MSTC 4

Question 1

It is the process of moving soil or rock from one location to another and processing it so that it meets construction, requirements of location, elevation, density, moisture content, and so on.

Answer 1

Eathmoving

Question 2

Material in its natural state before disturbance.

Answer 2

Bank

Question 3

Material that has been excavated or loaded.

Answer 3

Loose

Question 4

Material after compaction.

Answer 4

Compacted

Question 5

It is the angle that the sides of a spoil bank or pile naturally form with the horizontal when the excavated soil is dumped onto the pile.

Answer 5

Angle of Repose

Question 6

[MAY 2022] It is the bucket volume contained within the bucket when following the outline of the bucket sides.

Answer 6

Plate Line Capacity

Question 7

It is the bucket capacity when the load is struck off flush with the bucket sides.

Answer 7

Struck Capacity

Question 8

It assumes a level of material flush with the lowest edge of the bucket (i.e., the material level corresponds to the water level that would result if the bucket were filled with water).

Answer 8

Water Line Capacity

Question 9

It is the maximum volume that can be placed in the bucket without spillage based on a specified angle of repose for the material in the bucket.

Answer 9

Heaped Volume

Question 10

It represents those components of cycle time other than travel time.

Answer 10

Fixed Time

Question 11

It represents the travel time required for a unit to haul material to the unloading site and return.

Answer 11

Variable Time

Question 12

It is primarily due to tire flexing and penetration of the travel surface.

Answer 12

Rolling Resistance

Question 13

[NOV 2022] It represents that component of vehicle weight which acts parallel to an inclined surface.

Answer 13

Grade Resistance

Question 14

Manufacturers use a _______ to express percentage of reduction in rated vehicle power at various altitudes.

Answer 14

Derating Factor

Question 15

It is the pull available at the rim of the driving wheels under rated conditions.

Answer 15

Rimpull

Question 16

It is the power available at the hitch of a crawler tractor operating under standard conditions.

Answer 16

Drawbar Pull

Question 17

________ used for hauling on public highways are limited by transportation regulations in their maximum width, gross weight, and axle load.

Answer 17

Trucks

Question 18

These are earthmoving trailers pulled by tractors or truck-tractors. They are sometimes referred to as pure haulers because they have many characteristics of tractor-scrapers, but they are designed for hauling only.

Answer 18

Wagons

Question 19

It is the process of increasing the density of a soil by mechanically forcing the soil particles closer together, thereby expelling air from the void spaces in the soil.

Answer 19

Compaction

Question 20

[APR 2023] It is an increase in soil density of a cohesive soil resulting from the expulsion of water from the soil’s void spaces.

Answer 20

Consolidation

Question 21

The process of giving natural soils enough abrasive resistance and shear strength to accommodate traffic or design loads is called.

Answer 21

Ground Modification or Soil Stabilization

Question 22

It involves dropping a heavy weight from a crane onto the ground surface to achieve soil densification.

Answer 22

Dynamic compaction

Question 23

It is the process of densifying cohesionless soils by inserting a vibratory probe into the soil.

Answer 23

Vibratory compaction

Question 24

It is the process of bringing earthwork to the desired shape and elevation (or grade).

Answer 24

Grading

Question 25

It involves smoothing slopes, shaping ditches, and bringing the earthwork to the elevation required by the plans and specification.

Answer 25

Finishing

Question 26

It is formed when the Earth’s molten material cooled. Because of its origin, it is quite homogeneous and is therefore the most difficult type of rock to excavate.

Answer 26

Igneous rock

Question 27

It was formed by the precipitation of material from water or air. As a result, it is highly stratified and has many planes of weakness.

Answer 27

Sedimentary rock

Question 28

It originated as igneous or sedimentary rock but has been changed by heat, pressure, or chemical action into a different type of rock.

Answer 28

Metamorphic rock

Question 29

It is a concrete having a slump of 1 in. (2.5 cm) or less.

Answer 29

No-slump concrete

Question 30

It is a measure of concrete consistency but obtained by placing concrete into a test cone following a standard test procedure (ASTM C143) and measuring the decrease in height (slump) of the sample when the cone is removed.

Answer 30

Slump

Question 31

[MAY 2019] The process of proportioning cement, water, aggregates, and additives prior to mixing concrete is called _____.

Answer 31

Batching

Question 32

It slows the rate of hardening of concrete. These are often used to offset the effect of high temperatures on setting time.

Answer 32

Retarders

Question 33

It acts in the opposite manner to retarders. That is, they decrease setting time and increase the early strength of concrete.

