HGE - TERMINOLOGIES

MAY 2015
● Surface Tension - the elastic tendency of liquids which makes them acquire the least
surface area possible. It is responsible, for example, when an object or insect such as
mosquitoes that is denser than water is able to float or run along the water surface.
● Degree of Saturation - the ratio between the volume of water and the volume of voids.
● Porosity - the ratio between the volume of void and the volume of the soil mass.
● Moisture Content - the ratio between the weight of water and the weight of solid
particles.
NOVEMBER 2015
● Archimedes - states the law of buoyancy.
● Steady Flow - a flow in which the velocity of the fluid at a particular fixed point does not
change with time.
● Cohesion - is the component of shear strength of a rock or soil that is independent of
interparticle friction.
● Liquefaction - a phenomenon in which the strength and stiffness of a soil is reduced by
earthquake shaking or other rapid loading.
● Effective Stress - a pile of sand keeps from spreading out like a liquid because the
weight of the sand keeps the grains stuck together in their current arrangement, mostly
out of static friction. This weight and pressure called…
● Gas - not a soil component. (Note: Components of soil are organic materials, minerals,
etc.)
● Sieve Analysis - a practice procedure used to assess the particle size distribution (also
called gradation) of a granular material. The size distribution is often called of critical
importance to the way the material performs in use.
● Gravel - according to USCS, is a soil grain with grain size greater than 4.75 mm but less
than 75 mm. (75 mm > 4.75 mm)
● Boulders - particles of rock will not pass a 12 in (200 mm). (200 mm < …)
● Cobble - particles of rock that will pass a 12in (300 mm) square opening and be retained
on a 3in (75 mm). (300 mm > 75 mm)
● Coarse Aggregate - (75 mm > 19 mm) passes 3in (75 mm) sieve and retains ¾in (19
mm) sieve.
 ● Fine Aggregate - (19 mm > 4.75 mm) passes ¾in (19 mm) sieve and retains No. 4
(4.75 mm) sieve.
● Location of GWT, depth of backfill and plasticity of soil affects the settlement of
footing.
● Steepness of the fill and steepness of the cut shall not exceed to 1:2 (1 vertical and 2
horizontal).
MAY 2016
● Turbulent - when the path lines of the individual particles of a flowing liquid are irregular
curves and continually cross each other and form a complicated network.
● Hydraulic gradient - a line joining the points of highest elevation of water in a series of
vertical open pipes rising from a pipeline in which water flows under pressure.
● Water Hammer - a pressure surge or wave caused when a fluid in motion is forced to
stop or change direction suddenly (momentum change) is referred to in hydraulics.
● 0 to 24 - a cohesive soil deposit is considered soft if the unconfined compression
strength in kPa.
NOVEMBER 2016
● 4 C° - temperature at which liquid water has the highest density.
● Pascals - a principle of mechanics that the pressure exerted onto a liquid is transmitted
equally and undiminished to all portions of the liquid.
● Bernoulli - a principle that in any stream flowing steadily without friction the total energy
contained is the same at every point in its path of flow.
MAY 2017
● Porosity - the ratio between the volume of void and the volume of the soil mass.
● Degree of Saturation - the ratio between the volume of water and the volume of voids.
● No. 40 - for determining the atterberg limit which is the plastic and liquid limits, the soil
sample must pass through 0.425 mm sieve.
NOVEMBER 2018
● Easy to compact, high shear strength and prone to settlement due to vibrating
load are the characteristics of cohesionless soil.
● In standard penetration tests, medium dense sand has a number of blows of 10 to 30.
APRIL 2023 (Bessavilla)
● The shear strength of a soil increases with increase in normal stress.
● Triaxial shear test acts on all plane axes except x and y axis.
 ● In what plan is the additional stress (deviator stress) can affect the shear stress?
Horizontal
● Vane Test is a test not performed in a laboratory.
● In AASHTO, soil greater than 75mm is classified as cobbles.
● In 1.3cNc + qNq + 0.4BɣNɣ, Nc, Nq and Nɣ are function of angle of friction.
● When molecules get attracted to others it is called cohesion.
● Where is the metacenter for stable equilibrium? Above center of gravity.
● If the volume of voids is equal to the volume of solids, what is the porosity and void equal
to respectively? 0.5 and 1.0
● The shear strength of a cohesionless soil is proportional to the tangent of the angle
of shearing resistance.
● The intensity of vertical stress at a depth due to a point load acting on the surface of a
semi infinite elastic soil mass is directly proportional to the square of depth.
● When the metacenter of a floating body is lower than the center of gravity, then the body
will be in unstable equilibrium.
● The metacentric height is the distance between the center of the gravity of the floating
body and the metacenter.
● Negative skin friction on piles caused by soft clay, decreases the pile capacity and
due to relative settlement of soil.
