VDOT Soils and Aggregate Compaction Exam ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
Review questions with verified detailed ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
solutions
T or F - The voids in a saturated soil are partly filled with water and partly filled with air. -
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correct answer✔✔False - They are completely filled with water
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What classification system does VDOT use to classify soils? - correct answer✔✔AASHTO and
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Unified Soil Classification System ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
___ refers to the texture and firmness of a soil - correct answer✔✔Consistency
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Silt and clay are made up of particles that are smaller than the ___ sieve. - correct
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answer✔✔No. 200 (75um) ||//\\|| ||//\\||
What is the distribution of various particles sizes within the material? - correct
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answer✔✔Gradation
___ means that the particles in a mixture are sized so that they fill most of the voids; there
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is very little space in between soil or stone particles - correct answer✔✔Dense graded
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What is the moisture content at which a soil begins to behave like a liquid called? - correct
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answer✔✔Liquid Limit ||//\\||
What is the behavior of a material where the material deforms under load and does not go
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back to it's original shape called? - correct answer✔✔Plasticity
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, What is the moisture content at which a soil can be compacted to its maximum dry density
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with the least amount of compactive effort called? - correct answer✔✔Optimum Moisture
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Content
T or F - A soil that contains a high percentage of fines is more affected by water than one
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with a low percentage of fines - correct answer✔✔True
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T or F - Open graded aggregates are used in a pavement to give the structure more strength
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- correct answer✔✔False - Dense graded aggregates are used in a pavement to give the
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
structure more strength ||//\\|| ||//\\||
T or F - Clearing and Grubbing is required in fill sections less than 5 feet in depth, in borrow
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
areas before excavation can begin, and in all cut sections. - correct answer✔✔True
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In fill sections where stumps may be left in place, they must be no more than ___ high -
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correct answer✔✔6 inches ||//\\|| ||//\\||
___ means to crown surface of embankment, roll surface of embankment smooth, direct
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
water to appropriate erosion and siltation controls - correct answer✔✔Grading to Drain
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What is the first lift of embankment material placed in swampy areas called? - correct
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answer✔✔Work Platform ||//\\||
How should layers of embankment material be placed? - correct answer✔✔Placed with
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
uniform thickness and parallel to finished grade ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
Material is being placed 15 feet below the proposed subgrade in a rock fill. The maximum ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
nominal size of the rocks is 3 feet. The maximum lift thickness in this case is ___? - correct
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answer✔✔3 feet ||//\\||
Review questions with verified detailed ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
solutions
T or F - The voids in a saturated soil are partly filled with water and partly filled with air. -
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
correct answer✔✔False - They are completely filled with water
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What classification system does VDOT use to classify soils? - correct answer✔✔AASHTO and
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
Unified Soil Classification System ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
___ refers to the texture and firmness of a soil - correct answer✔✔Consistency
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
Silt and clay are made up of particles that are smaller than the ___ sieve. - correct
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
answer✔✔No. 200 (75um) ||//\\|| ||//\\||
What is the distribution of various particles sizes within the material? - correct
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
answer✔✔Gradation
___ means that the particles in a mixture are sized so that they fill most of the voids; there
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
is very little space in between soil or stone particles - correct answer✔✔Dense graded
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
What is the moisture content at which a soil begins to behave like a liquid called? - correct
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
answer✔✔Liquid Limit ||//\\||
What is the behavior of a material where the material deforms under load and does not go
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
back to it's original shape called? - correct answer✔✔Plasticity
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
, What is the moisture content at which a soil can be compacted to its maximum dry density
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
with the least amount of compactive effort called? - correct answer✔✔Optimum Moisture
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
Content
T or F - A soil that contains a high percentage of fines is more affected by water than one
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
with a low percentage of fines - correct answer✔✔True
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
T or F - Open graded aggregates are used in a pavement to give the structure more strength
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
- correct answer✔✔False - Dense graded aggregates are used in a pavement to give the
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
structure more strength ||//\\|| ||//\\||
T or F - Clearing and Grubbing is required in fill sections less than 5 feet in depth, in borrow
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
areas before excavation can begin, and in all cut sections. - correct answer✔✔True
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
In fill sections where stumps may be left in place, they must be no more than ___ high -
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
correct answer✔✔6 inches ||//\\|| ||//\\||
___ means to crown surface of embankment, roll surface of embankment smooth, direct
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
water to appropriate erosion and siltation controls - correct answer✔✔Grading to Drain
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
What is the first lift of embankment material placed in swampy areas called? - correct
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
answer✔✔Work Platform ||//\\||
How should layers of embankment material be placed? - correct answer✔✔Placed with
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
uniform thickness and parallel to finished grade ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
Material is being placed 15 feet below the proposed subgrade in a rock fill. The maximum ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
nominal size of the rocks is 3 feet. The maximum lift thickness in this case is ___? - correct
||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\|| ||//\\||
answer✔✔3 feet ||//\\||
