Engineering Abbreviations & Acronyms: 1000+ Full Forms

Abbreviation/Acronym	Full Form/Definition
A	Ampere
AAS	Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy
AASHTO	American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
ABC	Aggregate Base Course
ABET	Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
ABS	Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
AC	Air conditioner, Air conditioning, Asbestos Cement, Asphalt Concrete, Alternating Current
ACB	Air Circuit Breaker
ACE	Additional Chief Engineer
ACEC	American Council of Engineering Companies
ACI	American Concrete Institute, Australian Construction Industry
ACSR	Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced
ACSM	American Congress on Surveying and Mapping
ACV	Aggregate Crushing Value
ADB	Asian Development Bank
ADC	Analog to Digital Converter
ADEQ	Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
ADSL	Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
ADU	Accessory Dwelling Unit
AFC	Automatic Frequency Control
AGMA	American Gear Manufacturers Association
AFM	Atomic Force Microscopy
Ah	Ampere hour
AHD	Australian Height Datum
AHJ	Authority Having Jurisdiction
AHU	Air Handling Unit
AI	Artificial Intelligence
AIChE	American Institute of Chemical Engineers
AISC	American Institute of Steel Construction
AM	Additive Manufacturing
ANSI	American National Standards Institute
API	American Petroleum Institute, Application Programming Interface
Approx	Approximate, approximately
APS	Auxiliary Power Supply
AQL	Acceptable Quality Level
AR	Augmented Reality
Arch	Architect, Architectural
ARE	Assistant Resident Engineer
AS-BUILT	As Constructed
ASCE	American Society of Civil Engineers
ASHRAE	American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers
ASIC	Application-Specific Integrated Circuit
ASM	American Society for Metals
ASME	American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASR	Alkali-Silica Reaction
ASTM	American Society of Testing Materials
ATC	Average Traffic Count
Auto	Automatic, automatically
AutoCAD	Automatic Computer Aided Design
AutoCAD	Automatic Computer Aided Design
Avg	Average
AVR	Automatic Voltage Regulator
AWG	American Wire Gauge
AWL	Allowable Working Load
Barg	Bar gauge
BAS	Building Automation System
BBD	Benkelman Beam Deflection
BBES	Bitumen Binding Enamel Surface
BBU	Baseband Unit
BC	Bayonet Cap
BCA	Building and Construction Authority (Singapore)
BEP	Break-Even Point
BEP	Building Energy Performance
BE	Bachelors in Engineering
BEV	Battery Electric Vehicle
BG	Birmingham Gauge
BHN	Brinell Hardness Number
BHP	Brake Horsepower
BIM	Building Information Modeling
BIMCO	Building Industry Modeling Consortium
BIOS	Basic Input/Output System
BIPV	Building Integrated Photovoltaics
BIS	Bureau of Indian Standards
Bit mac	Bituminous Premix Carpet
Bldg	Building
BM	Benchmark
BMS	Building Management System
BOA	Blanket Order Agreement
BOD	Biochemical Oxygen Demand
BOH	Back of House
BOG	Board of Governors
BOQ	Bill of Quantities
BOMA	Building Owners and Managers Association
BOP	Blowout Preventer
BPF	Band-Pass Filter
BPS	Bits Per Second
BRE	Building Research Establishment
BREEAM	Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method
BS	British Standards, Back Sight
Bsc	Bachelor of Science
BSE	Back Scattered Electrons
BSL	Base Station Level
BSS	British Standard Specifications
B Tech	Bachelor of Technology
BTU	British Thermal Unit
C Nos	Hundred Numbers
C P	Chromium Plated, Chrome Plated
C/L	Center Line
CAD	Computer-Aided Design
CADD	Computer-Aided Design and Drafting
CAM	Computer-Aided Manufacturing
CAPM	Certified Associate in Project Management
CBR	California Bearing Ratio
CC	Cement Concrete, Concrete Cover
CCC	Cement Concrete Composites
CCS	Carbon Capture and Storage
CCT	Continuous Cooling Transformation
CCTV	Closed-Circuit Television
CDF	Cubic Displacement Factor
CDM	Clean Development Mechanism
CE	Civil Engineering
CEN	European Committee for Standardization
CFC	Chlorofluorocarbon
CFD	Computational Fluid Dynamics
CFL	Compact Fluorescent Lamp
CFM	Cubic Feet per Minute
CFR	Code of Federal Regulations
CFRP	Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer
CG	Cord Grip
CGI	Corrugated Galvanized Iron
CGPM	Construction and General Project Management
CGS	Centimeter-Gram-Second
CHP	Combined Heat and Power
CHW	Chilled Water
CI	Cast Iron
CIA	Concrete Institute of Australia
CIBSE	Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers
CIC	Construction Industry Council
CIE	International Commission on Illumination
CIOB	Chartered Institute of Building
