ACCREDITATION EXAMINATION

FOR
CONSULTANTS’ AND CONTRACTORS’
MATERIALS ENGINEER

EXAMINEE NO DATE : Aug. 8, 2009

_______________________
EXAMINEE’S SIGNATURE

Reviewer No. 1

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 INSTRUCTION: Encircle your answer. If you change, mark (x) and encircle another
answer.

1. In quartering of soil sample or soil aggregates, what quarters should be retained for
testing.

a. All of the quarters b. Three quarters

c. Two adjacent quarters d. Opposite quarters

2. Moisture Content determination of soil gives the following results: weight of container plus
wet soil = 120 g, weight of container = 70 , weight of container plus dry soil = 108 g

The moisture content is

a. 30.20 % b. 31.58 %
c. 31.70 % d. 31.90 %

3. The weight of air-dried soil is 200 g. The weight of mass of oven-dried soil is 175 g.
therefore, the Hygroscopic Moisture is

a. 14.29 % b. 15.0 %
c. 14.50 % d. 15.50 %

4. Not included in liquid limit determination

a. Balance, sensitive to 0.1 gm. b. liquid limit device

c. extruder d. oven with temperature control

5. Liquid limit of unsuitable material exceeds

a. 80 % b. 60 %
c. 75 % d. 55 %

6. Plastic limit of unsuitable material exceeds

a. 50 % b. 55 %
c. 53 % d. 54 %

7. Percent compaction of ordinary common soil

a. 90 % b. 95 %
c. 85 % d. 100 %

8. The following data refer to a control test in the field to measure the density of compacted
soil excavated from a pit, wt = 450 g. Weight of sand required to fill the pit = 412g. Bulk
density of sand = 1.45 g/cc, water content of soil = 12.5 %

Therefore, the field dry density is.

a. 1.41 gm/cc b. 1.50 gm/cc

c. 1.45 gm/cc d. 1.44 gm/cc

9. Suppose in problem no. 8 the laboratory dry density is 1.38 g/cc. The percent field
compaction is:

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 a. 103.10 % b. 101.15 %
c. 100.50 % d. 102.17 %

10. If the soil is compacted with higher compactive effort, the curve will move up and to the
left. This means that the…

a. Optimum moisture will decrease and maximum dry density will increase.
b. Optimum moisture will increase and the maximum dry density will increase.
c. The maximum dry density will decrease and the optimum moisture content will
increase.
d. The maximum dry density will decrease and the optimum moisture content will
decrease.

11. Thus, for a given soil with a given amount of compactive effort, there is a water-content
at which the weight the soil grains obtained in a unit volume of the compacted soil mass is
maximum. This water content is

a. Minimum moisture content b. Hydroscopic moisture content

c. Natural water content d. Optimum moisture content

12. You are an experienced material engineer of your firm. During compaction you found
out that soil is too wet. What economical recommendation will you give?

a. Reject the soil

b. Remove and replace the soil
c. Continue compaction
d. Scarify and dry the soil by exposing it to air under suitable conditions

13. Clays when removed from the borrow pits come out in the form of chunks. If you are the
assigned material engineer in the field, what is the most suitable compacting equipment
will you recommend?

a. Tandem roller b. Vibratory roller

c. Pneumatic tired roller d. Sheep’s-foot roller

14. The liquid limit of the soil is 30. The plastic limit is 19. The plasticity index will be
a. 10 b. 11
c. 15 d. 12

15. Assume that an A-6 material has 55 percent passing the 0.075 mm (no. 200) sieve, liquid
limit of 40 and a plasticity index of 25. The group index (GI) will be.

a. 12 b. 10
c. 11 d. 13

16. Assume that an A-2-7 material has 30 percent passing the 0.075 mm ( No.200) sieve,
liquid limit of 50, and a plasticity index of 30. The group index (G.I) will be.

a. 2 b. 3
c. 4 d. 5

17. The term “silty” is applied to fine materials having plasticity index of

a. 10 or less b. 11 or more
c. 12 d. 13
18. The term “clayey” is applied to fine material having plasticity index of
a. 10 b. 11 or greater
c. 9 or less d. 10 or less

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19. Material passing a sieve with 75 mm square openings and retained in No. 10 sieve.

a. coarse sand b. Fine sand

c. Silt-clay d. Gravel
20. One(1) km of road embankment is spread at 200 mm layer with a width of 10 m. The
number of sets of field density test will be.
a. 20 b. 25
c. 30 d. 40

