How to use this glossary
The French column is the one that appears in Algerian specifications, bills of quantities and site reports; the Arabic column gives the standard written term, with the word commonly heard on site in brackets where it differs; the Chinese column uses the mainland engineering term. Terms are grouped by theme. Where several words exist, the most common one on Algerian sites is given.
Earthmoving and paving machines
| French | English | Arabic | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| pelle hydraulique | hydraulic excavator | حفّارة هيدروليكية | 液压挖掘机 |
| bouteur (bulldozer) | bulldozer | جرّافة (بلدوزر) | 推土机 |
| chargeuse sur pneus | wheel loader | محمّلة بعجلات (شارجور) | 轮式装载机 |
| niveleuse | motor grader | آلة تسوية (نيفلوز) | 平地机 |
| finisseur | asphalt paver | فرّاشة الإسفلت (فينيسور) | 沥青摊铺机 |
| compacteur vibrant | vibratory roller | مدحلة اهتزازية | 振动压路机 |
| camion-benne | tipper truck, dump truck | شاحنة قلاّبة | 自卸卡车 |
| semi-remorque benne | tipper semi-trailer | نصف مقطورة قلاّبة | 自卸半挂车 |
| répandeuse de bitume | bitumen distributor | شاحنة رش الزفت (القار) | 沥青洒布车 |
| citerne à bitume | bitumen tanker | صهريج الزفت | 沥青运输罐车 |
| chariot de forage (carrière) | surface rock drill | آلة حفر الصخور | 露天凿岩钻车 |
| atelier de forage sur camion | truck-mounted drilling rig | جهاز حفر محمول على شاحنة | 车载钻机 |
Aggregates and the crushing plant
| French | English | Arabic | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| carrière | quarry | محجرة | 采石场 |
| station de concassage | crushing plant | محطة تكسير (كسّارة) | 破碎站 |
| concasseur à mâchoires | jaw crusher | كسّارة فكّية | 颚式破碎机 |
| concasseur à cône | cone crusher | كسّارة مخروطية | 圆锥破碎机 |
| concasseur à percussion | impact crusher | كسّارة صدمية | 反击式破碎机 |
| crible | screen | غربال | 筛分机 |
| granulats | aggregates | ركام (حصى) | 骨料 |
| sable concassé | crushed sand, manufactured sand | رمل مكسّر | 机制砂 |
| gravillon | fine gravel, chippings | حصى صغير (غرافييه) | 碎石 |
| grave non traitée (GNT) | unbound graded aggregate | حصى مدرّج غير معالج | 级配碎石 |
| fines | fines | الدقائق (الغبار) | 石粉 |
| équivalent de sable | sand equivalent | مكافئ الرمل | 砂当量 |
Roads and earthworks
| French | English | Arabic | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| terrassement | earthworks | أشغال ترابية | 土方工程 |
| déblai / remblai | cut / fill | حفر / ردم | 挖方 / 填方 |
| plate-forme | subgrade, platform | أرضية (الطبقة الحاملة) | 路基 |
| couche de forme | capping layer | طبقة التشكيل | 路床 |
| couche de fondation | sub-base | طبقة الأساس | 底基层 |
| couche de base | base course | الطبقة القاعدية | 基层 |
| couche de roulement | wearing course | طبقة السطح | 面层 |
| béton bitumineux (enrobé à chaud) | hot-mix asphalt | خرسانة إسفلتية | 热拌沥青混合料 |
| grave-bitume | bituminous base | حصى مقيّر | 沥青稳定碎石 |
| couche d’accrochage | tack coat | طبقة التثبيت | 粘层 |
| compactage | compaction | رصّ (دكّ) | 压实 |
| piste d’accès | access track | مسلك الدخول | 施工便道 |
| installation de chantier | site mobilization, site set-up | تجهيز الورشة | 施工进场（三通一平） |
| forage d’eau (puits) | water well | بئر (فوراج) | 水井 |
Contracts and site documents
| French | English | Arabic | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| maître d’ouvrage (service contractant) | project owner, contracting authority | صاحب المشروع (المصلحة المتعاقدة) | 业主（发包方） |
| maître d’œuvre | engineer, supervising consultant | صاحب العمل (مكتب الدراسات) | 监理/设计单位 |
| entreprise titulaire | main contractor | المقاول الرئيسي | 总承包商 |
| sous-traitance / sous-traitant | subcontracting / subcontractor | المناولة / المناول | 分包 / 分包商 |
| marché public | public contract | صفقة عمومية | 公共采购合同 |
| CCTP (cahier des clauses techniques particulières) | technical specification | دفتر الشروط التقنية الخاصة | 技术规范 |
| bordereau des prix unitaires | schedule of unit prices | جدول الأسعار الوحدوية | 单价表 |
| devis quantitatif et estimatif | bill of quantities | الكشف الكمي والتقديري | 工程量清单 |
| ordre de service (ODS) | notice to proceed | أمر بالخدمة | 开工令 |
| PV de réception | acceptance report | محضر الاستلام | 验收报告（验收证书） |
| attachement | measurement sheet | كشف الأشغال المنجزة | 计量单 |
| situation de travaux | progress payment statement | وضعية الأشغال | 进度款报表 |
| location avec opérateur | rental with operator | كراء مع سائق | 带操作手租赁 |
| registre de commerce (RC) | commercial register extract | السجل التجاري | 商业登记证 |
| certificat de qualification et classification | qualification and classification certificate | شهادة التأهيل والتصنيف المهنيين | 资质等级证书 |
Frequently asked questions
What language are construction contracts in Algeria written in?
Public contracts, specifications and site documents in Algeria are in general written in French, with Arabic used in administration and on site; a bilingual site team, or a local partner working in both, saves a foreign contractor considerable time.
What is a finisseur?
A finisseur is the French word for an asphalt paver, the machine that lays hot-mix asphalt in an even layer ahead of the rollers; in Arabic it is فرّاشة الإسفلت and in Chinese 沥青摊铺机.
What is an attachement on an Algerian site?
An attachement is the measurement sheet, signed by the contractor and the supervising engineer, that records the quantities of work executed during a period and forms the basis of the progress payment statement (situation de travaux).
What does GNT mean in a road specification?
GNT stands for grave non traitée, an unbound graded crushed aggregate such as a 0/31.5 used for sub-base and base layers; in English it is called unbound graded aggregate and in Chinese 级配碎石.
How ETAHG can help
SARL ETAHG works in French and Arabic on site; this website and the company profile exist in all four languages, and partners are asked to state their preferred language for correspondence. The machines in the first table are the categories of its own fleet, offered for rental and leasing; the road terms describe its road construction work; and the international partners page explains how cooperation with a foreign contractor starts.