NICET Soils Level 1 – Actual Exam 2025/2026
QUESTIONS WITH SOLVED ANSWERS .
After a sample is obtained what shall not be done unless required for testing purposes?
D75 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Further crushing or manual reduction
Define C117 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The determination of the amount of material
finer than a 75-um (No.200) sieve
Define oversized fractions...D698 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The portion of a sample
that does not pass through the required sieve in D698
Define Standard Effort....D698 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅12,400 ft-Ibf/ft3 compactive
effort applied by equipment in D698
Define Standard Optimum Water Content....D698 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The
molding water content at which soil can be compacted to the maximum dry unit weight
using standard compactive effort
Describe the base plate of a sand cone. D1556 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅may be
round or square,fall on the bottom, have sufficient thickness to be rigid and will be a
minimum of 3" larger than the funnel
for purposes of comparing measured or calculated values, what shall the value be
rounded to? D698 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The nearest decimal or significant digit
How accurate shall balances be fo fine aggregate? C136 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅readable to the nearest .1 Gram or .1%
How accurate shall balances be for course aggregate or mixtures? C136 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅readable to the nearest .5 gram or nearest .1%
How long do you sieve material? C136 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅so that not more
than 1% of material retained on any sieve will pass during 1 minute of hand sieving
how many lifts and blows should a 4" mold be compacted on standard proctor? D698 -
CORRECT ANSWER✅✅3 lifts, 25 blows each
how many lifts and blows should a 6" mold be compacted in standard proctor? D698 -
CORRECT ANSWER✅✅3 lifts, 56 blows each
, How might a sample be reduced to testing size before a wash? D1140 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅quartering, use of a splitter, an entire jar sample, or cut a section from a
tube and quarter length wise
If a hose is used for a wash, what should be prevented? D1140 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Splashing of material over the sides or water accumulation on the 75-UM
screen
If it is necessary to indicate the degree of variation in a stockpile, what shall be done?
D75 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Separate samples shall be drawn from separate areas
of the pile
If used, how much wetting agent should be used in procedure B? C117 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Enough to produce a small amount of suds when the sample was
agitated
Laboratory compaction tests provide...D698 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅determination
of the percent compaction and molding water needed to achieve engineering
requirements
Report the amount retained by wash by....?(C117) - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅<10%-
report to the .1%
>10%-report to the nearest whole number
Sand cone method is not suitable for what? D1556 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Organic,
saturated, highly plastic soils, granular material or soils containing appreciable amount
of material larger than 1.5"
Soil placed as engineering fill is compacted to obtain what? D698 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Sheer strength, compressibility or permeability
Success in executing the compaction controls of earth works is highly dependant on
what? D698 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The quality and experience of the contractor
and inspector
The investigation of potential sample material should be performed by....? D75 -
CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A responsible, trained and experienced person
The procedures in D698 are considered...? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅industry
standard
What are the requirements for the soil to make use of sand cones? D1556 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅It must have sufficient cohesion to maintain stable sides and be firm
enough to withstand minor pressures exerted in digging the hole without deforming
QUESTIONS WITH SOLVED ANSWERS .
After a sample is obtained what shall not be done unless required for testing purposes?
D75 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Further crushing or manual reduction
Define C117 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The determination of the amount of material
finer than a 75-um (No.200) sieve
Define oversized fractions...D698 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The portion of a sample
that does not pass through the required sieve in D698
Define Standard Effort....D698 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅12,400 ft-Ibf/ft3 compactive
effort applied by equipment in D698
Define Standard Optimum Water Content....D698 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The
molding water content at which soil can be compacted to the maximum dry unit weight
using standard compactive effort
Describe the base plate of a sand cone. D1556 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅may be
round or square,fall on the bottom, have sufficient thickness to be rigid and will be a
minimum of 3" larger than the funnel
for purposes of comparing measured or calculated values, what shall the value be
rounded to? D698 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The nearest decimal or significant digit
How accurate shall balances be fo fine aggregate? C136 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅readable to the nearest .1 Gram or .1%
How accurate shall balances be for course aggregate or mixtures? C136 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅readable to the nearest .5 gram or nearest .1%
How long do you sieve material? C136 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅so that not more
than 1% of material retained on any sieve will pass during 1 minute of hand sieving
how many lifts and blows should a 4" mold be compacted on standard proctor? D698 -
CORRECT ANSWER✅✅3 lifts, 25 blows each
how many lifts and blows should a 6" mold be compacted in standard proctor? D698 -
CORRECT ANSWER✅✅3 lifts, 56 blows each
, How might a sample be reduced to testing size before a wash? D1140 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅quartering, use of a splitter, an entire jar sample, or cut a section from a
tube and quarter length wise
If a hose is used for a wash, what should be prevented? D1140 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Splashing of material over the sides or water accumulation on the 75-UM
screen
If it is necessary to indicate the degree of variation in a stockpile, what shall be done?
D75 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Separate samples shall be drawn from separate areas
of the pile
If used, how much wetting agent should be used in procedure B? C117 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Enough to produce a small amount of suds when the sample was
agitated
Laboratory compaction tests provide...D698 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅determination
of the percent compaction and molding water needed to achieve engineering
requirements
Report the amount retained by wash by....?(C117) - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅<10%-
report to the .1%
>10%-report to the nearest whole number
Sand cone method is not suitable for what? D1556 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Organic,
saturated, highly plastic soils, granular material or soils containing appreciable amount
of material larger than 1.5"
Soil placed as engineering fill is compacted to obtain what? D698 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅Sheer strength, compressibility or permeability
Success in executing the compaction controls of earth works is highly dependant on
what? D698 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The quality and experience of the contractor
and inspector
The investigation of potential sample material should be performed by....? D75 -
CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A responsible, trained and experienced person
The procedures in D698 are considered...? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅industry
standard
What are the requirements for the soil to make use of sand cones? D1556 - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅It must have sufficient cohesion to maintain stable sides and be firm
enough to withstand minor pressures exerted in digging the hole without deforming
