CSLB Class A — General Engineering (Trade Exam) — All Questions

A general specification says all storm drain pipe is PVC. A specific specification section for this storm drain says reinforced concrete pipe. Which governs?

• a.The cheaper pipe, because price decides between conflicting specifications
• b.Whichever the plans omit
• c.The general specification, because it covers more work
• d.The specific section, as the narrower requirement controls✓

A specific specification governs over a general specification. Not "The general specification, because it covers more work": a specific specification governs over a general one. Not "The cheaper pipe, because price decides between conflicting specifications": price does not rank specifications. Not "Whichever the plans omit": omission on the plans does not decide the conflict.Caltrans Standard Specifications (2025) 5-1.02

A section of the specifications requires 3 days of curing. A different section it refers to says 5 days for the same work. Which governs?

• a.The referenced section, written in more detail than the first
• b.The standard plans, drawn to scale for the whole job
• c.The requirement in the referring section, which controls over the one it cites✓
• d.The longer period, the safer figure for the work done

A specification in a section governs over a specification referenced by that section. Not "The longer period, the safer figure for the work done": the contract ranks documents; it does not default to the stricter figure. Not "The referenced section, written in more detail than the first": the rule runs the other way: the referring section controls. Not "The standard plans, drawn to scale for the whole job": plans do not outrank a specification section in this ranking.Caltrans Standard Specifications (2025) 5-1.02

A contractor finds two conflicting dimensions that the ranking rules cannot settle. What do the Caltrans specifications direct?

• a.Wait for the inspector to notice and correct it
• b.Price the more expensive option and proceed
• c.Submit a written request for information to the Engineer✓
• d.Build to the smaller dimension and note it on the as-builts

The specifications say that if a discrepancy is found or confusion arises, an RFI is submitted. Not "Build to the smaller dimension and note it on the as-builts": building first removes the chance to resolve it in writing. Not "Wait for the inspector to notice and correct it": the contractor is told to raise the discrepancy, not wait. Not "Price the more expensive option and proceed": pricing does not settle which dimension the owner intends.Caltrans Standard Specifications (2025) 5-1.02

On a plan sheet drawn at 1 inch = 40 feet, a pipe run scales 3.5 inches long. About how long is the run?

• a.1,400 feet
• b.140 feet✓
• c.11.4 feet
• d.43.5 feet

Each inch is 40 feet, so 3.5 inches times 40 feet is 140 feet. Not "11.4 feet": divides 40 by 3.5 instead of multiplying. Not "43.5 feet": adds the scale and the measurement. Not "1,400 feet": shifts the decimal one place.Scale arithmetic

A pipeline centerline passes station 18+75. What station is 340 feet farther along the alignment?

• a.15+35
• b.21+15
• c.22+15✓
• d.52+75

Station 18+75 is 1,875 feet; adding 340 gives 2,215 feet, written 22+15. Not "21+15": adds only 240 feet. Not "15+35": subtracts 340 feet instead of adding. Not "52+75": adds 340 as if it were 3,400 feet.Station arithmetic

A requirement to test and video-inspect a storm drain appears only in the special provisions, with nothing drawn on the plans. What does it mean for the bid?

• a.It can be ignored when the plans do not show it
• b.The testing is contract work and belongs in the price✓
• c.It is the owner's cost until the plans add it
• d.It is optional until the engineer repeats it on a drawing

A component in one contract part applies as if appearing in each, and the special provisions rank highest. Not "It can be ignored when the plans do not show it": contract parts are complementary; a requirement in any part applies. Not "It is optional until the engineer repeats it on a drawing": no second statement is needed for it to bind. Not "It is the owner's cost until the plans add it": nothing in the contract shifts a specified test to the owner.Caltrans Standard Specifications (2025) 5-1.02

The Building Standards Commission says the 2025 California Building Standards Code was published July 1, 2025. When does it take effect?

