| Object-oriented design (OOD) - | (Software Engineering) a technique for translating the OOA model into an implementation model |
| Quality function deployment (QFD) - | (Software Engineering) a technique that translates the needs of a customer in technical requirements for software by assessing the value of each requirement |
| AAC - Autoclaved Aerated Concrete | (Concrete Engineering) Exceptionally lightweight precast concrete with high thermal qualities and fire resistence. Suitable for cutting with ordinary hand tools. Mix design is composed of portland cement, sand or siliceous material, lime, gypsum, finely powdered aluminum, and water. Initial mix is a combination of portland cement, sand, lime and gypsum to produce a slurry. Finely powdered aluminum mixed into a paste is added prior to placement into large, rail-like forms. The finely powdered aluminum reacts with the alkaline components of the cement and lime to produce hydrogen gas, which increases the volume approximately five times producing a uniformly, dispersed cellular structure. Units are cut to required shape. Units are placed in an autoclave, an enclosed pressurized chamber, and steam cured at 3500 F. Approximately 80% of the ultimate volume consists of air voids. |
| Blast Furnace Slag | (Concrete Engineering) A non-metallic waste product developed in the manufacture of pig iron, consisting basically of a mixture of lime, silica and alumina, the same oxides that make up portland cement, but not in the same proportions or forms. It is used both in the manufacture of portland blast furnace slag cement and as an aggregate for lightweight concrete. |
| Carbonation | (Concrete Engineering) 1) Reaction between the products of portland cement (soluble calcium hydroxides), water and carbon dioxide to produce insoluble calcium carbonate (efflorescence). 2) Soft white, chalky surface dusting of freshly placed, unhardened concrete caused by carbon dioxide from unvented heaters or gasoline powered equipment in an enclosed space. 3) Carbonated, dense, impermeable to absorption, top layer of the surface of concrete caused by surface reaction to carbon dioxide. This carbonated layer becomes denser and deeper over a period of time. 4) Reaction with carbon dioxide which produces a slight shrinkage in concrete. Improves chemical stability. Concrete masonry units during manufacturing may be deliberately exposed to carbon dioxide after reaching 80% strength to induce carbonation shrinkage to make the units more dimensionally stable. Future drying shrinkage is reduced by as much as 30%. |
| Consistency | (Concrete Engineering) The degree of plasticity of fresh concrete or mortar The normal measure of consistency is slump for concrete and flow for mortar. |
| Construction Joint | (Concrete Engineering) The contact between the placed concrete and concrete surfaces, against or upon which concrete is to be placed and to which new concrete is to adhere, that has become so rigid that the new concrete cannot be incorporated integrally by vibration with that previously placed. Unformed construction joints are horizontally placed or nearly so. |
| HRM High Reactivity Metakaolin. | (Concrete Engineering) Refined form of an ASTM C618, Class N (natural) pozzolan. A high performance, mineral admixture, similar in performance to silica fume, additionally comparable in cost. Pure white powdered in form will, not effect the natural color or darken concrete as silica fume does. Suitable for high-performance color matching in architectural concrete. Dosage at 5% to 10%, of cement by weight. No bleed water, better finishability, more creamy, cleanup is easier with slightly higher 28 day strengths and 25% - 35% less plasticizer is required than silica fume. |
| Hydrologic Cycle | (Concrete Engineering) The Hydrologic Cycle consists of the evaporation of water from oceans and other bodies of open water; condensation to produce cloud formations; precipitation of rain, snow, sleet or hail upon land surfaces; dissipation of rain or melted solids by direct run-off into lakes and by seepage into the soil. Thereby producing a continuing endless source of water in the sub-grade. |
| Kelly Ball | (Concrete Engineering) A device for determining the consistency of fresh concrete. It is sometimes used as an alternative to the slump test. |