CIP	Cast In Place
CIRIA	Construction Industry Research and Information Association
Civ Engg	Civil Engineering
Civ Engr	Civil Engineer
CIWEM	Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management
CL	Center Line
CLT	Cross Laminated Timber
Cm, cm	Centimeter
CM	Cement Mortar, Construction Manager
CMAA	Construction Management Association of America
CMOS	Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor
CMU	Concrete Masonry Unit
CNC	Computer Numerical Control
CNG	Compressed Natural Gas
CO	Certificate of Occupancy, Carbon Monoxide
CO2	Carbon Dioxide
COF	Coefficient of Friction
COP	Coefficient of Performance
Const	Construction
COW	Cell-on-Wheels
CORS	Continuously Operating Reference Station
CP	Cathodic Protection, Control Point
CPFF	Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee
CRSI	Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute
CRE	Chief Resident Engineer
CPM	Construction Project Manager, Critical Path Method
CPT	Cone Penetration Test
CPVC	Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride
CRD	Construction Resource Efficiency
CSCE	Canadian Society for Civil Engineering
CSI	Construction Specification Institute
CSP	Carbon Steel Pressure
CSR	Construction Specification Representative, Corporate Social Responsibility
CSTR	Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor
CSW	Carbon Steel Welded, Clerestory Window
CT	Current Transformer
CTE	Coefficient of Thermal Expansion
Cu Cm, cc, cm3	Cubic Centimeter
Cu	Cubic
Cum, cum, m3	Cubic Meter
Cusec, cusec	Ft3 / sec
CVD	Chemical Vapor Deposition
D/S	Downstream
DAC	Digital to Analog Converter
DAE	Diploma of Associate Engineering
DB	distribution board, Database
DBM	Dense Bituminous Macadam
DBMS	Database Management System
DBO	Design-Build-Operate
DC	Direct Current
DCIM	Data Center Infrastructure Management
DCP	Dynamic Cone Penetrometer
DCS	Distributed Control System
DCV	Demand Controlled Ventilation
DE	Detailed Engineering, Diesel Electric
DEM	Digital Elevation Model
Dept	Department
DFMA	Design for Manufacture and Assembly
DGNB	German Sustainable Building Council
DHW	Domestic Hot Water
DE	Diesel Electric
DFMA	Design for Manufacture and Assembly
Dia, dia	Diameter
DIC	Digital Image Correlation
DIP	Ductile Iron Pipe
Disch	Discharge, Discharging
DL	Dead Load
DMA	Dynamic Mechanical Analysis
DMLS	Direct Metal Laser Sintering
DNB	Design-Not-Built
DNS	Domain Name System
DNB	Design-Not-Built
DOC	Document
DOE	Department of Energy
DOP	Dilution of Precision
DOT	Department of Transportation
DP	Double Pole
DPC	Damp Proof Course
DPM	Deputy Project Manage
DRB	Dispute Resolution Board
Drg, dwg	Drawing
DRMS	Data Requirements Management System
DSC	Differential Scanning Calorimetry
DSM	Digital Surface Model
DSP	Digital Signal Processing
DST	Double Surface Treatment
DTA	Differential Thermal Analysis
DTM	Digital Terrain Model
DWC	Double Wall Corrugated
DWV	Drain, Waste, and Vent
E&M	Electrical and Mechanical
EA	Engineers Australia
EAF	Electric Arc Furnace
EBOM	Existing Buildings
EBSD	Electron Backscatter Diffraction
ECAD	Electrical Computer-Aided Design
ECSA	Engineering Council of South Africa
EDM	Electromagnetic Distance measurement
EDX	Energy Dispersive X-ray
EE	Embodied Energy
EELS	Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy
EEM	Energy Efficient Mortgages
EEO	Energy Efficiency Obligations
EEPROM	Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory
EER	Energy Efficiency Ratio
EFIS	External Foam Insulation System
EHS	Environment, Health, and Safety
EHT	Extra High Tension
EHV	Extra High Voltage
EIA	Environmental Impact Assessment, Energy Information Administration (USA)
EIFS	Exterior Insulation Finishing System
EIR	Environmental Impact Report
EIT	Engineer in Training
EJCDC	Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee
Elec	Electric, Electrical
ELV	Electric Light Vehicle
EM	Electromagnetic
EMC	Electromagnetic Compatibility
EMD	Engineering Model Document
EMF	Electromotive Force
EMI	Electromagnetic Interference
EMS	Environmental Management System
EMT	Electrical Metallic Tubing
ENAA	Engineering Advancement Association of Japan
Engg	Engineering
Engr	Engineer
ENR	Engineering News Record
ENR	Engineering News-Record
EOL	End of Life
EOT	Extension of Time, End of Track
EPA	Environmental Protection Agency
EPACT	Energy Policy Act
EPANET	Environmental Protection Agency Network Evaluation Tools (Water Distribution Modeling Software)
EPBD	Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
EPC	Engineering, Procurement, and Construction
EPD	Environmental Product Declaration
