DAY 1 - MATERIALS ENGINEERS REVIEW NOTES

1. The standard penetration test (SPT) is an in-situ-test that measures what?

Ans. – depth of soil layer

2. Which of the ff. bituminous material is best recommended for sealing weakened plane joints?
Ans. – joint filler asphalt (commonly called hard asphalt or blown asphalt)

3. The main problem associated with wrong practice of conveying concrete is called what?
Ans. – segregation

4. The specifications call for 1:2:4 concrete mix. In a one bagger mixer, which of the ff. amount of water is
most likely required for the mix?
Ans. - 20 liters

5. A one-lane road, with a pavement width of 3.5 meters and shoulder width of 0.5 meter on each side of
the pavement, was designed to have sub base and base courses with a combined thickness of 300mm. If
the thickness of the sub base is a 125mm, the spreading and compaction of the sub base and base courses
shall be carried out in:
Ans. – 3 layers over the full width of 4.5 m

6. As materials engineer, what is the area of the trial section that you would recommend to check the
suitability of the materials and efficiency of the equipment to be used for item 310 Bituminous Concrete
Surface Course?
Ans. – about 500 sq.m

7. Per program of work, the estimated volume of Item 201 materials is 7500 cu.m. How many grading and
plasticity tests are required based on the DPWH minimum testing requirements?
Ans. – 25 grading and 25 plasticity

8. Bituminous concrete mixes contain asphalt by weight equivalent to what?

Ans. – 5 to 8 %

9. Quality of factory-produced reinforced concrete pipes may be best establishment through what?
Ans. – Test of concrete pipes samples

10. Where do we take additional cores when the measured of any core taken from the pavement is deficient
in thickness by more than 25mm?
Ans. – at no less than 5 meter intervals parallel to the centerline in each direction from the affected
location

11. The results of the Immersion-Compression test conducted on an asphalt mix sample are as follows:
Dry stability = 2,000 Kpa
Wet stability = 1,000 Kpa

What is the resulting Index of Retained strength? Does it meet the specification requirement of Item 301,
Bituminous Concrete Surface Course?
Ans. –
Index of Retained Strength or IRS = Wet stability x 100
Dry stability
= (1,000 Kpa/2,000 Kpa) x 100
IRS = 50%

* No, it does not meet the specification of Item 310 since the specification of IRS is 70% minimum
while the resulting IRS here is only 50%.

12. Quality Control testing in a DPWH project is the responsibility of the_________?

Ans. – Contractor Materials Engineers

13. As materials engineers, when is the right time to start sampling and testing aggregate of the course
materials?
Ans. – Before the course materials be incorporated in the project.

14. The spot test on asphalt is used to determine what?

Ans. – overheating during manufacture

15. Under what climatic condition(s) do we use the lower penetration grade or hard asphalt?
Ans. – hot climate
16. Sampling of the freshly mixed concrete should be taken on the ______ batch discharge of the transit
mixer?
Ans. - middle

17. Soft and unstable soils were encountered during the course of sub-grade preparation. If you were the
materials engineer assigned to the project, what is the most effective and cheaper method that you would
recommend to stabilize the soil prior to the construction of the subbase course?
Ans. - geotextiles

18. How many times per layer should a concrete specimen molded in a 6”x6”x12” beam mold be rodded?
Ans. – 63 times

19. What is the basis for acceptance or rejection of any construction materials?
Ans. – Materials Test Reports

20. In testing concrete cylinder sample the load applied should be continuous without shock at a constant
rate within the range of _______ per second.
Ans. - 0.14 to 0.34 Mpa per second or 20 to 50 psi per second.

21. During the application of the first half of the anticipated load a loading shall be permitted.
Ans. – higher rate

22. Initial rolling in bituminous mixes shall be performed with a ___________ roller.
Ans. – Pneumatic-Tire roller

23. Final rolling in bituminous mixes shall be performed with a ____________ roller.
Ans.- 3-wheel or tandem type steel wheel roller

24. Rolling of Bituminous mix shall be discontinued whenever it begins to produce excessive __________or
__________.
Ans.- pulverizing of the aggregate or displacement of the mixture

25. Final rolling shall be continued until roller marks are eliminated and a minimum _________ mass percent
of the density of the laboratory compacted a specimen prepared in accordance with AASHTO T160 has
been obtained.
Ans. – 95 mass percent

26. Sample from compacted bituminous mix shall be neatly cut by a saw or core drill. Each sample shall be at
least ___________.
Ans. – 150mm x 150mm x 100mm diameter full depth

27. For surface Tolerances the surface (bituminous mix) will be checked by the used of a __________ at sites
selected by the engineer.
Ans. 3-m straight edge

28. If the volume of coarse aggregate intended in your project in 85 cu.m., how many grading test will you
perform?
Ans. - 1 grading test

29. What is the most common method adapted by DPWH in the determination of density of the soil in place?
Ans. – sand cone method

30. What is the minimum sample for moisture content determination if the maximum size of particles is
50mm (2 inches)?
Ans. – 1000 grams

31. What is the minimum mass of field sample for a maximum size of fine aggregates at 4.75mm (no.4)?
Ans. – 20 kgs.

32. What is minimum mass of field samples for coarse aggregate with a maximum nominal size of aggregates
of 50mm (2 inches)?
Ans. – 75 kgs.

