Structure & Physics

How buildings stand up — forces, frames, load paths, and the physical behaviour of buildings.

78 Terms

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Acoustics

The science of sound in buildings — covering how sound is generated, transmitted through air and structure, reflected of…

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Air Infiltration

Unintended airflow through gaps and cracks in building envelopes. Controlling air infiltration improves energy efficienc…

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Air Quality

The presence of contaminants (CO2, VOCs, pollutants) affecting health and comfort. Good air quality requires ventilation…

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Air-Tightness

The degree to which a building envelope prevents unintended air leakage. Air-tightness is measured through blower door t…

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Arch

A curved structural element that spans an opening by converting vertical loads into compressive forces directed along it…

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Barrel Vault

A continuous cylindrical vault created by extending an arch in one direction. Barrel vaults span large areas while provi…

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Batu Split

Coarse aggregate — crushed stone ranging from 10 mm to 30 mm, mixed with semen and pasir to form structural concrete (co…

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Beam

A horizontal structural member that carries loads across a span by bending. The top of a beam is in compression and the …

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Bearing Wall

A wall that supports structural loads from above, transferring them to the foundation. Bearing walls are primary load pa…

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Bending Moment

A measure of the internal forces within a structural member caused by an applied load, expressed as a force multiplied b…

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Besi Hollow

Hollow steel tube — a structural steel member with a rectangular, square, or circular hollow cross-section, used for col…

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Besi Wiremesh

Steel wire mesh — a prefabricated grid of welded steel wires in standard patterns (e.g., 150×150 mm, 200×200 mm) used as…

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Bracing

Diagonal members added to a structure to resist lateral forces like wind and earthquakes. Bracing creates triangulated p…

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Buttress

A projection or thickening of a wall that provides lateral support and resists outward thrust. Buttresses are characteri…

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Cable Structure

A structural system where cables in tension support loads through geometric form rather than material strength. Cable st…

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Cable-Stayed

A bridge or roof structure supported by cables running from towers directly to the deck or surface. Cable-stayed structu…

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Cantilever

A structural element — such as a beam, slab, or floor plate — that projects horizontally beyond its support, anchored on…

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Column

A vertical structural member that transfers compressive loads from beams, slabs, or trusses down to foundations. Columns…

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Compression

A force that pushes or squeezes material, reducing its length. Compression is primary load in columns, arches, and walls…

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Condensation

The process by which water vapour in air turns into liquid water when it contacts a surface below the dew point temperat…

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Daylighting

The deliberate use of natural light to illuminate building interiors, reducing reliance on artificial lighting and impro…

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Decibel (dB)

A logarithmic unit measuring sound intensity relative to a reference level. Decibels quantify acoustic performance and n…

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Dome

A hemispherical or curved vault that spans circularly, transferring loads radially outward to supporting walls or column…

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Ductility

The ability of a material to deform significantly before breaking, absorbing energy and allowing warning before failure.…

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Elastic

The property of a material to return to its original shape after stress is removed. Elastic deformation is reversible, w…

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Flying Buttress

An external arch structure that transfers lateral thrust from a vault or roof over an intermediate space to a distant bu…

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Flying Buttress Test

The Flying Buttress Test is a structural assessment method used to evaluate the performance and stability of flying butt…

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Footing

The lowest part of a foundation that spreads the load over a wider area of soil.

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Force

A push or pull that acts on a structure, causing deformation or motion. Forces include compression, tension, shear, tors…

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Foundation

The lowest part of a building structure, which transfers all loads from the building into the ground. Foundations must b…

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Frame

A skeletal structure of vertical and horizontal members (columns and beams) connected at joints. Frames are efficient fo…

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Girder

A large beam, typically made of steel or reinforced concrete, that spans long distances and supports substantial loads. …

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Glare

Excessive brightness causing discomfort or disability. Controlling glare requires shading, orientation, and surface prop…

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Groin Vault

A vault created by the intersection of two barrel vaults at right angles. The intersection forms an X-pattern (the 'groi…

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Heat Pump

A mechanical system that moves heat from a cold source (air, ground, or water) to a warm space, providing heating at eff…

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Heel

The end of a beam or rafter where it rests on the wall or bearing point, or the base of a diagonal bracing member. In ar…

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Humidity

The amount of water vapor in air, affecting comfort and material durability. Optimal indoor humidity is 30-60%.

