- Industry: Government; Transportation
- Number of terms: 1862
- Number of blossaries: 0
- Company Profile:
Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) is the state agency responsible for the organization, construction, and maintenance of the of Iowa's highway system. Located in Ames, Iowa DOT is also responsible for licensing drivers and programming and planning for aviation, rail, and public transit.
A low, reinforced concrete wall wider at the base, tapering vertically to near mid-height, then continuing straight up to its top. The shape is designed to direct automotive traffic back toward its own lane of travel and prevent crossing of a median or leaving the roadway. Commonly used on new and reconstructed bridges in place of decorative ballustrades, railings or parapets.
Industry:Construction
A periodic movement back and forth between two extreme limits. An example is the string of a guitar that has been plucked. Its vibration back and forth is one oscillation. A vibration is described by its size (amplitude), its oscillation rate (frequency), and its timing (phase). In a suspension bridge, oscillation results from energy collected and stored by the bridge. If a part of the bridge has to store more energy than it is capable of storing, that part could fail.
Industry:Construction
The horizontal space between two supports of a structure. Also refers to the structure itself. May be used as a noun or a verb.
The clear span is the space between the inside surfaces of piers or other vertical supports. The effective span is the distance between the centers of two supports.
Industry:Construction
Members used to stabilize a structure by introducing diagonal connections.
Industry:Construction
A structural member having a long body and an enlarged head at each end. Each head has a hole though which a pin is inserted to connect to other members.
Industry:Construction
Part of a bridge substructure. A rigid frame commonly made of reinforced concrete or steel that supports a vertical load and is placed transerse to the length of a structure. Bents are commonly used to support beams and girders. An end bent is the supporting frame forming part of an abutment.
Each vertical member of a bent may be called a column, pier or pile. The horizontal member resting on top of the columns is a bent cap. The columns stand on top of some type of foundation or footer that is usually hidden below grade.
A bent commonly has at least two or more vertical supports. Another term used to describe a bent is capped pile pier. A support having a single column with bent cap is sometimes called a "hammerhead" pier.
Industry:Construction
The highest stress that a material can withstand before breaking.
Industry:Construction
Tension members of a suspension bridge which hang from the main cable to support the deck. Also similar tension members of an arch bridge which features a suspended deck. Also called hangers.
Industry:Construction