EPDM	Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer
EPM	Electrochemical Potential Measurement
EPR	Electron Paramagnetic Resonance
EPS	Expanded Polystyrene
ERTMS	European Rail Traffic Management System
ES	Edison Screw Cap
ESD	Electrostatic Discharge,Environmentally Sustainable Design
ESD	Environmentally Sustainable Design
ESG	Environmental, Social, and Governance
ESR	Environmental and Social Responsibility
ESRI	Environmental Systems Research Institute
EST	Energy Storage Technology
ET	Electrical Thread
EU ETS	European Union Emissions Trading System
EUI	Energy Use Intensity
EURAMET	European Association of National Metrology Institutes
EU ETS	European Union Emissions Trading System
EUI	Energy Use Intensity
EURAMET	European Association of National Metrology Institutes
EWB	Engineers Without Borders
EWL	Existing Water Level
Exc, exc	Exceeding, exceed
FAA	Federal Aviation Administration
FAS	Free Alongside Ship
FAT	Factory Acceptance Test
Excl, excl	Excluding, excluded
ft2	Square Feet
ft3	Cubic Feet
FC	Fiber Cement
FCC	Face-Centered Cubic
FCR	Field Change Request
FDM	Fused Deposition Modeling
FEA	Finite Element Analysis
FEANI	European Federation of National Engineering Associations
FEM	Finite Element Method
FEMA	Federal Emergency Management Agency
FFE	Finished Floor Elevation
FFL	Finished Floor Level
FI	Flakiness Index
FIB	Focused Ion Beam
FIDIC	Fédération Internationale des Ingénieurs-Conseils
FM	Facility Management
FOC	Face of Concrete
FOS	Factor of Safety
FPS	Feet Per Second
FRA	Failure Rate Analysis
FRC	Fiber Reinforced Composite
FRL	Fire Resistance Level
FRP	Fiber Reinforced Pipe
FRP	Fiber Reinforced Polymer
FS	Fore Sight
FSC	Forest Stewardship Council
FSSP	Full Scale Structural Prototype
Ft, ft	Foot, Feet
FTE	Full-Time Equivalent
FTIR	Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
FWD	Falling Weight Deflectometer
Gal, gal	Gallon
Galvd	Galvanized
GAR	Green Area Ratio
GBCI	Green Building Certification Institute
GC	Gas Chromatography
GCP	Ground Control Points
GE	Garrison Engineer
Geotech	Geotechnical Engineering
GF	Ground Floor
GFCI	Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
GFRP	Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer
GGBS	Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag
GHG	Greenhouse Gas
GHP	Ground Heat Pump
GI	Galvanized Iron
GIRDER	Ground Investigation Report, Design, Execution, and Reporting
GIS	Geographic Information System
GL	Ground Level
gm	Gram
GNIS	Geographic Names Information System
GNSS	Global Navigation Satellite System
Govt	Government
GPC	Gel Permeation Chromatography
gpd	Gallons per Day
GPM, gpm	Gallons per Minute
GPR	Ground Penetrating Radar
GPS	Global Positioning System
GR	Grid Reference
GRC	Glass Reinforced Concrete
GRP	Glass Reinforced Plastic
GSI	Geosynthetic Institute
GSM	Global System for Mobile Communication
GWP	Global Warming Potential
HC	High Conductivity
HCP	Hexagonal Close-Packed
HD	Hard Drawn
HDD	Horizontal Directional Drilling
HDF	High Density Fibre
HDOP	Horizontal Dilution of Precision
HDPE	High-Density Poly Ethylene
HDS	Hydrographic Survey
HEA	High Entropy Alloys
HERS	Home Energy Rating System
HFE	High-Frequency Electromagnetic
HI	Height of Instrument
HIC	Hydrogen-Induced Cracking
HIP	Hot Isostatic Pressing
HM	Hot Mix (asphalt)
HMA	Hot Mix Asphalt
HMI	Human-Machine Interface
HOV	High Occupancy Vehicle
HP, hp	Horse Power
HP	High Precision, Horizontal Precision
HPC	High Performance Concrete
HPLC	High-Performance Liquid Chromatography
HPP	Hydroelectric Power Plant
HPS	High-Performance Steel
Hr, hr	Hour
HR	Horizontal Radius, Human Resource
HRC	High Rupturing Capacity
HRC	Rockwell Hardness Scale C
HS	Heat Shrink
HSB	Highway Safety Barrier
HSE	Health, Safety, and Environment
HSLA	High-Strength Low-Alloy
HSS	High Strength Steel
HT	High Tension
HTTP	Hypertext Transfer Protocol
HTV	Heavyweight Vehicles
HTTPS	Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure
HV	High Voltage, Vickers Hardness
HVAC	Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
HZ	Hertz
IABSE	International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering
IAEA	International Atomic Energy Agency
IAHR	International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research
IAQ	Indoor Air Quality
IBC	International Building Code
IBPSA	International Building Performance Simulation Association
IC	Iron Clad, Integrated Circuit,Internal Combustion
ICBO	International Conference of Building Officials
ICC	International Code Council
ICE	Internal Combustion Engine, Institution of Civil Engineers (UK)
