Giáo trình tiếng anh chuyên ngành kinh tế xây dựng

TrƯêng ®¹i häc phƯ¬ng ®«ng
Khoa kiÕn tróc c«ng tr×nh

Gi¸o tr×nh

TiÕng anh chuyªn ngµnh
KINH TẾ XÂY DỰNG

Lưu hành nội bộ
Hà Nội – 2011

LỜI NÓI ĐẦU
1


Nh chúng ta đã biết ting Anh chuyờn ngnh rất quan trọng trong việc
tiếp cận với nền khoa học kỹ thuật hiện đại trên thế giới nhất là trong xu thế
toàn cầu hóa và hội nhập quốc tế nh hiện nay.
Giáo trình tiếng Anh chuyên ngành Xây dựng đợc biên soạn với mục
đích cung cấp tài liệu chuyên ngành hẹp về xây dựng cho sinh viên bao gồm
10 bài đề cập tới các lĩnh vực trong ngành xây dựng nh xây dựng dân dụng,
các loại nhà xây dựng , kết cấu, móng, vật liệu xây dựng, cơ học đất.
Tp giáo trình ny cung cấp cho sinh viên vốn từ vựng về xây dựng,
các mẫu câu và ngữ pháp cơ bản , các phần phát triển kỹ năng giúp các em sau
khi học xong có thể sử dụng trong giao tiếp, trong quá trình công tác .
Trong quá trình biên soạn không tránh khỏi những thiếu sót rt mong
c s úng gúp ý kin ca cỏc em tp giỏo trỡnh ngy cng phự hp hn,
hu ớch hn cho vic s dng Ting Anh nh mt cụng c c lc trong cụng
vic v hc tip v chuyờn mụn.
Xin chõn thnh cỏm n GS Nguyn Ti, Ch nhim Khoa Kiến trúc
Công trình to mi iu kin h tr vic biờn son.

Ngi biờn son

Nguyn Th nh Tuyt

2


CONTENTS

UNIT

TITLE

PAGE

Unit 1

What is civil engineering ?

4

Unit 2

Participants in the construction process

9

Unit 3

Building materials and types of construction

12

Unit 4

Properties of concrete

17

Unit 5

Site labour

22

Unit 6

Foundations

27

Unit 7

Structure

35

Unit 8

Building Materials in the hot climate zone

41

Unit 9

Loads

47

Unit 10

Site Investigations and Soil Mechanics

50

Exercises for revision

54

References

63

UNIT 1
3


WHAT IS CIVIL ENGINEERING?
The term Civil Engineering originally came into use to distinguish

from military engineering, Civil engineering dealt with permanent structures
for civilian use, whereas military engineering dealt with temporary structures
for military use. A more appropriate definition of civil engineering is that it
deals with the design and construction that are intended to be stationary. In
practice, this definition includes buildings and houses, dams, tunnels, bridges,
canals, sanitation systems, and the stationary parts of transportation systems –
highways, airports, port facilities, and roadbeds for railroads.
Civil engineering offers a particular challenge because almost every
structure or system that is designed and built by civil engineers is unique. One
structure rarely duplicates another exactly. Even when structures seem to be
identical, site requirements or other factors generally result in modifications.
Large structures like dams, bridges, or tunnels may differ substantially from
previous structures. The civil engineer must therefore always be ready and
willing to meet new challenges.
Within the field of civil engineering itself, there are subdivisions:
structural engineering, which deals with permanent structures; hydraulic
engineering, which is concerned with systems involving the flow and control
of water or other fluids; and sanitary or environmental engineering, which
involves the study of water supply, purification, and sewer systems.
Obviously, many of these specialties overlap. A water supply system, for
example, may involve dams and other structures as well as the flow and
storage of water.
In a nuclear power plant, civil engineers are responsible for the design
and construction of the plant itself, as well as the protective shielding around
the nuclear reactor. In the project of this kind, the engineer is a member of a
4


team that is often headed by a system engineer who coordinates the
contribution of all members of the team. Because teamwork is necessary in so

