I.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
ADDITION is an extension or increase in floor
area or height of a building or structure.
ALLOWABLE STRESS DESIGN is a method of
proportioning structural elements such that
computed stresses produced in the elements by
the allowable stress load combinations do not
exceed specified allowable stress (also called
working stress design).
ALTER or ALTERATION is any change, addition
or modification in construction or occupancy.
APPROVED as to materials and type of
construction, refers to approval by the building
official as the result of investigation and tests
conducted by the building official, or by reason
of accepted principles or tests by recognized
authorities, technical or scientific organizations.

composed of parts joined together in some

definite manner.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER is a registered Civil
Engineer with special qualification in the practice
of Structural Engineering as recognized by the
Board of Civil Engineering of the Professional
Regulation Commission of the Philippine
Institute of Civil Engineers through the
Association of Structural Engineers of the
Philippines.

II. GRADING AND EARTHWORK

APPROVAL shall mean that the proposed work
or completed work conforms to this section in
the opinion of the building official.
AS GRADED is the extent of surface conditions
on completion of grading.
BEDROCK is in-place solid rock.

BUILDING is any structure used or intended for

supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.
BUILDING, EXISTING, is a building erected
prior to the adoption of this code, or one for
which a legal building permit has been issued.
BUILDING OFFICIAL is the officer or other
designated authority charged with the
administration and enforcement of this code, or
the building officials duly authorized
representative.
LOAD AND RESISTANCE FACTOR DESIGN
(LRFD) METHOD is a method of proportioning
structural elements using load and resistance
factors such that no applicable limit state is
reached when the structure is subjected to all
appropriate load combinations. The term LRFD
is used in the design of steel and wood
structures.
STRENGTH DESIGN METHOD is a method of
proportioning structural elements such that the
computed forces produced in the elements by
the factored load combinations do not exceed
the factored element strength. The term
strength design is used in the design of
concrete and masonry structures.
STRUCTURE is that which is built or
constructed, an edifice or building of any kind, or
any piece of work artificially built up or

BENCH is a relatively level step excavated into

earth material on which fill is to be placed.
BORROW is earth material acquired from an offsite location for use on grading on a site.
CIVIL ENGINEER is a professional engineer
licensed to practice in the field of civil
engineering.
CIVIL ENGINEERING is the application of the
knowledge of the forces of nature, principles of
mechanics and the properties of materials to the
evaluation, design and construction of civil
works.
COMPACTION is the densification of a fill by
mechanical means.
EARTH MATERIAL is any rock, natural soil or
fill or any combination thereof.
ENGINEERING GEOLOGIST is a licensed
geologist experienced and knowledgeable in
engineering geology.
ENGINEERING GEOLOGY is the application of
geologic knowledge and principles in the
investigation and evaluation of naturally
occurring rock and soil for use in the design of
civil works.

EROSION is the wearing away of the ground

surface as a result of the movement of wind,
water or ice.
EXCAVATION is the mechanical removal of
earth material.
FILL is a deposit of earth material placed by
artificial means.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER is an engineer
experienced and knowledgeable in the practice
of geotechnical engineering.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING is the
application of the principles of soil and rock
mechanics in the investigation, evaluation and
design of civil works involving the use of earth
materials and the inspection or testing of the
construction thereof.
GRADE is the vertical location of the ground
surface.
GRADE, EXISTING, is the grade prior to
grading.
GRADE, FINISH, is the final grade of the site
that conforms to the approved plan.
GRADE, ROUGH, is the stage at which the
grade approximately conforms to the approved
plan.
GRADING is any excavating or filling or
combination thereof.
KEY is a designed compacted fill placed in a
trench excavated in earth material beneath the
toe of a proposed fill slope.
PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION is the
inspection required by this code be performed
by the civil engineer, geotechnical engineer or
engineering geologist. Such inspections include
that performed by persons supervised by such
engineers or geologists and shall be sufficient to
form an opinion relating to conduct of the work.
SITE is any lot or parcel of land or contiguous
combination thereof, under the same ownership,
where grading is performed or permitted.

SOIL is naturally occurring superficial deposits

overlying bedrock.
SOILS ENGINEER. See Geotechnical Engineer
SOILS ENGINEERING. See Geotechnical
Engineering
TERRACE is a relatively level step constructed
in the face of a graded slope surface for
drainage and maintenance purposes.