Answer 33

Accelerators

Question 34

It is capable of spreading, consolidating, and finishing a concrete slab without the use of conventional forms.

Answer 34

Slipform paver

Question 35

It is a relatively new form of concrete construction.

Answer 35

Roller compacted concrete

Question 36

The _____ of a structure supports the weight of the structure and its applied loads.

Answer 36

Foundation

Question 37

It is the simplest and probably the most common type of building foundation. It usually consists of a square or rectangular reinforced concrete pad that serves to distribute building loads over an area large enough so that the resulting pressure on the supporting soil does not exceed the soil’s allowable bearing strength.

Answer 37

Spread footing

Question 38

It consists of a heavily reinforced concrete slab extending under the entire structure, in order to spread the structure’s load over a large area.

Answer 38

Mat or raft foundations

Question 39

[NOV 2022] [NOV 2019] A _____ is nothing more than a column driven into the soil to support a structure by transferring building loads to a deeper and stronger layer of soil or rock.

Answer 39

Pile

Question 40

Pile capacity usually increases after a period of time following driving. This increase in capacity is referred to as _____.

Answer 40

Soil setup or soil freeze

Question 41

In some cases, pile capacity decreases with time. This decrease in capacity is referred to as _____.

Answer 41

Soil relaxation

Question 42

[MAY 2022] Factors for determining the safe capacity of piles driven by powered hammers.

Answer 42

I. Safe load II. Average penetration per blow, last six blows III. Energy of hammer IV. Coefficient of restitution V. Weight of hammer ram VI. Weight of pile, including driving appurtenances

Question 43

Factors for predicting the safe load capacity of bulb piles.

Answer 43

I. Safe load capacity (tons) II. Weight of hammer (tons) III. Height of drop (ft) IV. Number of blows per cubic foot of concrete used in driving final batch into base V. Uncompacted volume of concrete in base and plug (cu ft) VI. Dimensionless constant depending on soil type and type of pile shaft

Question 44

It is simply a column, usually of reinforced concrete, constructed below the ground surface. It performs much the same function as a pile.

Answer 44

Pier

Question 45

It is a structure used to provide all-around lateral support to an excavation.

Answer 45

Caisson

Question 46

Workers in an excavation can be protected from cave-ins by one of the following methods

Answer 46

I. Sloping or benching of the sides of the excavation. II. Supporting the sides of the excavation by shoring. III. Placing a shield between workers and the sides of the excavation.

Question 47

If the water pressure exactly equals soil weight, the soil will behave like a liquid and we have a condition called _____.

Answer 47

Liquefaction

Question 48

It is the process of removing water from an excavation. It may be accomplished by lowering the groundwater table before the excavation is begun.

Answer 48

Dewatering

Question 49

[APR 2023] It is the process of injecting a grouting agent into soil or rock to increase its strength or stability, protect foundations, or reduce groundwater flow.

Answer 49

Grouting

Question 50

Lateral support for the sides of an excavation is usually provided by ___. This system that completely encloses an excavation is essentially a cofferdam, which is a structure designed to keep water and/or soil out of an excavation area.

Answer 50

Shoring

Question 51

These are used in place of shoring to protect workers during trenching operations.

Answer 51

Trench shields

Question 52

Owning costs are made up of the following principal elements:

Answer 52

I. Depreciation II. Investment (or interest) cost III. Insurance cost IV. Taxes V. Storage cost

Question 53

It represents the annual cost (converted to an hourly cost) of the capital invested in a machine. If borrowed funds are utilized, it is simply the interest charge on these funds.

Answer 53

Investment cost (or interest)

Question 54

It represents the cost of fire, theft, accident, and liability insurance for the equipment.

Answer 54

Insurance cost

Question 55

It represents the cost of property tax and licenses for the equipment.

Answer 55

Tax Cost

Question 56

It represents the cost of rent and maintenance for equipment storage yards and facilities, the wages of guards and employees involved in handling equipment in an out of storage, and associated direct overhead.

Answer 56

Storage Cost

Question 57

[NOV 2024] Operating costs include operators' wages, which are usually added as a separate item after other operating costs have been calculated. The major elements of operating cost include:

Answer 57

I. Fuel Cost II. Service Cost III. Repair Cost IV. Tire Cost V. Cost of Special Items VI. Operators' Wages

Question 58

It represents the cost of oil, hydraulic fluids, grease, and filters as well as the labor required to perform routine maintenance service.

Answer 58

Service Cost

Question 59

It represents the cost of all equipment repair and maintenance except for tire repair and replacement, routine service, and the replacement of high-wear items, such as ripper teeth.

Answer 59

Repair Cost