21. The layer used in a pavement system to reinforce and protect the subgrade or subbase.

a. Basement soil b. Embankment foundation

c. Embankment d. Basecourse

22. Liquid limit of selected borrow for topping

a. Not more than 25 b. Not more than 20

c. Not more than 22 d. Not more than 30

23. Plasticity index of selected borrow for topping

a. Not more than 12 b. Not more than 8

c. Not more than 6 d. Not more than 10

24. At least one(1) group of three(3) in-situ density tests shall be carried out for each layer of
______sq.m. compacted fill

a. 300 m² b. 450 m²
c. 330 m² d. 500 m²

25. Roadway embankment of earth materials shall be placed in horizontal layer not
exceeding ______in loose measurement and compacted as specified before next layer is
placed.
a. 150 mm b. 200 mm
c. 300 mm d. 250 mm

26. Reduction of voids due to the air being forced out of the soil pores

a. Consolidation b. Compaction
c. Permeability d. Capillarity

27. Initially, when the water content is low, the soil is stiff and difficult to compress. This
leads to low densities but as the molding water increases, the soil becomes more workable
resulting into higher compacted density, because water acts as _____.

a. A Lubricant b. A Compactor
c. A Compactive effort d. A Void Reducer

28. In soil subsurface and surface exploration for flood control design of foundation
condition, a soil sample was taken for field and laboratory tests. The required tests for
soil were taken, except.

a. gradation b. Abrasions
c. Water contents d. Atterberg limits
29. Atterberg limits comprise the following except

a. Liquid limit b. Plastic limit

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 c. Shrinkage limit d. Consolidation test

30. For determining the liquid limit, a special standard cup device is used. All dimensions of
the device are fixed and the jarring is accomplished by turning the crank at the rate of
_______ revolutions /sec.

a. 3 b. 2
c. 4 d. 5
31. The moisture content when the groove is closed by _____ blows of the cup is defined as
the liquid limit.

a. 20 b. 25
c. 30 d. 35

32. Required no. of hours in soaking a soil specimen for CBR determination.

a. 72 b. 96
c. 80 d. 48

33. As an experienced field material engineer, without the aid of laboratory equipment, it
happens that your sample is hard, what practical method will you use in determining
whether your hard sample is soil or rock.

a. By pulverizing with a hammer b. By submerging into the water

c. By chipping d. By visualizing

34. In road construction, the excavated materials was 705,900 m³ and the waste was 505,600
m³. How many grading, compaction, plasticity tests are required.

a. 134 b. 150
c. 140 d. 146

35. What is the estimated diameter of the soil thread when rolled between the palm of the
hand and the glass plate that begins to crumble in plastic limit determination.
a. 1/4” b. 1/8”
c. 1/2" d. 3/16”

36. The following are the simple visual and manual tests used for the identification of fine-
grained soils in the field without the aid of laboratory equipment, except.

a. Dispersion b. Water mobility

c. Plasticity d. Grading

37. An experienced field material engineer can easily identify whether the soil sample is
plastic without the aid of laboratory equipment…

a. By air drying
b. By heating
c. By molding and rolling the sample into thin threads without breaking or crumbling
d. By soaking into the water

38. Liquid limit of special fill common materials

a. Not exceeding 25 b. Not exceeding 35

c. Not exceeding 30 d. Not exceeding 20
39. Plasticity index of special fill common materials

a. Not exceeding 12 b. Not exceeding 6

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 c. Not exceeding 4 to 9 d. Not exceeding 8

40. The following data were obtained from a sieve test on a certain soil

Sieve size 3/8” No.4 No.8 No.20 No.40 No.100 No.200 pan
Wt. Retained, g 60.5 75.1 85.5 77.9 161.6 29.0 67.60

The percent finer at sieve No. 200 will be

a. 76 b. 46
c. 12 d. 60
41. You are the material engineer of a certain company doing an earth road construction.
During the progress of construction , highly organic soil was encountered. What will you
recommend to your firm?

a. Blend the highly organic soil with granular materials

b. Remove and replace with more stable materials
c. Cover the highly organic soil with boulders
d. Placed several logs on the highly organic soils

42. Good compaction means, except.

a. Subsequent settlement is minimized

b. Stability is increased
c. Resistance to water absorption is decreased
d. Change in moisture content is minimized

43. The volume of the common borrow materials in its natural state at source is 4.48 cu.m.
The volume of common borrow materials in truck at job site is 4.81 cu.m. The swell
factor will be
a. 85 % b. 75 %
c. 93 % d. 80 %

44. In applying load on the penetration piston in C.B.R determination, the rate of
penetration is approximately

a. 1.5 mm per minute b. 1.30 mm per minute

c. 1.27 mm per minute d. 1.0 mm per minute

45. The required area for the construction of control strips and determination of target
density

a. 550 sq.m. b. 335 sq.m.

c. 400 sq.m. d. 500 sq.m.

