The common abbreviations used in civil engineering and construction sites are as follows:
A.A.S.H.T.O – American Association of State Highway Transport
A.B – Anchor Bolt or Asbestos Bolt
A.C.I – American Concrete Institute
A.R.E.A – American Railway Engineering Association
A.S.C – Allowable Stress of Concrete
A.S.T.M – American Society for Testing Materials
AC – Asphalt Concrete
AE – Assistant Engineer
APM – Assistant Project Manager
AB – Air Brick
ABR – Alternate Bars Reversed
ACOP – Approved Code of Practice
AGG – Aggregate
AISTRUCTE – Associate of the Institute of Structure Engineers
ALUM – Aluminium
AMISTRUCTE – Associate Member of the Institute of Structure Engineers
ARCH – Architect
ASP – Asphalt
AV – Average
B.M – Bending Moment
B.M – Benchmark
B.O.F – Bottom of Foundation
BHK – Bedroom, Hall, Kitchen
BLK – Block Work
BOQ – Bill of Quantities
BRW – Brick Retaining Wall
BWK – Brick Work
BAL – Baluster
BBA – British Board of Agreement
BCA – British Cement Association
BCO – Building Control Officer
BCSA – British Constructional Steelwork Association
BCWS – Boosted Cold Water Service
BD – Bond
BDG – Boarding
BH – Bore Hole or Beam Height
BHWS – Boosted Hot Water Service
BLK – Block work
C.I. Pipe – Cast Iron Pipe
C.I. Sheet – Corrugated Iron Sheet
CBW – Concrete Block Wall
CC – Centre to Centre
CC – Cement Concrete
CE – Chief Engineer
CIP – Cast In Place
CJ – Construction Joint
CL – Center Line
CMU – Concrete Masonry Unit
CP – Cement Plaster
CPM – Critical Path Method
CRW – Concrete Retaining Wall
CS – Comparative Statement
CA – Contract Administrator
CAD – Computer Aided Design
CAM – Computer Aided Manufacture
CBF – Close Boarded Fence
CDM – Construction Design and Management
CENG – Chartered Engineer
CGI – Corrugated Galvanized Iron
CH – Ceiling Height
CHS – Cellular Hollow Section
CI – Cast Iron
CIF – Corrugated Iron Fence
CL – Cover Level
CLF – Chain Link Fence
CP – Code of Practice
CPF – Concrete Panel Fence
CPS – Concrete Paving Fence
CS – Concrete Society
CV – Commissioning Valve
CW – Concrete Wall
D – Diameter
D.L – Dead Load
DIA – Diameter
DIM – Dimension
DL – Development Length
DPC – Damp Proof Course
DPR – Daily Progress Report
DRG – Drawings
DWLS – Dowels
DC – Drain Cock
DCV – Double Check Valve
DHW – Domestic Hot Water
DOV – Drain Off Valve
DP – Down Pipe
DPDT – Double Pole Double Throw Switch
DS – District Surveyor
DSSO – Double Switch Socket Outlet
E.L – Environment Load
EGL – Existing Ground Level
EJ – Expansion Joint
ELCB – Earth Leak Circuit Breaker
ECB – Electricity Control Box
ECUK – Engineering Council United Kingdom
EL – Existing Level
ENGTECH – Engineering Technician
EPP – Expanded Polypropylene
ERV – Expansion Relief Valve
F.M – Fineness Modulus
FGL – Formation Ground Level
FL – Floor Level
FOC – Factor of Safety
Ft – Feet
FB – Flower Bed
FBTA – From Below to Above
FC – Flexible Connection
FF – Far Face
FFL – Finished Floor Level
FH – Fire Hydrant
FC – Floating Column
FS – Full Size
FSC – Forest Stewardship Council
GL – Ground Level
GP – Ground Plane
G – Gully
GGBS – Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag
GS – General Structure
HAC – High Alumina Cement
HFL – Highest Flood Level
HP – Horizontal Plane
HL – High Level
HSFG – High Strength Friction Grip
HT – High Tensile
HWS – Hot Water Service
IOM – Inter Office Memo
