Abbreviations Used in Construction Industry - Part 2 (D to F)

Dear Readers,

This is continuation of Part-1. One of the major components of successful construction projects is communication. The performance of a project is usually based on metrics such as scope, schedule, cost, quality, and safety. Depending on your construction operations, a working glossary of construction acronyms and terms may be useful for employees, as well as clients, subcontractors, and other business partners. 

76) DA – Diluted Acetylene. (Used for Gas Cutting purpose). 

77) DB – Distribution Board.

78) dB – Decibel. The decibel (dB) is a logarithmic unit used to measure sound level.

79) DBB – Design-Bid-Build – This is a common project delivery method where design services and construction are procured separately. The contractor bids on a project based on plans (usually complete) developed by an architect or engineer.

80) DBIA - (Design-Build Institute of America) – A professional organization for the design-build Construction Industry.

81) DBM – Dense Bituminous Macadam (DBM) is a binder course used for roads and highway works.

82) DFR – Daily Field Report.

83) DIA – Diameter. This refers to the measured distance across the face of a cylindrical or circular element, such as a drilled shaft or pipe.

84) Dispute Resolution – The Process of Resolving Disputes.

85) DIM – Dimension.

86) DIY – Do it Yourself.

87) DL – Dead Load.

88) DLR – Daily Labour Report.

89) Doc. – Document.

90) DOR – Divisional of Responsibilities.

91) DPR – Daily Progress Report.

92) DPT – Dye Penetration Test.

93) DTS – Daily Task Sheet.

94) DW – Dry Weight. 

95) DWG – Drawing. In computer-aided design and drafting and architectural contexts, this is an abbreviation for drawing, as in a construction sheet or blueprint.

96) EA – Each. “EA” is used to quantify items that are counted as whole units.

97) EAC – Estimate at Completion – In earned value analysis, this is the expected cost when the project is complete.

98) Earth Works – All type of under the earth works. Like- Excavation, Back Fill, Sand Fill, Disposal of surplus earth.

99) E&C – Engineering & Construction.

100) ECC – Erection Completion Certificate. It is a form of clearance to proceed the commissioning activities. (It is a certificate or undertaking given by all departments like Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, C&I that all works are completed as per drawing)

101) ECO – Economiser Coil. It is a part of boiler pressure part.

102) E&I / I&E – Electrical and Instrumentation.

103) EIC – Engineer In-Charge, who is holding authorise to Execute the Job. 

104) EIFS – (Exterior Insulation and Finish System) – A wall cladding used for insulation and aesthetics.

105) EIR – (Environmental Impact Report) – A Document That Assesses the Potential Environmental Impacts of a Construction Project.

106) EJ – Expansion Joint.

107) EL – Existing Level.

108) EL(+XX) – Elevation of structure (+) Above Ground & (-) Underground, XX- denotes number in meters. (Example EL+15 denotes 15-meter elevation from above ground)

109) ELCB – Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker, it is a safety device used in electrical installations with high Earth impedance to prevent shock.

110) Electrical Services – The Provision of Electrical Services for a Construction Project.

111) Environmental Management – The Management and Control of Environmental Impacts in a Construction Project.

112) E&O – Errors & Omissions- This refers to mistakes, oversights or missing details in a set of construction drawings.

113) EOR – (Engineer of Record) – The licensed professional engineer responsible for the design of a construction project.

114) EOT – Extension of Time.

115) EP – Earthing Pit.

116) EPC – Engineering, Procurement & Construction.

117) EQPT. – Equipment.

118) Equipment Management – The Process of Managing and Coordinating the Use of Equipment on a Construction Site.

119) ERP – Enterprise Resource Planning.

120) ETC – Estimate to Complete – This is the remaining cost expected to complete a project.

121) EST. – Estimate.

122) EV – Earned Value – EV is the percent of the total budget that is completed at a given point in the project duration.

123) Excavation – The Removal of Soil or Rock to Create a Foundation or Basement.

124) EXW – Extra Works denotes work executed away from the scope of works.

125) FA – Fire Alarm.

126) Façade – The Exterior Surface of a Building.

127) Facility Management – The Management and Maintenance of a Building or Infrastructure After Completion.

128) FAT – Factory Acceptance Test.

129) FB – Floor Beam.

130) FCAW – Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW), also known as dual shield welding, is a semi-automatic arc welding process that is similar to metal active gas (MAG) welding.

131) FDAS – Fire Detection and Alarm Systems.

132) FES – Field Engineering Service. It is used to do site / field engineering at construction site.

133) F&F – Full and Final.

134) FF – Fire Fighting.

135) FFC – Financial Forecast. It is used to forecast the fund requirement for site execution. 

136) FFL – Finished Floor Level.

137) FGL – Finished Ground Level.

138) FH – Fire Hydrant.

139) Field Measurement – The Process of Measuring and Documenting the Dimensions and Location of Elements in a Construction Project.

140) FIM – Free Issue Material.

141) FL – Floor Level.

142) Float – The Amount of Time Available in a Construction Project Schedule to Complete a Task Without Delaying the Overall Project Completion Date.

143) FOB – Foot Over Bridge.

144) FOC – Face of Concrete.

145) FOF – Face of Finish.

146) Foundation (Fdn) – The Underlying Structure of a Building that supports its weight.

147) Formwork / Framing – The Structure of a Building That Provides Support for Walls and Roof.

148) FoS – Factor of Safety.

149) FQP – Field Quality Plan. It is the construction test checks during execution to ensure the required quality of job.

150) FY – Fiscal Year / Financial Year.