Engineering glossary

The terms as we use them in our drawings, bills of quantities and contracts, in Arabic and English. Type in the search box to filter the list.

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Design

Construction drawingsمخططات تنفيذية: Detailed drawings used to build the work on site after design approval, including dimensions, levels and details.
Shop drawingsمخططات الورشة: Drawings prepared by the contractor or fabricator showing how items are made and installed, approved by the consultant before execution.
As-built drawingsمخططات ما بعد التنفيذ: Drawings updated to match what was actually built, handed over in the close-out file.
Design briefبرنامج الاحتياجات: A document defining the client’s requirements, spaces, functions and budget before design starts.
Concept designالتصميم المفاهيمي: The first design stage: idea, massing and general layout without construction detail.
BIM (Building Information Modelling)نمذجة معلومات البناء: A 3D digital model carrying element information, used for coordination and quantity take-off.
3D visualisation (rendering)إخراج ثلاثي الأبعاد: Realistic images of the design produced from a 3D model for presentation and approval.
Levelالمنسوب: The vertical height of a point relative to a datum (zero level).
Sectionالمقطع: A drawing showing the building as if cut vertically to reveal floors, heights and internal details.
Elevation (facade)الواجهة: A drawing of the building’s external face showing openings, materials and heights.

Structure & materials

Reinforced concreteخرسانة مسلحة: Concrete containing steel reinforcement to resist the tensile forces concrete alone cannot carry.
Reinforcement (rebar)حديد التسليح: Steel bars placed inside concrete per bar-bending schedules to strengthen structural elements.
Bar bending schedule (BBS)جدول تفريد الحديد: A schedule listing the diameter, length, shape and number of reinforcement bars per element.
Footings (foundations)قواعد: Structural elements that transfer the building loads to the soil.
Ground beam (tie beam)ميدة: A ground-level beam tying the footings and carrying walls at ground level.
Solid slabبلاطة مصمتة: A concrete slab of uniform thickness without voids, common for small and medium spans.
Hollow-block (ribbed) slabبلاطة هوردي: A slab with concrete ribs between hollow blocks to reduce weight and increase spans.
Concrete grade (compressive strength)إجهاد الخرسانة: The characteristic compressive strength of concrete at 28 days, e.g. C30 or 300 kg/cm².
Slump testاختبار الهبوط: A simple site test measuring the consistency and workability of fresh concrete.
Curingمعالجة الخرسانة: Keeping concrete moist and at temperature after pouring so it reaches its design strength.
Steel structureهيكل معدني: A structural frame of steel sections connected by welding or bolts, protected from corrosion by coating.
Cantileverكابولي: A structural element fixed at one end and free at the other, such as balconies and canopies.
Expansion jointفاصل تمدد: A joint allowing the building to expand and contract thermally without cracking.
Waterproofingعزل مائي: Layers preventing water ingress into structural elements or spaces, such as bituminous membranes and cementitious coatings.
Thermal insulationعزل حراري: Materials reducing heat transfer through walls and roofs, required by the Saudi Building Code.
GRC (glass-fibre reinforced concrete)خرسانة مسلحة بالألياف الزجاجية: A cement mix reinforced with alkali-resistant glass fibres, lightweight, used for facades and ornament.

Finishes

Plaster (render)لياسة (بياض): A cement or gypsum layer applied to walls to level them before paint or cladding.
Putty (skim coat)معجون: A thin smooth layer over plaster preparing the surface for paint.
Emulsion paintدهان إيمولشن: Water-based paint for internal walls and ceilings, in various sheen levels.
Suspended (false) ceilingأسقف مستعارة: A secondary ceiling hung below the structural slab to conceal services and improve acoustics and lighting.
Gypsum board (drywall)جبس بورد: Gypsum panels on metal framing for dry walls and ceilings.
Porcelain tilesبورسلين: High-density, low-absorption ceramic tiles suited to heavy-use floors.
Marbleرخام: A natural stone used for floors, walls and stairs, requiring periodic surface protection.
Waterjet cuttingقطع بالماء: Cutting marble and tiles with a high-pressure water jet to produce precise shapes and patterns.
Parquet (wood flooring)باركيه: Natural or engineered wood flooring laid over an underlay.
HPL claddingواجهات HPL: High-pressure laminate panels resistant to weathering, used for facade cladding.
Aluminium composite cladding (ACP)كلادينج: Aluminium composite panels for facade cladding; a fire-rated core must be selected per the fire code.
Gypsum ornamentزخارف جصية: Classical decorative elements cast in gypsum for ceilings, cornices and internal columns.
Flexible polyurea sealantحشوة بولي يوريا مرنة: A flexible joint filler tolerating movement and chemicals, used in industrial floors.
Surface preparationتجهيز الأسطح: Cleaning a steel surface to a specified grade (e.g. SSPC-SP 10) before coating to ensure adhesion.
Dry film thickness (DFT)سماكة الطبقة الجافة: The thickness of a coating after drying, measured in microns and checked against the specification.