ICM	Infrastructure Condition Monitoring
ICP	Inductively Coupled Plasma
ICSM	Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping
IDOT	Illinois Department of Transportation
IE	Industrial Engineering
IEA	International Energy Agency
IEC	International Electrotechnical Commission
IECC	International Energy Conservation Code
IEE	Institution of Electrical Engineers (UK)
IEEE	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IEMA	Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment
IEQ	Indoor Environmental Quality
IES	Illuminating Engineering Society
IET	Institution of Engineering and Technology (UK)
IFC	Industry Foundation Classes
IFC	International Finance Corporation
IFC	Issued for Construction
IGBC	Indian Green Building Council
IGCC	International Green Construction Code
IGES	Initial Graphics Exchange Specification
IGSHPA	International Ground Source Heat Pump Association
IIE	Institute of Industrial Engineers
IIR	International Institute of Refrigeration
IMechE	Institution of Mechanical Engineers (UK)
IMU	Inertial Measurement Unit
In, in	Inch
Incl, incl	including, includes, included
INR	Initial Network Report
IOT	Internet of Things
IP	Ingress Protection, Internet Protocol
IPMVP	International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol
IPP	Independent Power Producer
IPS	In-Plane Switching
IPX	Ingress Protection
IR	Infrared
IRC	International Residential Code
IS	Indian Standard, Intermediate Sight
ISO 14001	Environmental Management Systems Standard
ISO 21931	Sustainability in Building Construction Standard
ISO 50001	Energy Management System Standard
ISO	International Organization for Standardization
IStructE	Institution of Structural Engineers (UK)
ITB	Invitation to Bid
ITS	Intelligent Transportation Systems
ITU	International Telecommunication Union
IUPAC	International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
IUPAP	International Union of Pure and Applied Physics
IWRM	Integrated Water Resources Management
J	Joule
JCB	Joseph Cyril Bamford (brand of construction equipment)
JIC	J-Integral Critical Value
JIS	Japanese Industrial Standards
JMF	Job Mix Formula
JPE	Japan Society of Professional Engineers
JRC	Joint Research Centre (European Commission)
K	Kilo (10^3), Kip
KA	Kilo Ampere
Kg, kg	Kilogram
Kmph	Kilometer per hour
KVA	Kilo Volt Ampere
Kw	Kilo watt
KWh, kwh	Kilo Watt hour
l, lit	Liter
LAM	Layered Additive Manufacturing
LAN	Local Area Network
Lb, lb	Pound
LCA	Life Cycle Assessment
LCAD	Life Cycle Assessment Design
LCC	Life Cycle Costing
LCCA	Life Cycle Cost
LCCA	Life-Cycle Cost Analysis
LCCO2	Life Cycle Carbon Dioxide
LCF	Low Cycle Fatigue
LCI	Life Cycle Inventory
LDF	Low Density Fibre
LDPE	Low-Density Polyethylene
LEAP	Life-Extending Analysis and Planning
LED	Light Emitting Diode
LEED	Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
LEL	Lower Explosive Limit
LID	Low Impact Development
LIDAR	Light Detection and Ranging
LL	Liquid Limit
LNG	Liquefied Natural Gas
LOC	Level of Control
LOF	Loss of Flow
LOI	Letter of Intent, Loss on Ignition
LOP	Line of Position
LPS	Lightning Protection System
LRFR	Load and Resistance Factor Rating
LRS	Linear Referencing System
LS	Licensed Surveyor
LSL	Least Squares Leveling
LT	Low Tension
LTE	Long-Term Evolution
LTV	Light weight Vehicles
LV	Low Voltage
LVL	Laminated Veneer Lumber
M&P	Mechanical and Plumbing
M, m	Meter
m2	Square Meters
m3	Cubic Meters
Max, max	Maximum
MBBR	Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor
MBR	Master of Building Renovation
MBR	Membrane Bioreactor
MC	Medium Cutback
MCB	Molded Circuit Breaker
MCC	Main Control Center
MCCB	Molded Case Circuit Breaker
MCL	Maximum Credible Load
MCR	Material Cost Ratio
MD	Molecular Dynamics
MDD	Max Dry Density
MDF	Medium Density Fibre
MDI	Max Demand Indicator
MDL	Maximum Design Load
Mech	Mechanical, Mechanics
MEMS	Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems
MEP	Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing
MES	Military Engineer Services
Mfd	Milli Faraday
MFD	Microfarad
Mg, mg	Milligram
MIMO	Multiple Input Multiple Output
Min, min	Minute (time), minimum
Mm, mm	Millimeter
MMC	Metal Matrix Composite
MMS	Mobile Mapping System
MOCVD	Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition
MOF	Metal-Organic Framework
MOSFET	Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor
MP	Microprocessor
MPA	Master Plan Agreement
MPa	Mega Pascal
MPB	Master Planning Board
MPPT	Maximum Power Point Tracking
MPT	Maintenance of Traffic
MRA	Mapping Reference Angle
MS	Mild Steel, Mass Spectrometry