III. GENERAL
ACCESS FLOOR SYSTEM is an assembly
consisting of panels mounted on pedestals to
provide an under-floor space for the installations
of mechanical, electrical, communications or
similar systems to serve as an air-supply or
return-air plenum.
AGRICULTURAL BUILDING is a structure
designed to house farm implements, hay, grain,
poultry, livestock or other horticultural products.
The structure shall not be a place of human
habitation or a place of employment where
agricultural products are processed, treated or
packaged, nor shall it be a place used by the
public.
ALLOWABLE STRESS DESIGN METHOD is a
method of proportioning structural elements
such that computed stresses produced in the
elements by the allowable stress load
combinations do not exceed specified allowable
stress (also called working stress design).
ASSEMBLY BUILDING is a building or portion
of a building for the gathering together of 50 or
more persons for such purposes as deliberation,
education, instruction, worship, entertainment,
amusement, drinking or dining, or awaiting
transportation.
AWNING is a shelter supported entirely from the
exterior wall of a building.
BALCONY, EXTERIOR, is an exterior floor
system projecting from a structure and
supported by that structure, with no additional
independent supports.

SLOPE is an inclined ground surface the

inclination of which is expressed as a ratio of
vertical distance to horizontal distance.

DEAD LOADS consist of the weight of all

materials and fixed equipment incorporated into
the building or other structure.
DECK is an exterior floor system supported on
at least two opposing sides by an adjoining
structure and/or posts, piers, or other
independent supports.

wall supporting its own weight for more

than one story.
EXTERIOR WALL is any wall or element of a
wall, or any member or group of members, that
defines the exterior boundaries or courts of a
building and that has a slope of 60 degrees or
greater with the horizontal plane.

ESSENTIAL FACILITIES are buildings and

other structures that are intended to remain
operational in the event of extreme
environmental loading from wind or
earthquakes.

NONBEARING WALL is any wall that is not a

bearing wall

GARAGE is a building or portion thereof in

which motor vehicle containing flammable or
combustible liquids or gas in its tank is stored,
repaired or kept.

RETAINING WALL is a wall designed to resist

the later displacement of soil or other materials.

GARAGE, PRIVATE, is a building or portion of a

building, not more than 90 sq. m. in area, in
which only motor vehicles used by the tenants of
the building on the premises are kept or stored.

BASIC WIND SPEED, V is a 3-second gust

speed at 10 meters above the ground in
Exposure C and associated with an annual
probability of 0.02 of being equaled or exceeded
(50-year mean recurrence interval).

LIMIT STATE is a condition in which a structure

or component is judged either to be no longer
useful for its intended function (serviceability
limit state) or to be unsafe (strength limit state).
LIVE LOADS are forces or other actions that
result from the weight of all building materials,
occupants, and their possessions,
environmental effects, differential movements,
and restrained dimensional changes. Permanent
loads are those loads in which variations over
time are rare or of small magnitude. All other
loads are variable loads.
MARQUEE is a permanent roofed structure
attached to and supported by the building and
projecting over public property.
OCCUPANCY is the purpose for that a building,
or part thereof, is used or intended to be used.
WALLS
BEARING WALL is any wall meeting either of
the following classifications:
1.
2.

Any metal or wood stud wall that

supports more than 0.5 KN per linear
meter of superimposed load.
Any masonry or concrete wall that
supports more than 1.0 KN per linear
meter superimposed loads, or any such

PARAPET WALL is the part of any wall entirely

above the roof line.

IV. WIND LOAD

BUILDING, ENCLOSED, is a building that does

not comply with the requirements for open or
partially enclosed buildings.
BUILDING, OPEN, is a structure having all walls
at least 80% open.
BUILDING, PARTIALLY ENCLOSED is a
building that complies with both of the following
conditions:
1. The total area of openings in a wall that
receives positive external pressure
exceeds the sum of the areas of the
openings in the balance of the building
envelope (walls and roof) by more than
10% and
2. The total area of openings in a wall that
receives positive external pressure
exceeds 0.5 sq. m. or 1% of the area of
that wall, whichever is smaller, and the
percentage of openings in the balance
of the building envelope does not
exceed 20%.
BUILDING, LOW RISE, is an enclosed or
partially enclosed building which complies with
the following conditions:

1. Mean roof height, h, less than or equal

to 18 meters.
2. Mean roof height, h, does not exceed
least horizontal dimension.
COMPONENTS AND CLADDING are elements
that do not qualify as part of the main wind-force
resisting system.
DESIGN FORCE, F, is the equivalent static
force to be used in the determination of wind
loads for open buildings and other structures.
DESIGN PRESSURE, p, is the equivalent static
pressure to be used in the determination of wind
loads for buildings.
EFFECTIVE WIND AREA is the area used to
determine GCp. For cladding fasteners, the
effective wind area shall not be greater than the
area that is tributary to an individual fastener.
FLEXIBLE BUILDINGS AND OTHER
STRUCTURES are slender buildings and other
structures that have a fundamental natural
frequency less than 1 Hz. Included are buildings
and other structures that have a height, h,
exceeding four times the least horizontal
dimension.
IMPORTANCE FACTOR, I, is a factor that
accounts for the degree of hazard to human life
and damage to property.
MAIN WIND-FORCE RESISTING SYSTEM is
an assemblage of structural elements assigned
to provide support and stability for the overall
structure. The system generally receives wind
loading from more than one surface.

