1.

What is the sample for compressive

strength determination of a structural 10. What kind of sample is taken for
concrete? flexural test?
Ans: Ans:
concrete cylinder sample Concrete beam sample

2. What is the test to determine the 11. What are the tests needed for the
consistency of concrete? 2.650 cu.m Item 201 (Aggregate
Ans: Base Course)?
Slump test Ans:
CBR, abrasion, GPCD
3. What is the length required for RSB
sample for quality test? 12. How many grading tests are required
Ans: for a 3,200 cu.m selected borrow
1.0 m/10,000 kg/size/shipment topping (Item 104)?
Ans:
4. How many samples should be taken 3 grading tests
for every 75 cu.m fresh concrete?
Ans: 13. As a materials Engineer, what will
1 set consist of 3-pcs sample you recommend if you find out that
the materials to be used as Item 200
5. What is the required size of test if finer than the required materials?
specimen for G.I. sheets? Ans:
Ans: blend Item 200 with coarser
3 pcs-60 mm in 1 sht/100 materials
sheets
14. What is the standard specification for
6. What kind of paint that has a LL and PI of Item 201?
reflectance or beads? Ans:
Ans: maximum of 25% and maximum of
Reflectorized Paint 6% respectively

7. For how long or how many hours 15. What is the CBR requirement for
shall a bituminous prime coat be left Item 201?
undisturbed? Ans:
Ans: 80% maximum
24 hours
16. What is that construction material
8. What is the rate of application of that has a property of being a dark
bituminous tack coat? brown to black cementitious material
Ans: in which the predominating
0.2 to 0.7 L/sq.m substance is bitumen?
Ans:
9. What is the penetration grade of asphalt
blown asphalt?
0 to 30 penetration grade
17. What asphalt is used for sealing 26. For how many bags of cement does a
weaken plane joint of concrete 10 kgs. sample represents?
pavement? Ans:
Blown Asphalt 2000 bags