33. What is the minimum mass/quality of samples for Portland cement to be tested for quality test in the
laboratory?
Ans. – 10 kgs.

34. What is the minimum mass/quality of samples for asphaltic materials?

Ans. – 5 liters
35. The minimum mass/quantity of samples for asphalt mix?
Ans. – 10 kgs.

36. The submission of any type of samples in the laboratory, what should you accomplished and to be
submitted together with the samples?
Ans. – sample card

37. If the minimum yield strength of a grade 40 steel bars is 40,000 psi, what is the equivalent MN/m2?
Ans. – 276 Mpa

38. If the minimum yield strength of a grade 60 steel bars is 414 Mpa, what is the equivalent in PSI?
Ans. – 60,000 psi

39. How many samples for quality of steel bars grade 40 if there are 15,500 kgs. of steel bars all 25mm 0 at
site?
Ans. – 2 samples @ 1 meter long

40. What is the minimum mass of yield samples for coarse aggregates with a maximum nominal size of
aggregate of 75mm (3inches)?
Ans. – 100 kgs.

41. What is the minimum mass of coarse aggregates retained on the 200mm sieve shall be set aside for sieve
analysis for 50mm (2 inches) particle size?
Ans. – 2 kgs.

42. What is the minimum average strength requirement for non-load bearing concrete hollow blocks?
Ans. – 4.14 Mpa.

43. What is the minimum average strength requirement for a load bearing concrete hollow blocks?
Ans. – 6.9 Mpa.

44. What is the average deficient thickness per lot of cores specimen where no payment is recommended on
the project?
Ans. – more than 25 mm

45. What is the maximum average deficient thickness per lot of cores specimen where 100% payment is
recommended?
Ans, - 5 mm maximum

46. Concrete in the area represented by the cores will be consider adequate if the average strength of the
cores is equal to at least ________ of the specified strength, f’c and no single core is less than 75% of f’c.
Ans. – 85% f’c

47. The weighted loss of fine aggregates subjected to 5 cycles of the sodium sulfate soundness test should not
exceed.
Ans. – 10 mass %

48. The recommended type of Portland cement to be used in concreting unless otherwise provided for in the
special provision:
Ans. – type 1

49. Portland cement maybe/shall be rejected if:

Ans. - it has partially set
- it contains lumps of cake cement
- it comes from a discarded or used bag

50. Fine aggregates shall be rejected when if fails in the ________ for organic impurities.
Ans. – colormatic test

51. Fine aggregates used for PCCP shall not contain more than ________ of materials passing the 0.075 mm
(no. 200 sieve) by washing.
Ans. – 3 mass percent

52. The coarse aggregate used for PCCP shall not contain more than ________ of materials passing the 0.075
mm (no. 200 sieve) by washing.
Ans. – 1 mass percent

53. The mass percent of wear or abrasion loss of coarse aggregate used for when by AASHTO T-96 should not
exceed.
Ans. – 50%
54. The weighted loss of coarse aggregate when subjected to five (5) cycle of the sodium sulfate soundness
test should not exceed.
Ans. – 12 mass percent

55. The used dowel bars used in PCCP is

Ans. – plain round bar

56. A department Order series of 1997 give supplement guidelines on the conduct of Project assessment by
the Quality assurance units Regional Office (QAU-RO)
Ans. D.O. #52
57. A Department Order series of 1997, Revised DPWH Standard specification for Elastomeric bearing pads
for bridge superstructures.
Ans. – D.O. #20

58. What is the maximum compressive strength of 150 mm x 300 mm concrete cylinder specimen at 28 days
for class B concrete?
Ans. – 5000 Psi (37.7 Mpa)

59. What is the maximum compressive strength of 150 mm x 300 mm concrete cylinder specimen at 28 days
for class C concrete?
Ans. – 3000 Psi (20.7 Mpa)

60. The weep holes shall be placed at the lowest points where free outlets for water can be obtained and
shall be spread not more than:
Ans. – 2 meters center to center

61. One of the most common method used in compaction test/moisture density relation test of soil is:
Ans. – AASHTO T-180

62. Which of the ff. common method used in compaction test/moisture density relation test of soil adopted
by DPWH:
Ans. – AASHTO T-99 and AASHTO T-180

63. If you are to use AASHTO T-99 method (standard proctor test) in compaction test, what is the weight of
rammer to be used?
Ans. – 2.5 kgs. (5.5 lbs.)

