ICC Soils Certification Test 2023-2024
well-graded, clean gravels; gravel-sand mixes - ANSWER GW
Poorly graded clean gravels; gravel-sand mixes - ANSWER GP
silty gravels; poorly graded gravel-sand mixes - ANSWER GM
Clayey gravels; poorly graded gravel-and-clay mixes - ANSWER GC
well graded clean sands; gravel-sand mixes - ANSWER SW
poorly graded clean sand; sand-gravel mixes - ANSWER SP
Silty sands; poorly graded sand-silt mixes - ANSWER SM
Sand-silt clay mix with plastic fines - ANSWER SM-SC
Clayey sands; poorly graded sand-clay mixes - ANSWER SC
Inorganic silts and clayey silts - ANSWER ML
Mixture of inorganic silt and clay - ANSWER ML-CL
Inorganic clays of low to medium plasticity - ANSWER CL
Organic silts and silt clay, low plasticity - ANSWER OL
inorganic clayey silts, elastic silts - ANSWER MH
Inorganic clays of high plasticity - ANSWER CH
organic clays and silt clays - ANSWER OH
Types of slope stability - ANSWER Drainage
slope reduction or flattening
structural solutions
chemical stabilization
what would stabilize a slope that has been effected by seepage water? how does
this improve slope stability? - ANSWER Sub- drainage, decreases the saturation
of the slope
,when a slope begins at vertical cut what is done to stabilize the slope? - ANSWER
removing the upper portions or head of the slope or landslide is the frequently
employed technic for reducing the driving forces that cause the failure to occur
what are red lights on a site? - ANSWER low bearing capacity
settlement
existing uncontrolled fill
slope stability
dangerous seismic conditions
frost heave
constructabilty- piers or piles
proposed significate cut or fill
groundwater problems
foundation red lights - ANSWER design not in accordance with geotechnical
recommendations
foundation location differs from site investigation location
foundation plans not adequate or complete
low bearing capacity not recognized in footing design
compressible or expansive soil on site not anticipated in design
water seepage not anticipated in design
seismic conditions not documented properly in design or calculations
provisions dealing with frost heave not included
retaining structures or basement walls without adequate drainage
underfloor crawl space not vented or drained
, when should concrete be placed? and what raises red flags in the design? -
ANSWER within 90 minutes of adding water at the concrete plant
excessive water should not be added at the site, no more the 5 gallons per truck
if air temperatures are higher then 90 degrees and the humidity is less then 25
percent , concrete may suffer drying shrinkage cracking
concrete should not be placed if air temperatures are 40 degrees and falling unless
special cold weather measures are placed
foundation grades and drainage must dos - ANSWER surface water must be
directed away from the foundation area and not be permitted to stand within or
adjacent to the work
foundations must have and adequate concrete reveal of 4 to 8 inches before the
top of the soil is encountered
areas around the foundation must slope away to a swale or drainage pipe system
that will drain adequately off site
slopes should have approximately 6- inch fall within 10 feet from building on all
sides for all buildings, including residence
site preparation must dos - ANSWER site must be cleared of top soil, grass,
bushes, trees, old structures, or old pavement
trees and the stumps and the major root systems should all be removed and any
holes left shall me refilled with acceptable soil using controlled compaction.
all material cleared should be removed from site to avoid mixing with new
controlled density fill
site preparation is a good time to do what? - ANSWER see if there is any
unrecorded landfill or dump on the site, in which case operations would have to
cease until this problem is cleared up properly
soil material control - ANSWER atterberg limits and size distribution
types of sampling control and how to obtain - ANSWER large stockpiles of select
material: usually found either at a pit or crusher plant are sampled by a frontend
loader taking a full height bite from four sides then that pile will be shoveled from
four sides deposited on smaller piles
clean aggregate: smaller stockpiles are quartered and combining those quarters
well-graded, clean gravels; gravel-sand mixes - ANSWER GW
Poorly graded clean gravels; gravel-sand mixes - ANSWER GP
silty gravels; poorly graded gravel-sand mixes - ANSWER GM
Clayey gravels; poorly graded gravel-and-clay mixes - ANSWER GC
well graded clean sands; gravel-sand mixes - ANSWER SW
poorly graded clean sand; sand-gravel mixes - ANSWER SP
Silty sands; poorly graded sand-silt mixes - ANSWER SM
Sand-silt clay mix with plastic fines - ANSWER SM-SC
Clayey sands; poorly graded sand-clay mixes - ANSWER SC
Inorganic silts and clayey silts - ANSWER ML
Mixture of inorganic silt and clay - ANSWER ML-CL
Inorganic clays of low to medium plasticity - ANSWER CL
Organic silts and silt clay, low plasticity - ANSWER OL
inorganic clayey silts, elastic silts - ANSWER MH
Inorganic clays of high plasticity - ANSWER CH
organic clays and silt clays - ANSWER OH
Types of slope stability - ANSWER Drainage
slope reduction or flattening
structural solutions
chemical stabilization
what would stabilize a slope that has been effected by seepage water? how does
this improve slope stability? - ANSWER Sub- drainage, decreases the saturation
of the slope
,when a slope begins at vertical cut what is done to stabilize the slope? - ANSWER
removing the upper portions or head of the slope or landslide is the frequently
employed technic for reducing the driving forces that cause the failure to occur
what are red lights on a site? - ANSWER low bearing capacity
settlement
existing uncontrolled fill
slope stability
dangerous seismic conditions
frost heave
constructabilty- piers or piles
proposed significate cut or fill
groundwater problems
foundation red lights - ANSWER design not in accordance with geotechnical
recommendations
foundation location differs from site investigation location
foundation plans not adequate or complete
low bearing capacity not recognized in footing design
compressible or expansive soil on site not anticipated in design
water seepage not anticipated in design
seismic conditions not documented properly in design or calculations
provisions dealing with frost heave not included
retaining structures or basement walls without adequate drainage
underfloor crawl space not vented or drained
, when should concrete be placed? and what raises red flags in the design? -
ANSWER within 90 minutes of adding water at the concrete plant
excessive water should not be added at the site, no more the 5 gallons per truck
if air temperatures are higher then 90 degrees and the humidity is less then 25
percent , concrete may suffer drying shrinkage cracking
concrete should not be placed if air temperatures are 40 degrees and falling unless
special cold weather measures are placed
foundation grades and drainage must dos - ANSWER surface water must be
directed away from the foundation area and not be permitted to stand within or
adjacent to the work
foundations must have and adequate concrete reveal of 4 to 8 inches before the
top of the soil is encountered
areas around the foundation must slope away to a swale or drainage pipe system
that will drain adequately off site
slopes should have approximately 6- inch fall within 10 feet from building on all
sides for all buildings, including residence
site preparation must dos - ANSWER site must be cleared of top soil, grass,
bushes, trees, old structures, or old pavement
trees and the stumps and the major root systems should all be removed and any
holes left shall me refilled with acceptable soil using controlled compaction.
all material cleared should be removed from site to avoid mixing with new
controlled density fill
site preparation is a good time to do what? - ANSWER see if there is any
unrecorded landfill or dump on the site, in which case operations would have to
cease until this problem is cleared up properly
soil material control - ANSWER atterberg limits and size distribution
types of sampling control and how to obtain - ANSWER large stockpiles of select
material: usually found either at a pit or crusher plant are sampled by a frontend
loader taking a full height bite from four sides then that pile will be shoveled from
four sides deposited on smaller piles
clean aggregate: smaller stockpiles are quartered and combining those quarters
