NICET SOILS LEVEL 1/ NICET-CMT-SOILS-
LEVEL 1 -10043 1.1/ NICET STUDY QUESTIONS
Define C117 - ANSWER-The determination of the amount of material finer than a
75-um (No.200) sieve
What is the significance of C136? - ANSWER—
▪ To determine the grading of materials,
▪ compliance of particle size distribution,
▪ provide data for control of production of various aggregate
▪ developing relationships concerning porosity and packing
What procedure should always be used unless otherwise specified in c117? -
ANSWER-Procedure A
The procedures in D698 are considered...? - ANSWER-industry standard
Define Standard Effort....D698 - ANSWER-12,400 ft-Ibf/ft3 compactive effort
applied by equipment in D698
Define Standard Optimum Water Content....D698 - ANSWER-The molding water
content at which soil can be compacted to the maximum dry unit weight using
standard compactive effort
What is an appropriate wetting agent to use for sieving through a No.200 sieve? -
ANSWER-Water or any dispersing agent that will promote separation of the fine
materials
How long do you sieve material? C136 - ANSWER-so that not more than 1% of
material retained on any sieve will pass during 1 minute of hand sieving
How accurate shall balances before fine aggregate? C136 - ANSWER-readable to
the nearest .1 Gram or .1%
,How accurate shall balances be for coarse aggregate or mixtures? C136 -
ANSWER-readable to the nearest .5 gram or nearest .1%
What is the significance of C117? - ANSWER-Accurate determination of material
finer than 75-um in mineral aggregate by washing
What practice is used for sampling aggregate? - ANSWER-D75
The investigation of potential sample material should be performed by...? D75 -
ANSWER-A responsible, trained and experienced person
What should a stockpile be visually inspected of? D75 - ANSWER-Discernable
Variations
Where shall a sample be obtained where practicable? D75 - ANSWER-From the
finished product
After a sample is obtained what shall not be done unless required for testing
purposes? D75 - ANSWER-Further crushing or manual reduction
What shall be done if there are any discernable Variations in a stockpile? D75 -
ANSWER-Corrective action shall be taken to establish homogeneity in the
material
If it is necessary to indicate the degree of variation in a stockpile, what shall be
done? D75 - ANSWER-Separate samples shall be drawn from separate areas of
the pile
What should the temperature of the oven be when drying samples? (C117) -
ANSWER-110 °C (+-5)
If used, how much wetting agent should be used in procedure B? C117 -
ANSWER-Enough to produce a small amount of suds when the sample was
agitated
Report the amount retained by wash by...?(C117) - ANSWER-<10%-report to the
.1%
, >10%-report to the nearest whole number
What increases when sampling from the beginning or the final few tons of a
conveyor belt? D75 - ANSWER-The potential of obtaining segregated material
When should method A be used in a standard proctor? D698 - ANSWER-When
25% or less material is retained on a No. 4 sieve
When should method B be used for standard proctor? D698 - ANSWER-When
25% or less material is retained on a 3/8" sieve
When should method C be used for standard proctor? D698 - ANSWER-When
30% or less material is retained on a 3/4" sieve
When should a correction factor be established on a standard proctor? D698 -
ANSWER-When the test specimen contains more than 5% of oversize fractions
for purposes of comparing measured or calculated values, what shall the value be
rounded to? D698 - ANSWER-The nearest decimal or significant digit
Define oversized fractions...D698 - ANSWER-The portion of a sample that does
not pass through the required sieve in D698
Laboratory compaction tests provide...D698 - ANSWER-determination of the
percent compaction and molding water needed to achieve engineering
requirements
Soil placed as engineering fill is compacted to obtain what? D698 - ANSWER-
Sheer strength, compressibility or permeability
Success in executing the compaction controls of earth works is highly dependent
on what? D698 - ANSWER-The quality and experience of the contractor and
inspector
What are the specs for a 4" mold for standard proctor? D698 – ANSWER