• a.July 1, 2026
• b.January 1, 2025
• c.July 1, 2025
• d.January 1, 2026✓

The Commission lists an effective date of January 1, 2026 for the 2025 triennial edition. Not "July 1, 2025": that is the publication date, not the effective date. Not "January 1, 2025": the edition's year is not its effective date. Not "July 1, 2026": no six-month delay follows the January date.California Building Standards Commission, 2025 Triennial Edition

An employer will dig a trench 6 feet deep that workers must enter. What does Cal/OSHA's permit rule require before starting?

• a.An annual or project permit held before work starts✓
• b.A permit if the soil is classified Type C
• c.A permit if the trench is deeper than 20 feet
• d.No permit, because trenches under 10 feet are exempt

Trenches or excavations 5 feet or deeper that a person must descend into need an annual or project permit. Not "No permit, because trenches under 10 feet are exempt": the trigger is 5 feet or deeper, not 10. Not "A permit if the trench is deeper than 20 feet": 20 feet is where sloping design changes, not the permit trigger. Not "A permit if the soil is classified Type C": the permit depends on depth and entry, not soil type.Cal. Code Regs. tit. 8, 341

A contractor will erect falsework planned to stand 40 feet high when complete. What does the permit rule say?

• a.A permit is required because it is over 36 feet✓
• b.A permit only when traffic passes beneath the falsework
• c.A permit only when the spans exceed 16 feet
• d.No permit, because falsework is temporary

Scaffolding, vertical shoring or falsework intended to be more than 36 feet high is a permit-required activity. Not "No permit, because falsework is temporary": temporary status does not exempt falsework. Not "A permit only when the spans exceed 16 feet": 16 feet is an engineering-design trigger, not the permit trigger. Not "A permit only when traffic passes beneath the falsework": traffic through falsework affects design, not the permit.Cal. Code Regs. tit. 8, 341

A utility crew must dig an emergency repair on a buried water pipe in a 7-foot trench. Does the Cal/OSHA excavation permit apply?

• a.Yes, unless the pipe is under 12 inches in diameter
• b.Yes, because the trench is deeper than 5 feet at the repair
• c.No, but the trench must be sloped back at the sides
• d.No, emergency repair of underground facilities is excepted✓

Section 341(e) excepts trenches built to perform emergency repair work to underground facilities. Not "Yes, because the trench is deeper than 5 feet at the repair": depth alone does not override the stated exception. Not "Yes, unless the pipe is under 12 inches in diameter": pipe size is not part of the exception. Not "No, but the trench must be sloped back at the sides": the exception turns on emergency repair, not on the protective system.Cal. Code Regs. tit. 8, 341

Which activity is not counted as construction activity under the State Water Board's construction stormwater permit?

• a.Clearing of vegetation and grubbing of stumps and roots across the project area
• b.Excavation of soil for a building pad, basin or utility trench on the site
• c.Routine maintenance that restores a facility's original line, grade or capacity✓
• d.Grading of the site to final contours and slopes

The permit's construction activity covers clearing, grading, stockpiling and excavation, but not regular maintenance to restore the original line, grade or capacity. Not "Clearing of vegetation and grubbing of stumps and roots across the project area": clearing is listed as construction activity. Not "Grading of the site to final contours and slopes": grading is listed as construction activity. Not "Excavation of soil for a building pad, basin or utility trench on the site": excavation is listed as construction activity.State Water Resources Control Board, construction stormwater program

Which document governs temporary traffic control layout for work in a California public road?

• a.The Standard Plans for pipe trenches
• b.Part 6 of the California MUTCD✓
• c.The contractor's own Code of Safe Practices
• d.The geotechnical report for the site

CSLB's study guide lists the California MUTCD, Part 6, Temporary Traffic Control, as a resource for this subject. Not "The Standard Plans for pipe trenches": those plans detail trenches, not traffic zones. Not "The contractor's own Code of Safe Practices": that is a company program, not a traffic standard. Not "The geotechnical report for the site": it describes soils and groundwater, not traffic.California MUTCD 2026, Part 6 (temporary traffic control)

During a site visit, a contractor sees an old footing running along the planned trench line. What does Cal/OSHA allow for excavation below the base of an adjacent footing that could pose a hazard?