BEARING WALL SYSTEM is a structural

system without a complete vertical load-carrying
space frame.
BOUNDARY ELEMENT is an element at the
edges or openings or at perimeters of shear
walls or diaphragms.
BRACED FRAME is an essentially vertical truss
system of the concentric or eccentric type that is
provided to resist lateral forces.
BUILDING FRAME SYSTEM is an essentially
complete space frame that provides support for
gravity loads.
CANTILEVERED COLUMN ELEMENT is a
column element provided to transfer lateralforce-resisting system that cantilevers from a
fixed base and has minimal moment capacity at
the top, with lateral forces applied essentially at
the top.
COLLECTOR is a member or element provide
to transfer lateral forces from a portion of a
structure top vertical elements of the lateralforce-resisting system.
COMPONENT is a part or element of an
architectural, electrical, mechanical or structural
system.
COMPONENT, EQUIPMENT, is a mechanical
or electrical component or element that is part of
a mechanical and/or electrical system.
COMPONENT, FLEXIBLE, is a component,
including its attachments, having a fundamental
period greater than 0.06 second.

RECOGNIZED LETERATURE are published

research findings and technical papers that are
approved by the authority having jurisdiction.

COMPONENT, RIGID, is a component,

including its attachments, having a fundamental
period less than or equal to 0.06 second.

V. EARTHQUAKE

CONCENTRICALLY BRACED FRAME is a

braced frame in which the members are
subjected primarily to axial forces.

BASE is the level at which the earthquake

motions are considered to be imparted to the
structure or the level at which the structure as a
dynamic vibrator is supported.
BASE SHEAR, V, is the total design lateral
force or shear at the base of the structure.

DESIGN BASIS GROUND MOTION is that

ground motion that has a 10% chance of being
exceeded in 50 years as by a site-specific
hazard analysis or may be determined by a
hazard map. A suite of ground motion time
histories with dynamic properties representative
of site characteristics shall be used to represent
this ground motion. The dynamic effects of the

Design Basis Ground Motion may be

represented by the Design Response Spectrum.
DESIGN RESPONSE SPECTRUM is an elastic
response spectrum of 5% equivalent viscous
damping used to represent the dynamic effects
of the Design Basis Ground Motion for the
design of structures. This response spectrum
may be either a site-specific spectrum based on
geologic, tectonic, seismological and soil
characteristics associated with a specific site or
may be a spectrum.
DESIGN SEISMIC FORCE is the minimum total
strength design base shear, factored and
distributed.
DIAPHRAGM is a horizontal or nearly horizontal
system acting to transmit lateral forces to the
vertical-resisting elements. The term
diaphragm includes horizontal bracing
systems.
DIAPHRAGM OR SHEAR WALL CHORD is the
boundary element of a diaphragm or shear wall
that is assumed to take axial stresses analogous
to the flanges of a beam.
DIAPHRAGM STRUT (drag strut, tie, collector)
is the element of a diaphragm parallel to the
applied load that collects and transfers
diaphragm parallel to the applied load that
collects and transfers diaphragm shear to the
vertical-resisting elements or distributes loads
within the diaphragm. Such members may take
axial tension or compression.
DRIFT. See story drift
DUAL SYSTEM is a combination of momentresisting frames and shear walls or braced
frames.
ECCENTRICALLY BRACED FRAME (EBF) is a
steel-braced frame.
ELASTIC RESPONSE PARAMETERS are
forces and deformations determined from an
elastic dynamic analysis using an unreduced
ground motion representation.
ESSENTIAL FACILITIES are those structures
that are necessary for emergency operations
subsequent to a natural disaster.