46. The group index (G.I.) number is a measure of the relative supporting power of the
subgrade soil. Thus higher G.I. number will require

a. Lesser depth of base and surface b. Greater depth of base and surface
c. Lesser permeability d. Lesser capillarity

47. Soil sieves will not give information on

a. Size of grains b. Size distribution

c. Soil classification d. Mass weight passing
48. All tests for determination of consistency limits of soil are on the fraction of soil passing
the _____ sieve.
a. No. 30 b. No. 40

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 c. No. 20 d. No. 8

49. The degree of compaction in the field can be verified by.

a. Field density test b. Job density test

c. Any of a and b d. None of the above

50. Unsuitable materials are materials other than suitable materials such as

a. Highly organic soil such as peat and muck

b. Soil with a natural water content exceeding 100 %
c. Soil with a very low density, 800 kg/m³ or lower
d. All of the above
51. The materials above MLLW in the reclamation obtained by dredging or from borrow
pits shall be spread out and compacted in layers.

a. Not exceeding 150 mm b. Not exceeding 200 mm

c. Not exceeding 300 mm d. Not exceeding 250 mm

52. Minimum percent compaction requirement of fill material above MLLW.

a. 100 % b. 85 %
c. 95 % d. 90 %

53. All borings on soil survey along a new route of road to be constructed shall be generally
carried to a depth of at least.

a. 1.50 m below the proposed grade line b. 1.00 m below the proposed grade line
c. 2.00 m below the proposed grade line d. 2.50 m below the proposed grade line

54. Locations of boring on the new proposed road shall be taken.

a. Along the proposed centerline b. Along the sides of the road

c. Both a and b d. None of the above

55. Minimum depth of boring on bridge project below the river bed in ordinary soil

a. 10 m b. 20 m
c. 15 m d. 25 m

56. Minimum depth of boring below the lowest part of foundation on building project.

a. 5.0 m b. 9.00 m
c. 6.00 m d. 7.00 m
57. Maximum depth of exploration below subgrade level on road construction, for areas of
light cut and fill where there are no special problem.

a. 2.00 m b. 2.50 m
c. 1.50 m d. 1.60 m

58. Piles shall be used only in places where the minimum penetration of ____ in firm material
can be obtained
a. 4.00 m b. 5.00 m
c. 3.00 m d. 4.50 m

59. Piles shall be used only in places where the minimum penetration of ____ in soft material
can be obtained

a. 5.00 m b. 6.00 m

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 c. 7.00 m d. 8.00 m

60. Soil sample obtained in borings for flood control and drainage project shall be tested for
the following laboratory tests, except.

a. Atterberg limits b. Natural water content

c. Specific gravity d. Moisture- density relationship

61. Minimum number of borings for building exceeding three storeys

a. 4 b. 5
c. 10 d. 8

62. Minimum depth of borings for bridge project in bedrocks

a. 2.00 m b. 3.00 m
c. 1.5 m d. 2.50 m
3. Minimum number of borings for an active slide for flood control and drainage project
a. 2 b. 1
c. 3 d. 4

64. Liquid limit is either

a. Greater than plastic limit b. Equal to the plastic limit
c. Lesser to the plastic limit d. All of the above

65. Maximum size of special fill common material

a. 2” b. 3”
c. 1 ½” d. 2 ½”

66. Physical property of soil that gives an indication of clay contents

a. Liquid limit b. Plasticity index

c. Shrinkage limit d. Plastic limit

67. Test used to evaluate the potential strength of soil aggregate

a. Mass % of coarse aggregate b. Gradation

c. Soaked CBR value d. Plasticity index

68. Increments of loads applied in load test

a. Not to exceed 25 % of proposed safe load

b. Not to exceed 20 % of proposed safe load
c. Not to exceed 15 % of proposed safe load
d. Not to exceed 10 % of proposed safe load

69. Minimum weight of soil sample taken from boring in road construction for CBR test.

a. 100 kg. b. 50 kg.

c. 15 kg. d. 20 kg.

70. Minimum CBR required for base course.

a. 100 b. 95
c. 80 d. 85
71. Maximum plasticity index for base course

a. 8 b. 6
c. 7 d. 5

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72. Maximum thickness of any one(1) layer in spreading and compacting base and subbase
courses.

a. 150 mm b. 200 mm
c. 100 mm d. 300 mm

73. 300 mm thickness of base and subbase courses will be spread and compacted into

a. One – layer b. Two – layers

c. Two – or more layers d. Three – layers

74. Plasticity index for aggregate surface course.

a. 6 b. 12
c. 4-9 d. 15

75. Maximum liquid limit for base course

a. 25 b. 12
c. 20 d. 15

76. Maximum abrasion loss of coarse aggregate portion on base course.

a. 50 b. 45
c. 40 d. 55

77. Maximum plasticity index for subbase course

a. 6 b. 12
c. 8 d. 4-9
78. Maximum liquid limit for subbase course
a. 12 b. 25
c. 35 d. 20