• a.Digging if the competent person sees no movement of the footing
• b.Digging if the trench is under 8 feet deep at that point
• c.Only with underpinning, stable rock or an engineer's approval✓
• d.Anything beyond 2 feet from the footing

Excavation below a foundation base needs a support system such as underpinning, stable rock, or an approving registered engineer. Not "Anything beyond 2 feet from the footing": distance alone does not remove the hazard test. Not "Digging if the competent person sees no movement of the footing": no judgment-only exception appears in the rule. Not "Digging if the trench is under 8 feet deep at that point": depth is not the test for foundations.Cal. Code Regs. tit. 8, 1541(i)

A trench will interrupt a natural drainage channel. What does Cal/OSHA call for?

• a.A second ladder at each end of the trench at the channel
• b.Diversion ditches, dikes or similar means to keep water out✓
• c.Backfilling the channel before digging begins on the site
• d.Waiting for the channel to dry before the crew enters

Where excavation interrupts natural drainage, diversion ditches, dikes or other suitable means must keep surface water out. Not "A second ladder at each end of the trench at the channel": ladders address egress, not surface water. Not "Backfilling the channel before digging begins on the site": that would not keep surface water out of the open trench. Not "Waiting for the channel to dry before the crew enters": the rule requires controls, not a calendar wait.Cal. Code Regs. tit. 8, 1541(h)(3)

A bid walk shows overhead power lines along the haul road. What is the clearance for any part of a crew or equipment from energized lines of 600 to 50,000 volts under the general rule in Table 1 of section 2946?

• a.3 feet
• b.10 feet
• c.15 feet
• d.6 feet✓

Table 1 sets a 6-foot general clearance for 600 to 50,000 volts; booms and material storage use the larger Table 2 figure. Not "3 feet": less than the table's minimum. Not "10 feet": that is the boom and storage figure in Table 2. Not "15 feet": not the table value for this voltage range.Cal. Code Regs. tit. 8, 2946

Which action by the contractor does the Caltrans specification say waives a differing-site-condition claim?

• a.Notifying the engineer promptly, within a day of the discovery
• b.Disturbing the site after discovery and before the engineer's investigation✓
• c.Pausing work in that area until the engineer has made a decision
• d.Photographing the condition before anyone touches it on site

Disturbing the site after discovery and before the engineer investigates waives the differing-site-condition claim. Not "Notifying the engineer promptly, within a day of the discovery": prompt notice preserves the claim, it does not waive it. Not "Photographing the condition before anyone touches it on site": documenting does not disturb the site. Not "Pausing work in that area until the engineer has made a decision": stopping protects the condition and the claim.Caltrans Standard Specifications (2025) 4-1.06B

A planner lists site items to check before bidding. Which one helps the estimate most for earthwork cost?

• a.Haul distance to a legal dump or borrow site✓
• b.The owner's logo and title block layout on the plan sheets
• c.The color of the existing fence along the property line
• d.The brand of the total station the surveyor uses

Haul distance sets truck cycles and cost per cubic yard, so it belongs in the site evaluation. Not "The color of the existing fence along the property line": appearance has no effect on hauling cost. Not "The brand of the total station the surveyor uses": survey equipment brand does not drive earthwork cost. Not "The owner's logo and title block layout on the plan sheets": it has no bearing on quantities or haul.Estimating practice

A bid walk finds a valve box and a patched pavement strip crossing the planned trench line, but no utility is shown on the plans. How should the estimator treat them?

• a.As surface litter to be removed first with the pavement strip
• b.As signs of an underground facility to locate before digging✓
• c.As irrelevant because the plans omit them
• d.As proof the line is abandoned and can be cut without checking

Cal/OSHA requires the approximate location of subsurface installations that reasonably may be encountered to be determined before opening an excavation, and surface clues are part of that. Not "As surface litter to be removed first with the pavement strip": valve boxes and patches mark buried lines, they are not litter. Not "As irrelevant because the plans omit them": plans can be incomplete; surface clues point to buried facilities. Not "As proof the line is abandoned and can be cut without checking": nothing in a valve box shows abandonment.Cal. Code Regs. tit. 8, 1541(b)

In a typical sequence for a street improvement, which of these comes first?

