___________________________________________________________________
Georgia Heavy Highway Contractor
Examination Advanced Practice Exam
2026 | 100 Questions & Answers with
Detailed Rationales | Complete Exam
Prep & Study Guide
1.
A highway contractor is reviewing a set of plans before bidding. The roadway
cross-sections indicate a proposed subgrade elevation that conflicts with the
profile grade shown on the plan and profile sheets. What should the contractor
do before submitting the bid?
A. Use the cross-section elevations because they govern all earthwork quantities
B. Use the profile grade because it always controls
C. Request clarification through the established bidding/RFI procedure before
pricing the affected work
D. Average the conflicting elevations
Answer: Request clarification through the established bidding/RFI procedure
before pricing the affected work
Rationale: Conflicting contract documents should not be resolved by an
unsupported assumption when the discrepancy can materially affect quantities,
grades, or cost. The contractor should follow the contract’s clarification
procedure and document the discrepancy.
,2.
A highway project requires 48,000 cubic yards of compacted embankment. The
specified material has a shrinkage factor of 0.90 from bank volume to compacted
volume. Approximately how much bank material should be planned for, before
accounting for waste or unsuitable material?
A. 43,200 CY
B. 48,000 CY
C. 53,333 CY
D. 57,600 CY
Answer: 53,333 CY
Rationale: If compacted volume equals 90% of bank volume, required bank
volume is 48,000 ÷ 0.90 = approximately 53,333 CY.
3.
During roadway excavation, the contractor encounters saturated soil that cannot
achieve the specified density despite repeated compaction attempts. What is the
most appropriate first response?
A. Increase roller passes indefinitely
B. Add water until the soil becomes workable
C. Notify the appropriate project representative and evaluate undercutting,
drying, stabilization, or replacement as directed
D. Place aggregate directly over the wet soil without documentation
Answer: Notify the appropriate project representative and evaluate
undercutting, drying, stabilization, or replacement as directed
Rationale: Excess moisture may make a soil unsuitable for compaction. Simply
increasing roller passes may worsen pumping and disturbance. The corrective
method should be based on soil conditions, specifications, and authorized
direction.
4.
,A contractor is calculating the production rate of a motor grader. Which
combination most directly affects its theoretical grading production?
A. Paint color, tire brand, and fuel type
B. Blade width, operating speed, efficiency, and number of passes
C. Project office size and crew payroll frequency
D. Truck axle configuration only
Answer: Blade width, operating speed, efficiency, and number of passes
Rationale: Grader production depends on the effective blade width, travel
speed, operating efficiency, and the number and type of passes needed to
achieve the required grade and finish.
5.
A contractor has a 12-hour workday and an excavator with an estimated
theoretical production of 220 bank cubic yards per hour. If the expected
operating efficiency is 70%, what is the approximate practical daily production?
A. 1,848 BCY
B. 1,848?
C. 2,640 BCY
D. 3,696 BCY
Answer: 1,848 BCY
Rationale: The calculation is 220 × 12 × 0.70 = 1,848 bank cubic yards. Practical
production must account for delays, repositioning, loading conditions, operator
efficiency, and other lost time.
6.
A project specification requires asphalt pavement to be placed at a particular
temperature range. The mix arrives at the project below the minimum allowable
placement temperature. What is the best course of action?
, A. Place it immediately and increase roller passes
B. Mix it with colder material
C. Follow the specification requirements and obtain disposition before placing
nonconforming material
D. Add diesel fuel to restore workability
Answer: Follow the specification requirements and obtain disposition before
placing nonconforming material
Rationale: Asphalt temperature affects workability, compaction, density, and
ultimately pavement performance. Material outside specified limits should not
simply be placed without authorization.
7.
A contractor is estimating trucking requirements for a borrow operation. Trucks
can legally carry 20 tons per load, and the project requires 1,600 tons of material
per day. Ignoring delays, how many full truckloads are required?
A. 60
B. 70
C. 80
D. 100
Answer: 80
Rationale: 1,600 tons ÷ 20 tons per load = 80 truckloads. Actual fleet
requirements may be greater because of cycle time, loading, hauling distance,
dumping, return travel, and delays.
8.
Which soil characteristic is generally most important when determining whether a
soil can function effectively as a compacted roadway subgrade?
