ME Relationships and responsibilities PROBLEMS

1. What is quality?
Answer: It is the degree of excellence
2. What is control?
Answer: Is to regulate
3. What is quality control?
Answer: It is conformance to requirements
4. What is assurance?
Answer: it is the degree of certainty
5. What are the two kinds of control activities?
Answer: Inspection and Testing
6. The ME of the contractor is directly under the supervision of the _____?
Answer: Materials Engineer of the DPWH
7. One of the duties of Materials Engineer is to see to it that all the construction materials:
Answer: be tested before it is incorporated into work
8. Quality control testing in a DPWH project is the responsibility of the_____?
Answer: Contractor
9. As Materials Engineer, when is the right time to start sampling and testing aggregates?
Answer: Once the source is identified
10. What is the basis for the acceptance or rejection of any construction material?
Answer: Materials test results/reports.
11. Who has the power to recommend the acceptance or rejection of construction materials for use in the
project based on test results?
Answer: Materials Engineer of the DPWH
12. What composed of Materials Quality Control Monthly Reports (every 25 th of the month)?
Answer: Summary of field tests and status of test
13. 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?
Answer: Quality Control Program
14. 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?
Answer: Status of Test
15. 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?
Answer: One (1) month
16. All records regarding quality control such as accomplishment, daily activities, weather, etc. are
recorded in a _____.
Answer: Materials logbook (D.O. No. 80)
17. Who will approve the job – mix formula?
Answer: DPWH PE and ME
18. CQCA means
Answer: Certificate of Quality Control Assurance (submitted weekly)
19. Quality Control Assurance Report should be submitted every _____?
Answer: week
20. It is prescribed in each project based on estimated quantities and specifies the kind and number of test
of each item of work.
Answer: Minimum Testing Requirements
21. The representative who will witness the testing of materials in an accredited laboratory.
Answer: government representative
22. Which of the following is not the responsibility of the Materials Engineer?
 Answer:
a. sampling of material
b. analysis of test result of material
c. scheduling of delivery of materials
d. design of concrete mix
23. Pertinent document required in submitting samples
Answer: Sample Card
24. Duty or responsibility of an M.E.
Answer: Quality of the construction materials.
25. It is the activity of monitoring planned schedule against actual and by speed task to make-up for the past
or future loss of time.
Answer: Delivery Control
26. If sample splitter is not available for use in reducing samples for test, what is the alternative way of
reducing sample for testing size?
Answer: apply quartering method and get two opposite sides as sample
27. The calibration of the Universal testing machine is conducted _____
Answer: Once a year
28. In the field, how are samples of materials selected?
Answer: Materials are selected at random
29. The entities which are authorized to test materials for use in DPWH projects.
Answer: Any DPWH – Accredited Testing Laboratory (private).
30. In a stockpile, how are samples of aggregates selected?
Answer: Samples are taken from the top, at the middle and lowest portion in the pile.

SOME AASHTO TESTS DESIGNATION / NUMBERS

AASHTO T-11 Sieve Analysis AASHTO T-99 Compaction Test (5.5 lb rammer)
AASHTO T-27 Wash Test / Elutriation AASHTO T-180 Compaction Test (10 lb rammer)
AASHTO T-89 Liquid Limit AASHTO T-191 Field Density Test (Sand-Cone)
AASHTO T-90 Plastic Limit AASHTO T-193 California Bearing Ratio ( CBR )
AASHTO T-91 Plasticity Index
AASHTO T-96 L.A. Abrasion Test

On Aggregates Sampling/ Handling:

1. Right time to start sampling, once the source is identified.

2. Collection of samples at quarry sites is done at random.
3. Collection of samples at stockpile (although not advisable), is at bottom, middle and top of the pile.
4. When mixing three different materials, selection is done from three different lots.
5. When samples are taken at same source is an indication that these materials are to be incorporated in
the project.
6. Sampling is as important as testing of the materials, thus all necessary precautions must be observed.
7. Sampling of undisturbed sample is by a thin walled tube called Shelby Tube.
8. Washed aggregates are kept in a bin for at least 12 hours prior its use.
9. To reduce sample sizes, as a substitute to Mechanical Splitter, the Quarter Method is applied, wherein
two opposite quarters are taken for use.