• a.Placing the asphalt surface
• b.Setting the final curb height
• c.Striping the lanes on the new surface
• d.Installing the deepest utility✓

Deeper utilities go in first so later trenches do not undermine or cross them, and paving follows last. Not "Placing the asphalt surface": paving comes last, after trenches are backfilled and compacted. Not "Setting the final curb height": curbs follow the underground work. Not "Striping the lanes on the new surface": striping is a finishing step.Construction sequencing

A schedule has a 15-day storm drain activity and an 8-day lighting conduit activity that can run in parallel, both required before paving. Lighting has what float?

• a.8 days
• b.7 days✓
• c.23 days
• d.0 days

Float is the longer chain minus the shorter: 15 minus 8 is 7 days. Not "0 days": the lighting activity is not the longest chain. Not "8 days": that is its duration, not its float. Not "23 days": that adds the two durations, which would apply only in sequence.Caltrans Standard Specifications (2025) 1-1.07B (definition of float)

Caltrans defines the critical path as the longest continuous chain of activities with what feature?

• a.The most subcontractors
• b.The largest dollar value
• c.The least total float of all chains✓
• d.The earliest start date among the activities

The specifications define it as the longest continuous chain with the least total float of all chains. Not "The largest dollar value": cost is not the definition. Not "The most subcontractors": the number of trades does not define it. Not "The earliest start date among the activities": start date does not define it.Caltrans Standard Specifications (2025) 1-1.07B (definition of critical path)

A contractor sees a drawing conflict and wants to raise it with the owner's engineer. How does the Caltrans specification treat a request for information?

• a.An RFI must wait until the end of the job, when the Engineer reviews all open questions
• b.RFIs come from the owner's staff, and a contractor's questions go to the inspector by phone
• c.Requests from the contractor, including RFIs, must be in writing and sequentially numbered✓
• d.A phone call to the inspector is enough, since the Engineer reads the inspector's daily notes

The specification lists requests, including RFIs, sequentially numbered, among the items from the contractor that must be in writing. Not "A phone call to the inspector is enough, since the Engineer reads the inspector's daily notes": contractor requests are required to be in writing. Not "RFIs come from the owner's staff, and a contractor's questions go to the inspector by phone": the contractor submits them. Not "An RFI must wait until the end of the job, when the Engineer reviews all open questions": the RFI is meant to resolve questions before the work is built.Caltrans Standard Specifications (2025) 1-1.01

A utility owner's relocation must finish before a trench can be dug. The relocation date slips. What does the planner do first?

• a.Add overtime to unrelated activities so the crews stay busy while waiting
• b.Remove the relocation from the schedule, since the owner controls it
• c.Check whether the relocation is on the critical path or has float✓
• d.Move the paving to an earlier date to make up for the lost time on site

Only delay beyond an activity's float, or on the critical path, moves completion, so float is the first check. Not "Move the paving to an earlier date to make up for the lost time on site": paving cannot move earlier when its predecessor slips. Not "Remove the relocation from the schedule, since the owner controls it": dependencies stay visible so their float is known. Not "Add overtime to unrelated activities so the crews stay busy while waiting": this does not address the delayed predecessor.Caltrans Standard Specifications (2025) 1-1.07B (definition of float)

On a job with electrical, fencing and landscaping subcontractors, why does the general engineering contractor usually coordinate them?

• a.So the owner pays fewer inspection fees to the permitting agency each month
• b.Because the plans forbid separate trades from working on the same site at once
• c.Because subcontractors are not licensed to work without the general contractor present
• d.Their work must fit into the overall sequence of the fixed work✓

Specialty work depends on the grading, utilities and structures around it, so the prime sequences it. Not "So the owner pays fewer inspection fees to the permitting agency each month": coordination is about sequence, not fees. Not "Because subcontractors are not licensed to work without the general contractor present": subcontractors hold their own classifications. Not "Because the plans forbid separate trades from working on the same site at once": nothing forbids separate trades; they simply need coordinating.Construction coordination

A bid item lists 3,200 lineal feet of pipe at a unit price of $38.50 per lineal foot. What is the extended price?