Msc	Master of Science
MSE	Mechanically Stabilized Earth
MSW	Municipal Solid Waste
MTBF	Mean Time Between Failures
MTO	Material Takeoff
MTTR	Mean Time to Repair
MV	Medium Voltage
mva	Milli Volt Ampere
MW	Megawatt
N	Newton
NABERS	National Australian Built Environment Rating System
NACE	National Association of Corrosion Engineers
NAD	North American Datum
NAM	National Association of Manufacturers
NCEES	National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (USA)
NCHRP	National Cooperative Highway Research Program
NDT	Non-Destructive Testing
NEC	National Electrical Code
NEMA	National Electrical Manufacturers Association
NER	Network Equipment Room
NESC	National Electrical Safety Code
NEZ	Northing, Easting, Elevation Zone
NFPA	National Fire Protection Association
NGL	Natural Gas Liquids, Natural Ground Level
NGS	National Geodetic Survey
NIST	National Institute of Standards and Technology
NMR	Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
NOC	Notice of Completion
NOS	Notice of Substantial Completion
Nos	Numbers
Not exc, not exc	Not exceeding, not exceed
NOx	Nitrogen Oxides
NPC	National Planning Commission
NPSH	Net Positive Suction Head
NRCS	Natural Resources Conservation Service
NRSP	National Rural Support Program
NSPE	National Society of Professional Engineers
NSRS	National Spatial Reference System
NTC	Negative Temperature Coefficient
NZE	Net Zero Emissions
NZEB	Net Zero Energy Building
OHWT	Over Head Water Tank
O&M	Operations and Maintenance
OA	Overall Accuracy
OCPD	Overcurrent Protection Device
OCB	Oil Circuit Breaker
OD	Outside Diameter
OECD	Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
OGS	Onsite Generation System
OHSAS	Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series
OLE	Overhead Line Equipment
OLS	Ordinary Least Squares
OMC	Optimum Moisture Content
OPAMP	Operational Amplifier
ORP	Oxidation-Reduction Potential
OSHA	Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OSI	Open Systems Interconnection
OSR	Open Space Ratio
OT	Observational Tower
P.E.	Professional Engineer
Pa	Pascal (unit of stress)
PA	Polyamide
PBX	Private Branch Exchange
PC	Precast Concrete, Personal Computer, Polycarbonate
PCA	Portland Cement Association
PCB	Printed Circuit Board
PCC	Plain Cement Concrete, Permanent Control Coordinates
PCCP	Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe
PCI	Pavement Condition Index
PCM	Phase Change Material
PCSIR	Pakistan Council on Scientific Research
PDM	Project Data Management
PDOP	Positional Dilution of Precision
PDRI	Project Definition Rating Index
PDU	Power Distribution Unit
PE	Poly Ethylene, Professional Engineer
PEEK	Polyether Ether Ketone
PET	Polyethylene Terephthalate
PF	Power Factor
PGL	Proposed Ground Level
PHCC	Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association
PHI	Permeability Index
PI	Plasticity Index
PIANC	World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure
PID	Proportional Integral Derivative
PILC	Paper Insulated and Lead Cover
PL	Property Line
PLA	Polylactic Acid
PLC	Programmable Logic Controller
PLM	Product Lifecycle Management
PLS	Programmable Logic System
Plum	Plumbing
PM	Project Manger
PM	Phase Modulator, Powder Metallurgy
PMBOK	Project Management Body of Knowledge
PMMA	Polymethyl Methacrylate
PMP	Project Management Professional
PMS	Permanent Marking Station
PMT	Project Management Team
PNT	Positioning, Navigation, and Timing
POL	Petrol, Oil and Lubricants
POLCA	Planning, Organizing, Leading, Controlling & Assuring
POT	Paver Operations Time
PP	Polypropylene
PPA	Power Purchase Agreement
PPD, ppd	Pounds per Day
PPE	Personal Protective Equipment
PPGI	Pre painted Galvanized Iron
ppm	Parts per million
PPO	Precise Point Positioning
PPR	Poly propylene Random
PPS	Polyphenylene Sulfide
PQC	Pavement Quality Concrete
PRN	Pseudo-Random Noise
PS	Pressure Switch
PSF	Professional Services Firm
PSI	Pounds per Square Inch
PSS	Pakistan Standard Specifications
PT	Potential Transformer, Post-Tensioning
PTFE	Poly tetra fluoroethylene
PU	Polyurethane
PV	Photovoltaic
PVC	Poly Vinyl Chloride
PVD	Physical Vapor Deposition
PVDF	Polyvinylidene Fluoride
PWM	Pulse Width Modulation
PWR	Pressurized Water Reactor
PZT	Lead Zirconate Titanate
QA/QC	Quality Assurance/Quality Control
QC	Quality Control
QEI	Qualified Elevator Inspector
QMS	Quality Management System
QRA	Quantitative Risk Assessment
RAE	Royal Academy of Engineering
RAM	Random Access Memory
RAP	Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement
RC	Rapid Cutback
RCC	Reinforced Cement Concrete
RCD	Residual Current Device
