Meaning & use
RAAC
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Meaning
abbreviationuncountabletechnical
Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, a lightweight bubbly concrete used for roofs, floors and walls in buildings from the mid-1900s, which can weaken over time.
Grammar: Used without an article for the material: the roof was made of RAAC.
Patterns
- RAAC roof
- RAAC panels
Several schools closed classrooms after inspectors found RAAC in the roofs.
RAAC panels were popular because they were light and cheap to install.
The surveyor checked the ceiling for signs that it was made of RAAC.
Common combinations
- RAAC roof
- The school had an RAAC roof that needed urgent repair.
- RAAC panels
- Engineers replaced the RAAC panels with steel supports.
- RAAC survey
- The council ordered an RAAC survey of every building.
- RAAC concrete
- RAAC concrete can crack with age and moisture.
- RAAC crisis
- The RAAC crisis forced classes into temporary rooms.
Synonyms and how they differ
- aerated concrete
- Aerated concrete is the broader term for any light, bubble-filled concrete, while RAAC names the reinforced autoclaved type used in roofs.
- lightweight concrete
- Lightweight concrete describes any concrete with low weight, not specifically the steel-reinforced RAAC panels.
Word family
- concrete noun
- a hard building material made from cement and aggregate
- reinforced adjective
- strengthened with steel bars or mesh
- aerated adjective
- filled with tiny air bubbles
Commonly confused: RAAC or RAC?
RAAC vs RAC
RAC is a UK breakdown service, unrelated to the building material RAAC.
Practice
Some schools had to close rooms after surveyors found that the ceilings were made of crumbling ___.
Choose one answer.
RAAC is the lightweight reinforced concrete that has weakened in some older buildings. MDF is a wood board and would not be used for such a structural roof.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “RAAC”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.