• a.$123,200✓
• b.$1,232,000
• c.$3,238.50
• d.$12,320

Quantity times unit price: 3,200 x $38.50 = $123,200. Not "$12,320": shifts the decimal one place. Not "$3,238.50": adds the quantity and the unit price. Not "$1,232,000": adds a zero to the product.Estimating practice; Caltrans Standard Specifications (2025) 9-1.06

A curb and gutter section has a cross-section area of 5.4 square feet and runs 500 feet. How many cubic yards of concrete is that?

• a.100 cubic yards✓
• b.300 cubic yards
• c.900 cubic yards
• d.2,700 cubic yards

Volume is 5.4 x 500 = 2,700 cubic feet, and 2,700 divided by 27 is 100 cubic yards. Not "2,700 cubic yards": leaves the volume in cubic feet. Not "300 cubic yards": divides by 9, the square-foot conversion. Not "900 cubic yards": divides by 3 instead of 27.Estimating, NIST Handbook 44 App. C

A markup of 25 percent is applied to $80,000 of cost. What is the price?

• a.$105,000
• b.$96,000
• c.$100,000✓
• d.$20,000

$80,000 times 1.25 is $100,000; the profit of $20,000 is 20 percent of the price. Not "$96,000": applies 20 percent, the margin that results, to the cost. Not "$105,000": adds 25 percent twice in a rolled-up step. Not "$20,000": gives the markup amount rather than the price.Estimating practice

A crew lays 90 feet of pipe per day. How many working days does a 700-foot line need if partial days are rounded up?

• a.7 days
• b.8 days✓
• c.63 days
• d.9 days

700 divided by 90 is 7.78, which rounds up to 8 working days. Not "7 days": rounds 7.78 down. Not "9 days": adds an extra day beyond the rounding. Not "63 days": multiplies instead of divides.Estimating practice

A parking lot is paved 30 feet by 500 feet, 0.25 foot thick, with asphalt at a compacted 145 pounds per cubic foot. About how many tons are needed, at 2,000 pounds per ton?

• a.About 272 tons✓
• b.About 544 tons
• c.About 3,750 tons
• d.About 136 tons

Volume is 30 x 500 x 0.25 = 3,750 cubic feet; times 145 is 543,750 pounds; divided by 2,000 is about 272 tons. Not "About 544 tons": uses 1,000 pounds per ton. Not "About 3,750 tons": treats cubic feet as tons. Not "About 136 tons": uses 4,000 pounds per ton.Estimating practice

A unit-price bid item for base is overrun far beyond the quantity on the Bid Item List. Under Caltrans section 9-1.06B, at what point may the engineer adjust the unit price for the excess quantity?

• a.When the contractor requests it in writing to the engineer
• b.When the total is more than a quarter above the bid quantity✓
• c.When the total exceeds 100 percent of the bid quantity on the list
• d.When the total exceeds 150 percent of the bid quantity on the list

If a bid item's total quantity exceeds 125 percent of the Bid Item List quantity, the engineer may adjust the unit price for the excess. Not "When the total exceeds 100 percent of the bid quantity on the list": small overruns are paid at the bid unit price. Not "When the total exceeds 150 percent of the bid quantity on the list": the stated trigger is 125 percent. Not "When the contractor requests it in writing to the engineer": the engineer may adjust the price for the excess without a request.Caltrans Standard Specifications (2025) 9-1.06B

A cast-in-place retaining wall is 5 days old and its cylinders show 1,800 psi. Under the Caltrans specifications, what is true of backfilling against its back?