● Specific weight of liquid does not vary on any other planet.
● In civil engineering, soil is a structural material or uncemented aggregate.
● The weight per unit volume of a liquid at a standard temperature and pressure is called
specific weight.
PSAD - TERMINOLOGIES
MAY 2015
● Orthotopic Material - the material composition is the same but its mechanical properties
are different in every direction.
● Homogeneous - materials are the same at all points in the body.
● Isotropic Material - has a stress-strain relationship that is independent of the orientation
of the coordinate system at a point.
● Elasticity - Refers to the tendency of solid materials to return to their original shape after
forces are applied on them. When the forces are removed, the object will return to its
initial shape and size.
● Yielding - refers to the stress at which a material begins to deform plastically.
 ● Work hardening - is the strengthening of a metal by plastic deformation.
● Buckling - failure by lateral or torsional instability of a structural member, occurring with
stresses below the yield of ultimate values.
MAY 2016
● Toughness - the ability of the material to absorb energy in the plastic range.
● Resilience - the ability of material to absorb energy in the elastic range.
● Ductility - refers to the ability of a material to deform in the plastic range without
breaking
● Center of Rigidity - it is the point through which the resultant of the resistance to the
applied lateral force acts.
● Shear Wall - the point on a structure where the resultant vertical force acts.
● Eccentricity - the distance between the center of mass and center of rigidity.
NOVEMBER 2016
● Ground Motion or Ground Displacement - it is measured by a seismometer.
● Inverse Stiffness - refers to the flexibility of a structural system.
● Yielding - the stress point where a material will have appreciable deform when a small
amount of stress is experienced.
● Toughness - the ability of the material to deform in plastic rance without breaking.
● Elastic Limit - the greatest stress that can be applied to an elastic body without causing
permanent deformation.
NOVEMBER 2017
● Torsional Shear Stress - the center of mass and center of rigidity of a structure does
not coincide; it will develop this kind of stress.
● Soft Storey - a building which has a floor which is less than 70% as stiff as the floor
immediately above it, or less than 80% as stiff as the average stiffness of the three floors
above it.
● Storey Drift - refers to the lateral displacement of one level relative to the other level
above or below.
MAY 2018
● Reciprocal of Deflection - best refer to the rigid structure.
● Liquefaction is best described as a sudden drop of shear strength.
● k = k1 + k2 - If two springs with sudden stiffness of k1 and k2 are arranged in parallel.
● Center of Rigidity - the point through which the resultant of the resistance to the
applied lateral force acts.
 ● Center of Mass - the point o a structure through which the applied seismic force acts.
● Reciprocal of Stiffness - refers to the flexibility of a structure.

MSTE - TERMINOLOGIES
MAY 2019
● Traffic Signs - device mounted on a fixed support whereby a specific message is
conveyed by means of words or symbols for the purpose of regulating, warning and
guiding traffic.
● Road Work Signs - warn or advise of temporary hazardous conditions that could
endanger road users or the men and equipment engaged on roadwork.
● Special Instructions Signs - signs that instruct road users to meet certain traffic rule
requirements or road condition.
● Significant Wave - defined as the average height of the highest one third of waves in a
wave train. It is the maximum height and wave period of the maximum wave height in
wave train.
● Seiches - are typically caused when strong winds and rapid changes in atmospheric
pressure push water from one end of the body of a water to the other.
● Wind swells - are created by the wind blowing above the ocean close to the shore.
● Wake effect - the wind speed decreases and the turbulence increases.
● Wind Sea - when directly generated and affected by local wind.
NOVEMBER 2019
● A caisson is a watertight structure that is used to carry out construction or repair work in
the water, particularly in the construction of bridges, dams, and other large structures. It
is a box-like structure made of reinforced concrete or steel that is open at the bottom and
closed at the top.
● Shoring is a temporary support system used in construction to provide temporary
structural support to an existing structure or excavation. It is typically used to prevent
collapse or instability during construction work, such as excavation, demolition, or
renovation of a building.
● Pier refers to a raised platform or structure that extends out over a body of water, such
as a river, harbor, or ocean, and provides a docking point for ships to load and unload
cargo or passengers.
● The sign being described is called a "Guide sign". Guide signs are used to provide
information to road users about routes, directions, distances, points of interest, and the
 location of services such as gas stations, rest areas, hospitals, and hotels. They are
usually placed on highways, expressways, and other major roads to help drivers
navigate and plan their trips. Guide signs are typically rectangular in shape and have
white lettering on a green or blue background.