FLEXIBLE ELEMENT or system is one whose

deformation under lateral load is significantly
larger than adjoining parts of the system.
HORIZONTAL BRACING SYSTEM is a
horizontal truss system that serves the same
function as a diaphragm.
INTERMEDIATE MOMENT-RESISTING
FRAME (IMRF) is a concrete frame.
LATERAL-FORCE-RESISTING SYSTEM is that
part of the structural system.
MOMENT-RESISTING SYSTEM is a frame in
which members and joints are capable of
resisting forces primarily by flexure.
MOMENT-RESISTING WALL FRAME (MRWF)
is a masonry wall frame especially detailed to
provide ductile behavior.
ORDINARY BRACED FRAME (OBF) is a steelbraced frame or concrete-braced frame.
ORDINARY MOMENT-RESISTING FRAME
(OMRF) is a moment-resisting frame not
meeting special detailing requirements for
ductile behavior.
ORTHOGONAL EFFECTS are the earthquake
load effects on structural elements common to
the lateral-force-resisting systems along two
orthogonal axes.
OVERSTRENGTH is a characteristic of
structures where the actual strength is larger
than the design strength. The degree of over
strength is material-and-system-dependent.
P EFFECT is the secondary effect on shears,
axial forces and moments of frame members
induced by the vertical loads acting on the
laterally displaced building system.
SHEAR WALL is a wall designed to resist lateral
forces parallel to the plane of the wall
(sometimes referred to as vertical diaphragm or
structural wall).
SHEAR WALL-FRAME INTYERACTIVE
SYSTEM uses combinations of shear walls and
frames designed to resist lateral forces in
proportion to their relative rigidities considering
interaction between shear walls and frames on
all levels.

SOFT STORY is one in which the lateral

stiffness is less than 70% of the stiffness of the
story above.
SPACE FRAME is a three-dimensional
structural system, without bearing walls,
composed of members interconnected so as to
function as a complete self-contained unit with
or without the aid of horizontal diaphragms or
floor-bracing systems.
SPECIAL CONCENTRICALLY BRACED
FRAME (SCBF) is a steel-braced frame.
SPECIAL MOMENT-RESISTING FRAME
(SMRF) is a moment-resisting frame specially
detailed to provide ductile behavior.
SPECIAL TRUSS MOMENT FRAME (STMF) is
a moment-resisting frame specially detailed to
provide ductile behavior.
STORY is the space between levels.
STORY DRIFT is the lateral displacement of one
level relative to the level above or below.
STORY DRIFT RATIO is the story drift divided
by the story height.
STORY SHEAR, V, is the summation of design
lateral forces above the story under
consideration.
STRENGTH is the capacity of an element or a
member to resist factored load.
STRUCTURE is an assemblage of framing
members designed to support gravity loads and
resist lateral forces. Structures may be
categorized as building structures or nonbuilding
structures.
SUBDIAPHRAGM is a portion of a larger wood
diaphragm designed to anchor and transfer local
forces to primary diaphragm struts and the main
diaphragm.
VERTICAL LOAD-CARRYING FRAME is a
space frame designed to carry vertical gravity
loads.
WALL ANCHORAGE SYSTEM is the system of
elements anchoring the wall to the diaphragm
and those elements within the diaphragm

required to develop the anchorage forces,

including sub diaphragms and continuous ties.
WEAK STORY is one in which the story strength
is less than 80% of the story above.

VI. CONCRETE
ADMIXTURE is material other than water,
aggregate, or hydraulic cement used as an
ingredient of concrete and added to concrete
before or during its mixing to modify its
properties.
AGGREGATE is granular material, such as
sand, gravel, crushed stone and iron blastfurnace slag, and when used with a cementing
medium forms a hydraulic cement concrete or
mortar.
AGGREGATE, LIGHTWEIGHT, is aggregate
with a dry, loose weight of 1120 kg/cu.m. or less.
AIR-DRY WEIGHT is the unit weight of a
lightweight concrete specimen cured for seven
days with neither loss nor gain of moisture at
15deg.C to 27deg.C and dried for 21 days in 50
+- 7 percent relative humidity at 23deg.C +1.1deg.C.
ANCHORAGE DEVICE in post-tensioning is a
device used to anchor tendons to concrete
member; in pretensioning, a device used to
anchor tendons during hardening of concrete.
ANCHORAGE ZONE in post-tensioned
members is the portion of the member through
which the concentrated prestressing force is
transferred to the concrete and distributed more
uniformly across the section. Its extent is equal
to the largest dimension of the cross section. For
intermediate anchorage devices, the anchorage
zone includes the disturbed regions ahead of
and behind the anchorage devices.
BASIC MONOSTRAND ANCHORAGE DEVICE
is an anchorage device used with any single
16mm or smaller diameter bar that satisfies the
anchorage device requirements of the PostTensioning Institutes Specification for
Unbonded Single Strand Tendons.
BASIC MULTISTRAND ANCHORAGE DEVICE
is an anchorage device used with multiple
strands, bars or wires, or single bars larger than

