tiếng anh chuyên ngành xâu dựng dân dụng và công nghiệp

English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering

PREFACE
Further from its own justification, teaching and learning English has
increasingly occupied high interests from Vietnamese in the globalization race.
Practical languages for various contexts are likely to work as the core of this
interaction. Given this situation, English for specific purposes (ESP) courses
have been incorporated into foreign language curricula of higher education
institutions in Vietnam. It is compulsory for students to complete ESP modules
before graduating.
By having the objectives of the ESP teaching and learning the internal
teaching material “English for civil and industrial construction” is compiled to
fulfill the needs of the students. This can also serve as a reference for engineers,
architects, workers and anyone who concern with the industrial and civil
construction field.
Based on English proficiency of the students and the ESP course
requirements, the materials are careful selected and designed. The textbook
involves authentic materials with job-related content which reproduce an
immersion environment and provide realistic contexts for tasks that relate to
learners’ major. Vocabulary, grammar structures that are common used in the
expert-field included in this ESP material. This textbook also offers various
tasks and activities in order to help learners use language skills more effectively
in the industrial and civil construction context.
The internal teaching material contains 8 units with 8 different topics:
The procedure of building construction, Site investigations and Soil mechanics,
Building materials, The design process, Foundations, Structures, Water supply
and Quality and Safety during Construction. Grammar bank and glossary are
attached at the final pages of the textbook.
The structure of each part listed as follow:
1. Articles/ texts with Reading comprehension check
2. Vocabulary

3. Writing tasks
4. Speaking activities
5. Video clips with listening tasks
6. Articles/ texts for Further reading
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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering
We hope that this textbook can be a practical and useful ESP teaching
material for practitioners in industrial and civil construction field in general and
for students at University of Transport Technology (UTT) in specific.
Although during the compiling process the teachers at industrial and
civil construction department supported us a lot, the textbook still has some
unavoidable limitations. Correspondingly, we expect to receive feedback from
the readers to improve this material in the future.
We appreciate Ministry of Transport, University of Transport
Technology, Foreign Language Department, Industrial and Civil Construction
Department for supporting us to complete this textbook.
We are also very grateful to teachers at UTT and at many other
universities for valuable contributions to this textbook.
Editors

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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE..................................................................................................................1
TABLE OF CONTENTS..........................................................................................3

UNIT 1. THE PROCEDURE OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION..........................4
UNIT 2. SITE INVESTIGATIONS AND SOIL MECHANICS.............................17
UNIT 3. BUILDING MATERIALS........................................................................34
UNIT 4. THE DESIGN PROCESS.........................................................................51
UNIT 5. FOUNDATIONS.......................................................................................68
UNIT 6. STRUCTURES.........................................................................................79
UNIT 7. WATER SUPPLY......................................................................................90
UNIT 8. QUALITY AND SAFETY DURING CONSTRUCTION.....................106
GLOSSARY..........................................................................................................130
FURTHER READING..........................................................................................140
REFERENCES......................................................................................................176
CONTENTS..........................................................................................................177

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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering

UNIT 1

THE PROCEDURE OF BUILDING
CONSTRUCTION

STARTER

Use these statements to fill the suitable blanks in the diagram.

DESIGN PHASE
CONSTRUCTION PHASE
Client reviews estimate and

Construction begins
construction drawing
Construction complete
Project is assigned to designer and
Project is assigned to construction
is entered into design schedule
supervisor
Designer published costs estimate
to client

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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering

READING
READING

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 building. At this stage, several building contractors are invited
to bid for the job of constructing the building. When they submit their tenders or
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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering
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.
(CHRIS HENDRICKSON, Project Management for Construction,
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
University, Pittsburgh, PA l52l3, 2008)
Task 1: Answer the questions
1. What does an architect do to have the final design for a building?
…………………………………………………………………………………
2. Who are invited to bid for the job of constructing the building?
…………………………………………………………………………………
3. Who helps the client to choose the best contractor?
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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering
………………………………………………………………………………….
4. What does the architect do when the construction proceeds?
………………………………………………………………………………….
5. What is the client’s task during the building period?
………………………………………………………………………………….
6. When does the client occupy the building?

