ISO 11375:1998

Overview

ISO 11375:1998 - "Building construction machinery and equipment - Terms and definitions" is an International Standard that specifies standardized terminology for machines and equipment used on building construction sites. Its primary purpose is to provide a common vocabulary to support clarity in specification, procurement, technical documentation, training and standardization work. The standard divides construction machinery into five main groups and provides illustrated terms and definitions (examples include piling rigs, diaphragm walling rigs, concrete mixers and concrete transport equipment). ISO 11375 explicitly excludes categories such as earth‑moving machinery, cranes and lifting/access machinery.

Key topics

The standard focuses on precise terms and definitions for building construction machinery and equipment, including:

• Foundation equipment: piling equipment and pile-driving devices (piling rigs, impact hammers - drop, steam/air, diesel, hydraulic; vibrating pile drivers; pile forcing/jacking and static push/pull systems).
• Diaphragm walling: rigs using hydraulic or rope‑operated grabs and milling cutters for cast‑in‑place walls and cut‑off walls.
• Pile forming rigs: rotary and stroke drilling rigs, withdrawable casing systems, continuous‑flight auger rigs and multipurpose pile driving/extracting equipment.
• Concrete mix production: concrete mixing plants (vertical/tower and horizontal), stationary, transferable and mobile plants; batching plants and their layouts.
• Concrete mixers and transport: batch and continuous mixers, gravity (reversing, tipping) and compulsory mixers (turbo, planetary, paddle), plus truck mixers, transport skips, concrete dumpers and truck‑mounted pumps.

The document includes illustrations and structured itemized entries to ensure consistent interpretation of each term.

Applications

ISO 11375 is practical for:

• Creating unambiguous technical specifications and procurement documents for building construction machinery.
• Harmonizing terminology across manufacturer catalogs, maintenance manuals, operator training and safety documentation.
• Supporting translation and international collaboration by providing standardized definitions for piling, diaphragm walling, concrete mixing and transport equipment.
• Assisting standards committees and regulatory authorities when drafting or referencing equipment requirements in construction codes.

Who uses this standard

• Civil and structural engineers, site managers and equipment specifiers
• Manufacturers and suppliers of construction machinery
• Technical writers, translators and training organizations
• Procurement teams, safety officers and standards/quality professionals

Related standards

ISO 11375 complements other ISO standards covering construction processes, safety and machine performance. It was prepared by ISO/TC 195 (Building construction machinery and equipment) and is intended for use alongside functional and safety standards for concrete, piling and construction machinery.