• a.It may start once the concrete has reached 1,500 psi
• b.It must wait until 2,500 psi or 28 days in place✓
• c.It may start now, since 5 days is the minimum cure
• d.It may start once the forms are stripped from the wall

Caltrans does not allow backfill against the back of retaining walls until the concrete reaches at least 2,500 psi or has been in place 28 days. Not "It may start now, since 5 days is the minimum cure": no five-day minimum is given for backfill. Not "It may start once the concrete has reached 1,500 psi": the stated strength is higher than that. Not "It may start once the forms are stripped from the wall": stripping the forms does not show the wall can take earth load.Caltrans Standard Specifications (2025) 19-3.03E(1)

A 140-foot span of retaining wall needs pressure relief at its base. What do the Caltrans concrete structure specifications call for, in addition to wall drains?

• a.1-inch holes at the top of the wall at 50-foot centers
• b.3-inch holes immediately above the footings at about 15-foot centers✓
• c.6-inch holes at midheight at 5-foot centers along the wall
• d.A solid wall with no openings, since the wall drains are enough

The specifications add hydrostatic pressure relief holes 3 inches in diameter at the bottom of walls at approximately 15-foot centers. Not "1-inch holes at the top of the wall at 50-foot centers": relief is at the bottom of the wall, and larger and closer than that. Not "A solid wall with no openings, since the wall drains are enough": blocked water adds full hydrostatic pressure to the wall. Not "6-inch holes at midheight at 5-foot centers along the wall": this is not the specified size, position or spacing.Caltrans Standard Specifications (2025) 51-1.03E(7)

Shoring supports a floor slab with an 8-foot edge and a total dead load of 90,000 pounds. What is the minimum lateral load the bracing must resist at that floor in each direction?

• a.100 pounds
• b.1,800 pounds✓
• c.800 pounds
• d.90,000 pounds

The greater of 100 pounds per foot of edge (800) or 2 percent of the dead load (1,800) governs, so 1,800 pounds. Not "800 pounds": uses only the per-foot figure, the smaller value. Not "90,000 pounds": treats the whole dead load as lateral load. Not "100 pounds": uses the per-foot figure without multiplying by the edge length.Cal. Code Regs. tit. 8, 1717

What does a load path do in a structure being built?

• a.It marks the place where the engineer signs off on the concrete mix design
• b.It shows the route trucks take to the site
• c.It delivers loads from where they start to the foundation through connected elements✓
• d.It limits the weight of the equipment that may stand on a deck

FEMA defines a load path as a series of connected elements designed to deliver loads from their origin to the foundation. Not "It limits the weight of the equipment that may stand on a deck": that is a live-load limit, not a load path. Not "It shows the route trucks take to the site": a load path describes forces, not traffic. Not "It marks the place where the engineer signs off on the concrete mix design": an inspection hold point is not a load path.FEMA P-749

Falsework for a bridge deck is designed for dead and live vertical loads. What minimum horizontal load does the Caltrans Falsework Manual add?

• a.2 percent of the total weight of the superstructure and falsework✓
• b.None, if the posts are plumb and the bracing is tight at the bent
• c.10 percent of the concrete volume, converted at the unit weight
• d.0.5 percent of the live load acting on the deck at the time

The manual's minimum horizontal load is 2 percent of the total weight of the superstructure and falsework. Not "0.5 percent of the live load acting on the deck at the time": the stated figure is larger and based on total weight. Not "None, if the posts are plumb and the bracing is tight at the bent": plumb posts still need lateral design. Not "10 percent of the concrete volume, converted at the unit weight": volume is not the basis, and the percentage is not 10.Caltrans Falsework Manual, Ch. 3

Which three conditions together allow soil liquefaction during strong shaking?

• a.Loose, saturated, granular soil✓
• b.Stiff, dry, clayey soil
• c.Dense, dry, gravelly soil
• d.Frozen, saturated, silty soil near the surface

FEMA says liquefaction occurs when loose saturated soils, typically sands and silts, are shaken strongly. Not "Stiff, dry, clayey soil": dry stiff clay does not liquefy. Not "Dense, dry, gravelly soil": dense dry gravel lacks both looseness and saturation. Not "Frozen, saturated, silty soil near the surface": frozen ground is not the described condition.FEMA P-749 1.3.2

How many seismic design categories does the national standard use, according to FEMA P-749?