………………………………………………………………………………….
7. When does he take full possession of the building?
…………………………………………………………………………………
Task 2: Complete this flow diagram. Use the information from the text.
ARCHITECT

CLIENT
appoints an architect

a) ..... for a building

gives architect,
his b)........

visits c).......

approves e)........

draw up d)........

f) ..... them into the
final design

suggest
changes

CONTRACTOR
chooses a constructor

signs constructor with

the j)..........

submits tender

signs constructor with
the i)..........

assits his client in
a selecting a g)........

help client h)........

start work on k)........

pays m)........
from contructor

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

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

makes n)........

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

o)........
the building

make sure that the
building completed
according to the
contract

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

VOCABULARY
VOCABULARY

Find a word or an expression in the passage which means
1. To be given the job of designing a building…………………………………
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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering
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………………………………….
5. To look at the building work in detail at regular intervals…………………..
6. An interval of time after the building has been finished during which the
contractor is responsible for correcting any faults in it………………………...
7. To have complete ownership of the building………………………………..

LISTENING

Task 1: Here are 5 Mega Construction projects of the world. Work in pairs to
put the name of these projects into correct pictures.

Kingdom Tower in Arab Saudi
World Trade Center in New York- USA
Crystal Island in Moscow- Russia
Shanghai Tower in Shanghai- China
The Falconcity of Wonders in Dubai- UAE

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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering
Task 2: Listen and fill the blanks (focus on the numbers)
World's 5 Mega Construction Projects - as part of the travel series
by Geo Beats.
Around the world, we keep building structures that are taller and bigger
than the existing ones. Here are five current mega construction projects.
Number 5 is the Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia. Upon it’s expected
completion in 2017. It will have an approximate height of (1)
………………….feet, making it the tallest building in the world. With a budget
of nearly (2)........................, the tower will have more than (3)
………………….. floors, including apartments, office space, and
condominiums.
Number 4 - The Falconcity of Wonders in Dubai. With an area of (4)
…………………. sq feet, this mega construction project would host the replicas
of (5)………………….. wonders of the world such as Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower,
and The Great Wall. In addition, it will feature a theme park, educational

institute, sports facilities, and approximately (6)…………………… residential
units. The project is expected to complete between 2015 and 2017.
Number 3 is the Shanghai Tower in Shanghai, China. Upon its
completion in 2014, this (7)………………………. feet structure would be the
second tallest building in the world. The 121-story tower will have plenty of
dinning, entertainment, and office space options. The mega construction project
has a budget of (8)………………………..
Number 2 is the Crystal Island in Moscow, Russia. With an approximate
height of (9)…………………………. feet, this "tent-like" structure will
comprise of apartment buildings, hotel, office, shopping, exhibition &
performance space.
Number 1 is the 1 World Trade Center, which is part of the new World
Trade Center complex in New York City. Upon its completion in 2015, the (10)
……………………..feet tall building would not only be the tallest building in
New York City but also in the US.
Which one of these is your favorite?

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SPEAKING

Look at this plan for a two-storey house:

Now read this discussion between an architect and his client:

Client
I don’t like this plan because

the dining room is very far
from the kitchen

Architect
Why?

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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering

Well, it is a long way to
carry the food.

Yes. I think it does, because the food
will get cold on its way from the
kitchen to the dining room.

Does that
matter
very
much?

…………
………

Make similar discussions between the architect and his client complaining
about:
1. The relative position of the lobby and sitting room
2. The relative position of the dressing room and bedroom 2 and bedroom 4

3. The lack of a covered porch over the entrance

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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering

W
RITING
WRITING

Read this description of House A
The house is a single-storey building with a square-shaped plan. It contains
five rooms. The entrance leads to the dining room. On the left of the entrance are
the kitchen and also the dining room. The living room is the largest room and it
is located in the middle of the house. The toilet is on the right side of the dining
room. The master bedroom is on the right side of the living room and next to the
toilet. The bedroom 2 is next to the bedroom 3 and opposite to the living room.

House A

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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering
Now write a similar description of House B:

House B

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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering

UNIT 2

SITE INVESTIGATIONS AND
SOIL MECHANICS

STARTER

Can you guess what those engineers are doing in two following images?

Match the actions with their definitions:
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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering

An examination of the site to investigate the
effects of its features to the design and
construction of the building

The engineering approach to the study of soil
focuses on the characteristics of soils as
construction materials and the suitability of soils to
withstand the load applied by structures of various
types.

