CONSTRUCTION & URBAN PLANNING GLOSSARY
Standardized architectural, structural, and regulatory definitions. Clarifies essential abbreviations (POT, CUT, RH, AC), building physics metrics (U-value, thermal bridges), and Romanian construction law frameworks (Legea 50/1991, Legea 10/1995).
Raft Foundation (Radier General)(Fundație de Tip Radier General din Beton Armat)
RO: Radier General
A thick continuous reinforced concrete slab extending over the entire footprint area of a building, supporting all structural columns and walls while distributing the total building load uniformly across the ground.
Standard foundation system for multi-story and high-rise buildings in soft, cohesive Romanian alluvial soils (e.g., Bucharest clay and silts) to prevent differential settlements (tasări inegale).
Load-Bearing Wall (Perete Portant / Structural)(Perete Structural Portant)
RO: Perete Portant
A vertical structural wall engineered to transmit gravitational floor and roof loads, as well as lateral wind and seismic forces, directly down to the foundation.
Must never be demolished, cut, or altered without structural engineering verification and a formal Building Permit.
Seismic Dissipative Link (Link Seismic)(Element Disipativ Seismic)
RO: Link Seismic Disipativ
A designated structural segment in Eccentrically Braced Steel Frames (EBF) engineered to yield plastically under severe seismic ground shaking, dissipating kinetic earthquake energy while protecting main columns and beams from damage.
Core seismic protection strategy in modern Romanian steel engineering under P100-1/2013.
Expansion Joint (Rost de Dilatare / Seism)(Rost de Dilatare Termică și Seism)
RO: Rost de Dilatare
A designed structural gap between adjacent building sections allowing independent movement caused by thermal expansion, concrete shrinkage, differential settlement, or seismic sway without inducing destructive internal stresses.
Mandated for long buildings (typically exceeding 30-40 meters length) and at junctions between building wings of different heights.
Floor Slab (Placă din Beton Armat)(Placă Structurală Orizontală)
RO: Placă de Beton
A horizontal structural reinforced concrete element that carries floor live loads and acts as a rigid horizontal diaphragm distributing seismic forces to vertical shear walls and columns.
Standard thickness ranges from 14cm to 25cm in modern residential and office construction.
Beam (Grindă Structurală)(Grindă din Beton Armat / Oțel)
RO: Grindă
A horizontal or inclined structural member designed to resist bending moments and shear forces transmitted by floor slabs and roof decks.
Formulates structural frame portals together with columns.
Column (Stâlp Structural)(Stâlp de Rezistență)
RO: Stâlp
A vertical structural compression member transmitting gravitational and seismic axial loads and bending moments down to the foundation.
Confined with closely spaced transverse stirrups in critical end zones per P100-1/2013.
Spread Footing (Fundație Directă / Izolată)(Fundație Izolată sau Continuă sub Ziduri)
RO: Fundație Directă
A shallow foundation element that enlarges the base area of a column or wall to transmit its load to the soil at a pressure not exceeding the allowable bearing capacity.
Used on competent ground with high bearing capacity.
Foundation Pile (Pilot Forat)(Pilot Forat de Mare Adâncime)
RO: Pilot Forat
A deep foundation cylinder of reinforced concrete cast into the ground to transfer structural loads down through soft, weak soils to deeper, solid load-bearing geological strata.
Essential for tall towers and bridge abutments in alluvial river plains.
Retaining Wall (Zid de Sprijin)(Zid de Sprijin din Beton Armat)
RO: Zid de Sprijin
A structural wall engineered to resist lateral soil and water earth pressures, preventing slope collapse and retaining embankments.
Used for basement excavations, underground parking, and hillside terrain stabilization.