many engineering projects, nowadays, an important qualification for
engineers is the ability to work successfully with other people.
( Source : Lê Thị Hoài Thao và các cộng sư, English of civil
engineering, tâm bồi dưỡng cán bộ, Bộ Xây Dựng , 1997 )
VOCABULARY
temporary /'temprəri/ (a): tạm thời
appropriate /ə'prouprieɪt/ (a): thích hợp
structure /'strʌkt∫ə/ (n): kết cấu; structural /'strʌkt∫ərəl/ (a)
dam /dæm/ (n): đập nước
sanitation /,sæni'tei∫n/ (n): sự cải thiện, điều kiện vệ sinh
roadbed /'roudbed/ (n): nền đường
challenge /'t∫ælindЗ/ (n): sự thách thức
unique /ju:'ni:k/ (a): duy nhất
duplicate /'dju:plikeit/ (v): sao lại, làm thành 2 bản, nhân đôi
identical /ai'dentkəl/ (a): giống hệt nhau
substantial /səb'stæn∫əl/ (a): lớn lao, quan trọng, thực tế
willing /´wiliη/(a): tự nguyện, sẵn lòng
subdivision /'sʌbdi,viЗn/ (n): sự phân nhỏ, phân nhánh, bộ phận
hydraulic /hai'drɔ:lik/(a): thuỷ lực, chạy bằng sức nước
environment /in'vaiərənmənt/ (n): môi trường
purify /'pjuərifai/ (v): lọc, làm sạch
sewer /'sjuə/ or /su:ə/ (n): cống rãnh
overlap /'ouvəlæp/ (v): gối lên nhau, chồng chéo
obviously (adv): rõ ràng, hiển nhiên
result in /ri'zʌlt in/ (v): gây nên, có tác động tới, đưa tới kết quả
nuclear reactor /'nju:kliə ri:'æktə/ (n): lò phản ứng nguyên tử

5

shielding /ʃi:ldiŋ/(n): tấm, lớp che chắn
specialties /'spe∫əlti/ (n): ngành chuyên môn
modification /,modifi'kei∫n/ (n): sự thay đổi, sự sửa đổi
military engineering /'militəri enʤɪ'nɪərɪŋ/ (n): xây dựng quân sự
purification /,pjuərifi'keiʃn/ (n): sự làm sạch, lọc sạch
distinguish /dis´tiηgwiʃ/ (v): phân biệt
originally /ə'ridʒnəli/(adv): nguồn gốc, ban đầu.
storage /'stɔ:ridʤ/(n): sự lưu trữ,dự trữ.
PRACTICE
I.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Comprehension questions:
In what way do civil engineering and military engineering differ?
What stationary structures does civil engineering deal with?
Why is civil engineering said to offer a particular challenge?
Why must the civil engineers be ready and willing to meet new

challenges?
5. What is civil engineering sub-divided into?
6. Do these branches of civil engineering work independently?
7. What are civil engineers’ responsibilities in a nuclear power plant?
8. What is the role of a system engineer?
9. What is one of qualifications engineers should have nowadays?
10.Why is it an important qualification?

II.

GRAMMAR

1. Look at examples in the following boxes:
Civil
engineering

deals with/ is concerned with / Permanent structures
involves

for civilian use

Now, complete these sentences in the same way:
a. Structural engineering…….................................................................
.............................................................................................................
b. Hydraulic engineering ...……………………………………………..
6


.............................................................................................................
c. Sanitary or environmental engineering ...............................................
.............................................................................................................
d. A water supply system .......................................................................
.............................................................................................................
e. Civil engineering in a nuclear power plant .........................................
...................................................................................................................
2. Write questions for these answers without referring to the text.
a .............................................................................................................?
- The design and construction that are intended to be stationary.
b. .............................................................................................................?