VOCABULARY

VOCABULARY
Here are some site investigation methods. Match each of them with the suitable
image
Trial pits
Soil sampling

Mechanical auger borings
Hand auger borings

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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering

READING

SITE INVESTIGATIONS
A site investigation in one form or another is always required before the
commencement of a building or engineering structure. It is ideal that from the
earliest time, definitely during the design stage, this starts taking place. The
investigation may range from a simple examination of the surface soil such as
digging your heel into the ground to a few shallow trial pits, to a detailed study
of the soil and ground water, including chemical analysis to a considerable depth
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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering
below the surface by means of boreholes and tests, in situ and/or laboratory of
the materials encountered. The extent of the work depends on the importance
and foundation arrangement of the structure, the complexity of the soil

conditions, and the information which may be available on the behavior of
existing foundations on similar soils.

Land surveying
Thus, it is not the normal practice to sink boreholes and carry out soil
tests for single or two-storey dwelling houses or similar structures since there is
usually adequate knowledge of the required foundation depths and bearing
pressures in any particular locality. Sufficient information to check the presumed
soil conditions can usually be obtained by examining open sewer trenches or
shallow excavations for roadwork, or from a few shallow trial pits or hand auger
borings.

Test pitting
A detailed site investigation involving deep boreholes and laboratory
testing of soils is always a necessity for heavy structure such as bridges, multistorey building or industrial plants. Even if rock is known to be present at the
shallow depth it is advisable to excavate down to expose the rock in a few places
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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering
to ensure that there are no zones of deep weathering or heavily shattered or
faulted rock. Thorough investigations are equally necessary for engineering
structures founded in deep excavations. As well as providing information for
foundation design, they provide essential information on the soil and ground
water conditions to contractors tendering for the work. Thus, money is saved by
obtaining realistic and competitive tenders based on adequate foreknowledge of
the ground conditions.
An engineer undertaking a site investigation may engage local labor for
trial pit excavation or hand auger boring, or he may employ a contractor for
boring and soil sampling. If laboratory testing is required, the boring contractor

can send the sample to an independent testing laboratory. The engineer can send
the sample to an independent testing laboratory. The engineer then undertakes
the soil mechanics analysis for foundation design or he may ask the testing
laboratory to do this analysis. Alternatively, a specialist organization offering
comprehensive facilities for boring sampling, field and laboratory testing, and
soil mechanics analysis may undertake the whole investigation. This is much to
be preferred to the system whereby one organization does the borings, another
testing, and yet another analysis.

Pile driving analyzer
Whatever procedure the engineer adopts for carrying out his
investigation work it is essential that the individuals or organizations
undertaking the work should be conscientious, and completely reliable. The
engineer has an important responsibility to his employers in selecting a
competent organization and in satisfying himself by checking in the field and on
laboratory or office work has been undertaken with accuracy and thoroughness.
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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering
(Source: M. J. TOMLINSON, Foundation Design and Construction, Pitman,
Britain, 1980)
Task 1: Decide whether these statements are true (T) or false (F). Correct the
false statements.
Statements
T
F
1. A site investigation in one form or another is always required after
the commencement of a building or engineering structure.
2. The extent of the work only depends on the importance and

foundation arrangement of the structure, the complexity of the soil
conditions.
3. Sufficient information to check the presumed soil conditions can
rarely be obtained by examining open sewer trenches or shallow
excavations for roadwork.
4. We cannot save money by obtaining realistic and competitive
tenders based on adequate foreknowledge of the ground conditions.
5. Whatever procedure the engineer adopts for carrying out his
investigation work it is essential that the individuals or organizations
undertaking the work should be conscientious, and completely
reliable.
Task 2: Read the article and answer the following questions
1. Which areas do site investigation cover? And how are they carried out?
……………………………………………………………………………
2. What does the extent of work depend on?
……………………………………………………………………………
3. How can we check the presumed soil conditions?
……………………………………………………………………………
4. What is the detailed site investigation?
……………………………………………………………………………
5. What kinds of structures need a detailed site investigation?
……………………………………………………………………………
6. What does the investigation provide contractors tendering for the work?
……………………………………………………………………………
7. Where can the boring contractor send soil samples for testing?
……………………………………………………………………………
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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering

