AASHTO ABSORBENT

AASHTO

Various

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

ABACUS Abaque

Architecture

A parallelepiped crowning a column, a pilaster or a capital. When this crowning is decorated with moldings, it is called raised table. See Figure 1

Figure 1

ABIETO- Abi to-

Materials

A prefix indicating abietic-acid-based products, the principal component of rosin. Several abietic resins are used in the paint industry:

• abietoformophenolic resins ( les r sines abi toformoph noliques);

• abietoalkyd resins ( les r sines abi toglyc rophtaliques);

• abietomaleic resins ( les r sines abi tomal iques).

ABILITY Capacit

Strength of Materials

The intrinsic characteristic of a material to respond to external stresses (e.g., absorption ability, deformation ability).

ABILITY BENDING TEST Essai d'aptitude au pliage

Metallography

A test to check the ability of steel to undergo bending stresses without significant degradations of its internal structure.

A test bar positioned on two parallel supports is bent by a round punch pressed in the centre of the bar. No cracks must appear either on the edge or convex faces of the fold in the bar.

ABLATION Ablation

Geomorphology

1. Loss of mineral matter of a rock due to erosion.

2. The eroding of a river bed due to the combined abrasive action of water and waterborne materials in it.

ABNORMAL COLORING Coloration anormale

Defects (Building Materials)

A color modification in wood that indicates a change of its chemical composition and, thus of its properties. This defect can make the wood unsuitable for some uses. Syn. with ABNORMAL TINTING

ABNORMAL CONTACTS Contacts anormaux

Defects (Civil...