● Traffic instruction sign is a type of traffic sign used to provide information, guidance or
instructions to road users. These signs are typically used to indicate speed limits,
direction of travel, lane usage, parking regulations, and other traffic regulations. Traffic
instruction signs are usually rectangular in shape and are designed with bold,
easy-to-read lettering and symbols to convey their message clearly and quickly to
drivers. They are an important component of traffic control systems and help to ensure
safe and efficient traffic flow.
● 7 Ways to avoid traffic conflicts: Separating traffic, Traffic signals, Rounabouts,
Grade Separations, Speed Limits, Proper signage and markings, Education and
Awareness
● Delay - the difference between the actual time and some ideal travel time for a given
segment of a transportation system.
● Queue Time - refers to the time a vehicle spends waiting in a queue such as in traffic or
at a toll booth.
● Transverse Cracks - cracks approximately at right angles to the pavement of centerline
which may be caused by shrinkage or differential thermal stress of the asphalt concrete
or may be reflective cracks.
● Alligator Crack - type of cracking caused by a combination of factors such as aging,
poor drainage, heavy traffic loads and inadequate pavement thickness.
● Block Crack - type of pavement distress that appears as interconnected rectangular
cracks resembling a block pattern. It is caused by the shrinkage of the asphalt concrete
surface.
● Longitudinal Crack - cracks that run parallel to the direction of traffic flow or the
pavement centerline.
● Provision of safety sight distance depends on the characteristics of the road environment
such as road geometry, road surface conditions, road illumination at night and
road topography.
● Provision of safety distance depends on the characteristics of vehicles such as eye
height of the driver and type of vehicles.
 ● Screeding - process of leveling a layer of concrete, mortar or other material with a
straight edge of screed board.
● Trowelling - used in concrete construction to smooth and level the surface of freshly
poured concrete.
● Floating - typically done after the initial screeding process to remove any surface
imperfections and consolidate the concrete surface.
● Finishing - final stage in which the surface of the concrete is treated to achieve the
desired appearance, texture and durability.
● Age of tides - it is the interval which may amount to as much as 2.5 days between the
highest tide for each location and new/full moon.
● Diurnal Tide - tidal pattern characterized by a single high tide and single low tide which
last 24 hours and 50 minutes.
● Lunar Tide - refer to the regular rise and fall of sea levels caused by the gravitational
pull of the Moon on the Earth's ocean.
● Semi-Diurnal Tide - refer to a pattern of tidal fluctuations characterized by two high
tides and two low tides approximately equal size in a 24 hour period.
● Raveling - wearing way of the pavement surface caused by dislodging of aggregate
particles and binder.
● Bleeding - is a form of distress in asphalt pavement characterized by the upward
movement of asphalt binder in the pavement surface.
● Flushing - is the occurrence of a film of asphalt binder on the pavement surface, caused
by excessive application of a low viscosity asphalt emulsion or an asphalt binder.
● Joint Crack Spalling - is the deterioration or breaking of concrete joints or cracks to the
effect of traffic loading, temperature changes and freeze-thaw cycles.
● Batching - is the most important process to prepare concrete. The process of
proportioning the cement, water, aggregates and additives prior to mixing concrete.
● Admixture - is a material added to concrete in addition to cement, water and aggregates
during the mixing process.
● Slump Test - used to determine relative consistency of concrete.
● Water-Cement Ratio - important factor in determining the strength and durability of
concrete.
● Construction Specifications - written instructions that detail how a facility is to be
constructed.
APRIL 2023
 ● Hardness - a measure of material's ability to resist indentation or penetration.
● Consolidation - an increase in soil density of a cohesive soil resulting from the
expulsion of water from the soils void spaces.
● Chronological order of finishing standard weight concrete slabs: Bleeding, Screeding,
Leveling, Edging, Jointing, Floating, Troweling and Broom Finishing
● Elements to consider when planning National Roads:
1. Limited frontage access
2. Development set well back from the highway
3. All access to premises provided via provincial roads
4. Number of intersections to be minimized
5. Suitable at grade-channelized intersections for minor flows and other elements
6. No roadside vendors
● Health and Safety Committee - given the authority to review reports of inspection,
accident investigations and implementation of the program.
● Grouting - the process of injecting any agent into soil or rock to increase its strength or
stability, protect foundations or reduce ground water.
● Every construction project shall have a suitable Construction Safety and Health
Program, which must be in accordance with these rules and other orders and issuances
issued by the DOLE.

PSAD (Keywords for Problems)

Steel Design
● Bolts
○ Maximum safe load - used least value of P.
○ Required Diameter - used larger value of stress
● Retaining Wall
○ Minimum thickness - used the larger value
○ Maximum thickness - used least value.
● Columns
○ Allowable Load - used highest value slenderness ratio or used lowest value of
radius of gyration.
○ Moment of Inertia (x axis) - used the distance along y axis
○ Moment of Inertia (y axis) - used the distance along x axis