spalling
/ˈspɔːlɪŋ/
noun
Origin
Middle Dutch
spal — splinter or chip
Overview
Meaning Now
- The process or result of breaking off or splintering fragments from a larger solid body, such as stone, concrete, or metal, usually due to thermal expansion, frost action, or mechanical stress.
Literal older meaning
fragmentation or breaking into chips
Language path
Middle English → English
Earliest form
spall
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The term originated within masonry and mining contexts to describe the debris created when splitting stone. In modern civil engineering, it refers to a significant failure mode of reinforced concrete, where the surface layer flakes away, often exposing the steel reinforcement to corrosion.
Evolution
- Middle Dutch
spalle
“splinter”
- Middle English
spalle
“chip of stone”
Introduced via trade and mining terms
- 19th century English
spalling
“the action of flaking”
Usage expanded to include structural concrete decay
Connections
Word parts
spall
root
to break into chips
-ing
suffix
indicates process or state
Related across languages
Middle Dutch
spalle
splinter
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Related to spalling
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.