ISI – Indian Standard Institute
IC – Inspection Cover
ICE – Institution of Civil Engineers
ID – Inside Diameter
IL – Invert Level
IRF – Iron Railing Fence
ISTRUCTE – Institution of Structural Engineers
IV – Isolating Valve
IWF – Interwoven Fence
JE – Junior Engineer
JST – Joist
JCT – Joint Contracts Tribunal
K – Kilogram
KN – Kilo Newton
LL – Live Load
LC – Lime Concrete
LW – Light Weight
LWC – Light Weight Concrete
L – Light
LA – Local Authority
LOLER – Lifting Operations Equipment Regulation 1998
LP – Lamp Post
LSL – Laminated Strand Lumber
LSV – Lock Shield Valve
M – Meter
MC – Mass Concrete
MCW – Mains Cold Water
MDF – Medium Density Fiberboard
MH – Manhole
MM – Millimeter
MMMF – Man Made Mineral Fibers
MS – Mild Steel
MB – Measurement Book
MCB – Miniature Circuit Breaker
MEP – Mechanical Electrical Plumbing
MFL – Maximum Flood Level
MRC – Material Receipt Challan
MT – Metric Tonnes
N – Newton
NCF – Neat Cement Finishing
NASC – National Access and Scaffolding Confederation
NRV – Non Return Valve
NTS – Not To Scale
OPC – Ordinary Portland Cement
OGL – Original Ground Level
OSR – Open Space Reservation Area
PC – Pile Cap
PC – Precast Concrete
PCC – Plain Cement Concrete
PERT – Program Evaluation and Review Technique
PL – Plinth Level
PM – Project Manager
PO – Project Order
PPE – Personal Protective Equipment
PPR – Poly Propylene Random
PSF – Pound Per Square Foot
PSI – Pound Per Square Inch
PVC – Polyvinyl Chloride
PWD – Permanent Works Designer
PF – Picket Fence
PFA – Pulverized Fuel Ash
PFC – Parallel Flange Channel
PL – Plate
PRF – Post and Rail Fence
PWF – Post and Wire Fence
QS – Quantity Surveyor
QC – Quality Control
QA – Quality Analysis
RAD – Radiator
RC – Reinforced Concrete
RE – Rodding Eye
RHPC – Rapid Hardening Portland Cement
RHS – Rectangular Hollow Section
RIBA – Royal Institute of British Architects
RICS – Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyor
RMC – Ready Mix Concrete
RSA – Rolled Steel Angel
RSJ – Rolled Steel Joints
RWP – Rain Water Pipe
R.B.W – Reinforced Brick Work
RBC – Reinforced Brick Concrete
RCC – Reinforced Cement Concrete
RC – Reduced Level
SCC – Self Compacting Concrete
SRC – Sulphate Resisting Cement
STP – Sewage Treatment Plant
SWG – Standard Wire Gauge
SC – Stop Cock
SE – Structural Engineer
SHS – Square Hollow Section
SL – Soffit Level
SOL – Setting Out Line
SP – Soil Pipe
SPDT – Single Pole Double Throw Switch
SPS – Stone Paving Slabs
SPST – Single Pole Single Throw Switch
SS – Stainless Steel
SSL – Structural Slab Level
SSSO – Single Switched Socket Outlet
STG – Staggered
SV – Safety Valve
SVP – Soil and Vent Pipe
SW – Stone Wall
TA – To Above
TBM – Temporary Bench Mark
TOB – Top of Beam
TOC – Top of Concrete
TOW – Top of Wall
TP – Town Planning
TPO – Tree Preservation Order
TPRV – Temperature Pressure Relief Valve
TWC – Temporary Works Coordinator
TWS – Temporary Works Supervisor
TB – Tie Beam
TBM – Tunnel Boring Machine
TDS – Total Dissolved Solids
TMT – Thermo Mechanical Treatment
U.S.C – Ultimate Stress of Concrete
UPVC – Unplasticized Polyvinyl Chloride
USD – Ultimate Strength Design
UB – Universal Beam
UC – Universal Column
VP – Vertical Plane
VP – Vent Pipe
W.C – Water Closet
W.S.D – Working Stress Design
WL – Working Level
WL – Wind Load
WL – Water Level
WMF – Wire Mesh Fence
WPF – Wooden Panel Fence
WO – Work Order