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Inflection

In structural behavior, a point where bending changes direction or where shear forces change sign. Inflection points are…

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Joist

A small horizontal beam, typically spaced closely together, that directly supports floor or roof loads. Joists span betw…

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Kawat Bendrat

Binding wire — soft steel wire used to tie rebar (besi-tulangan) together at intersections before concrete is poured. Ka…

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Kolom Praktis

A small reinforced concrete column embedded within a masonry wall, typically 12×12 cm to 15×15 cm in section, placed at …

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Lateral System

The structural system that resists lateral forces from wind, earthquakes, or impact. Lateral systems include moment fram…

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Light Shelf

A horizontal reflective surface that bounces daylight deep into a building interior. Light shelves extend daylighting in…

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Lintel

A horizontal structural beam spanning above an opening (window or door) to support the load above.

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Load-Bearing

Describing structural elements that support significant loads. Load-bearing walls, columns, and foundations are primary …

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Mechanical Ventilation

The use of fans and ductwork to move fresh air into and stale air out of a building. In well-insulated modern buildings,…

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Moment Frame

A rigid frame system where members resist lateral forces through bending (moment) rather than diagonal bracing. Moment f…

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Overheating

A condition in which a building becomes uncomfortably hot, typically during summer, due to excessive solar gains through…

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Pasir

Sand — the fine aggregate used in concrete, mortar, plaster, and screeds. Indonesian pasir is classified by grain size: …

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Pier

A column-like foundation element driven deep into the ground to reach stable soil or bedrock.

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Pillar

A vertical support structure, typically freestanding and often more massive or decorative than a column.

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Pondasi Batu Kali

A rubble stone strip foundation — a continuous footing of river or quarry stone set in mortar, used as the primary found…

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Post-and-Beam

A simple structural system where vertical posts support horizontal beams. Post-and-beam construction creates clear, flex…

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Rangka Atap Baja Ringan

Light gauge steel roof frame — a structural system using cold-formed steel sections (U-channel and C-channel, typically …

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Rangka Hollow

Metal stud framing or cold-formed steel ceiling frame — a system of galvanised steel U-channel and C-channel sections (t…

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Ring Balok

A reinforced concrete ring beam cast at the top of masonry walls, at eave or floor-to-floor level, to tie the wall syste…

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Semen

Portland cement — the fine grey powder that is the primary binder in all concrete, mortar, and plaster mixes used in Ind…

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Shading Device

An architectural element — overhang, fin, louvre, or perforated screen — that intercepts direct solar radiation before i…

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Shear

A force that causes one part of a material to slide relative to another, creating stress parallel to the force. Shear is…

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Shear Wall

A rigid vertical wall designed to resist lateral forces — wind and seismic loads — acting parallel to its plane. In tall…

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Shear Wall Test Playwright

The Shear Wall Test Playwright is a software tool used for simulating and analyzing the performance of shear walls under…

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Sistem Struktur Kayu

Traditional timber structural systems used in Indonesian vernacular architecture, based on mortise-and-tenon joinery wit…

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Slab

A flat, horizontal structural member of concrete that spans between supports, forming a floor or foundation.

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Sloof

A reinforced concrete tie beam cast at or just above ground level, connecting the tops of the foundation pads or strip f…

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Solar Gain

Heat entering buildings through glazing and solar radiation. Controlling solar gain through orientation, shading, and gl…

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Sound Insulation

The ability of a building element — wall, floor, or ceiling — to reduce the transmission of sound between spaces. Sound …

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Sound Transmission

The passage of sound through building assemblies. Sound transmission class (STC) ratings measure acoustic isolation perf…

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Space Frame

A three-dimensional structural framework of interconnected members that distributes loads in multiple directions simulta…

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Tension

A force that pulls or stretches material, lengthening it under load. Tension is primary in cables, tendons, and tensile …

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Thermal Bridge

A location in a building's fabric where heat flows more readily than through the surrounding insulated area — typically …

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Thermal Comfort

The condition in which a building's occupants feel neither too hot nor too cold — influenced by air temperature, radiant…

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Thermal Resistance (R-Value)

A material's resistance to heat flow, measured in R-value (higher is better). Thermal resistance is essential for calcul…

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Torsion

A twisting force that rotates a structural member. Torsion occurs from unbalanced lateral forces and must be resisted th…

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Truss

A structural framework of triangulated members that spans large distances efficiently. The triangular geometry means eve…

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U-Value

A measure of how much heat passes through a building element (wall, roof, floor, or window) per unit area, per degree of…

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Vault

A continuous arched structure forming a ceiling or roof, constructed so that the curved surface transfers loads to the w…

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Ventilasi Silang

Cross-ventilation — the arrangement of openings on opposite or adjacent sides of a space so that wind pressure differenc…

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Visible Light Transmission

The percentage of visible light passing through a material (measured 0-100%). VLT affects daylighting and view quality.

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