CONCRETE FLATWORK TECH AND FLATWORK
FINISHER (3RD ED.) EXPECTED QUESTIONS WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS
Question 1.
(Ch. 1, #1) It is important that the _______ _______ read and understand project specifications
ANSWER
finishing foreman
Question 2.
(Ch. 1, #2) If the crew can place and finish 100yd^3 (m^3) of concrete per hour, the producer's
rate should be about ____ yd^3(m^3) per hour.
ANSWER
100
Question 3.
(Ch 1, #3) True or False: Concrete is sold by the ton.
ANSWER
False (sold by volume)
Question 4.
(Ch. 1, #4) Delays in discharging concrete trucks can result in the concrete being hard to:
ANSWER
pump, place, and finish
Question 5.
(Ch. 1, #5)
A) Inch/Pound: For a concrete floor slab that
is 6 in. thick, 200ft long, and 100 ft wide you should order ____ yd^3 of concrete, assuming a
10% waste factor.
B) Metric: For a concrete floor slab that is
150 mm thick, 60 m long, and 30 m wide you should order ____ m^3 of concrete, assuming a
10% waste factor.
ANSWER
A) 407.41; B) 297
1
,Question 6.
(Ch. 1, #6) When there is room for two concrete trucks ready to discharge into a pump hopper,
placement is faster because:
ANSWER
as one truck is finishing, the other is ready to unload concrete
Question 7.
(Ch. 1, #7) Concrete from a ready mix truck must be completely discharged within ____ plant.
ANSWER
1.5
Question 8.
(Ch. 1, #8) You can tell when water was added to the concrete truck by looking at the:
ANSWER
batch ticket
Question 9.
(Ch. 1, #9) When concrete for a slab placement will be discharged from the truck chute, truck
arrivals should usually be spaced about:
ANSWER
15 minutes
Question 10.
(Ch. 1, #10) True or False: When finishers get behind because the concrete is setting faster
than expected and the placing crew is also shorthanded, one solution is slowing the concrete
delivery rate to match worker output.
ANSWER
True
Question 11.
(Ch. 1, #11) True or False: In deciding how much concrete to order for a floor placement, you
should calculate the number of cubic yards (cubic meters) needed to fill the forms, then order
two or three cubic yards (cubic meters) less so you don't waste concrete that is not needed.
ANSWER
False (Standard is to order 10% to 15% *more* than measured volume for small orders and 5 to 10%
more than measured volume for large orders to account for subgrade settlement, uneven subgrade,
spillage, and waste.)
2
,Question 12.
(Ch. 1, #12) The question "What finisher or finishers can request the addition of water to the
concrete truck on site?" Should be answered at the _________ __________.
ANSWER
preconstruction conference
Question 13.
with portland cement will set and harden while underwater.
ANSWER
True
Question 14.
(Ch. 2, #2) If a concrete slab on ground won't be exposed to sulfates, the cement used is most
likely to be:
ANSWER
Type I
Question 15.
(Ch. 2, #3) Fly ash may be added to concrete from a fly ash silo at the batch plant or from a silo
containing a _______ cement.
ANSWER
portland
Question 16.
(Ch. 2, #4) Most concrete used in slabs on ground has course aggregate with a maximum size
of:
ANSWER
0.75 to 1.5 in. (19 to 38 mm.)
Question 17.
(Ch. 2, #5) True or False: Sand for concrete used in slabs on ground is easier to finish when it
has close to the largest allowable amount of material passing the No. 50 and No. 100 sieves.
ANSWER
True
3
, Question 18.
(Ch. 2, #6) True or False: Increasing the amount of sand in a concrete usually decreases the
amount of water needed to make the concrete workable.
ANSWER
False (Too many small particles will *increase* the amount of water needed to make the concrete
workable.)
Question 19.
(Ch. 2, #7) All concrete that will be subject to freezing when moist or be exposed to deicing
salts should contain:
ANSWER
an air-entraining agent
Question 20.
(Ch. 2, #8) Strength of normal weight concrete depends mainly on:
crete mixtures are likely to produce floors with poor wear resistance and excessive shrinkage.
ANSWER
water-cement ratio
Question 21.
(Ch. 2, #10) To minimize shrinkage and reduce cracking and curling:
ANSWER
Use as much coarse aggregate as possible, as little mixing water as possible, and use aggregates
with low shrinkage.
Question 22.
(Ch. 2, #11) Changes in concrete slump most often represent changes in the amount of ______
in the mixture.
ANSWER
water
Question 23.