64. Using the standard proctor test or AASHTO T-99, what is the height of drop to a free fall above the
elevation of the soil and uniformly distributes such drops to the soil surface?
Ans. – 305 mm (12”)

65. Using the standard Proctor test or AASHTO T-99 or moisture density relation test, what is the
recommended no. of blows per layer?
Ans. – 25 blows

66. Using the modified Proctor test (AASHTO T-180) method for moisture density relation test of soil, what is
the recommended no. of blows per layer?
Ans. – 56 blows

67. Using again the modified Proctor test (AASHTO T-180) method for moisture density relation test of soil,
what is the height of drop to a free fall above the elevation of the soil and uniformly distributes such
drops to the soil surface?
Ans. - 457 mm (18”)

68. What is the capacity or the computed volume of mold using 6” (152 mm) mold for both AASHTO T-99 &
AASHTO T-180 method?
Ans. – 0.002124 m3

69. What are the data’s needed in moisture density relation test of soil 2 most common method?
Ans. – maximum dry density (MDD)
- optimum moisture content (OMC)

70. The prime coat shall be left undisturbed for a period of at least ________ hrs. and shall not be opened to
traffic until it has penetrated and cured sufficiently so that it will not be picked up by the wheels for
passing vehicles.
Ans. - 24 hrs.

71. Concrete vibrators shall operate at maximum spacing of ________.

Ans. – 60 cm
72. Stockpiles of concrete aggregates shall be built-up in layers of not more than in thickness.
Ans. – one (1) meter

73. All washed aggregates shall be stockpiled or binned for draining at least ________ hrs. before being
batched.
Ans. – 12 hrs.

74. Concrete not in place within ________ from the time the ingredients where charged into the mixing drum
or that has developed initial set shall not be used.
Ans. – 90 minutes

75. Shall not be painted or coated with asphalt or other materials or enclosed in tubes or sleeves.
Ans. – tie bars

76. Mortar that is not used within ________ after the water has been added shall be discarded.
Ans. – 90 minutes

77. The maximum tensile strength of the wire mesh for gabions shall be
Ans. – 586.1 Mpa

78. A wire mesh made of galvanized steel used as a protection works.

Ans. – gabions

79. Minimum diameter of gabions per standard specification requirements

Ans. – 2.70 mm

80. Determines the hardness and stability of the compacted asphalt pavement
Ans. – core test

81. Sampling of PCCP/asphalt core specimens shall be taken from the pavement using:
Ans. – core drill

82. Size of asphalt core specimen for thickness and density determination:
Ans. – at least 150 mm x 150 mm
- 100 mm diameter full depth

83. The diameter of asphalt core specimens shall be at least equal to:
Ans. – one and one half times the maximum size of aggregates

84. The thickness of asphalt core specimens shall be at least equal to:
Ans. – two (2) times the maximum size of aggregates

85. Obtaining asphalt core specimens for each full days operation shall be:
Ans. – at least one but not more than three (3) core samples

86. Determining the thickness of asphalt core specimens is by:

Ans. – averaging the four sides of the core samples

87. Bituminous mixture will be measured by:

Ans. – tons

88. The average of ________ measures are made on the asphalt core specimens in determining the thickness.
Ans. – 4
89. In bituminous mixture, ________ will not be permitted as a method of measurement.
Ans. – batch weights

90. A core shall be taken for every ________ if no core was taken at the end of each day’s operation.
Ans. – 100 Lm per lane

91. The average of four (4) measurements on the asphalt core specimen is to determine the
Ans. – thickness

92. The computation for the quantity of bituminous mixture area the ff.
Given:
Paving length represented, m = 120
Thickness, cm = 5.0
Width, m = 3.05
Total length of pavement, m = 380
Density, gm/cm3 = 2.221
 Ans. – 40.64 tons

93. Main constituents of asphalt which is found in nature or as a residue in petroleum refining.
Ans. – bitumen

94. Asphalt is a dark ________ cementations material, solid or semi-solid consistency

Ans. – brown to black

95. Sampling bituminous mixes is one (1) sample every:

Ans. – 75 cu.m. or 130 m.t.

96. Sampling of asphalt is one (1) sample for every:

Ans. – 200 drums or 40 m.t.

97. Sampling of solid asphalt is one (1) sample for every:

Ans. – 10 lbs.

98. Representative quantity of one sample in sampling liquid asphalt is ________ sample for every:
Ans. – 1 quart to 1 gallon

99. During the breakdown rolling of asphalt mix, it is carried out by:
Ans. – pneumatic roller

100. In rolling asphalt mix, what phase of rolling is to remove the marks by the other roller?
Ans. – final rolling