Glossary terms

stress

force or load applied to a structure or to a material

stress skin

structure in which forces are directed to and through its skin or outer layer(s)

stud

vertical member in the wall or partition of a framed structure

subgrade

below the earth's surface

substrate

surface or element to which a finish is attached; surface or material on which an organism lives, grows, finds sustenance

suspended

floor or slab held up by bearing walls or columns and beams

temper

(heating & cooling) to control interior temperature

tension

pulling stress or force

thermal

having to do with temperature; thermal break: insulating layer within an assembly to slow energy transfer

threshold

door sill

top plate

horizontal member at the top of the studs of a frame wall or partition

torsion

twisting force

track

framing component with a myriad of uses, such as securing wall studs, head and sill openings, etc.

unit stress

force per unit of area; e.g.: lbs./sq.ft. or N/m2 (Pa)

wafer head

self tapping steel-to-steel screw with wide flange philip head for applying mesh

water table

sloped ledge that runs around perimeter of building at floorline

wicking

movement of moisture by osmosis through a fibrous or granular material