Take MS Highway Practice Questions - Mississippi Highway Contractor Examination Exam

QUESTION 1 / 25

Using a common dense-graded hot-mix asphalt (HMA) unit weight of 145 lb/ft³, about how many tons are in one compacted cubic yard?

Choose one answer below.

A1.0 ton✓B1.5 tons✓C2.0 tons✓D2.5 tons✓

QUESTION 2 / 25

How many square yards of pavement surface are in one 12-foot-wide lane that is 1 mile long?

Choose one answer below.

A1,760 SY✓B5,280 SY✓C7,040 SY✓D63,360 SY✓

QUESTION 3 / 25

A 12-foot lane, 1 mile long, will receive 2 inches of compacted HMA. Using 110 lb per square yard per inch of thickness, how many tons are required (neat line, no waste)?

Choose one answer below.

A387 tons✓B774 tons✓C1,548 tons✓D3,520 tons✓

QUESTION 4 / 25

What is the primary purpose of a tack coat before placing a new HMA lift on an existing asphalt or concrete surface?

Choose one answer below.

ATo waterproof the embankment subgrade✓BTo bond the new lift to the existing surface so the layers act together✓CTo replace rolling and density control on the new mat✓DTo cool the existing pavement before the paver arrives✓

QUESTION 5 / 25

On an MDOT-type highway job, when is a prime coat used instead of a tack coat?

Choose one answer below.

AOn a clean, existing asphalt or concrete pavement immediately before an overlay✓BOn an untreated aggregate base or granular surface to bind fines and promote bond of the first asphalt course✓COn the finished HMA surface as a substitute for a fog seal after traffic is on the road✓DOnly on airport runways, never on public highways✓

QUESTION 6 / 25

For dense-graded HMA, what is the usual minimum compacted lift thickness relative to the mix's nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS)?

Choose one answer below.

AEqual to the NMAS✓BAt least twice the NMAS✓CAt least three times the NMAS✓DAt least ten times the NMAS✓

QUESTION 7 / 25

For most dense-graded HMA mixes, when should breakdown and intermediate rolling generally be finished relative to mat temperature?

Choose one answer below.

AAfter the mat has cooled below 100°F so the rollers will not leave marks✓BWhile the mat is still hot and workable, typically before it cools to about 175°F✓COnly after a 24-hour cure, the same as Portland cement concrete✓DOnly when the plant mixing temperature exceeds 400°F✓

QUESTION 8 / 25

In a conventional HMA rolling train, what is the usual sequence of roller functions?

Choose one answer below.

AFinish roller, then breakdown roller, then pneumatic intermediate roller✓BBreakdown roller immediately behind the paver, then intermediate roller, then finish roller✓COnly a pneumatic roller, because steel wheels are not used on HMA✓DVibratory rolling only after the mat has cooled below 150°F✓

QUESTION 9 / 25

When paving the hot lane against a previously placed cold HMA lane, how should the longitudinal joint generally be constructed and compacted?

Choose one answer below.

ALeave a 6-inch open gap so rainwater can drain through the joint✓BOverlap the cold edge slightly, match the joint, and compact from the hot side so the joint is pinched and densified✓CAlways roll only from the cold lane so the new mix is not displaced✓DOmit tack at the joint face so the two lanes can move independently✓

QUESTION 10 / 25

How should a transverse (header) joint in HMA generally be prepared before the next paving pull?

Choose one answer below.

ALeave the feathered overnight edge in place and pave over it without cutting✓BCut back to a full-depth, near-vertical face, tack the face, and match grade before rolling across the joint✓CFlood the joint with water so the new mix will cool faster✓DPlace a paper bond-breaker so the new mat never touches the old mat✓

QUESTION 11 / 25

What is aggregate segregation in an HMA mat, and where does it most often start?

Choose one answer below.

AA uniform rich film of binder over the entire surface, usually from too much tack✓BSeparation of coarse and fine particles, often beginning at truck loading, truck exchange, or the paver hopper wings✓CAir voids that are too low because the breakdown roller made too many passes✓DA laboratory-only problem that cannot appear in the finished roadway✓

QUESTION 12 / 25

On an HMA paving job, what is a nuclear density gauge primarily used to check?

Choose one answer below.

AThe asphalt binder performance grade at the refinery✓BIn-place density (and often moisture) of the compacted mat for process control✓CThe exact truck payload to the nearest pound✓DThe slump of the hot mix, the same as for concrete✓

QUESTION 13 / 25

After rolling, what in-place air-void range does the Hot-Mix Asphalt Paving Handbook generally associate with a properly compacted dense-graded mat?

Choose one answer below.