16mm diameter that satisfies the bearing stress

and minimum plate stiffness requirements of
AASHTO Bridge Specifications.
BONDED TENDON is a prestressing tendon
that is bonded to concrete either directly or
through grouting.
CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS are materials,
which have cementing value when used in
concrete either by themselves, such as Portland
cement, blended hydraulic cements and
expansive cement, or such materials in
combination with fly ash, raw or other calcined
natural pozzolans, silica fume, or ground
granulated blast-furnace slag.
COLUMN is a member with a ratio of height-toleast-lateral dimension of 3 or greater used
primarily to support axial compressive load.
COMPOSITE CONCRETE FLEXURAL
MEMBERS are concrete flexural members of
precast and cast-in-place concrete elements, or
both, constructed in separate placements but so
interconnected that all elements respond to
loads as a unit.
COMPRESSION-CONTROLLED SECTION is a
cross section in which the net tensile strain in
the extreme tension steel at nominal strength is
less than or equal to the compression-controlled
strain limit.
COMPRESSION-CONTROLLED STRAIN
LIMIT is the net tensile strain at balanced strain
conditions.
CONCRETE is a mixture of Portland cement or
any other hydraulic cement, fine aggregate,
coarse aggregate and water, with or without
admixtures.
CONCRETE, SPECIFIED COMPRESSIVE
STRENGTH OF (fc) is the compressive strength
of concrete used in design and expressed in
megapascals (Mpa).
CONCRETE, STRUCTURAL LIGHTWEIGHT, is
concrete containing lightweight aggregate and
has an air-dry unit weight as determined by Test
Method for Unit Weight of Structural Lightweight
Concrete (ASTM C 567) not exceeding 1840
kg/cu.m. In this code, a lightweight concrete
without natural sand is termed all-lightweight
concrete and lightweight concrete in which all

fine aggregate consists of normal-weight sand is

termed sand-lightweight concrete.
CONTRACTION JOINT is a formed, sawed, or
tooled groove in a concrete structure to create a
weakened plane and regulate the location of
cracking resulting from the dimensional change
of different parts of the structure.
CURVATURE FRICTION is friction resulting
from bends or curves in the specified
prestressing tendon profile.
DEFORMED REINFORCEMENT is deformed
reinforcing bars, bar and rod mats, deformed
wire, welded smooth wire fabric and welded
deformed wire fabric.
DEVELOPEMNT LENGTH is the length of
embedded reinforcement required to develop
the design strength of reinforcement at a critical
section.
EFFECTIVE DEPTH OF SECTION (d) is the
distance measured from extreme compression
fiber to centroid of tension reinforcement.
EFFECTIVE PRESTRESS is the stress
remaining in prestressing tendons after all
losses have occurred, excluding effects of dead
load and superimposed load.
EMBEDMENT LENGTH is the length of
embedded reinforcement provided beyond a
critical section.
EXTREME TENSION STEEL is the
reinforcement (prestressed or nonprestressed)
that is the farthest from the extreme
compression fiber.
ISOLATION JOINT is a separation between
adjoining parts of a concrete structure, usually a
vertical plane, at a designed location such as to
interfere least with performance of the structure,
yet such as to allow relative movement in three
directions and avoid formation of cracks
elsewhere in the concrete and through which all
or part of the bonded reinforcement is
interrupted.
JACKING FORCE is the temporary force
exerted by device that introduces tension into
prestressing tendons in prestressed concrete.

LOAD, DEAD, is the dead weight supported by

a member.
LOAD, FACTORED, is the load, multiplied by
appropriate load factors, used to proportion
members by the strength design method.
LOAD, LIVE, is the live load.
LOAD, SERVICE, is the load specified (without
load factors).
MODULUS OF ELASTICITY is the ratio of
normal stress to corresponding strain for tensile
or compressive stresses below proportional limit
of material.
NET TENSILE STRAIN is the tensile strain at
nominal strength exclusive of strains due to
effective prestress, creep, shrinkage and
temperature.
PEDESTAL is an upright compression member
with a ratio of unsupported height to average
least lateral dimension not exceeding of 3.
PLAIN CONCRETE is structural concrete with
no reinforcement or with less reinforcement than
the minimum amount specified for reinforced
concrete.
PLAIN REINFORCEMENT is reinforcement that
does not conform to definition of deformed
reinforcement.
POST-TENSIONING is a method of prestressing
in which tendons are tensioned after concrete
has hardened.
PRECAST CONCRETE is a structural concrete
element cast in other than its final position in the
structure.
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE is structural
concrete in which internal stresses have been
introduced to reduce potential tensile stresses in
concrete resulting fro loads.
PRETENSIONING is a method of prestressing
in which tendons are tensioned before concrete
is placed.
REINFORCED CONCRETE is structural
concrete reinforced with no less than the
minimum amounts of prestressing tendons or
nonprestressed reinforcement.

