PBS has a comprehensive list of vocabulary used in Engineering. A slightly edited list is below or follow this link for the whole list:

Abutment -
the outermost end supports on a bridge, which carry the load from the deck

Aluminum -
a lightweight chemical element (Al); the most abundant metallic element in the Earth's crust

Anchorage -
a secure fixing, usually made of reinforced concrete to which the cables are fastened

Aqueduct -
a bridge or channel for conveying water, usually over long distances

Arch Bridge -
a curved structure that converts the downward force of its own weight, and of any weight pressing down on top of it, into an outward force along its sides and base

Arch Dam -
a dam with an arched shape that resists the force of water pressure; requires less material than a gravity dam for the same distance

Architect -
a person who designs all kinds of structures; must also have the ability to conceptualize and communicate ideas effectively -- both in words and on paper -- to clients, engineers, government officials, and construction crews

Beam -
a rigid, usually horizontal, structural element

Beam Bridge -
a simple type of bridge, composed of horizontal beams supported by vertical posts

Bedrock -
the solid rock layer beneath sand or silt

Bend -
(v.) to curve; bending occurs when a straight material becomes curved; one side squeezes together in compression, and the other side stretches apart in tension

Bends -
(n.) see caisson disease

Brace -
(n.) a structural support; (v.) to strengthen and stiffen a structure to resist loads

Brittle -
characteristic of a material that fails without warning; brittle materials do not stretch or shorten before failing
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Buckle -
to bend under compression

Buttress -
a support that transmits a force from a roof or wall to another supporting structure

Buttress Dam -
a gravity dam reinforced by structural supports

Cable -
a structural element formed from steel wire bound in strands; the suspending element in a bridge; the supporting element in some dome roofs

Cable-Stayed Bridge -
a bridge in which the roadway deck is suspended from cables anchored to one or more towers

Cantilever -
a projecting structure supported only at one end, like a shelf bracket or a diving board

Civil Engineer -
an engineer who plans, designs, and supervises the construction of facilities essential to modern life

Cement -
a binding material, or glue, that helps concrete harden

Coffer -
a sunken panel in a ceiling

Cofferdam -
a temporary dam built to divert a river around a construction site so the dam can be built on dry ground

Column -
a vertical, structural element, strong in compression

Concrete -
a mixture of water, sand, small stones, and a gray powder called cement

Construction Manager -
a person who coordinates the entire construction process -- from initial planning and foundation work through the structure's completion

Continuous Span Beam Bridge -
simple bridge made by linking one beam bridge to another; some of the longest bridges in the world are continuous span beam bridges

Core -
central region of a skyscraper; usually houses elevator and stairwell

Cut and Cover -
a method of tunnel construction that involves digging a trench, building a tunnel, and then covering it with fill
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Deck -
supported roadway on a bridge

Deform -
to change shape

Dome -
a curved roof enclosing a circular space; a three-dimensional arch

Electrical Engineer -
an engineer concerned with electrical devices and systems and with the use of electrical energy

Engineering -
a profession in which a knowledge of math and natural science is applied to develop ways to utilize the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of all human beings

Environmental Engineer -
an engineer who designs and operates systems to provide safe drinking water and to prevent and control pollution in water, in the air, and on the land

Fire-Setting -
an ancient tunneling technique in which rock is heated with fire and then doused with cold water, causing the rock to fracture

Force -
any action that tends to maintain or alter the position of a structure

Geodesic Dome -
a dome composed of short, straight pieces joined to form triangles; invented by Buckminster Fuller

Geotechnical Engineer -
an engineer who evaluates and stabilizes foundations for buildings, roads, and other structures

Gravity Dam -
a dam constructed so that its great weight resists the force of water pressure

Gunpowder -
any of several low-explosive mixtures used as a blasting agent in mining and tunneling; the first such explosive was black powder, which consists of a mixture of potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal

Iron -
a chemical element (Fe); one of the cheapest and most used metals

Joint -
a device connecting two or more adjacent parts of a structure; a roller joint allows adjacent parts to move controllably past one another; a rigid joint prevents adjacent parts from moving or rotating past one another

Load -
weight distribution throughout a structure; loads caused by wind, earthquakes, and gravity, for example, affect how weight is distributed throughout a structure

Masonry -
a building material such as stone, clay, brick, or concrete

Mechanical Engineer -
an engineer who applies the principles of mechanics and energy to the design of machines and devices
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Perimeter -
the distance around the outside of a shape

Pier -
a vertical supporting structure, such as a pillar

Pendentive -
a triangular shape that adapts the circular ring of a dome to fit onto a flat supporting wall

Pile -
a long, round pole of wood, concrete, or steel driven into the soil by pile drivers

Pile Driver -
a noisy machine that repeatedly drops a heavy weight on top of a pile until the pile reaches solid soil or rock or cannot be pushed down any farther

Plastic -
a synthetic material made from long chains of molecules; has the capability of being molded or shaped, usually by the application of heat and pressure

Pressure -
a force applied or distributed over an area

Reinforced Concrete -
concrete with steel bars or mesh embedded in it for increased strength in tension; in pre-tensioned concrete, the embedded steel bars or cables are stretched into tension before the concrete hardens; in post-tensioned concrete, the embedded steel bars or cables are stretched into tension after the concrete hardens

Rigid -
(adj.) ability to resist deformation when subjected to a load; rigidity (n.) the measure of a structure's ability not to change shape when subjected to a load

Span -
(n.) the distance a bridge extends between two supports; (v.) to traverse a specific distance

Spillway -
an overflow channel that allows dam operators to release lake water when it gets high enough to threaten the safety of a dam

Spire -
an architectural or decorative feature of a skyscraper; the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat includes spires but not antennae when calculating the official height of a skyscraper

Stable -
(adj.) ability to resist collapse and deformation; stability (n.) characteristic of a structure that is able to carry a realistic load without collapsing or deforming significantly

Steel -
an alloy of iron and carbon that is hard, strong, and malleable

Story -
floor of a skyscraper

Strong -
(adj.) ability to carry a realistic load; strength (n.) the measure of a structure's ability to carry a realistic load

Structural Engineer -
an engineer who investigates the behavior and design of all kinds of structures, including dams, domes, tunnels, bridges, and skyscrapers, to make sure they are safe and sound for human use

Suspension Bridge -
a bridge in which the roadway deck is suspended from cables that pass over two towers; the cables are anchored in housings at either end of the bridge

Tension -
a stretching force that pulls on a material

Tension Ring -
a support ring that resists the outward force pushing against the lower sides of a dome

Torsion -
an action that twists a material

Tower -
the vertical structure in a suspension bridge or cable-stayed bridge from which cables are hung; also used loosely as a synonym for the term skyscraper

Truss -
a rigid frame composed of short, straight pieces joined to form a series of triangles or other stable shapes

Unstable -
characteristic of a structure that collapses or deforms under a realistic load

Wood -
a common natural material strong in both compression and tension

Wrought Iron -
an iron alloy that is less brittle than cast iron




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