A. Color alone
B. Organic appearance alone
C. Moisture-density relationship and engineering properties appropriate to the
Georgia Heavy Highway Contractor
Examination Advanced Practice Exam
2026 | 100 Questions & Answers with
Detailed Rationales | Complete Exam
Prep & Study Guide
1.
A highway contractor is reviewing a set of plans before bidding. The roadway
cross-sections indicate a proposed subgrade elevation that conflicts with the
profile grade shown on the plan and profile sheets. What should the contractor
do before submitting the bid?
A. Use the cross-section elevations because they govern all earthwork quantities
B. Use the profile grade because it always controls
C. Request clarification through the established bidding/RFI procedure before
pricing the affected work
D. Average the conflicting elevations
Answer: Request clarification through the established bidding/RFI procedure
before pricing the affected work
Rationale: Conflicting contract documents should not be resolved by an
unsupported assumption when the discrepancy can materially affect quantities,
grades, or cost. The contractor should follow the contract’s clarification
procedure and document the discrepancy.
,2.
A highway project requires 48,000 cubic yards of compacted embankment. The
specified material has a shrinkage factor of 0.90 from bank volume to compacted
volume. Approximately how much bank material should be planned for, before
accounting for waste or unsuitable material?
A. 43,200 CY
B. 48,000 CY
C. 53,333 CY
D. 57,600 CY
Answer: 53,333 CY
Rationale: If compacted volume equals 90% of bank volume, required bank
volume is 48,000 ÷ 0.90 = approximately 53,333 CY.
3.
During roadway excavation, the contractor encounters saturated soil that cannot
achieve the specified density despite repeated compaction attempts. What is the
most appropriate first response?
A. Increase roller passes indefinitely
B. Add water until the soil becomes workable
C. Notify the appropriate project representative and evaluate undercutting,
drying, stabilization, or replacement as directed
D. Place aggregate directly over the wet soil without documentation
Answer: Notify the appropriate project representative and evaluate
undercutting, drying, stabilization, or replacement as directed
Rationale: Excess moisture may make a soil unsuitable for compaction. Simply
increasing roller passes may worsen pumping and disturbance. The corrective
method should be based on soil conditions, specifications, and authorized
direction.
4.
,A contractor is calculating the production rate of a motor grader. Which
combination most directly affects its theoretical grading production?
A. Paint color, tire brand, and fuel type
B. Blade width, operating speed, efficiency, and number of passes
C. Project office size and crew payroll frequency
D. Truck axle configuration only
Answer: Blade width, operating speed, efficiency, and number of passes
Rationale: Grader production depends on the effective blade width, travel
speed, operating efficiency, and the number and type of passes needed to
achieve the required grade and finish.
5.
A contractor has a 12-hour workday and an excavator with an estimated
theoretical production of 220 bank cubic yards per hour. If the expected
operating efficiency is 70%, what is the approximate practical daily production?
A. 1,848 BCY
B. 1,848?
C. 2,640 BCY
D. 3,696 BCY
Answer: 1,848 BCY
Rationale: The calculation is 220 × 12 × 0.70 = 1,848 bank cubic yards. Practical
production must account for delays, repositioning, loading conditions, operator
efficiency, and other lost time.
6.
A project specification requires asphalt pavement to be placed at a particular
temperature range. The mix arrives at the project below the minimum allowable
placement temperature. What is the best course of action?
, A. Place it immediately and increase roller passes
B. Mix it with colder material
C. Follow the specification requirements and obtain disposition before placing
nonconforming material
D. Add diesel fuel to restore workability
Answer: Follow the specification requirements and obtain disposition before
placing nonconforming material
Rationale: Asphalt temperature affects workability, compaction, density, and
ultimately pavement performance. Material outside specified limits should not
simply be placed without authorization.
7.
A contractor is estimating trucking requirements for a borrow operation. Trucks
can legally carry 20 tons per load, and the project requires 1,600 tons of material
per day. Ignoring delays, how many full truckloads are required?
A. 60
B. 70
C. 80
D. 100
Answer: 80
Rationale: 1,600 tons ÷ 20 tons per load = 80 truckloads. Actual fleet
requirements may be greater because of cycle time, loading, hauling distance,
dumping, return travel, and delays.
8.
Which soil characteristic is generally most important when determining whether a
soil can function effectively as a compacted roadway subgrade?
A. Color alone
B. Organic appearance alone
C. Moisture-density relationship and engineering properties appropriate to the