- It includes buildings and houses, dams, bridges, etc.
c. .............................................................................................................?
- Because large structures like dams, bridges or tunnels may differ
substantially from previous structures.
d ................................................................................................................?
- Structural engineering, hydraulic engineering and environmental
engineering.
e. ...............................................................................................................?
- No, it doesn’t. It deals with permanent structures.
f. .................................................................................................................?
- It is also called sanitary engineering.
g ..................................................................................................................?
- The design and construction of the plant itself
h. .................................................................................................................?
- A system engineer.
i. ...................................................................................................................?
- Teamwork
j. .................................................................................................................?
- The ability to work successfully with other people.
7


UNIT 2
PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
When an architect receives a commission for a building, he meets the client
and discusses his requirements. After visiting the site, the architect draws up
preliminary plans and, together with a rough estimate of the cost, submits them to
the client for his approval. If the client suggests changes, the architect incorporates
them into the final design which shows the exact dimension of every part of the
8

building. At this stage, several building contractors are invited to bid for the job of
constructing the building. When they submit their tenders or prices, the architect
assists his client in selecting the best one and helps him to draw up a contract
between the client and the contractor.
Work now starts on the building. As construction proceeds, the architect
makes periodic inspections to make sure that the building is being constructed
according to his plans and that the materials specified in the contract are being used.
During

the building period, the client pays the bills from the contractor.

Subsequently, the contractor completes the building and the client occupies it. For
six months after completion there is a period known as the “defects liability
period”. During this period, the contractor must correct any defects that appear in
the fabric of the building. Finally, when all the defects have been corrected, the
client takes full possession of the building.
(Source: JAMES CUMMING English for Science and Technology-Architecture
and building construction, , NXB Xây Dựng, 2008.)

Vocabulary
approve (v)

: đồng ý, chấp thuận

dimension (n)

: kích thước

building contractor (n)

: nhà thầu xây dựng

proceed (v)

: tiến hành, tiến triển

specify (v)

: chỉ, định rõ

client (n)

: khách hàng (bên A)

“defects liability period “

: giai đoạn sửa các thiếu sót (giai đoạn bảo hành)

draw up (v)

: phác thảo, bản vẽ

preliminary(adj)

: sơ bộ, bước đầu

a rough estimate of the cost

: bản dự toán sơ bộ

submit (v)

: nộp, đệ trình

incorporate (v)

: phối hợp, kết hợp

bid (v,n)

: đấu thầu, sự bỏ thầu

select (v)

: chọn lựa

periodic (adj)

: định kỳ, theo chu kỳ
9


defect (n)

: lỗi, hư hỏng

fabric (n)

: khung nhà, cấu trúc, cơ cấu

subsequently (adj)

: sau đó

COMPREHENSION CHECK
A. Find a word or an expression in the passage which means:
1. To be given the job of designing a building
2. To offer to a client for his consideration
3. To combine into a whole
4. To offer to do some work at a certain price
a) ...for a building

appoints an architect

5. To look at the building work in detail at regular intervals
6. Named or described exactly

gives architect,
his b).............
7. An

visits c)................

interval of time after the building has been finished during which the

contractor is responsible for correcting any faults in it.
approves e)

8. To have complete ownership of the building

B. Questions

draws up d).........

f) ........them into the

finaladesign
1. What doessuggests
an architect do to have the final design for
building?
changes

CONTRACTOR
2. Who are invited to bid
for the job of constructing the building?
3. Who helps the client to choose the best contractor?
chooses a contractor

assits his client in

submits tender

4. What does the architect do when the construction proceeds?
selecting a g)......
5. What is the client’s task during the building period?
a contract
the
6. When does the clientsigns

occupy
thewith
building?
i)......................

helps client h).....

the j)........

signs a contract with

7. When does he take full possession of the building?

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
starts work on k).....
Reading and writing
Exercises 1. Complete this flow diagram. Use the information from the main text.
pays m)............
CLIENT
from contractor

submits l)............
to client

p)..................
the building

o) .......
the building

makes n).............

ARCHITECT

makes sure that the
building is completed
according to the
contract

10
r).......of
the building

corrects defects in the
building during the q).......


