abandonment of work Quick reference
A Dictionary of Construction, Surveying and Civil Engineering
To leave site and refuse to continue work. Must entail a complete stoppage of work with a clear intention not
abatement of action Quick reference
A Dictionary of Construction, Surveying and Civil Engineering
An interruption of legal proceedings. A party, normally the defendant, serves an application of abatement giving reasons why proceedings should
ABE fermentation Quick reference
A Dictionary of Chemical Engineering
Another name for the *Weizmann process used for the production of acetone, butanol, and ethanol using the acid-resistant bacterium ...
aberration Quick reference
A Dictionary of Electronics and Electrical Engineering (5 ed.)
A defect in the image produced by an optical or electronic lens system.
abeyance Quick reference
A Dictionary of Construction, Surveying and Civil Engineering
1. A state of suspension, temporarily inactive, cessation or put to one side for a period of time.
2. When
abioseston Quick reference
A Dictionary of Construction, Surveying and Civil Engineering
Non-living particulate matter found floating in watercourses.
abiotic Quick reference
A Dictionary of Construction, Surveying and Civil Engineering
Non-living chemical and physical matter (not biological). Abiotic components are parts of the environment; water, sunlight, oxygen, temperature, soil, and
ablation Quick reference
A Dictionary of Chemical Engineering
ablation cooling Quick reference
A Dictionary of Mechanical Engineering
The cooling of a surface exposed to very high external gas temperature which causes the surface material to sublime, melt or decompose. The chemical ...
ablution fitting Quick reference
A Dictionary of Construction, Surveying and Civil Engineering
A large communal sanitary fitting used to perform ritual washing.
Abney level Quick reference
A Dictionary of Construction, Surveying and Civil Engineering
A hand-held instrument to measure vertical angles. See also
above grade Quick reference
A Dictionary of Construction, Surveying and Civil Engineering
A higher elevation than ground level. See also
above ground level Quick reference
A Dictionary of Construction, Surveying and Civil Engineering
1. The height above ground level.
2. Work undertaken on a building after the building has come out of the
abradant Quick reference
A Dictionary of Mechanical Engineering
The differently-sized grits of hard materials such as emery employed for grinding, polishing, etc.
Abram's law Quick reference
A Dictionary of Construction, Surveying and Civil Engineering
A rule that states the strength of concrete (or mortar) is inversely related to the water/cement (w/c) ratio. Provided there
abrasion Quick reference
A Dictionary of Construction, Surveying and Civil Engineering
The wearing away of one material against another by *friction.
abrasion Quick reference
A Dictionary of Mechanical Engineering
abrasion resistance Quick reference
A Dictionary of Construction, Surveying and Civil Engineering
The ability of a finish to withstand wear.
abrasive Quick reference
A Dictionary of Construction, Surveying and Civil Engineering
The use of friction/roughness to clean, grind, or polish a surface.
abrupt junction Quick reference
A Dictionary of Electronics and Electrical Engineering (5 ed.)
A *p-n junction in which the impurity concentration changes abruptly from acceptors to donors (see