REINFORCEMENT is material excluding

prestressing tendons unless specifically
included.
RESHORES are shores placed snugly under a
concrete slab or other structural member after
the original forms and shores have been
removed from a larger area, thus requiring the
new slab or structural member to deflect and
support its own weight and existing construction
loads applied prior to the installation of the
reshores.
SHEATHING is a material encasing a
prestressing tendon to prevent bonding the
tendon with the surrounding concrete, to provide
corrosion protection, and to contain the
corrosion inhibiting coating.
SHORES are vertical or inclined support
members designed to carry the weight of the
formwork, concrete and construction loads
above.
SPECIAL ANCHORAGE DEVICE is an
anchorage device that satisfies the standard
acceptance tests of AASHTO Standard
Specifications for Highway Bridges, Division II.
SPIRAL REINFORCEMENT is continuously
wound reinforcement in the form of a cylindrical
helix.
SPLITTING TENSILE STRENGTH (fct) is the
tensile strength of concrete determined in
accordance with ASTM C 496 as described in
Specifications for Lightweight Aggregate for
Structural Concrete (ASTM C 330).
STIRRUP is reinforcement used to resist shear
and torsion stresses in a structural member,
typically bars, wires, or welded wire fabric (plain
or deformed) bent into L, U or rectangular
shapes and located perpendicular to or at an
angle longitudinal reinforcement. (The term
stirrups is usually applied to lateral
reinforcement in flexural members and the term
ties to those in compression members.)
STRENGTH, DESIGN, is the nominal strength
multiplied by a strength-reduction factor, .
STRENGTH, NORMAL, is the strength of a
member or cross section calculated in
accordance with provisions and assumptions of

the strength design method before application of

any strength-reduction factors.

to a building. This level does not necessarily

coincide with the ground level.

STRENGTH, REQUIRED, is the strength of a

member or cross section required to resist
factored loads or related internal moments and
forces in such combinations.

BOUNDARY ELEMENTS are portions along

structural wall and structural diaphragm edges
strengthened by longitudinal and transverse
reinforcement.

STRESS is the intensity of force per unit area.

COLLECTOR ELEMENTS are elements that

serve to transmit the inertial forces within
structural diaphragms to members of the lateralforce-resisting system.

STRUCTURAL CONCRETE is all concrete used

for structural purposes, including plain and
reinforced concrete.
TENDON is a steel element such as wire, cable,
bar, rod or strand, or a bundle of such elements,
used to impart prestress forces to concrete.
TENSION-CONTROLLED SECTION is a cross
section in which the net tensile strain in the
extreme tension steel at nominal strength is
greater than or equal to 0.005.
TIE is a loop of reinforcing bar or wire enclosing
longitudinal reinforcement. A continuously
wound bar or wire in the form of a circle,
rectangle or other polygon shape without reentrant corners is acceptable.
TRANSFER is the act of transferring stress in
prestressing tendons from jacks or pretensioning
bed to concrete member.
UNBONDED TENDON is a tendon that is
permanently prevented from bonding to the
concrete after stressing.
WALL is a member, usually vertical, used to
enclose or separate spaces.
WOBBLE FRICTION in prestressed concrete, is
friction caused by unintended deviation of
prestressing sheath or duct from its specified
profile.
YIELD STRENGTH is the specified minimum
yield strength or yield point of reinforcement in
megapascals (Mpa). Yield strength or yield point
shall be determined in tension according to
applicable ASTM standards.

CONFINED CORE is the area within the core

defined by h.
CONNECTION is an element that joins two
precast members or a precast member and a
cast-in-place member.
COUPLING BEAM is a horizontal element in
plane with the connecting two shear walls.
CROSSTIE is a continuous reinforcing bar
having a seismic hook at one end and a hook
not less than 90 degrees with at least sixdiameter extension at the other end. The hooks
shall engage peripheral longitudinal bars. The
90-degree hooks of two successive crosstie
engaging the same longitudinal bars shall be
alternated end for end.
DESIGN DISPLACEMENT is the total lateral
displacement expected for the design-basis
earthquake, as required by the governing code
for earthquake-resistant design.
DEVELOPMENT LENGTH FOR A BAR WITH A
STANDARD HOOK is the shortest distance
between the critical section (where the strength
of the bar is to be developed) and a tangent to
the outer edge of the 90-degree hook.
DRY CONNECTION is a connection used
between precast members, which do not qualify
as a wet connection.

VII. SEISMIC DESIGN

HOOP is a close tie or continuously wound tie. A

closed tie can be made up of several reinforcing
elements, each having seismic hooks at both
ends. A continuously wound tie shall have a
seismic hook at both ends.