RCM	Reliability-Centered Maintenance
RCP	Reinforced Concrete Pipe
RE	Resident Engineer
REACH	Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals
RECS	Renewable Energy Certificates
RES	Renewable Energy Sources
RET Wall	Mechanically Stabilized Earth Retaining Wall
RF	Radio Frequency
RFI	Request for Information, Invitation or Investment or Inspection
RFID	Radio-Frequency Identification
RFM	Resource and Facility Management
RFP	Request for Proposal
RFQ	Request for Quotation
RHEED	Reflection High-Energy Electron Diffraction
RICS	Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
RILEM	International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems, and Structures
RL	Reduced Level
RLA	Rated Load Amps
RM	Running Metre
RMP	Risk Management Plan
RMS	Root Mean Square
RPM, rpm	Revolutions per minute
RMT	Reinfored Masonry Technology
RO	Reverse Osmosis
ROD	Record of Decision
ROI	Return on Investment
RoHS	Restriction of Hazardous Substances
ROM	Read-Only Memory
ROW	Right of Way
RPS	Renewable Portfolio Standards
RPM, rpm	Revolutions per minute
RR	Reference Radius
RS	Roadway Shoulder
RTD	Resistance Temperature Detector
RTK	Real-Time Kinematic
RTM	Resin Transfer Molding
RTU	Remote Terminal Unit
RVE	Representative Volume Element
S Eq	Sand Equivalent
SWPPP	Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan
S W V Soil	Waste and Ventilation
SAB	Sustainable Architecture Board
SAE	Society of Automotive Engineers
SAED	Sustainable Architecture, Engineering, and Design
SANS	South African National Standards
SAP	Structural Analysis Program
SAT	Site Acceptance Test
SBA	Small Business Administration
SBC	Safe Bearing Capacity
SBR	Styrene-Butadiene Rubber
SC	Slow Cutback
SCADA	Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
SCC	Stress Corrosion Cracking
SCFM	Standard Cubic Feet per Minute
SCR	Silicon Controlled Rectifier
SCS	Subsurface Conditions Survey
SD	Standard Deviation
SDG	Sustainable Development Goals
SDP	Survey Data Processing
SDR	Standard Dimension Ratio
SEER	Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio
SEI	Structural Engineering Institute
SEM	Scanning Electron Microscope
SESOC	Structural Engineers Association of Southern California
SFC	Survey Field Computer
SFD	Shear Force Diagram
SHS	Square Hollow Section
SI	International System of Units (Système International d'Unités)
SIC	Silicon Carbide
SICE	Society of Instrument and Control Engineers (Japan)
SIL	Safety Integrity Level
SITC	Sustainable Infrastructure Technology Center
SL	Service Load
SLA	Service Level Agreement
SLD	Single Line Diagram
SLM	Selective Laser Melting
SLOPE/W	Slope Stability Analysis Software
SLS	Selective Laser Sintering
SMA	Shape Memory Alloy
SMD	Surface-Mount Device
SME	Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration
SME	Shape Memory Effect
SMP	Standard Maintenance Procedures
SMPS	Switched-Mode Power Supply
SMT	Surface-Mount Technology
SOA	Service-Oriented Architecture
SOC	System on Chip
SOG	Slab on Grade
SOP	Standard Operating Procedure
SOW	Statement of Work
SP	Single Pole, Single Phase
SPC	State Plane Coordinate System
SPD	Surge Protection Device, Severe Plastic Deformation
SPT	Standard Penetration Test
Sq Cm, sqcm	Square Centimeter
SQL	Structured Query Language
Sq, sq	Square
Sqm, sqm	Square Meter
SR	Sustainability Reporting
SRI	Solar Reflective Index
SSL	Secure Sockets Layer
SST	Stainless Steel
ST	Single Surface Treatment
STA	Steel Tape Armoured
STC	Sound Transmission Class
STOL	Short Takeoff and Landing
STP	Standard Temperature and Pressure
Str	Structure, Structural
SUSMP	Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan
SV	Survey Vehicle
Svy	Surveying
SW	Steel Wire
SWA	Steel Wire Armoured
SWD	Sidewalk Drain
SWG	Standard Wire Gauge
SWL	Safe Working Load
SWMM	Storm Water Management Model
SWOT	Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
SWPPP	Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan
SWTP	Sewage Water Treatment Plant
Sym	Symmetrical
T TOU	Metric ton Time of Utilization
T&P	Tools and Plants
T5/T8	Types of Fluorescent Tubes
TB	Traverse Bearing
TBC	Thermal Barrier Coating, To Be Confirmed
TBD	To Be Determined
TBM	Tunnel Boring Machine, Temporary Benchmark
TBR	Tangential Bearing
TCL	Top of Curb Line
TCP	Transmission Control Protocol
TDC	Top Dead Center
TDD	Time Division Duplex
TDR	Time Domain Reflectometry
TDS	Technical Data Sheet
TDV	Time Dependent Valuation
Tech	Technology
TEM	Transmission Electron Microscope
TFD	To Final Design
TFF	Thin Film Formation
Tg	Glass Transition Temperature
TGA	Thermogravimetric Analysis