• a.Six, from A to F✓
• b.Four, from A to D
• c.Three, from I to III
• d.Ten, from 1 to 10

FEMA states there are six SDCs ranging from A to F. Not "Three, from I to III": the standard uses six, lettered A through F. Not "Four, from A to D": two more categories exist beyond D. Not "Ten, from 1 to 10": the categories are lettered, not numbered to ten.FEMA P-749

Which structure is described as having a weak or soft story?

• a.One whose lowest story is less strong and stiff than those above✓
• b.One with the same wall thickness on each floor
• c.One built on dense rock
• d.One with closely spaced column ties and shear walls on each floor

A weak or soft story has substantially less strength and stiffness than the stories above it. Not "One with the same wall thickness on each floor": uniform strength is not an irregularity. Not "One built on dense rock": site rock is not a story irregularity. Not "One with closely spaced column ties and shear walls on each floor": closely spaced ties improve ductility.FEMA P-749

Besides vertical dead and live loads and assumed horizontal loads, what else must the Caltrans Falsework Manual consider in design?

• a.Loads from the owner's budget for the falsework design
• b.Loads from the architect's review of the falsework drawings
• c.Loads due to differential settlement of the supports✓
• d.Loads from the soil classification labels in the geotechnical report

The manual says loads due to differential settlement must also be considered in the design. Not "Loads from the owner's budget for the falsework design": money is not a structural load. Not "Loads from the architect's review of the falsework drawings": a review is not a load. Not "Loads from the soil classification labels in the geotechnical report": labels are not loads; settlement is.Caltrans Falsework Manual, Ch. 3

A 10-inch slab is cast with 150 pcf concrete. What dead load does it put on each square foot of falsework?

• a.1,500 psf
• b.150 psf
• c.15 psf
• d.125 psf✓

Thickness 10/12 foot times 150 pounds per cubic foot gives 125 psf. Not "150 psf": uses 12 inches of thickness. Not "1,500 psf": multiplies by 10 instead of 10/12. Not "15 psf": divides by 10 instead of multiplying by 10/12.Caltrans Falsework Manual, Ch. 3

A cantilevered concrete balcony slab is loaded downward. On which face does the main reinforcing steel belong?

• a.The mid-depth of the slab
• b.Both faces in equal amounts
• c.The top face✓
• d.The bottom face

A cantilever is stretched on top, and steel carries the tension while concrete carries compression. Not "The bottom face": that is the tension face of a simple span, not a cantilever. Not "The mid-depth of the slab": bars at midthickness add little to bending resistance. Not "Both faces in equal amounts": a cantilever is stretched on the top, so the main steel goes there.FEMA P-749

The Caltrans Falsework Manual applies a 75 pounds per lineal foot live load along which part of a deck?

• a.Each post cap along the bent line of the falsework
• b.The outside edge of deck overhangs✓
• c.The centerline of the deck between the girders
• d.The top of the girders, not the overhangs

The design live load includes 75 plf at the outside edge of deck overhangs. Not "The centerline of the deck between the girders": the concentrated edge load is for the overhang. Not "Each post cap along the bent line of the falsework": post caps carry distributed loads, not this line load. Not "The top of the girders, not the overhangs": the line load is applied on overhangs.Caltrans Falsework Manual, Ch. 3

A benchmark is at elevation 87.46 and the backsight rod reads 4.32. What is the height of instrument?

• a.83.14
• b.91.78✓
• c.87.46
• d.4.32

The height of instrument is the known elevation plus the backsight: 87.46 + 4.32 = 91.78. Not "83.14": subtracts the backsight from the benchmark. Not "4.32": reports the rod reading rather than an elevation. Not "87.46": ignores the backsight entirely.Caltrans Surveys Manual Ch. 8

With the HI at 91.78, the rod on a catch basin invert reads 7.05. What is the invert elevation?