UNIT 3

UNIT 3
BUILDING MATERIALS AND TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
Building materials are used in two basic ways. In the first way they are used to
support the loads on a building and in the second way they are used to divide the
space in a building. Building components are made from building materials and the
form of a component is related to the way in which it is used. We can see how this
works by considering three different types of construction:

11

1. In one kind of construction, blocks of materials such as brick, stone, or
concrete are put together to form solid walls. These materials are heavy,
however, they can support the structural loads because they have the
property of

high compressive strength. Walls made up of blocks both

support the building and divide the space in the building.
2. In another type of construction, sheet materials are used to form walls which
act as both space-dividers and structural support. Timber, concrete and some
plastics can be made into large rigid sheets and fixed together to form a
building. These buildings are lighter and faster to construct than buildings
made up of blocks.
3. Rod materials, on the other hand, can be used for structural support but not
for dividing spaces. Timber, steel and concrete can be formed into rods and
used as columns. Rod materials with high tensile and compressive strength
can be fixed together to form framed structures. The spaces between the rods
can be filled with light sheet materials which act as space dividers but do not
support structural loads.
(Source: By JAMES CUMMING English for Science and Technology
Architecture and Building Construction, NXB Xây Dựng, 1999.).

Vocabulary
building component

: cấu kiện công trình
12


block (n)

: khối

material (n)

: vật liệu, chất liệu

mass construction (n)

: xây dựng khối

rod materials

: vật liệu dạng thanh

sheet materials (n)

: vật liệu dạng tấm

consider (v)

: xem xét

compressive strength

: cường độ chịu nén

tensile strength

: cường độ chịu kéo

rigid (adj)

: cứng

relate (v)

: liên quan

to be related to

: có liên quan đến

fill (v)

: đổ đầy, lấp kín

fix (v)

: lắp, lắp ghép

framed structure (n)

: kết cấu dạng khung

planar construction (n)

: xây dựng tấm phẳng

mass construction (n)

: xây dựng khối

property (n)

: đặc tính, tính chất

space-divider (n)

: tường, vách ngăn

way (n)

: cách, phương thức làm

structural support

: đỡ kết cấu

structural load

: tải trọng công trình

COMPREHENSION CHECK
A. Which paragraph discusses:
• Planar construction
• frame construction
• mass construction

B. Answer the following questions:

1. How are building materials used?
2. What are building components made from?
3. What is the form of a component related to?
13


4. How many forms of building components are there? What are they?
5. How many types of construction are there? What are they?

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Exercise 1
Whether these statements are true or false. Correct the false statements:
1. Rod materials can be used for both dividing space and supporting
the building.
2. Concrete can be used as a block material, a sheet material and a rod
material.
3. Steel is used for frame construction because it has high tensile
strength and low compressive strength.
4. The sheet materials, which act as space divider in a frame
construction building, can be very light because they do not support
structural loads.
5. Mass construction buildings are light whereas planar construction
buildings are heavy.
Exercise 2
Complete the following sentences
1. Walls made up of blocks are used to................................................
.................................................................................................................
2. Sheet materials used in planar construction function............................
..................................................................................................................
3. Rod materials used in frame construction are not used for .....................

..................................................................................................................
Exercise 3:
1. Read the text again and complete this table by putting ticks in the boxes to
show the functions of the components:

14


Function of components
Form of material

Structural support

Space dividing only Both structural

only

support and space
dividing
√

Blocks
Sheets
Rods

2. Make sentences about four other properties of materials from these tables:

Steel
Stone

good sound insulation.
has the property of

good thermal insulation.

Glass wool

high compressive strength.

Brick

high tensile strength.

it can resist high compressive forces.
This means

it can resist high tensile forces.
it does not transmit heat easily.
it does not transmit sound easily.