8. Can the whole investigation including boring, sampling, testing and
analysis be done by one organization?
……………………………………………………………………………
Task 3: Translate the following sentences into Vietnamese.
1. The investigation may range from a simple examination of the surface soil
such as digging your heel into the ground to a few shallow trial pits, to a
detailed study of the soil and ground water, including chemical analysis to a
considerable depth below the surface by means of boreholes and tests, in situ
and/or laboratory of the materials encountered.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Sufficient information to check the presumed soil conditions can usually be
obtained by examining open sewer trenches or shallow excavations for
roadwork, or from a few shallow trial pits or hand auger borings.
.……………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………….
3. Even if rock is known to be present at the shallow depth it is advisable to
excavate down to expose the rock in a few places to ensure that there are no
zones of deep weathering or heavily shattered or faulted rock
.……………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………….
4. A detailed site investigation involving deep boreholes and laboratory testing
of soils is always a necessity for heavy structure such as bridges, multi-storey
building or industrial plants
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
5. As well as providing information for foundation design, investigations
provide essential information on the soil and ground water conditions to

contractors tendering for the work
…………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………….
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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering
6. Water engineers must therefore study the water use per person in their own
country and choose a figure based on the most advanced community there.
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
7. An engineer undertaking a site investigation may engage local labor for trial
pit excavation or hand auger boring, or he may employ a contractor for boring
and soil sampling.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………….
8. The engineer has an important responsibility to his employers in selecting a
competent organization and in satisfying himself by checking in the field and
on laboratory or office work has been undertaken with accuracy and
thoroughness.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………….

WRITING

Task 1: Read each paragraph of the reading article above and try to find main
ideas of them.
Paragraph
1

Main ideas

2
3
4
Task 2: Write a short paragraph (about 150 words) to summarize the main
ideas of the reading article.

SPEAKING

Task 1: Read the following passage and fill in the table
GRAIN SIZE
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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering
Soils are usually distinguished into various types. In many cases these
various types also have different mechanical properties. A simple subdivision of
soils is on the basis of the grain size of the particles that constitute the soil. Since
it is the grain size that decides whether a soil is frictional or cohesive, sand or
clay.

Figure 5: Soil particle sizes
Starting with the largest sizes boulders are larger than 10 cm, cobbles are
from about 5 to 10 cm, gravel or ballast is from 5 cm to 5 mm, grit is from about
5 mm to 2 mm, sand is from 2 mm to 0.06 mm. All these soils are frictional;
being coarse and thus non-cohesive; their stability depends on their internal
friction. For the cohesive or non-frictional soils the two main internationally
accepted size limits are: silt from 00.2 mm, and clay for all finer materials.
There are of course many silty clays and clayey silts.

Properties Frictional
Types
of grain
Boulder

Nonfrictional

Cohesive

Noncohesive

Size

Clay
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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering
Task 2: [Pair work] Use the table above to make short conversations about
types of grain.
Example
A: What size is a cobble?
B: It is from 1 cm to 5 cm.
A: What property does it have?
B: It is frictional and non-cohesive.

Task 3: [Group discussion]
Read the following text
The mechanical behavior of the main types of soil, sand, clay and peat, is
rather different. Clay usually is much less permeable for water than sand, but it

usually is also much softer. Peat is usually is very light (sometimes hardly
heavier than water), and strongly anisotropic because of the presence of fibres
of organic material. Peat usually is also very compressible. Sand usually is
rather permeable, and rather stiff, especially under a certain preloading.
It is also very characteristic of granular soils such as sand and gravel,
that they cannot transfer tensile stresses. The particles can only transfer
compressive forces, no tensile forces. Only when the particles are very small and
the soil contains some water, can a tensile stress be transmitted, by capillary
forces in the contact points.

Permeable property

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English for Civil and Industrial Construction Engineering
Now work in groups of three or four to discuss about the similarities
and differences among types of grain.
You can use the following questions:
What are the similarities between silt and clay?
What are the differences between boulder and clay?

LISTENING

Task 1: You are going to watch a short video about the nature of soil. Try to
guess the meanings of the following words and answer the questions.
Tunnel

Skyscrapers

Deep excavation

Dam

1. What are soils made of?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
2. What types of soil does the geotechnical engineer mention in the video?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Where do you often find silt?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
4. How is a soil’s ability to resist loads generated?
…………………………………………………………………………………………

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