LEVEL 1 -10043 1.1/ NICET STUDY QUESTIONS
Define C117 - ANSWER-The determination of the amount of material finer than a
75-um (No.200) sieve
What is the significance of C136? - ANSWER—
▪ To determine the grading of materials,
▪ compliance of particle size distribution,
▪ provide data for control of production of various aggregate
▪ developing relationships concerning porosity and packing
What procedure should always be used unless otherwise specified in c117? -
ANSWER-Procedure A
The procedures in D698 are considered...? - ANSWER-industry standard
Define Standard Effort....D698 - ANSWER-12,400 ft-Ibf/ft3 compactive effort
applied by equipment in D698
Define Standard Optimum Water Content....D698 - ANSWER-The molding water
content at which soil can be compacted to the maximum dry unit weight using
standard compactive effort
What is an appropriate wetting agent to use for sieving through a No.200 sieve? -
ANSWER-Water or any dispersing agent that will promote separation of the fine
materials
How long do you sieve material? C136 - ANSWER-so that not more than 1% of
material retained on any sieve will pass during 1 minute of hand sieving
How accurate shall balances before fine aggregate? C136 - ANSWER-readable to
the nearest .1 Gram or .1%
,How accurate shall balances be for coarse aggregate or mixtures? C136 -
ANSWER-readable to the nearest .5 gram or nearest .1%
What is the significance of C117? - ANSWER-Accurate determination of material
finer than 75-um in mineral aggregate by washing
What practice is used for sampling aggregate? - ANSWER-D75
The investigation of potential sample material should be performed by...? D75 -
ANSWER-A responsible, trained and experienced person
What should a stockpile be visually inspected of? D75 - ANSWER-Discernable
Variations
Where shall a sample be obtained where practicable? D75 - ANSWER-From the
finished product
After a sample is obtained what shall not be done unless required for testing
purposes? D75 - ANSWER-Further crushing or manual reduction
What shall be done if there are any discernable Variations in a stockpile? D75 -
ANSWER-Corrective action shall be taken to establish homogeneity in the
material
If it is necessary to indicate the degree of variation in a stockpile, what shall be
done? D75 - ANSWER-Separate samples shall be drawn from separate areas of
the pile
What should the temperature of the oven be when drying samples? (C117) -
ANSWER-110 °C (+-5)
If used, how much wetting agent should be used in procedure B? C117 -
ANSWER-Enough to produce a small amount of suds when the sample was
agitated
Report the amount retained by wash by...?(C117) - ANSWER-<10%-report to the
.1%
, >10%-report to the nearest whole number
What increases when sampling from the beginning or the final few tons of a
conveyor belt? D75 - ANSWER-The potential of obtaining segregated material
When should method A be used in a standard proctor? D698 - ANSWER-When
25% or less material is retained on a No. 4 sieve
When should method B be used for standard proctor? D698 - ANSWER-When
25% or less material is retained on a 3/8" sieve
When should method C be used for standard proctor? D698 - ANSWER-When
30% or less material is retained on a 3/4" sieve
When should a correction factor be established on a standard proctor? D698 -
ANSWER-When the test specimen contains more than 5% of oversize fractions
for purposes of comparing measured or calculated values, what shall the value be
rounded to? D698 - ANSWER-The nearest decimal or significant digit
Define oversized fractions...D698 - ANSWER-The portion of a sample that does
not pass through the required sieve in D698
Laboratory compaction tests provide...D698 - ANSWER-determination of the
percent compaction and molding water needed to achieve engineering
requirements
Soil placed as engineering fill is compacted to obtain what? D698 - ANSWER-
Sheer strength, compressibility or permeability
Success in executing the compaction controls of earth works is highly dependent
on what? D698 - ANSWER-The quality and experience of the contractor and
inspector
What are the specs for a 4" mold for standard proctor? D698 – ANSWER