Quantities & pricing

Bill of quantities (BOQ)جدول الكميات: A list of work items with description, unit and quantity, priced item by item.
Quantity take-offحصر الكميات: Extracting quantities from drawings under defined measurement rules, with a reference for every figure.
Unit rateسعر الوحدة: The item price per unit of measure, built from material, labour and equipment then indirect costs and profit.
Direct costالتكلفة المباشرة: The sum of material, labour and equipment cost of an item excluding overheads.
Indirect costs (overheads)المصاريف غير المباشرة: Site and head-office costs not attributable to a single item, added as a percentage.
Waste allowanceالهالك: A percentage added to material quantities to cover cutting, damage and site loss.
Provisional sumمبلغ احتياطي: An amount included in the contract for work not yet defined, spent on actuals.
Lump-sum contractعقد المبلغ الإجمالي: A fixed-price contract for a defined scope; the contractor carries the quantity risk.
Re-measured contractعقد إعادة القياس: A contract paid on actually executed quantities multiplied by unit rates.
Engineer’s estimateتقدير المهندس: The cost estimate prepared by the consultant or owner to compare contractor offers.
Turnkeyتسليم مفتاح: Delivering the complete project ready for use with one party responsible for design and construction.

Contracts & management

FIDIC contractsعقود فيديك: International standard forms of engineering contract defining rights, notices, claims and change management.
Variation order (VO)أمر تغيير: A written instruction changing scope, quantity or specification, with its price and time effect.
RFI (request for information)طلب معلومات: A formal request from the contractor to clarify a gap or conflict in drawings or specifications before execution.
NCR (non-conformance report)تقرير عدم مطابقة: A report recording work or material not meeting the specification, with root cause and corrective action.
Payment application (IPC)مستخلص: A periodic payment request based on approved progress and executed quantities.
Retentionاحتجاز الضمان: A percentage withheld from each payment and released after handover or the defects period.
Delay damages (liquidated damages)غرامة تأخير: An agreed sum deducted per day of delay after the contractual completion date, capped in the contract.
Extension of time (EOT)تمديد المدة: The contractor’s entitlement to additional time for delay not of its making, subject to timely notice.
Baseline programmeخط الأساس: The programme approved at project start against which progress is measured.
Critical pathالمسار الحرج: The sequence of activities where any delay delays project completion.
Minutes of meeting (MOM)محضر اجتماع: A written record of what was discussed and decided, with the owner and due date of each action.
Handover certificateمحضر استلام: A document evidencing the client’s acceptance of the works and start of the defects period.
Defects liability periodفترة الضمان: The period after handover during which the contractor must repair defects at its own cost.
Etimad platformمنصة اعتماد: The Saudi government platform for publishing tenders and submitting bids.
Tender documents (conditions)كراسة الشروط: The documents defining tender conditions, specifications and evaluation criteria.

Safety & quality

Risk assessmentتقييم المخاطر: Identifying hazards in each activity, estimating likelihood and severity and setting controls before work starts.
Permit to workتصريح عمل: Written authorisation for hazardous work (hot work, work at height, confined spaces) under set conditions.
Method statementبيان طريقة العمل: A step-by-step description of how an activity will be carried out safely and to specification.
PPEمعدات الوقاية الشخصية: Helmet, high-visibility vest, safety boots, glasses, gloves and harness as the activity requires.
Near missحالة وشيكة: An event that nearly caused injury or damage, reported and analysed to prevent recurrence.
Quality control planخطة ضبط الجودة: The list of inspections, tests and hold points for each activity and who approves them.
Inspection request (IR)طلب فحص: A formal request from the contractor to the consultant to inspect work before the next stage.
Material submittalاعتماد مواد: A request to approve a material or product with manufacturer data and samples before supply.
Snag list (punch list)قائمة الملاحظات: A list of incomplete or defective items to be completed before final handover.