BASE OF STRUCTURE is a level at which

earthquake motions are assumed to be imparted

JOINT is the geometric volume common to

intersecting members.

LATERAL FORCE RESISTING SYSTEM is that

portion of the structure composed of members
proportioned to resist forces related to
earthquake effects.
LIGHTWEIGHT-AGGREGATE CONCRETE is
an all-lightweight or sand-lightweight aggregate
concrete made with lightweight aggregates.
MOMENT FRAME is a space frame in which
members and joints resist forces through
flexure, shear, and axial force.
NONLINEAR ACTION LOCATION is the center
of the region of yielding in flexure, shear or axial
action.
NONLINEAR ACTION REGION is where the
member length over which nonlinear action
takes place. It shall be taken as extending a
distance of no less than h/2 on either side of the
nonlinear action location.
SEISMIC HOOK is a hook on a stirrup, hoop or
crosstie having a bend not less than 135
degrees, except that circular hoops shall have a
bend of not less than 90 degrees. Hooks shall
have a six-diameter (but not less than 75mm),
extension that engages the longitudinal
reinforcement and projects into the interior of the
stirrup or hoop.

STRUCTURAL WALLS are walls proportioned

to resist combinations of shears, moment, and
axial forces induced by earthquake motions.
STRUT is an element of a structural diaphragm
used to provide continuity around an opening in
the diaphragm.
TIE ELEMENTS are elements that serve to
transmit inertia forces and prevent separation of
building components such as footings and walls.
WALL PIER is a wall segment with a horizontal
length-to-thickness ratio between 2.5 and 6, and
whose clear height is at least two times its
horizontal length.
WET CONNECTION uses any of the splicing
methods to connect precast members and uses
cast-in-place concrete or grout to fill the splicing
closure.

VIII. GENERAL
BLOCKED DIAPHRAGM is a diaphragm in
which all sheathing edges not occurring on
framing members are supported on an
connected to blocking.

SHELL CONCRETE is the concrete outside the

transverse reinforcement confining the concrete.

CONVENTIONAL LIGHT-FRAME
CONSTRUCTION is a type of construction
whose primary structural elements are formed
by a system of repetitive wood-framing
members.

SPECIFIED LATERAL FORCES are lateral

forces corresponding to the appropriate
distribution of the design base shear force
prescribed by the governing code for
earthquake-resistant design.

DIAPHRAGM is a horizontal or nearly horizontal

system acting to transmit lateral forces to the
vertical resisting elements. When the term
diaphragm is used, it includes horizontal
bracing systems.

STRONG CONNECTION is a connection that

remains elastic, while the designated nonlinear
action regions undergo inelastic response under
the Design Basis Ground Motion.

FIBERBOARD is a fibrous-felted, homogenous

panel made from lignocellulosic fibers (usually
wood or crane) having a density of less than 497
kg/cu.m. but more than 160 kg/cu.m.

STRUCTURAL DIAPHRAGMS are structural

members, such as floor and roof slabs, that
transmit inertial forces to lateral force resisting
members.

GLUED BUILT-UP MEMBERS are structural

elements, the section of which is composed of
built-up lumber, wood structural panels or wood
structural panels in combination with lumber, all
parts bonded together with adhesive.

STRUCTURAL TRUSSES are assemblages of

reinforced concrete members subjected
primarily to axial forces.

GRADE (Lumber), the classification of lumber in

regard to strength and utility in accordance with

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the grading rules of an approved lumber grading

agency.
HARDBOARD is a fibrous-felted, homogenous
panel made from lignocellulosic fibers
consolidated under heat and pressure in a hot
press to a density not less than 497 kg/cu.m.
NOMINAL SIZE (Lumber), the commercial size
designation of width and depth, standard sawn
lumber grades; somewhat larger than the
standard net size of dressed lumber.
NORMAL LOADING is a design load that
stressed a member or fastening to the full
allowable stress. This loading may be applied for
approximately 10 years, either continuously or
cumulatively, and 90 percent of this load may be
applied for the remainder of the life of the
member or fastening.
PARTICLE BOARD is a manufactured panel
product consisting of particles of wood or
combinations of wood particles and wood fibers
bonded together with synthetic resins or other
suitable bonding system by a bonding process,
in accordance with approved nationally
recognized standard.
PLYWOOD is a panel of laminated veneers.
ROTATION is the torsional movement of a
diaphragm about a vertical axis.
SUBDIAPHRAGM is a portion of a larger wood
diaphragm designed to anchor and transfer local
forces to primary diaphragm struts and the main
diaphragm.

combination of veneer and wood-based

material, and mat0formed panel such as
oriented stranded board and waferboard.

