NICET Construction Materials Testing –
Asphalt Level I Exam Questions And
Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
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1. What is the primary purpose of asphalt binder in a Hot Mix Asphalt
(HMA) mixture?
A. Improve air voids
B. Increase aggregate hardness
C. Provide cohesion and adhesion
D. Reduce compaction temperature
C. Provide cohesion and adhesion
The binder holds the aggregate particles together and provides
stickiness essential for pavement strength.
2. Which test is commonly used to determine the asphalt binder
content of a mixture?
A. Sieve analysis
B. Stability test
C. Nuclear density test
D. Ignition furnace test
D. Ignition furnace test
,The ignition furnace burns off the asphalt binder to determine binder
content by mass loss.
3. Aggregate for asphalt mixtures must be dried before testing to:
A. Increase strength
B. Remove moisture
C. Increase density
D. Improve color
B. Remove moisture
Moisture affects mass measurements and can alter test accuracy.
4. Which device is used to compact asphalt mixture samples in the
laboratory?
A. Gyratory compactor
B. Vibrating hammer
C. Proctor mold
D. Load frame
A. Gyratory compactor
The Superpave gyratory compactor prepares standardized asphalt
specimens.
5. What is the term for the void spaces inside compacted asphalt?
A. VMA
B. VFA
C. Air voids
D. Saturation
,C. Air voids
Air voids indicate the amount of empty space within the compacted mix.
6. What does VMA stand for?
A. Void Mix Analysis
B. Voids in Mineral Aggregate
C. Volume Minus Asphalt
D. Variable Mix Asphalt
B. Voids in Mineral Aggregate
VMA refers to the volume of intergranular void space in the aggregate.
7. What is the standard unit for measuring asphalt binder
temperature?
A. °F
B. °C
C. K
D. psi
B. °C
Asphalt testing commonly uses Celsius for temperature measurements.
8. The Marshall method determines:
A. Viscosity
B. Stability and flow
C. Aggregate gradation
D. Density only
B. Stability and flow
Marshall testing evaluates load-bearing capacity and deformation.
, 9. What is the first step when performing a sieve analysis on
aggregates?
A. Dry the sample
B. Shake the sieve stack
C. Record pan weight
D. Wash fines
A. Dry the sample
Samples must be completely dry to ensure accurate mass distribution.
10. A nuclear density gauge measures:
A. Asphalt content
B. Aggregate angularity
C. In-place density
D. Binder viscosity
C. In-place density
The nuclear gauge is widely used for field density measurement.
11. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is required because asphalt
can cause:
A. Frostbite
B. Chemical burns
C. Thermal burns
D. Radiation exposure
C. Thermal burns
Asphalt is extremely hot during mixing and placement.
Asphalt Level I Exam Questions And
Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
Download PDF
1. What is the primary purpose of asphalt binder in a Hot Mix Asphalt
(HMA) mixture?
A. Improve air voids
B. Increase aggregate hardness
C. Provide cohesion and adhesion
D. Reduce compaction temperature
C. Provide cohesion and adhesion
The binder holds the aggregate particles together and provides
stickiness essential for pavement strength.
2. Which test is commonly used to determine the asphalt binder
content of a mixture?
A. Sieve analysis
B. Stability test
C. Nuclear density test
D. Ignition furnace test
D. Ignition furnace test
,The ignition furnace burns off the asphalt binder to determine binder
content by mass loss.
3. Aggregate for asphalt mixtures must be dried before testing to:
A. Increase strength
B. Remove moisture
C. Increase density
D. Improve color
B. Remove moisture
Moisture affects mass measurements and can alter test accuracy.
4. Which device is used to compact asphalt mixture samples in the
laboratory?
A. Gyratory compactor
B. Vibrating hammer
C. Proctor mold
D. Load frame
A. Gyratory compactor
The Superpave gyratory compactor prepares standardized asphalt
specimens.
5. What is the term for the void spaces inside compacted asphalt?
A. VMA
B. VFA
C. Air voids
D. Saturation
,C. Air voids
Air voids indicate the amount of empty space within the compacted mix.
6. What does VMA stand for?
A. Void Mix Analysis
B. Voids in Mineral Aggregate
C. Volume Minus Asphalt
D. Variable Mix Asphalt
B. Voids in Mineral Aggregate
VMA refers to the volume of intergranular void space in the aggregate.
7. What is the standard unit for measuring asphalt binder
temperature?
A. °F
B. °C
C. K
D. psi
B. °C
Asphalt testing commonly uses Celsius for temperature measurements.
8. The Marshall method determines:
A. Viscosity
B. Stability and flow
C. Aggregate gradation
D. Density only
B. Stability and flow
Marshall testing evaluates load-bearing capacity and deformation.
, 9. What is the first step when performing a sieve analysis on
aggregates?
A. Dry the sample
B. Shake the sieve stack
C. Record pan weight
D. Wash fines
A. Dry the sample
Samples must be completely dry to ensure accurate mass distribution.
10. A nuclear density gauge measures:
A. Asphalt content
B. Aggregate angularity
C. In-place density
D. Binder viscosity
C. In-place density
The nuclear gauge is widely used for field density measurement.
11. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is required because asphalt
can cause:
A. Frostbite
B. Chemical burns
C. Thermal burns
D. Radiation exposure
C. Thermal burns
Asphalt is extremely hot during mixing and placement.