(Ch. 2, #12) Air-entrained concrete is *not* recommended for use in concrete slabs:
ANSWER
finished by repeated steel troweling passes
4
FINISHER (3RD ED.) EXPECTED QUESTIONS WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS
Question 1.
(Ch. 1, #1) It is important that the _______ _______ read and understand project specifications
ANSWER
finishing foreman
Question 2.
(Ch. 1, #2) If the crew can place and finish 100yd^3 (m^3) of concrete per hour, the producer's
rate should be about ____ yd^3(m^3) per hour.
ANSWER
100
Question 3.
(Ch 1, #3) True or False: Concrete is sold by the ton.
ANSWER
False (sold by volume)
Question 4.
(Ch. 1, #4) Delays in discharging concrete trucks can result in the concrete being hard to:
ANSWER
pump, place, and finish
Question 5.
(Ch. 1, #5)
A) Inch/Pound: For a concrete floor slab that
is 6 in. thick, 200ft long, and 100 ft wide you should order ____ yd^3 of concrete, assuming a
10% waste factor.
B) Metric: For a concrete floor slab that is
150 mm thick, 60 m long, and 30 m wide you should order ____ m^3 of concrete, assuming a
10% waste factor.
ANSWER
A) 407.41; B) 297
1
,Question 6.
(Ch. 1, #6) When there is room for two concrete trucks ready to discharge into a pump hopper,
placement is faster because:
ANSWER
as one truck is finishing, the other is ready to unload concrete
Question 7.
(Ch. 1, #7) Concrete from a ready mix truck must be completely discharged within ____ plant.
ANSWER
1.5
Question 8.
(Ch. 1, #8) You can tell when water was added to the concrete truck by looking at the:
ANSWER
batch ticket
Question 9.
(Ch. 1, #9) When concrete for a slab placement will be discharged from the truck chute, truck
arrivals should usually be spaced about:
ANSWER
15 minutes
Question 10.
(Ch. 1, #10) True or False: When finishers get behind because the concrete is setting faster
than expected and the placing crew is also shorthanded, one solution is slowing the concrete
delivery rate to match worker output.
ANSWER
True
Question 11.
(Ch. 1, #11) True or False: In deciding how much concrete to order for a floor placement, you
should calculate the number of cubic yards (cubic meters) needed to fill the forms, then order
two or three cubic yards (cubic meters) less so you don't waste concrete that is not needed.
ANSWER
False (Standard is to order 10% to 15% *more* than measured volume for small orders and 5 to 10%
more than measured volume for large orders to account for subgrade settlement, uneven subgrade,
spillage, and waste.)
2
,Question 12.
(Ch. 1, #12) The question "What finisher or finishers can request the addition of water to the
concrete truck on site?" Should be answered at the _________ __________.
ANSWER
preconstruction conference
Question 13.
with portland cement will set and harden while underwater.
ANSWER
True
Question 14.
(Ch. 2, #2) If a concrete slab on ground won't be exposed to sulfates, the cement used is most
likely to be:
ANSWER
Type I
Question 15.
(Ch. 2, #3) Fly ash may be added to concrete from a fly ash silo at the batch plant or from a silo
containing a _______ cement.
ANSWER
portland
Question 16.
(Ch. 2, #4) Most concrete used in slabs on ground has course aggregate with a maximum size
of:
ANSWER
0.75 to 1.5 in. (19 to 38 mm.)
Question 17.
(Ch. 2, #5) True or False: Sand for concrete used in slabs on ground is easier to finish when it
has close to the largest allowable amount of material passing the No. 50 and No. 100 sieves.
ANSWER
True
3
, Question 18.
(Ch. 2, #6) True or False: Increasing the amount of sand in a concrete usually decreases the
amount of water needed to make the concrete workable.
ANSWER
False (Too many small particles will *increase* the amount of water needed to make the concrete
workable.)
Question 19.
(Ch. 2, #7) All concrete that will be subject to freezing when moist or be exposed to deicing
salts should contain:
ANSWER
an air-entraining agent
Question 20.
(Ch. 2, #8) Strength of normal weight concrete depends mainly on:
crete mixtures are likely to produce floors with poor wear resistance and excessive shrinkage.
ANSWER
water-cement ratio
Question 21.
(Ch. 2, #10) To minimize shrinkage and reduce cracking and curling:
ANSWER
Use as much coarse aggregate as possible, as little mixing water as possible, and use aggregates
with low shrinkage.
Question 22.
(Ch. 2, #11) Changes in concrete slump most often represent changes in the amount of ______
in the mixture.
ANSWER
water
Question 23.
(Ch. 2, #12) Air-entrained concrete is *not* recommended for use in concrete slabs:
ANSWER
finished by repeated steel troweling passes
4
