Plain-language definitions of the terms we use on site, in specs, and in the Summit Tools calculators.
Crushed stone, gravel, or sand used in concrete, asphalt, and base courses. Gradation and shape control how it packs and performs.
Hot-mix paving material made from aggregate bound with asphalt cement. Placed hot and compacted to a specified density.
Volume of earth as it sits undisturbed in the ground — the basis for cut/fill quantities.
The clear space between the work area and traffic in a temporary work zone, sized per OTM Book 7.
Densifying soil, granular material, or asphalt to a target density. See the compaction calculator.
Stone and fines straight from the crusher — a common, compactable base material (often called Granular A).
Balancing excavated material (cut) against placed material (fill). Estimate it with the cut/fill calculator.
The field record of what happened on a project each day — work, crew, equipment, weather, delays, and QC.
Mass per unit volume (kg/m³). Material density converts volume to weight in most quantity calculations.
Liquid asphalt used in tack and prime coats. See the tack/prime calculator.
Estimating earthwork volume by averaging two cross-section areas and multiplying by the distance between them.
The person who controls traffic through a work zone with signs and hand signals, per the project's traffic control plan.
Ontario-spec aggregate base materials. Granular A is crushed with a tighter gradation; Granular B allows larger stone.
The slope of a surface, expressed as percent (rise ÷ run × 100) or degrees. Check slopes with the slope calculator.
Conventional hot-mixed, hot-placed asphalt. Tonnage depends on area, thickness, and mix density.
Volume of material after it has been excavated — larger than bank volume because of the swell factor.
Reclaimed asphalt pavement from milling old surfaces — reused in new mixes or as a gravel substitute.
The lateral distance from a centreline or reference line, used to locate QC samples and survey points.
A low-viscosity asphalt application on granular base before paving — seals and binds the surface.
The lab test that establishes maximum dry density of a soil — the target for field compaction testing.
Field and lab testing that verifies work meets the spec — cores, densities, thicknesses, and gradations.
Measuring material quantities from drawings — the basis for estimates, orders, and bids.
Reinforcing steel bar used in concrete. Estimate weight with the rebar calculator.
A formal question to the consultant or owner when drawings or specs are unclear.
Large angular stone placed on slopes and channels to control erosion.
The horizontal distance in a slope — used with rise to calculate grade.
The paver component that spreads and levels hot-mix asphalt at the set thickness.
The reduction in volume when fill is compacted below its loose volume — the opposite of swell.
A measured point along a road centreline (e.g., 10+250 = 10,250m), used to locate work and samples.
The prepared native ground beneath pavement layers — its support controls base and asphalt thickness.
The percentage increase when earth is excavated and becomes loose — used to plan haul volumes.
A thin asphalt application that bonds a new overlay to an existing surface. Volume via the tack/prime calculator.
The angled transition that shifts traffic lanes in a work zone, with length set by the traffic control plan.
A short, focused safety meeting on a single topic. Browse ready-made ones in Toolbox Talks.
The area of a road where work happens, protected by signs, tapers, and devices per OTM Book 7.
The volume of mixed material a unit of product produces — e.g., the m³ per bag of concrete mix.