18. What is Item 311 of the DPWH 27. For 15, 000 kgs RSB, how many
Specification (Blue Book)? samples shall be submitted for
Portland cement Concrete Quality Test?
Pavement Ans:
2 pcs – 1 m sample
19. What is the machine used for
abrasion test? 28. In oven drying a sample for test,
Los Angeles Abrasion what temperature shall be
Machine maintained?
Ans:
20. How to determine the degree of 110 ± 5oC
compaction of Items 104, 200, &
201? 29. Why is it that cooling an oven dried
by Field Density Test sample before weighing is advisable?
Ans:
21. What is the formula in obtaining the because it can affect its
value of PI? weight
Liquid Limit minus Plastic Limit
30. What is the use of blown asphalt?
22. What are the other terms for sieve Ans:
analysis? as joint filler and water
Grading Test, Particle Size proofing
Distribution Test, Mechanical
Analysis 31. What is the difference between
hygroscopic moisture content from
23. What is the degree of compaction of natural moisture content?
the soil if the wet density is 2,200 Ans:
kg/m3, with an actual moisture hygroscopic moisture
content of 10.2% and a maximum content is the moisture content of
dry density of 1,960 kg/m3? an air- dried sample while natural
101.23% moisture content is the moisture
content of the original sample from
24. How many concrete cores shall be the field.
taken for one (1) kilometer concrete
pavement? 32. As a Materials Engineer, how can
5 holes/km/lane you determine that the sample placed
in the oven is already oven – dried?
25. If the group index of a soil is high, Ans:
what indication does it mean? if the sample reaches its
the soil is clayey constant weight
33. An admixture is being introduced to
the fresh concrete mixture for
heavily reinforced concrete structure
using a pumpcrete to pump out the
fresh concrete mix, what admixture
should it be?
Ans:
Superplasticizer
34. What is the moisture content of the
soil having an original weight of
162.5 grams and an oven – dried
weight of 138.2 grams?
Ans:
17.58%
35. What asphalt is commonly known as
hot asphalt or penetration grade
asphalt?
Asphalt Cement
36. How many days does the sample for
Immersion – Compression Test be
soaked in water?
4 days @ 50 oC
37. If ductility test is for asphalt, _____
is for cement?
Magnesium Oxide, Insoluble
Residue, Loss on Ignition
38. Paint is composed of _____
35% vehicle, 50% pigment, 15%
beads
39. What is the size of tamping rod used
in tamping concrete sample?
16 mm Ø and 610 mm long with
hemispherical tip
40. What is the temperature to be
maintained when curing sample after
its initial curing?
Ans:
23o C ± 1.7o C
41. Concrete cylinders are cured and
ready for test. Temperature between
63°F to 85°F are permitted for a
period not to exceed _____ hours
immediately prior to test if free
moisture is maintained on the surface
of the specimen at all times.
Ans:
three (3)
42. The molds of specimen not to be
transported shall be removed after
initial curing of _____ hours and
should be cured to the standard
curing temperature of 73.4 °F ± 3°F
Twenty-four (24)
43. High plasticity index means _____
of a soil?
high degree of
compressibility
44. Sample to be used for liquid limit
and plastic limit tests should pass to
what sieve?
No. 40 (0.425 mm)
45. What compaction rammer shall used
if the specs given for Moisture –
Density Relation Test (MDR) is T –
180?
4.54 kg with 457 mm drop
46. A bean mold measuring 6” x 6” x 20
is to be used for sampling concrete,
how many blows/tamps per layer
shall be applied?
60 blows/layer
47. If asphalt mix having a weight of
3,020g and an aggregate weighing
2,865.98g, what is the % asphalt by
weight of mix?
Ans: 5.10%
48. What is the material used for
Bituminous Prime Coat?
Ans:
Cut-back asphalt
49. In Item 303, application of cover
aggregates shall be evenly spread
over the surface at the rate of
approximately _____?
Ans:
0.004 to 0.007 m3/m2
50. Applying the tolerance of 0.4% for
asphalt content to your answer in
prob. 47, what is the acceptable
range of asphalt content?
Ans:
4.7% to 5.5%
51. An embankment having a PI of 30%,
LL of 40% and GI of 0, what is the
degree of compaction for this kind of
soil?
95% degree of compaction
52. The minimum cement factor for
concrete Class “A” is 9 bags/ cu.m,
how about for concrete Class “B”?
Ans: 8 bags/ cu.m
53. Quality control testing in a DPWH
project is the responsibility of
the_____?
Ans: Contractor
54. As Materials Engineer, when is the
right time to start sampling and
testing aggregates?
Once the source is identified
55. The minimum compressive strength
for concrete Class “P” is 5,000 psi,
what is the minimum compressive
strength for concrete Class “C”?
3000 psi
56. The volume of concrete mixer per
batch shall not exceed the mixer’s
nominal capacity in cu.m as shown
on the manufacturer’s standard plate
on the mixer, except that an overload
up to _____ percent above the
mixer’s nominal capacity may be
permitted provided concrete test data
for strength, segregation, and
uniform consistency are satisfactory,
and provided that no spillage of
concrete takes place.
Ans: Ten (10)
57. Where do we take additional cores
when the measurement of any core
taken from pavement is deficient in
thickness by more than 25 mm?
Ans: at no less than 5 meter
intervals parallel to the centerline in
each direction from the affected
location
58. Under what climatic condition do we
use lower penetration grade or hard
asphalt?
Ans: hot climate (cold climate –
higher penetration grade or soft
asphalt)
59. What is the basis for the acceptance
or rejection of any construction
material?
Ans: Materials test results/reports
60. Penetration test is for asphalt:
cement is to _____?
Ans: consistency
61. Slump test is a very important test in
fresh concrete to determine _____?
Ans: consistency of
concrete
62. How many samples should be taken
for an asphalt mix for each full day’s
operation?
at least one but not to exceed
three samples
63. The thickness of asphalt core using a
caliper is based on how many
measurements?
Ans: four (4)
64. The thickness of concrete core using
a caliper is based on how many
measurements?
Ans: nine (9)
65. Failed samples do not necessarily
mean that the structure it represents
is defective, why?
may be the sampling is incorrect
66. The specification calls for a 1: 2:4