15


UNIT 4
PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE
Concrete is produced by mixing together cement, water and mineral
aggregates. This mixture is placed into a suitable mould, compacted, and
allowed to harden. It is somewhat similar to building stone but has the
advantage that it can be easily moulded into any suitable shape and also that it
can be conveniently reinforced with steel rods to improve its structural

properties.
A concrete mix may be regarded as being made up of two parts-first the
aggregates (sand and stones) and second the cement paste (that is, water and
cement). The cement paste covers the surface of the stones and sand particles
binding them together when it hardens. The aggregate is not altered in any
way but is merely embedded firmly in a rock-like hardened cement paste.
This cementing material is formed by the water and cement combining
together chemically by a process called hydration. The chemical reaction
takes place quite slowly and continues for many years.
The hardened cement paste becomes harder as the hydration continues
and consequently concrete becomes harder and stronger as it grows older
provided that the temperature and moisture conditions are suitable. If,
however, the concrete is allowed to dry out completely, its strength will
increase no further.
16


The longer it remains in a well condition, the stronger it will become. It
is also liable to attack by the weather or by chemicals and it is necessary to
ensure that it becomes strong enough to withstand such attacks.
1f then concrete is properly made and has been allowed to harden for
all sufficient length of time usually a few days, it can resist compresive forces
very well and can withstand quite severe weather conditions, and it can resist
abrasion.
VOCABULARY
Produce (v) : sản xuất
Cement (n) : xi măng
Aggregate (n) : cốt liệu
Compact (v) : nén lại
Mould ( n) : khu«n

Harden (v) : đông cứng lại
Particle (n) : hạt, phần tử
Hydration (n) : sự thủy hóa
Abrasion (n) : sự bào mòn
I.ComprehensionQuestions
.
1. What is concrete?
2. What are the advantages of concrete as a constructional material ?
3. What materials are combined to form concrete?
4. What is the cement paste?
5. What is hydration?
6. How long does the chemical reaction take place?
7. What will happen if the concrete is allowed to dry out completely?
8. What will happen if concrete stays in unsuitable temperature and
17


moisture conditions?
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
I. Grammar
I. Words and prepositions that go together
A dictionary shows you which preposition goes with a word
be similar to
be regarded as
be liable to
II. Put a preposition into each gap
a.The bungalow is different............................the terrace house.
b. Many people regard concrete......................................one of the
best construction materials.
c. I prefer the cottage .................the modem house.

d. A concrete mix may be regarded.......................being made up of
aggregates, water and cement.
e. The young engineer is very pleased.......his plan of the house.
f. The cementing material is formed by the water and cement
combining together.......................................
g. Reinforced concrete is not the same ...................prestressed concrete.
h. In case ................fire, please leave the building as quickly as possible
i. If you have any problem with the equipment, ask ...............our
help.
III. Choose the best answer
1. Concrete is produced by mixing together cement, water and.................
a. Sand

c. Sized stone

b. Clay

d.Mineral aggregates

2. Concrete gains its strength through a process called.................
a. Hydration.

c. Porland cement
18


b. Curing

d. Water

3. Portland cement is manufactured by burning clay and...........................in a
large rotary kiln
a. Limestone
b. Aggregate

c . Silt
d. Masonry.

IV. Gap filling
Fill in the blank with a suitable word
a. The cementing material is formed by the water and ..............
combining together chemically by a process called hydration.
b. Concrete can be conveniently reinforced with steel..................
to improve its structural properties.
c. If the concrete is allowed to dry out completely, its strength wil1
................no further.
d. The cement paste covers the ............. and sand particles.
e. The aggregate is not .............in any way but is merely embedded
firmly in a rock like hardened cement paste,
f. The longer concrete remains in a well condition, the..............it will become.
g. Concrete can resist................forces very well and can ................quite
severe weather conditions.
V. Put the verb in bracket into the correct form
a. Concrete (make) up of cement, sand, water and sized stones.
b. A concrete mix may be regarded as (be) made up of two parts first the
sand and stones and second the cement paste.
c. The hardened cement paste (become) harder as the hydration continues.
d. If the concrete is allowed (dry) out completely, its strength will increase
no futher.
e. It is necessary (ensure) that concrete becomes strong enough (withstand)

quite severe weather conditions.
f. Concrete can be (reinforce) with steel rods (improve) its structural
19


properties
g. Not (allow) water (leave) the concrete is very important. This process
(call) curing.
h. Portland cement is a grey powder that (produce) a strong "glue" (hold)
sand and stone together.
i. Water (need) for hydration.
j. Too much water forces each cement particles (expand) its limited strength
potential to greater limits, weakening the finished concrete.

