Practice Test Geeks(PIC) Paving Inspector Certification Practice Test
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Materials Testing & Asphalt Composition Flashcards

7 cards from real PIC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Materials Testing & Asphalt Composition flashcards as text

  1. What does the term 'air voids' refer to in a compacted asphalt mix?

    Answer: The percentage of empty space not filled by asphalt binder or aggregate

    Air voids are the percentage of total mix volume that consists of small air spaces not filled by asphalt or aggregate.

  2. A Marshall stability test measures which property of an asphalt mix?

    Answer: Resistance of the compacted specimen to deformation under load

    The Marshall stability test measures the maximum load a compacted asphalt specimen can resist before deforming under a specified loading rate.

  3. Which sieve size is used as the maximum aggregate size designation for a 19 mm Superpave mix?

    Answer: 19.0 mm

    The nominal maximum aggregate size for a 19 mm Superpave mix is 19.0 mm, meaning 100% of aggregate passes the next larger sieve.

  4. The dust-to-binder ratio in a Superpave mix is calculated by dividing the percent passing the No. 200 sieve by:

    Answer: The effective binder content by total mix weight

    The dust-to-binder ratio divides the percent of material passing the No. 200 sieve by the effective asphalt binder content expressed as a percentage of total mix mass.

  5. During field extraction testing of an asphalt core, what is the primary purpose of centrifuge extraction?

    Answer: To separate the asphalt binder from the aggregate for content measurement

    Centrifuge extraction uses a solvent to separate and recover the asphalt binder from aggregate, allowing determination of binder content.

  6. What aggregate property does the Los Angeles Abrasion test evaluate?

    Answer: Resistance to degradation by abrasion and impact

    The LA Abrasion test measures aggregate toughness and resistance to degradation caused by abrasion and impact using a rotating drum with steel charges.

  7. In the context of asphalt mix design, VMA stands for Voids in the Mineral Aggregate and represents:

    Answer: The inter-granular void space between aggregate particles in a compacted mix

    VMA is the total volume of void space between aggregate particles in a compacted mix, including air voids and effective asphalt binder content.