79. Maximum abrasion loss for coarse aggregate portion for subbase course

a. 40 % b. 45 %
c. 50 % d. 55 %

80. Required minimum percent compaction for subbase course

a. 100 % b. 95 %
c. 90 % d. 96 %

81. Minimum required soaked CBR for subbase course

a. 50 % b. 25 %
c. 30 % d. 40 %

82. The California Bearing Ratio (CBR) can be calculated by dividing the corrected load by
the standard load multiplied by 100. At 0.10inch (2.54mm) penetration, the standard
load is

a. 5.0 Mpa b. 6.9 Mpa

c. 5.5 Mpa d. 4.5 Mpa
83. The California Bearing Ratio (CBR) can be calculated by dividing the corrected load by
the standard load multiplied by 100. At 0.20 inch (2.54 mm) penetration, the standard
load is
a. 10.3 Mpa b. 11.00 Mpa

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 c. 10.50 Mpa d. 11.50 Mpa

84. The binder material for granular materials usually consist of the following, except
a. Clay b. Silt-clay
c. Limestone dust d. Slags

85. In determining the target density , the number of in-place density test taken at randomly
selected sites within the control strip will be
a. 20 b. 10
c. 15 d. 25
.86. In the construction of control strips and determination of target density, a new control
strip maybe ordered or requested to be constructed when, except

a. The mean density of the control strip is less than 98 percent of the density of
laboratory- compacted specimen.
b. Ten (10) days of production have been accepted without construction of a new control
strip
c. There is a reason to believe that a control strip is not representative of the material
being placed
d. All of the above
87. The layer used in the pavement system between the subgrade and the base course
a. Embankment foundation b. Embankment
c. Surfacing d. Subbase

88. Assume that an A-2-7 material has 30 percent passing the 0.075 mm (No. 200) sieve,
liquid limit of 50 and plasticity index of 30. Then the group index (GI) will be.
a. 3 b. 1
c. 5 d. 4

89. Assume that an A-4 material has 60 percent passing the 0.075 mm (No. 200) sieve, liquid
limit of 25 and plasticity of index of 1. Then the group index (GI) will be:
a. 3 b. -1.0
c. 0 d. 5

90. In California Bearing Ratio (CBR) determination, the corrected load at 0.100 inch
penetration is 705 psi. The percent CBR will be.
a. 70.5 % b. 80.5 %
c. 75.5 % d. 80 %

91. In California Bearing Ratio (CBR) determination, the corrected load at 0.200 inch
penetration is 1,255 psi. The percent CBR will be.
a. 83.67 % b. 81.50 %
c. 83.20 % d. 82.50 %

92. You are the Materials Engineer of your firm. It so happen that in the preparation of the
staked plans it was found out that there was an increase and new additional items of
work from the original quality control program as submitted.

What will you recommend?

a. Maintain the old submitted quality control program

b. Revised the quality control program
c. Delete the increase and the new additional item
d. Any of the above
93. In-situ density test means

a. Compaction test b. Job density test

c. Moisture- density relation test d. Compaction by vibration

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94. In laboratory compaction test, the wet density is 2049 kg/m³, the water content is 13.40
%. The field dry density will be

a. 2048 kg/m³ b. 1806 kg.m³

c. 1942 kg/m³ d. 1950 kg/m³

95. In laboratory compaction test, the dry density is 1940 kg/m³, the percent water content is
13.40 %. The wet density will be

a. 1966 kg/m³ b. 2049 kg/m³

c. 2200 kg/m³ d. 2250 kg/m³

96. Compaction curve produced in the laboratory is referred to as

a. Flow curve b. Moisture-density curve

c. Optimum moisture curve d. Flow line

97. The highest point on the compaction curve indicates.

a. Maximum dry density b. Optimum moisture content

c. Both a and b d. None of the above

98. The significant test of soil that will determine the potential strength of the soil

a. Grading b. Soaked CBR

c. Plasticity d. Abrasion

99. The following are the results of the abrasion loss of a certain portion of the coarse soil
aggregates after 500 revolutions.

Wt. Original sample = 5000 g

Retained in #4 = 1500 g
Retained in #8 = 400 g
Retained in #12 = 600 g
Passing in #16 = 700 g
Passing in #20 = 1300 g
Passing in #40 = 500 g

The percent abrasion loss will be

a. 45 % b. 40 %
c. 50 % d. 35 %

100. The allowable permitted variation from the design thickness of an aggregate base course

a. ± 10 mm b. ± 5 mm
c. ± 11 mm d. ± 9 mm

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