concrete mix. In a one bagger mixer,
which of the following amount of
water is most likely required for the
mix?
Ans: 20 liters
67. How many samples shall be
submitted for test if 315 pails of flat
wall enamel paint are to be used in
the project?
Ans: four (4) pails
68. The spot test on asphalt is used to
determine ______.
Ans: overheating during the
process of manufacture
69. Aggregate Sub – base course has a
volume of 5, 000 cu.m and to be laid
in a 15cm compacted depth. How
many samples shall be submitted for
CBR test and for sieve analysis?
Ans: 2 samples for CBR and 17
samples for sieve analysis
70. How many samples shall be
submitted for quality test if 60 tons
of Bituminous Prime Coat is to be
used in the project?
Ans: Two (2) samples
71. How many compaction tests shall be
conducted for Item 201 having a
volume of 8,250 cu.m?
Ans: Six (6) compaction tests
72. What composed of Materials Quality
Control Monthly Reports?
Ans: Summary of field tests and
status of test
73. What is the required mixing of
mortar for Item 505 (Stone
Masonry)?
Ans: 1 part cement and 2 parts sand
by volume with sufficient water
74. What is the required mixing of
mortar for Item 500 (Pipe Culverts
and Storm Drains)?
Ans: 1 part cement and 2 parts sand
by volume with sufficient water
75. Before the project starts, the
materials Engineer or the technician
must have a program on how many
samples for each item of work
should be tested based on the
minimum testing requirements. What
program or report is this?
Ans: Quality Control Program
76. If sample splitter is not available for
use in reducing samples for test,
what is the alternative way of
reducing sample for testing size?
Ans: apply quartering method and
get two opposite sides as sample
77. The road will not be opened to traffic
until test specimens molded and
cured have attained the minimum
strength requirements. If such tests
are not conducted prior to the
specified age the pavement shall not
be operated to traffic until _____
days after the concrete was placed.
Ans: Fourteen (14)
78. As the work progresses, the
Materials Engineer should know how
many sample has been submitted and
tested and how many samples are to
be submitted, in other words the ME
must refer to what report so that
he/she may be updated on the
balance and on file quality test of the
construction materials being used in
the project?
Ans: Status of Test
79. It is the minimum moisture content
at which the soil can be molded
without breaking or crumbling up to
1/8” (3.2 mm).
Ans: Plastic Limit
80. The _____ is expressed as the
moisture content corresponding to 25
blows.
Ans: Liquid Limit
81. The concrete has been tested for
consistency by the use of a slump
cone with base and tamping rod.
After the test, the height of concrete
measured is 178 mm. what is the
slump of the concrete?
Ans: 127 mm
82. What is the rate of revolution per
minute of an abrasion Machine used
for testing the mass percent of wear?
Ans: 30 – 33 rpm
83. If the design of concrete mix has the
following corrected batch weights:
cement = 40 kgs, fine aggregates =
65 kgs, coarse aggregate = 115 kgs,
and water = 15 liters. What is your
actual batch weights for 1 cu.m Class
“A” concrete?
Ans: 360 bags of cement; 585 kgs
of fine aggregates; 1035 kgs coarse
aggregates; 130 liters water
84. After the soil has been tested in an
Abrasion Machine, the mass % of
wear computed is equal to 21%. If
this material is for Item 201, does it
pass the DPWH specs?
Ans: Yes, because the specs is 50%
maximum
85. Quality Control Assurance Report
should be submitted every _____?
Ans: week
86. One of the duties of Materials
Engineer is to see to it that all the
construction materials be tested:
before it is incorporated into work
87. What is the maximum depth or
roadway embankment per horizontal
layer in loose measurement?
Ans: 200 mm loose measurement
88. Why is it that 6 samples are needed
for quality test of concrete masonry?
Ans: 3 samples for compressive
strength and 3 samples for
absorption
89. Along the slope of high embankment
_____ is provided as an erosion
control measures and also to improve
the stability of the slope.
Answer: Berm
90. If course aggregate like embankment
is to be placed in layers, how many
layers should a 40 cm thick
Aggregate Base Course is placed?
Ans: Three (3)
91. How long does a vibrator be inserted
in a concrete mix?
Answer: not to exceed 15 seconds at
50 – 60 cm interval
92. Sample submitted for test should
have a tag bearing the name of the
project, the quantity represented,
kind of sample, original source, who
sampled and who submitted it, the
date sampled and date submitted and
etc. What is the common name of
that tag for you as Materials
Engineer?
Ans: Sample Card
93. The ME should always be alert of his
schedule with regards to the number
of days of a quality test that takes
place. Since not all construction
materials can be tested just for a day
or even a week so, what is the lead
time should he consider for a quality
test of a cement sample?
Ans: One (1) month
94. CBR Sample for test has been
compacted but it should be soaked
for how many days before testing?
Ans: Four (4)
95. If sieve analysis and plasticity test
are used for Soil Classification, what
test that its result be used in field
density test?
Ans: Compaction Test or Moisture
Density Relation Test
96. Heavy rains occur the night before
prior to your scheduled field density
test, are you going to pursue your
schedule? Why?
Ans: No, because the moisture
content is high and can affect the
result
97. Checking the gradation of composite
aggregates and asphalt content of
asphalt mix can be done by what
test?
Ans: Extraction Test
98. In soil and sub – surface explorations
for flood control design of
foundation condition, a soil sample
was taken for field and laboratory
tests. The test required for soil was
taken, except
Ans: specific gravity, abrasion,
water content, Atterberg Limits,
gradation, compaction, relative
density
99. Structure crossing above such
covered underground drainage
conduit shall be laid at least _____
above the top of the conduit.
Ans: 1.0 m, 0.5 m, 1.5 m, 2.0 m
100. Class of stones for riprap ranging
from 30 kgs to a maximum of 70 kgs
with at least 50% of the stones
weighing more than 50 kgs.
Ans: Class B