A0% to 1%, because any void is a defect✓BAbout 6% to 8%✓C15% to 20%, the same as an open-graded friction course✓D25% to 30%, to guarantee drainage through the wearing course✓

QUESTION 14 / 25

Why do many highway and airfield HMA specifications require or encourage a material transfer vehicle (MTV) between the truck and the paver?

Choose one answer below.

ATo heat the existing pavement to 400°F before the overlay✓BTo remix the HMA and reduce thermal and aggregate segregation delivered to the paver✓CTo replace the need for breakdown rolling✓DTo apply tack coat automatically at 1.0 gallon per square yard✓

QUESTION 15 / 25

What is the main function of the paver screed?

Choose one answer below.

ATo mill the existing pavement to grade✓BTo strike off the HMA to the target thickness and provide initial leveling and compaction✓CTo apply the prime coat to the subgrade✓DTo measure nuclear density of the finished mat✓

QUESTION 16 / 25

Why does cold, windy weather make HMA compaction more difficult on a thin lift?

Choose one answer below.

AThe mix stays above 300°F longer, so rollers have too much time✓BThe mat loses heat faster, shortening the time the mix is still compactable✓CAsphalt hydrates more slowly in the cold, like concrete✓DTack coat freezes into a structural slab that replaces the HMA✓

QUESTION 17 / 25

What is the principal reason for cold-milling an existing asphalt pavement before an overlay?

Choose one answer below.

ATo heat the old pavement so tack is unnecessary✓BTo remove distressed material and restore profile, cross slope, and a uniform overlay thickness✓CTo increase the old pavement's air voids before the new lift is placed✓DTo convert the project from HMA to Portland cement concrete without changing thickness✓

QUESTION 18 / 25

Immediately before placing an HMA overlay, what surface condition is required?

Choose one answer below.

AThe surface should be dirty and damp so the tack will emulsify on contact✓BThe surface should be clean, reasonably dry, and uniformly tacked after brooming or sweeping✓CThe surface should be flooded so the paver tracks will not pick up mix✓DThe surface should be salted to keep the new mat from bonding too well✓

QUESTION 19 / 25

A truck arrives with HMA that has cooled well below the job-mix placement range. What is the most likely field result if that load is placed anyway?

Choose one answer below.

AThe mat will be easier to compact because the binder is stiffer✓BThe crew will not be able to reach specified density, and the surface may tear or remain open✓CThe mix will hydrate and gain strength overnight like concrete✓DAir voids will automatically fall to zero without rolling✓

QUESTION 20 / 25

What is the characteristic compaction action of a pneumatic (rubber-tired) roller on HMA compared with a steel-wheel roller?

Choose one answer below.

AIt only cuts the longitudinal joint and cannot be used on the main mat✓BIt kneads the mix, which helps density and seals surface voids, while a steel-wheel roller provides a smoother finished surface✓CIt is the only roller allowed after the mat cools below 175°F because it vibrates the stone matrix✓DIt is used only to apply tack coat by driving through the emulsion✓

QUESTION 21 / 25

A crew places 400 tons of HMA on 3,200 SY. Using 110 lb/SY/inch, what compacted thickness was actually placed?

Choose one answer below.

A1.50 inches✓B2.00 inches✓C2.27 inches✓D3.00 inches✓

QUESTION 22 / 25

A 12-foot travel lane is designed with a 2% cross slope. What is the elevation difference from centerline to edge of pavement?

Choose one answer below.

A0.12 inches✓B0.24 inches✓C1.44 inches✓D2.88 inches✓

QUESTION 23 / 25

In a hot-mix asphalt mixture, what is the primary role of the asphalt binder?

Choose one answer below.

ATo replace the coarse aggregate so the mix can be placed without stone✓BTo coat and bind the aggregate particles into a durable, waterproof mass✓CTo entrain 20% air so the mix will drain like an open-graded base✓DTo make nuclear density gauges unnecessary✓

QUESTION 24 / 25

A Superpave binder is graded PG 64-22. What do the two numbers mean?

Choose one answer below.

A64% binder and 22% air voids in the job-mix formula✓BThe binder is intended to perform up to an average 7-day maximum pavement temperature of 64°C and down to a minimum pavement temperature of −22°C✓CThe mix must be produced at 64°F and compacted at 22°F✓DThe binder penetration is 64 at 22°F✓

QUESTION 25 / 25

How does stone-matrix asphalt (SMA) differ from a conventional dense-graded HMA wearing course?

Choose one answer below.

ASMA has almost no coarse aggregate and relies on sand only✓BSMA is a gap-graded, stone-on-stone mix with a rich mortar (often with fiber) for rut resistance and durability✓CSMA is a cold emulsion mix that is never compacted✓DSMA is used only as a prime coat on aggregate base✓