Practice Test Geeks(ATT) ACI Aggregate Testing Technician Practice Test
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Soundness & Durability Testing Flashcards

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

Read the first 7 Soundness & Durability Testing flashcards as text

  1. In the sodium sulfate soundness test (ASTM C88), what is the required soaking temperature of the solution?

    Answer: 18 ± 1°C (64 ± 2°F)

    ASTM C88 requires the sodium sulfate solution to be maintained at 18 ± 1°C (64 ± 2°F) during the soaking period.

  2. How many cycles of immersion and drying are typically specified in the ASTM C88 soundness test?

    Answer: 5 cycles

    ASTM C88 specifies 5 cycles of alternating immersion in sulfate solution and oven drying.

  3. When calculating the weighted percent loss in the sulfate soundness test, what information is used as the weighting factor?

    Answer: The percent retained on each sieve before testing

    The weighted percent loss uses the percentage of material originally retained on each sieve as the weighting factor for each size fraction's loss.

  4. Which of the following best describes why magnesium sulfate is sometimes used instead of sodium sulfate in ASTM C88?

    Answer: It provides a more severe test with higher percent losses

    Magnesium sulfate produces higher percent losses and is considered a more severe soundness test than sodium sulfate.

  5. After the final drying cycle in ASTM C88, aggregate particles are washed over a sieve that is what fraction of the original test sieve size?

    Answer: One-half of the original sieve opening

    Particles are washed over a sieve with an opening one-half the size of the sieve on which they were originally retained to determine loss.

  6. A coarse aggregate soundness result of 18% loss using sodium sulfate would be classified as:

    Answer: Exceeding the typical AASHTO limit of 12% for sodium sulfate

    AASHTO typically specifies a maximum sodium sulfate soundness loss of 12% for coarse aggregate, so 18% would exceed this limit.

  7. What is the purpose of allowing the sodium sulfate solution to rest for at least 48 hours before use in ASTM C88?

    Answer: To ensure the solution reaches saturation equilibrium at the test temperature

    The rest period ensures the sodium sulfate solution reaches saturation equilibrium at the specified test temperature of 18°C, which is critical for consistent crystallization pressure.