Glossary C Terms
Cage
Reinforcement is prefabricated a week or so before it is set in the mould for casting. The prefabricated reinforcement assembly is called a 'cage'.
Calculation
Trent's in-house engineers prepare calculations for structural components and for fixing components.
Camber
To cast-in an upward curve in the soffit of a beam or floor unit.
Capital
The top part of a column.
Cast Stone
Concrete with materials and finishes to resemble natural stone, using the dry press process.
Cast-in Fixing
Components, e.g. sockets and proprietary lifting devices, are carefully positioned into precast units as part of the manufacturing process.
Casting
The process of pouring and compacting concrete in a mould.
Casting Hour
The unit of planning. The production planning department use allowed hours to plan daily production. Actual hours taken are measured to benchmark production efficiency.
Cavity
The space between leaves of a wall. This may incorporate rigid insulation.
Centre of Gravity
The point at which the weight of a component acts.
Chamfer
A bevelled edge.
Changes
Late alterations to the design add cost and cause delays.
Chemical Anchor
A fixing stud secured in a drilled hole in concrete using a proprietary resin based adhesive.
Cherry Picker
A hydraulic platform used by erectors to gain access to the face of a building, usually to fix cladding panels and to clean down.
Cill (sill)
A feature at the bottom of a window designed to thrown water off the face of a building.
Cladding
Panels forming the façade of a building, normally non load bearing concrete units.
Cladding Panels
Precast units, typically storey high, possibly with punched windows or spandrel panels and mullions.
Cleaning
Trent panels are cleaned prior to final handover. Cleaning to BS: 8221-1:2000 (Code of practice and surface repair for buildings – Part 1: Cleaning of natural stone, brick, terracotta and concrete).
Cleats
Brackets used to provide restraint to cladding panels.
Cold Bridge
A path either through or round insulation through which heat is lost, causing the potential for condensation to form on the inner side of a wall.
Colour
Concrete is coloured by the selection of aggregates and cement and/or the incorporation of a proprietary pigment.
Columns
Vertical load bearing frame components.
Complaint
Trent has a formal complaints procedure as part of its quality management system.
Component
An individual prefabricated concrete element.
Composite
A term usually meaning structural frames using two materials i.e. concrete and steel or precast and in-situ concrete (hybrid concrete construction).
Concrete
Trent designs concrete mixes with high cement content and low water/cement ratio, which result in high strength and durability.
Connections
Connections between precast concrete components are mechanical, using steel components.
Corbel
A concrete nib to support a beam or projecting from the back of a panel to support a panel onto the structure. A panel has 2 corbels.
Core
A hollow core is a circular void in a precast floor unit.
Cornice
A projecting architectural feature, usually near the top of a façade.
Cover
Cover to reinforcement is vital for durability. Trent generally specifies a minimum of 40mm cover to external surfaces.
Cover Meter
A device to check cover to reinforcement in finished units.
Cradle
A permanent access device for window cleaning. Can be used to install joint sealant.
Cramp
A small non-ferrous fixing device in masonry construction.
Craneage – Cranes
Tower cranes are typically used on city centre sites, whilst crawler cranes are used on green field sites. The crane capacity dictates the maximum weight of precast units.
Crazing
Fine surface cracking in smooth concrete surfaces. Can be reduced/eliminated by removing the surface laitence by acid etching.
Curing
Providing a consistent environment during the early stage of hardening of the concrete. It is important that early age concrete is not exposed to drying.
Curtain Wall
Non load bearing cladding, hung on a structural frame like a curtain.