TIA	Telecommunications Industry Association
TL	Traffic Load
Tm	Melting Temperature
TMA	Thermomechanical Analysis
TMD	Tuned Mass Damper
TMDL	Total Maximum Daily Load
TMS	Traffic Management System
TMS	Transition Metal Sulfide
TMT	Thermo-Mechanically Treated (Steel)
TOE	Top of Embankment
TOF	Top of Footing
TOL	Top of Level
TOR	Terms of Reference
TP	Triple Pole, Turning Point
TPFE	Poly tetra fluoro ethylene
TPM	Total Productive Maintenance
TPN	Triple Pole and Neutral, Topographic Network
TQM	Total Quality Management
TRB	Transportation Research Board
TRC	Total Runoff Coefficient
TRF	Terrain Roughness Factor
TRIP	Transformation Induced Plasticity
TRL	Technology Readiness Level
TS	Total Station
TSAC	Thermal Solar Air Collector
TSS	Total Suspended Solids
TST	Triple Surface Treatment
TWI	The Welding Institute
TWIP	Twinning Induced Plasticity
TWL	Top Water Level
U/G	Underground
U/S	Upstream
UASB	Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket
UBC	Uniform Building Code
UC	Unit Cost, Under Construction
UCS	Unified Soil Classification System
UDL	Uniformly Distributed Load
UG	Underground
UHF	Ultra High Frequency
UHM	Ultra High Modulus
UHP	Ultra-High Pressure
UL	Underwriters Laboratories
ULEF	Unit Load Equivalent Factor
Uni	University, Universalr
UPS	Uninterruptible Power Supply
uPVC	Un-Plasticized Poly Vinyl Chloride
USACE	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
USGBC	US Green Building Council
UT	Ultrasonic Testing
UTM	Universal Transverse Mercator
UTS	Ultimate Tensile Strength
UV	Ultraviolet
V	Volt
VAV	Variable Air Volume
VC	Vertical Curve
VCB	Vacuum Circuit Breaker
VDC	Voltage Direct Current, Virtual Design and Construction
VDF	Vacuum Dewatered Flooring
VDOP	Vertical Dilution of Precision
Vent	Ventilation
VFD	Variable Frequency Drive
VGB	Technical Association of Large Power Plant Operators
VLSI	Very-Large-Scale Integration
VMP	Value Management Plan
YRD	Yield Reduction Deficiency
VOC	Volatile Organic Compound
VOC	Volatile Organic Compound
VR	Voltage Regulator,Virtual Reality
VRF	Variable Refrigerant Flow
VRLA	Valve Regulated Lead Acid
VRS	Virtual Reference System
VSD	Variable Speed Drive
VSL	Vertical Slipform Line
W I	Wrought Iron
W	Watt
WAN	Wide Area Network
WASH	Water, sanitation and hygiene
WBCSD	World Business Council for Sustainable Development
WBM	Water Bound Macadam
WC	Water Closet, Water Column
WCA	Water Contact Angle
WEC	World Energy Council
WELL	WELL Building Standard
WGS	World Geodetic System
WHO	World Health Organization
WLAN	Wireless Local Area Network
WLL	Working Load Limit
WMA	Warm Mix Asphalt
WMO	World Meteorological Organization
WMS	Water Management System
WP	Waypoint
WPC	Wood-Plastic Composite
WQC	Water Quality Control
WRAS	Water Regulations Advisory Scheme
WSD	Working Stress Design
WSP	WSP Global Inc
WTG	Wind Turbine Generator
WWF	Welded Wire Fabric
WWTP	Wastewater Treatment Plant
XEN	Executive Engineer
XL	Extra Large
XLPE	Cross Linked Poly Ethylene
XPM	Expended Material
XPS	X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy
XRD	X-Ray Diffraction
XRF	X-ray Fluorescence
XRPD	X-ray Powder Diffraction
YAG	Yttrium Aluminum Garnet
YBCO	Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide
YIG	Yttrium Iron Garnet
YS	Yield Strength
YTD	Year To Date
YB	Yield Boundary
YT	Yield Tensile
YOY	Year Over Year
YGF	Yield Guard Factor
YTS	Yield Tensile Strength
YAGM	Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Multilayer
YDS	Yield Design Strength
YMS	Yield Moment Strength
YP	Yield Point
YV	Yield Value
YNA	Yield Not Applicable
YLD	Yield Load Deformation
YPM	Yield Per Minute
YEC	Yield Engineering Consulting
YML	Yield Material Limit
Yd, yd	Yard
ZDDP	Zinc Dialkyldithiophosphate
ZEBRA	Zero Emission Battery Research Activities
ZEV	Zero Emission Vehicle
ZIE	Zero Insertion Extraction
ZIF	Zero Insertion Force
ZLD	Zero Liquid Discharge
ZLS	Zero Lift System
ZMP	Zero Moment Point
ZNB	Zinc Nickel Battery
ZNE	Zero Net Energy
ZNLO	Zinc Nitride Light-Emitting Diode
ZOH	Zero Order Hold
ZOI	Zone of Influence
ZOP	Zero Output Point
ZOR	Zone of Responsibility
ZPB	Zinc Plated Bolt
ZPD	Zero Point Defect
ZPE	Zero Point Energy
ZPI	Zero Power Indicator
ZPL	Zero Power Loss
ZPM	Zero Phase Modulation
ZPS	Zero Power Sensing
ZRA	Zinc Rich Anode
ZRS	Zero Reference Signal
ZTA	Zirconia Toughened Alumina
ZTC	Zero Temperature Coefficient
ZTF	Zero Time Frame
ZVI	Zero Valent Iron
ZVS	Zero Voltage Switching
ZWD	Zero Wait Data
ZWI	Zero Waste Initiative
ZWL	Zero Waste Lifestyle
0 C	Degrees Celsius / Centigrade
0 F	Degrees Fahrenheit
Ώ	Ohm

