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Question 1

A composite material made of concrete and steel reinforcement (usually rebar) that work together to resist different types of loads, with concrete handling compression and steel handling tension.

Answer 1

REINFORCED CONCRETE (RC)

Question 2

The maximum compressive stress that a concrete specimen can withstand without failure.

Typically determined by standardized tests on concrete cubes or cylinders.

Answer 2

COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH

Question 3

The resistance of concrete to tensile forces. Concrete has low tensile strength, so it is usually reinforced with steel rebar to resist tensile stresses.

Answer 3

TENSILE STRENGTH

Question 4

A measure of a material’s stiffness, specifically the ratio of stress to strain in the elastic range of concrete.

For concrete, it’s generally lower than that of steel.

Answer 4

MODULUS OF ELASTICITY

Question 5

The stress at which steel reinforcement begins to deform plastically. Beyond this point, deformations become permanent.

Answer 5

YIELD STRENGTH

Question 6

Steel bars embedded in concrete to provide additional tensile strength.

It is typically ribbed or textured to improve the bond with concrete.

Answer 6

REBAR

Question 7

The ability of a structure to resist shear forces, which are internal forces that cause sliding failure along a plane.

Answer 7

SHEAR STRENGTH

Question 8

The minimum thickness of concrete layer around reinforcement to protect it from corrosion and fire, as well as to ensure adequate bond strength.

Answer 8

COVER

Question 9

The line within a cross-section of a beam where there is zero stress during bending. Above the neutral axis, concrete is in compression; below it, concrete and reinforcement are in tension.

Answer 9

NEUTRAL AXIS

Question 10

A property of a cross-section that indicates its resistance to bending or flexural stresses.

Answer 10

MOMENT OF INERTIA

Question 11

The capacity of a beam or slab to resist bending, a critical factor in beam and slab design.

Answer 11

FLEXURAL STRENGTH

Question 12

The ability of reinforced concrete to undergo significant deformation before failure. This property is largely provided by the steel reinforcement.

Answer 12

DUCTILITY

Question 13

The maximum load a structural member can carry before failure.

Answer 13

ULTIMATE LOAD

Question 14

The load a structure is designed to carry safely during its life under normal conditions.

Answer 14

SERVICE LOAD

Question 15

Closed-loop steel bars placed perpendicular to the longitudinal reinforcement in beams to resist shear and prevent diagonal cracking.

Answer 15

STIRRUP

Question 16

A type of reinforced concrete column with longitudinal reinforcement held together by closely spaced ties.

Answer 16

TIED COLUMN

Question 17

The minimum length of rebar embedded in concrete needed to achieve the full bond and transfer stresses.

Answer 17

DEVELOPMENT LENGTH

Question 18

The method of connecting two pieces of rebar in line to extend the length of reinforcement.

Answer 18

SPLICING

Question 19

Concrete in which internal stresses are introduced through tensioned steel strands before applying external loads.

Answer 19

PRESTRESSED CONCRETE

Question 20

Methods used to limit cracking within concrete, such as appropriate reinforcement placement and spacing.

Answer 20

CRACK CONTROL

Question 21

The time-dependent deformation of concrete under sustained load.

Answer 21

CREEP

Question 22

The reduction in concrete volume over time due to moisture loss, especially during the curing process.

Answer 22

SHRINKAGE

Question 23

High-strength steel strands or wires used in prestressed concrete to provide tensile force.

Answer 23

TENDON

Question 24

The adhesive force between rebar and concrete, which allows them to act together under load.

Answer 24

BOND STRENGTH

Question 25

The overlap of two adjacent reinforcing bars to maintain continuity in reinforcement.

Answer 25

LAP SPLICE

Question 26

The displacement or bending of a structural element under load. In RC design, deflection control is critical to prevent excessive bending and maintain stability.

Answer 26

DEFLECTION

Question 27

The ability of reinforced concrete to withstand environmental conditions without significant deterioration over time. Factors like water-cement ratio, cover, and material quality influence durability.

Answer 27

DURABILITY

Question 28

The embedment of reinforcement into concrete to provide adequate bond and ensure load transfer.

Answer 28

ANCHORAGE

Question 29

it is 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.

Answer 29

CONTRACTION JOINT

Question 30

The ratio of lateral strain to longitudinal strain in a material under axial stress. In RC design, it's used to assess concrete deformation and behavior under load.

Answer 30

POISSON'S RATIO

Question 31

The ratio of the effective length of a column to its least radius of gyration, indicating a column's susceptibility to buckling.

Answer 31

SLENDERNESS RATIO

Question 32

The breaking or flaking of concrete surfaces, often due to freeze-thaw cycles, corrosion of embedded steel, or impact forces.

Answer 32

SPALLING

Question 33

A region in a beam or column where plastic deformation occurs under extreme loading, allowing the structure to redistribute forces.

Answer 33

PLASTIC HINGE

Question 34

Reinforcement (such as stirrups or ties) placed perpendicular to the longitudinal rebar in beams and columns to resist shear forces.

Answer 34

SHEAR REINFORCEMENT

Question 35

A slab that primarily spans in one direction, transferring loads to supports on opposite sides.

Answer 35

ONE-WAY SLAB

Question 36

A slab that spans and distributes loads in two perpendicular directions, requiring reinforcement in both directions.

Answer 36

TWO-WAY SLAB

Question 37

Tensile stress that acts diagonally across a concrete member due to combined shear and bending.

Answer 37

DIAGONAL TENSION

Question 38

The area in a cross-section of a concrete element (like a beam) that is in compression under bending.

Answer 38

COMPRESSION ZONE

Question 39

The distance from the extreme compression fiber to the centroid of the tension reinforcement in a flexural member.

Answer 39

EFFECTIVE DEPTH

Question 40

A type of shear failure that occurs around column supports in flat slabs or footings due to concentrated loads.

Answer 40

PUNCHING SHEAR

Question 41

A method of reinforcing concrete by preloading it with internal forces through tendons.

Answer 41

PRE -STRESSING

Question 42

The separation of concrete components during placement, often due to improper handling or excessive water content.

Answer 42

SEGREGATION

Question 43

The upward movement of water to the surface of freshly poured concrete.

Answer 43

BLEEDING

Question 44

Cracks that occur in the surface of fresh concrete as it loses moisture and shrinks before hardening.

Answer 44

PLASTIC SHRINKAGE CRACKING

Question 45

The intersection where beams and columns meet, which must be designed to transfer both axial and shear forces.

Answer 45

BEAM-COLUMN JOINT

Question 46

A vertical wall that resists lateral forces like wind and seismic loads, primarily through in-plane shear.

Answer 46

SHEAR WALL

Question 47

The stage at which rebar undergoes plastic deformation and cannot return to its original shape.

Answer 47

YIELDING

Question 48

A safety margin used in design to account for uncertainties in loads, material properties, and environmental conditions.

Answer 48

FACTOR OF SAFETY

Question 49

A section with excessive reinforcement, leading the concrete to reach its compressive capacity before the steel yields.

Answer 49

OVER REINFORCED SECTION

Question 50

a localized shear failure that occurs around column supports in slabs and footings, where the concrete is "punched" by concentrated loads. This is particularly important in flat slab design.

Answer 50

PUNCHING SHEAR