An exterior wall supported wholly by the structural frame of a building and carrying no loads other than its own weight and wind loads

A panel-like area in a multi-story frame building, between the sill of a window on one level and the head of a window immediately below

An opaque glass for concealing the structural elements in curtain wall construction, produced by fusing a ceramic frit to the interior surface of tempered or heat-strengthened glass

A curtain wall system consisting of pre-assembled, frame wall units that may be pre-glazed or glazed after installation

A curtain wall system consisting of pre-formed metal, cut stone, precast concrete, or panelized brick wall units, which may be pre-glazed or glazed after installation

A curtain wall system in which vision-glass assemblies and spandrel units are supported by spandrel beams between exterior columns clad with cover sections

A curtain wall system in which tubular metal mullions and rails are assembled piece by piece on-site to frame vision glass and spandrel units

A curtain wall system in which one- or two-storey-high mullions are installed before preassembled wall units are lowered into place behind the mullions. The framed wall units may be preglazed or glazed after installation.

A horizontal member spanning between exterior columns to support wall sheathing or cladding

A non-combustible material placed in an opening to prevent the passage of fire, as between a curtain wall and a spandrel beam

An assembly of materials used behind a curtain wall to provide the required degree of fire-resistance

A wall of treated timber, masonry, or concrete for holding in place a mass of earth

A retaining wall of reinforced concrete or reinforced masonry, cantilevered from and securely tied to a spread footing that is shaped to resist overturning and sliding

A beam spanning between columns and supporting the outer edge of a floor or roof

A masonry or concrete retaining wall that resists overturning and sliding by the sheer weight and volume of its mass

A type of gravity retaining wall formed by stacking modular, interlocking precast concrete units and filling the voids with crushed stone or gravel. Also called cellular wall.

A retaining wall consisting of precast concrete panels fastened to long galvanized steel straps extending into a compacted soil backfill

An additional or excessive load or burden, as that of the earth above the level of the top of a retaining wall

The forward, lower tip of the base of a footing or retaining wall, extended to give broader bearing and greater stability

A triangular-shaped cross wall tying a concree retaining wall to its base at regular intervals, built on the side of the material to be retained in order to stiffen the vertical slab and add weight to the base

A backward slope of the face of a wall as it rises

A system of cribs for retaining earth or for a building being moved or having its foundation rebuilt

A cellular framework of squared timbers, or steel or concrete members of similar form, assembled in layers at right angles, often filled with earth or stones and used in the construction of foundations and retaining walls

A log, concrete block, or similar mass buried in the ground as an anchor

The maximum height at which a vertical cut in a cohesive soil will stand without shoring

A galvanized wire basket filled with stones and used in constructing an abutment or retaining structure

A layer of broken stones thrown together irregularly on an embankment slope to prevent erosion

To face a sloping surface or embankment with stone or other material

A facing of masonry or other suitable material for protecting an embankment against erosion

A plant that prevents or inhibits erosion by providing a ground cover and forming a dense network of roots that hold the soil

A chemical admixture for maintaining or increasing the stability of a soil mass

The maximum slope, measured in degrees from the horizontal, at which loose solid material will remain in place without sliding

The minimum slope, measured in degrees from the horizontal, at which loose solid material will begin to slide or flow