Civil engineering is a vast field with numerous Technical Terms and abbreviations. Discover essential engineering abbreviations or Acronyms for Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and other engineering disciplines. A quick reference for professionals and students alike.Understanding these abbreviations is essential for professionals, students, and enthusiasts in the engineering field. This guide will walk you through some of the most common engineering abbreviations, offering insights into their meanings and practical applications.

Common Engineering Abbreviations

In the world of engineering, abbreviations are used to simplify communication and documentation. Here are some commonly used ones:

• AASHTO: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
• ACI: American Concrete Institute
• ADU: Accessory Dwelling Unit
• AISC: American Institute of Steel Construction
• ASCE: American Society of Civil Engineers
• ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials
• BIM: Building Information Modeling
• CAD: Computer-Aided Design
• CSI: Construction Specifications Institute
• DOT: Department of Transportation
• EPA: Environmental Protection Agency
• FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency
• GIS: Geographic Information System
• HVAC: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
• LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
• OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• PE: Professional Engineer
• RFI: Request for Information
• ROW: Right of Way
• SWPPP: Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan
• TMDL: Total Maximum Daily Load
• USACE: United States Army Corps of Engineers

The Importance of Abbreviations in Civil Engineering

Civil engineering abbreviations play a significant role in daily operations. They streamline communication, save time, and reduce the likelihood of misunderstandings. For instance, during a project meeting, using abbreviations like CAD or BIM can quickly convey complex concepts without lengthy explanations.

Applications in Different Civil Engineering Fields

Civil engineering encompasses various subfields, each with its own set of abbreviations. Here’s a look at some of these subfields and their relevant abbreviations:

Structural Engineering

• AISC: American Institute of Steel Construction
• ACI: American Concrete Institute
• LRFD: Load and Resistance Factor Design

Environmental Engineering

• EPA: Environmental Protection Agency
• SWPPP: Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan
• TMDL: Total Maximum Daily Load

Transportation Engineering

• AASHTO: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
• DOT: Department of Transportation
• ROW: Right of Way

Geotechnical Engineering

• ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials
• USACE: United States Army Corps of Engineers
• PE: Professional Engineer

Construction Management

• BIM: Building Information Modeling
• RFI: Request for Information
• OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Learning and Using Civil Engineering Abbreviations

For students and new professionals, familiarizing themselves with these abbreviations is essential. Here are some tips to help you learn and use them effectively:

• Study Regularly: Make a habit of reviewing common abbreviations and their meanings. Flashcards can be a helpful tool.
• Use in Context: Try to incorporate these abbreviations into your daily conversations and written communication.
• Refer to Industry Standards: Organizations like ASCE and AISC often publish guidelines and documents that include standard abbreviations.
• Ask Questions: Don’t hesitate to ask colleagues or professors if you come across an unfamiliar abbreviation.
• Stay Updated: The field of civil engineering is constantly evolving, so it's important to stay current with new abbreviations and terms.

Conclusion

Mastering engineering abbreviations is a vital skill for anyone in the industry. These abbreviations streamline communication and improve comprehension of technical documents and standards. By becoming familiar with these terms, you can boost both your professionalism and efficiency in the field

Remember, this is just a starting point. Civil engineering is a diverse and ever-evolving field, and staying updated with the latest terminology and abbreviations is key to success. Happy learning!