ENGLISH FOR CONSTRUCTION ECONOMICS AND CONSTRUCTION

LESSON 5
MEASUREMENT IN CONSTRUCTION
I. OBJECTIVES
To provide students with the fundamental knowledge upon measurement in construction,
such as definitions, purposes, methods, tools, and evaluation of measurement.
II. LESSON STRUCTURE
1. Reading:
• Essay: Measurement in construction
2. Vocabulary:
3. Exercises:
• Answer questions on the essay;
• Translation;
• Fill in the blanks.
III. CONTENT
1. Reading
Essay: Measurement in Construction
Measurement in construction refers to the action of measuring quantities, dimensions,
and characteristics for construction work by using measurement tools. Many
construction professionals practice measurement for their jobs with specific purposes
and different levels of detail. While quantity surveyors translate building information
identified by the drawings and specifications for cost estimation and control, site
engineers and workers measure the physical features of pre and post constructed objects
to ensure they are built as designed.
Measuring tools in construction have been diversified with a wide range of measuring
requirements. These different types of measuring devices, such as micrometer, ruler,
measuring tape, laser measure, protractor, bubble level, speedometer, odometer,
pressure gauge, scale, thermometer, can be used to determine particular characteristics
of an object, for example, distance, dimension, angle, time, speed, pressure, weight,
temperature, and so on. One of the most typical measuring devices in construction that
measures the length of an object is measuring tape. This is a must-carry tool by most
site-engineers due to its convenience and portability. A laser measure is another useful
device to rapidly determine the distance between itself and an object. The digital model
of this tool is capable of measuring up to eighty meters, making it a very sought-after
instrument. For large-scale measurement, engineers have been applying Unmanned
Aerial Vehicle (UAV) or drones and satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS)
for measuring positions and distances on the Earth’s surface. With these cutting-edge
technologies, it is possible to carry out topographic surveys of the same quality as the
highly accurate measurements collected by traditional methods, but in a fraction of the
time.

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The most basic physical feature of an object in construction must be measured is

dimension. A room or a building, shaped commonly as a cube, has three spatial
dimensions: length, height, and width. These dimensions are measured in millimetres
(mm) or metres (m). The area of a room’s surface, which is calculated by multiplying
length and width, is measured in square metres (m2). The volume of a room is measured
in cubic metres (m3) equals length times height and width. A pipe, shaped like a long
hollow tube with a circular cross-section, is ubiquitous in any construction sites. The
area of its rounded cross-section is the product of the square of its radius and the pi
number (π is approximate 3.14) while the volume calculation of the pipe requires
multiplying its cross-sectional area by its length.
Measurement comes with various required levels of accuracy. It is impossible to
produce construction components with dimensions that are absolutely precise, with
sizes exactly the same as those specified in the design. This is because all production
and measurement processes are imperfect or imprecise to a certain extent. The sizes of
several construction components, therefore, produced from the same design will vary
or differ, called as a variation. As engineers know that accuracy cannot be perfect, so
in designs, they often specify tolerances – allowed variations in precision or a range of
acceptable sizes. This is often given as an average value or a deviation from a precise
value.
Created by Tuan Anh Nguyen PhD
2. Vocabulary
Term Pronunciation Meaning
Quantity /ˈkwɑːntəti/ An amount or a number of sth.
(N) Khối lượng
Characteristic /ˌkærəktəˈrɪstɪk/ A typical feature or quality that sb/sth
(N) has.
Đặc tính
Quantity /ˈkwɑːntəti A person whose job is to calculate the
surveyor sərveɪər/ quantity of materials needed for building
(N) sth, how much it will cost and how long
it will take.
Kỹ sự định giá
Specification /ˌspesɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ A detailed description of how sth should
(N) be designed or made.
Tài liệu chỉ dẫn chi tiết
Estimation /ˌestɪˈmeɪʃn/ A judgement or opinion about the value
(N) or quanlity of sb/sth.
Sự dự toán
Diversify /daɪˈvɜːrsɪfaɪ/ To change or to make sth change so that
(V) there is a greater variety.
Đa dạng
Device /dɪˈvaɪs/ An object or a piece of equipment that
(N) has been designed to do a particular job.
Thiết bị
Portability /ˌpɔːrtəˈbɪləti/ That is easy to carry or to move.

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(N) Sự hữu dụng, dễ mang vác, vận chuyển