• a.84.73✓
• b.98.83
• c.7.05
• d.91.78

A foresight is subtracted from the HI: 91.78 - 7.05 = 84.73. Not "98.83": adds the foresight to the HI. Not "7.05": reports the rod reading as the elevation. Not "91.78": gives the HI, the elevation of the line of sight.Differential leveling

Two points are read from one level setup. The rod reads 3.10 on point P and 6.85 on point Q. Which statement is true?

• a.P and Q are at the same elevation
• b.Q is 3.75 feet higher than P
• c.Q is 3.75 feet lower than P✓
• d.Q is 9.95 feet lower than P

More rod shows below the line of sight at the lower point, so the larger reading, 6.85, is the lower point by 3.75 feet. Not "Q is 3.75 feet higher than P": a larger rod reading means a lower point. Not "Q is 9.95 feet lower than P": adds the readings instead of subtracting. Not "P and Q are at the same elevation": equal elevations would give equal readings.Differential leveling

The height of instrument is 98.60 and the design subgrade elevation is 94.50. The rod on the subgrade reads 3.80. What must be done?

• a.Cut 0.30 foot✓
• b.Fill 4.10 feet
• c.Cut 4.10 feet
• d.Fill 0.30 foot

The grade rod is 98.60 - 94.50 = 4.10; the actual rod reads 3.80, so the subgrade is 0.30 foot high and is cut. Not "Fill 0.30 foot": a small rod reading means the ground is high, not low. Not "Cut 4.10 feet": 4.10 is the grade rod reading, not the cut. Not "Fill 4.10 feet": this reverses both the direction and the amount.Differential leveling

For slope stake reference points on cuts or fills under 10 feet, what elevation setting tolerance does the Caltrans Surveys Manual give?

• a.Within 0.5 foot
• b.Within 0.01 foot
• c.Within 1.0 foot
• d.Within 0.1 foot✓

RPSS stakes are set within 1.0 foot for stationing, 0.1 foot for offset and 0.1 foot for elevation on cuts or fills under 10 feet. Not "Within 1.0 foot": that is the stationing tolerance. Not "Within 0.01 foot": tighter than the manual's figure. Not "Within 0.5 foot": not the manual's figure.Caltrans Surveys Manual Ch. 12

On a grading stake, what does the abbreviation DAY or D/L stand for?

• a.The line where cut changes to fill✓
• b.A designated lane marker
• c.The depth of the base layer
• d.The day the stake was set by the survey crew

The Surveys Manual defines daylight as the point or line of change from cut to fill, or fill to cut. Not "The depth of the base layer": base depth is shown on the typical section. Not "The day the stake was set by the survey crew": stake abbreviations carry no date. Not "A designated lane marker": lane markers are not what DAY or D/L means.Caltrans Surveys Manual Ch. 12

Which location is best for a benchmark that must last through a grading job?

• a.Next to the haul road, where the crew can reach it for easy access
• b.A stable point outside the construction area and clear of traffic✓
• c.Inside the planned excavation line, where it is easy to read each day
• d.On a stockpile near the office, so it is easy to find and use each morning

Caltrans says benchmarks should be of a stable, permanent nature and, whenever possible, outside construction areas and clear of traffic. Not "Next to the haul road, where the crew can reach it for easy access": traffic and equipment bump or bury it. Not "On a stockpile near the office, so it is easy to find and use each morning": stockpile material moves with the work. Not "Inside the planned excavation line, where it is easy to read each day": grading would remove it.Caltrans Surveys Manual Ch. 8

What is the maximum loose thickness of an embankment layer before compaction under the Caltrans earthwork specification?

• a.18 inches
• b.2 feet
• c.8 inches✓
• d.3 inches

Embankment is built in layers whose loose thickness must not exceed 8 inches. Not "2 feet": compaction equipment cannot densify a lift that thick. Not "18 inches": this is above the stated loose limit. Not "3 inches": this is thinner than the stated limit.Caltrans Standard Specifications (2025) 19-6.03C