IX. GENERAL
AREAS:
BEDDED AREA is the area of the surface of
a masonry unit, which is in contact with
mortar in place of the joint.
EFFECTIVE AREA OF REINFORCEMENT
is the cross-sectional area of reinforcement
multiplied by the cosine of the angle
between the reinforcement and the direction
for which effective area is to be determined.
GROSS AREA is the total cross-sectional
area of a specified section.
NET AREA is the gross cross-sectional area
minus the area of ungrouted cores, notches,
cells and unbedded areas. Net area is the
actual surface area of a cross section of
masonry.
TRANSFORMED AREA is the equivalent
area of one material to a second based on
the ratio of moduli of elasticity of the first
material to the second.

BOND:
ADHESION BOND is the adhesion between
masonry units and mortar or grout.

TREATED WOOD is wood treated with an

approved preservative under treating and quality
control procedures.

REINFORCING BOND is the adhesion

between steel reinforcement and mortar or
grout.

WOOD OR NATURAL RESISTANCE TO

DECAY OR TERMITES is the heartwood of the
species set forth below. Corner sapwood is
permitted on 5% of the pieces provided 90% or
more of the width of each side on which it occurs
is heartwood. Recognized species are:
Decay resistant: Narra, Kamagong, Dao, Tangile
Termite resistant: Narra, Kamagong

BOND BEAM is a horizontal grouted

element within masonry in which
reinforcement is embedded.

WOOD STRUCTURAL PANEL is a structural

panel product composed primarily of wood.
Wood structural panels include all-veneer
plywood, composite panels containing a

CELL is a void space having a gross crosssectional area greater than 967 sq. mm.
CLEANOUT is an opening to the bottom of
a grout space of sufficient size and spacing
to allow the removal of debris.
COLLAR JOINT is the mortared or grouted
space between wythes of masonry.

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COLUMN, REINFORCED, is a vertical

structural member in which both the
reinforcement and masonry resist
compression.
COLUMN, UNREINFORCED, is a vertical
structural member whose horizontal
dimension measured at right angles to the
thickness does not exceed three times the
thickness.

DIMENSIONS:
ACTUAL DIMENSIONS are the measured
dimensions of s designed item. The actual
dimension shall not vary from the specified
dimension by more than the amount allowed
in the appropriate standard of quality.

JOINTS:
BED JOINT is the mortar joint that is
horizontal at the time the masonry units are
placed.
HEAD JOINT is the mortar joint having a
vertical transverse plane.
MASONRY JOINT is brick, tile, stone, and
glass block or concrete block.
HOLLOW-MASONRY JOINT is a masonry
unit whose net cross-sectional area (solid
area) in any plane parallel to the surface
containing cores, cells or deep frogs is less
than 75% of its gross cross-sectional area
measured in the same plane.

NOMINAL DIMENSIONS of masonry units

are equal to its specified dimensions plus
the thickness of the joint with which the unit
is laid.

SOLID-MASONRY JOINT is a masonry unit

whose net cross-sectional area in any plane
parallel to the surface containing the cores
or cells is at least 75% of the gross crosssectional area measured in the same plane.

SPECIFIED DIMENSIONS are the

dimensions specified by the manufacturer
for construction of masonry, masonry units,
joints or any other component of a structure.

PRISM is an assemblage of masonry units

and mortar with or without grout used as a
test specimen for determining properties of
the masonry.

GROUT LIFT is an increment of grout height

within the total grout pour.

REINFORCED MASONRY is that form of

masonry construction in which reinforcement
acting in conjunction with the masonry is
used to resist forces.

GROUT POUR is the total height of

masonry wall to be grouted prior to the
erection of additional masonry. A grout pour
will consist of one or more grout lifts.

GROUTED MASONRY:
GROUTED HOLLOW-UNIT MASONRY is
that form of grouted masonry construction in
which certain designated cells of hollow
units are continuously filled with grout.
GROUTED MULTIWYTHE MASONRY is
that form of grouted masonry construction in
which the space between the wythes is
solidly or periodically filled with grout.

SHELL is the outer portion of a hollow

masonry unit as placed in masonry.

WALLS:
BONDED WALL is a masonry wall in which
two or more wythes are bonded to act as a
structural unit.
CAVITY WALL is a wall containing
continuous air space with a minimum width
of 51mm and a maximum width of 114mm
between wythes, which are tied with metal
ties.
WALL TIE is a mechanical metal fastener,
which connects wythes of masonry to each
other or to other materials.

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WEB is an interior solid portion of a hollowmasonry unit as placed in masonry.

WYTHE is the portion of a wall, which is one
masonry unit in thickness. A collar joint is not
considered a wythe.

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