic, or aerobic disposal systems.

Sealing bands External Flexible wrappings that are applied to the outside of a concrete pipe, box section, or manhole section joint intended to control the movement of fluids or solids through the joint.

Segregation The separation of the components of a concrete mix during placement due to improper handling and or vibration.

Sewage The spent water of a community which is a combination of liquid (wastewater) and water-carried wastes.

Sewer A pipeline intended to convey sewage.

Shop drawings Detailed drawings prepared by a manufacturer, contractor, or installer for the purpose of insuring the proper fit of materials, and equipment into the constructed project.

Shotcrete A dense mixture of concrete designed to be blown from a high-pressure hose and nozzle via compressed air. Reinforcing filaments of fiber are either included or incorporated at the nozzle as part of the mix.

Slump test Usually referred to as the slump it is a test performed on the jobsite by a concrete testing laboratory.The cone is removed and the wet concrete slumps. The slump of the concrete is measured against the original cone form to established its slump (usually 4” for most mixes).

Soil All excavated material exclusive of solid bedrock and organic matter that is divided into various classes and types.

Soils engineer A professional engineer who studies, engineers, and determines the bearing capacities of any given soil type, designed backfill, and or rock bearing capacity. The investigation of soil is performed by taking boring samples of the existing soil condition.

Special design A concrete pipe design for sizes, loads, or service conditions not covered by a standard design.

Specimen An individual unit on which a test can be made.

Spigot That portion of the end of the pipe, regardless of its shape or dimensions, which is overlapped by a portion of the end of the adjoining pipe.

Cage splice Junction of two sections of parallel reinforcement intended to provide continuity and to transfer forces between the two sections.

Spring-line The points on the internal surface of the transverse cross section of a pipe intersected by the line of maximum horizontal dimension; or in box sections, the mid-height of the internal vertical wall.

Standard design A published and proven concrete pipe design.

Static head The pressure created in a pipe by a column of water.

Steel fabricator One who fabricates structural steel to the specifications of the construction documents.

Stirrup Reinforcing steel in a U or box section used to resist tensile stresses diagonally transferred through a concrete beam, girder, or wall

Storm drain A pipeline intended to convey storm water.

Storm sewer A pipeline intended to convey storm water

Storm water Precipitation run-off.

Tensile stress Stress resulting from stretching a material.

Test cylinders Sample cylinders of concrete taken from each truck delivering concrete from a batch plant. The cylinders are cured and tested in a laboratory to verify the strength of the designed mix.

Thrust block A solid concrete block placed at the juncture (change in direction) of a water line which has been buried, preventing the line from breaking due to pressure surge caused by a water hammer. Also, the blocking located at the bottom of a stair run which prevents stair stringers from sliding out of place.

T-Lock Liners made of a durable plastic composition which have a "T" designed rear side and is cast into the concrete giving the liner its locking capability and its name.

Ultimate strength The maximum three-edge bearing test load supported by a pipe.

Pipe wall The structural element composed of concrete or concrete and steel between the inside and outside surfaces of a concrete pipe.

Vibrator A mechanical or pneumatic piece of equipment which vibrates at a predetermined rate and is used to compact soil or distribute concrete in formwork.

Whaler A horizontal structural member in concrete formwork to which the form ties are attached.

Water-stop A synthetic rubber ribbon installed between concrete construction joints to prevent the passage of water. Bentonite clay is also used as a water stop in substructure joints.

Water table The elevation of permanent ground water beneath the surface of the earth.

Watertight Will restrain the passage of water to not exceed a specified limit.

Wet Cast Method of producing concrete products with greater than zero slump concrete in the poured fashion.

WWF Welded wire fabric

Yield strength The point in the stressing of a material when it is beyond its elastic limit and will not return to its original shape nor resist load.

3-Edge Bearing Method of testing the strength of concrete pipe by squeezing the product on a rack until a .01" crack appears of squeezing until the product shows complete failure.

Storm Sewer Sewers designed for the removal of uncontaminated run off waters to retention areas, creeks, rivers, etc.

2-Z (Specification) This is a specification established by the Water Reclamation District of the Greater Chicagoland Area for hydrostatic testing of product they purchase. Concrete pipe is separated a distance of 2-times their 'Z' dimension, filled with water to a prescribed level, then pressurized to 15lb-psi for 2-hours without leaking through the walls or joints.