20


UNIT 5
Site labour
The two most important men on a construction site are the contractor's
agent and the navvy. The agent is important because he acts for the contractors
and has the authority of the contractor on the site. The navvy is important because
he, with perhaps hundreds of other navvies, does most of the work. Compared
with these two, although no civil engineer will happily admit it, the resident
engineer comes third, for without him the work would be completed in time,
though perhaps badly and at high cost to the client. Most of the civil engineering
design has been done by the time the contract has been signed, and the contractor
is bound to follow the design as it is laid down in the drawings, though normally
no contract is left without the supervision of a resident engineer or at least of a
clerk of the works or a civil engineering inspector.

But between the agent and the navvy there are many other men who
organize the work, help it to go smoothly, see to the arrival of the essential
materials, check their quality and help to get the contract finished on time. The
chief of these is the general foreman, a man who has worked for many years on
construction sites, either as a navvy and then as a ganger in charge of a group
(gang) of navvies, or more usually, as a tradesman and then a foreman of his trade.
Tradesmen in civil engineering or building is the name given to masons,
bricklayers, carpenters, plasterers, mechanical fitters and others who do a special
kind of work with their hands (a trade) for which they gained the skill by a
boyhood apprenticeship to a skilled man.
Since navvies do the concreting and digging which are essential to most
foundation work, and foundations are the first work after the demolition and site
clearance, navvies are usually the first men employed on a building site.
21


(Source: By Vi Thi Quoc Khánh, English for Architecture, Construction and
planning, NXB Xây Dựng, 2002).

VOCABULARY
navvy (n)

: thợ

to be bound to do sth

: buộc phải làm gì

supervise (v)

: giám sát thi công

supervisor (n)

: người giám sát thi công

supervision (n)

: sự giám sát

clerk (n)

: người theo dõi tiến độ

civil engineering inspector

: người giám sát kỹ thuật, thanh tra kỹ thuật

resident engineer

: người giám sát các công trình trong vùng, bên A

dig (v)

: đào

smoothly (adv)

: trôi chảy

foreman (n)

: đốc công

trademan (n)

: thợ công trình

ganger (n)

: đội trưởng

to be in charge of

: phụ trách chính

mason (n)

: thợ xây, nề, đá

bricklayer (n)

: thợ xây

carpenter (n)

: thợ mộc

plasterer (n)

: thợ trát tường

mechanical fitter (n)

: thợ lắp ráp thiết bị, máy móc

gain (v)

: đạt được

boyhood (n)

: thời niên thiếu

apprenticeship (n)

: thời gian học việc

skilled man (n)

: thợ lành nghề

COMPREHENTION CHECK
22


1. Why are the agent and navvy important on the construction site?
2. When has most of the civil engineering design been done?
3. Besides the agent and the navvy who organize the work? What do they
do?

4. What does “tradesmen” mean?
5. Who are the first men employed on a building site?

23


24


SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Reading and writing
Exercise 1: Look and read
Bar chart of the sequence of trades on a building site
Trade: steel erectors
Job: erecting the steelwork
Weeks working: 9 to 15
Trade: cladding fixers
Job: fixing the cladding
Weeks working: 16 to 30
Trade: bricklayer
Job: building the brickwork
Weeks working: 13 to 21

the steel erectors work

the bricklayers.

While the former erect the steelwork, the latter build the brickwork

the steel erectors have finished, the cladding fixers begin.

Use the bar chart to help you label the following drawings. Then make similar
paragraphs:
25