Rice
Rice turns up in 3 fields: asphalt, automotive, mechanical. Here is what it means to the people in each one.
Rice in asphalt
Lab slang for the maximum specific gravity test on loose mix, and for the Gmm value it produces.
The everyday name for the theoretical maximum specific gravity test, after James Rice, who developed it. Loose, broken-up mix goes into a flask or bowl, is covered with water, and is held under vacuum for about 15 minutes to pull out trapped air before weighing. The resulting Gmm is the yardstick for every voids and density calculation, so asking for the Rice is the first move when a density number looks wrong.
"Use today's Rice, not the JMF number, the plant changed sand piles and the max gravity moved."
Rice in automotive
A derogatory term for cheap, flashy cosmetic car modifications that add no actual performance.
A slang term describing vehicles fitted with oversized spoilers, fake vents, loud exhaust tips, and aggressive body kits without any corresponding engine upgrades. It originated as a pejorative against imported Asian compact cars but now applies to any vehicle prioritizing aggressive aesthetics over functional speed. The backronym Race Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements is often used to explain the term.
"He put a massive wing and underglow on a stock automatic Civic, it's pure rice."
RICE in mechanical
The abbreviation for reciprocating internal combustion engine.
The abbreviation for reciprocating internal combustion engine. This covers any engine that uses pistons moving back and forth in cylinders to convert the pressure of combusting fuel into rotational motion. It distinguishes traditional piston engines from rotary engines, gas turbines, and electric motors.
"The new emissions standard applies to all stationary RICE units on the site."