Capable /ˈkeɪpəbl/ Having the ability or qualities necessary
(adj) for doing sth.
Có khả năng
Sought-after /ˈsɔːt æftər/ Wanted by many people, because it is of
(adj) very good quality or difficult to get or to
find.
Được săn lùng, ưa chuộng
Cutting edge /ˌkʌtɪŋ ˈedʒ/ The newest, most advanced stage in the
(N) development of sth
Hàng đầu, tiên phong, đỉnh cao
Topographic /ˌtɑːpəˈɡræfɪkl/ Having the physical features of an area
(adj) of land
Địa thế, địa hình
Survey /ˈsɜːrveɪ/ An investigation, study of the opinions
(N) behaviour or description of sth.
Khảo sát
Traditional/ /trəˈdɪʃənl/ Following older methods and ideas rather
Conventional /kənˈvenʃənl/ than modern ones.
(adj) Truyền thống
Fraction /ˈfrækʃn/ A small part or amount of sth.
(N) Phần nhỏ, miếng nhỏ
Spatial /ˈspeɪʃl/ Relating to space and the position, size or
(adj) shape…
Thuộc về không gian
Multiply /ˈmʌltɪplaɪ/ To add a number to itself a particular
(V) number of times.
Phép tính nhân
Product /ˈprɑːdʌkt/ A quantity obtained by multiplying one
(N) number by another.
Tích số
Ubiquitous /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/ Seeming to be everywhere or very
(adj) common.
Phổ biến, có thể thấy ở nhiều nơi
Cube /kjuːb/ Figure with six equal square sides
Tube /tuːb/ Long hollow pipe
(N) Hình khối và hình trụ/ống
Accuracy /ˈækjərəsi/ How close a measurement comes to an
(N) existing value that has been recorded by
scientists or engineers.
Chính xác (so với giá trị chuẩn)
Precision /prɪˈsɪʒn/ How close a measurement comes to
(N) another measurement.
Chính xác (so sánh với đo lường khác)
Tolerance /ˈtɑːlərəns/ the amount by which the measurement of
(N) a value can vary without causing
problems.
Dung sai

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Variation /ˌveriˈeɪʃn/ the amount by which sth changes or is

(N) different from sth else.
Sự biến đổi, thay đổi, biến thiên
Average /ˈævərɪdʒ/ the result of adding several amounts
(N) together, finding a total, and dividing the
total by the number of amounts.
Trung bình
Deviation /ˌdiːviˈeɪʃn/ the amount by which measurements in a
(N) set vary from the average for the set.
Độ lệch, độ chênh, sai lệch

3. Exercises
A. Answer the question about the essays above:
(1) What are the main contents of each paragraph of the above text?
(2) What is the main purpose of measurement for quantity surveyors and site
engineers?
(3) How do quantity surveyor and site engineers practice their measurement
skills?
(4) Which can measuring tools be used to determine length and distance?
(5) What are bubble level and thermometer used for?
(6) Why are site engineers interested in using a measuring tape?
(7) How far can laser device measure?
(8) What are the most advantages of UAV and GPS over conventional
applicants?
(9) What are the units of spatial measurement?
(10) What is the difference between length and area of surface?
(11) What is a pipe cross-section in the shape of?
(12) Why is it hard to conduct an exact measurement?
(13) What do ‘variation’ and ‘tolerance’ mean?
(14) How do engineers deal with imprecise measure?
(15) Please summarise the above essay in 1 or 2 sentences.
B. Translation
(1) From English to Vietnamese: Translate Essay above into Vietnamese;
(2) From Vietnamese to English
a. Cân được dùng để đo khối lượng của vật liệu.
b. Thể tích khối cột bê tông tính bằng tích của kích thước 3 chiều: rộng, cao,
dài.
c. Cọc bê tông cốt thép sử dụng cho công trình này có đường kính 300mm.
d. Diện tích mặt cắt ngang của dầm chính tầng 1 là 0.12m2, sai số cho phép
là ±5%.
e. Những tấm bản bê tông cốt thép này có chiều dày trung bình 10mm, độ
lệch chuẩn khoảng 2mm.
C. Choose the best answer to complete the sentence
(1) Measuring activities are to collect physical data of objects, including numbers,
……, and outstanding features.
A. place B. dimensions C. top D. aims

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(2) A …… is a construction professional with expert knowledge on construction

cost and contracts.
A. manager B. engineer C. quantity surveyor D. worker
(3) The house has been built exactly to our high ……
A. values B. levels C. specifications D. structures
(4) Measuring tape is one of the most common …… of construction work.
A. toys B. pens C. hard hats D. devices
(5) Application of Global Positioning System (GPS) is an example of ……
measurement.
A. tool B. method C. large-scale D. size
(6) A wearable device should be designed and produced with a high level of ……
A. entertainment B. construction C. stability D. portability
(7) This report is a detailed structural …… of the construction market.
A. map B. book C. survey D. thinking
(8) The …… of a room is calculated by multiplying length, height, and width.
A. area B. surface C. volume D. scale
(9) The level of …… refers to how close a measurement comes to an existing
value that has been recorded by scientists or engineers.
A. value B. accuracy C. estimation D. measuring
(10) The acceptable …… of the gap length is 0.001 of a centimetre.
A. tolerance B. analyse C. count D. size
D. Fill in blanks
D.1. Using the below-given words to fill the blanks in the table
Distance Time Temperature Height
Weight Width Surface Angle
Micrometer (1)
Thermometer (2)
Odometer (3)
Bubble level (4)
can be used to measure
Scale (5)
Measuring tape (6)
Protractor (7)
Clock (8)

D.2. Complete the paragraphs by the most suitable words in the box below
Measuring is one of the most essential activities of (1) …… on construction site,
associating with determining physical (2) …… of construction objects. The tools for

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measuring can be both as simple as a (3) …… and more modern as a (4) ……

application. Figures of a cube and a (5) …… seem familiar in every construction site,
and the area and the (6) …… of these can be measured in square and cubic meter,
respectively.
It is shown the fact that measurement is not always perfect, so it does not come with
(7) …… value. The reason for that is the ways of producing and measuring are (8)
…… Engineers understand that (9) …… in measurement is simply unavoidable, and
they refer (10) …… as an acceptable amount of a measured value can vary without
causing problems.

variation satellite-based measuring tape engineer accurate

imprecise characteristics volume tolerance tube

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