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AL General Contractor practice questions

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Question 1Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

Under Alabama law, a general contractor's license from the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors is generally required before a contractor may bid on or perform a project valued at:

  1. $10,000 or more
  2. $50,000 or more Correct answer.
  3. $25,000 or more
  4. $100,000 or more

Explanation

Alabama's general contractor licensing statute reaches projects of $50,000 or more in cost, and the requirement applies both to bidding and to performing the work. Below that threshold, no state general contractor license is required.

Question 2Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

In Alabama, workers' compensation coverage is required of an employer that regularly employs:

  1. eight or more employees
  2. twelve or more employees
  3. five or more employees Correct answer.
  4. two or more employees

Explanation

Alabama's Workers' Compensation Act applies to employers who regularly employ five or more employees. Employers below that count are not covered by the statutory requirement, though they may still elect coverage.

Question 3Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

For a standard lump-sum construction contract in Alabama, how are state and local sales taxes on materials normally handled?

  1. The contractor pays tax when buying materials and bills no separate tax. Correct answer.
  2. The owner remits sales tax on the total contract sum after final acceptance.
  3. Sales tax is collected only on the labor portion of the contract, not materials.
  4. The contractor adds sales tax to each progress payment billed to the owner.

Explanation

On a lump-sum contract the contractor is treated as the consumer of the materials, so it pays sales tax to the supplier at the time of purchase. The tax is embedded in the contract price rather than added as a separate line to the owner.

Question 4Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

In a critical path method schedule, the critical path is:

  1. the chain of activities carrying the highest total labor cost
  2. any path that ends at the final completion milestone of the project
  3. the longest path through the network, which sets project duration Correct answer.
  4. the path that contains the greatest number of activities

Explanation

The critical path is the longest-duration path through the schedule network, so it determines the shortest possible project duration. Activities on it have zero total float unless the schedule is extended or revised.

Question 5Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

Builder's risk insurance on a construction project primarily covers:

  1. the contractor's liability for defective workmanship discovered after completion
  2. injuries to the contractor's employees while working at the site
  3. damage to the project under construction from covered perils Correct answer.
  4. the owner's loss of rental income during the construction period

Explanation

Builder's risk is property coverage on the structure and materials during construction, covering damage from perils such as fire, wind, and vandalism. It does not replace workers' compensation, liability coverage, or time-element coverage.

Question 6Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

A bid is delivered to the owner five minutes after the advertised bid opening time. The owner should:

  1. accept it if it is the lowest bid received
  2. accept it if no other bidder objects
  3. hold it and open it only if the low bidder withdraws
  4. return it to the bidder unopened as late Correct answer.

Explanation

The bid opening time stated in the advertisement is a firm deadline; a bid arriving after that time is late and must be returned unopened. Its amount and the absence of objection from other bidders do not cure the lateness.

Question 7Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

A $2,000,000 contract carries 10 percent retainage. When the project is 60 percent complete per approved billing, the amount held as retainage is:

  1. $60,000
  2. $120,000 Correct answer.
  3. $100,000
  4. $80,000

Explanation

At 60 percent complete, approved billings total $1,200,000. Retainage of 10 percent is withheld from those billings, so the amount held is $120,000.

Question 8Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

Alabama is a right-to-work state. This means that:

  1. all workers on a project must join the union representing their trade
  2. employers must give hiring preference to local county residents
  3. workers cannot be required to join a union to keep a job Correct answer.
  4. union scale wages must be paid on every private construction project

Explanation

Right-to-work laws prohibit making union membership or dues payment a condition of obtaining or keeping employment. They do not set wage floors on private work or impose local hiring preferences.

Question 9Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

A contractor licensed with a monetary limit of $500,000 wants to bid a $750,000 contract. The contractor may:

  1. bid, because the limit applies to single-prime contracts only
  2. bid if the excess work is subcontracted to another licensee
  3. not bid until the Board raises the license limit Correct answer.
  4. bid, because the limit applies only to public projects

Explanation

Alabama licenses carry a monetary limit set from the licensee's net worth, and contracting above that limit is a licensing violation. The limit applies to the total contract amount and can only be exceeded once the Board approves an increase.

Question 10Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

A subcontractor last furnished labor and materials to a job on March 10. To preserve its mechanic's lien in Alabama, the subcontractor must file a verified statement of lien in the probate court within:

  1. six months after the last furnishing of labor or materials Correct answer.
  2. two years after the last furnishing of labor or materials
  3. 30 days after the last furnishing of labor or materials
  4. one year after the last furnishing of labor or materials

Explanation

Alabama requires the verified statement of lien to be filed in the probate court of the county where the property is located within six months after the last item of work or materials is furnished. A separate, shorter deadline governs enforcement of the lien after filing.

Question 11Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

A subcontractor signs a waiver stating that it is conditional and takes effect only upon receipt of the stated progress payment. The check is later dishonored. The subcontractor:

  1. retains its lien rights because the condition was not met Correct answer.
  2. has waived its lien rights for that progress payment
  3. must wait until final payment before raising the issue
  4. has waived only its right to sue on the contract

Explanation

A conditional waiver is effective only when the stated payment is actually received. Because the check was dishonored, the condition failed and the lien rights covered by the waiver survive.

Question 12Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

On a bonded public works project, a payment bond protects:

  1. the contractor against the owner's delay damages claim
  2. the owner against defective workmanship by the prime contractor
  3. subcontractors and suppliers who are not paid for their work Correct answer.
  4. the surety against loss caused by the contractor's default

Explanation

A payment bond guarantees that subcontractors and suppliers on a public project will be paid for labor and materials furnished to the prime contractor. It substitutes for lien rights, which are generally unavailable against public property.

Question 13Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

A bidder whose bid is accepted fails to execute the contract and furnish the required bonds. The owner may:

  1. recover the penal sum of the bid bond from the surety Correct answer.
  2. keep the bidder's equipment until a replacement is hired
  3. collect the full performance bond amount from the surety
  4. require the surety to complete the project at the bid price

Explanation

The bid bond guarantees that an accepted bidder will enter the contract and provide the required bonds. If the bidder refuses, the surety is liable up to the penal sum of the bid bond, typically the difference between the bid and the next bid within the bond amount.

Question 14Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

An activity on the approved schedule has four days of total float. The owner delays the start of that activity by six days, and no other delay occurs. The contractor is entitled to:

  1. a six-day extension of the contract time
  2. no time extension, because the float absorbed the delay
  3. a two-day extension of the contract time Correct answer.
  4. a ten-day extension of the contract time

Explanation

Float is available time before an activity affects the completion date. The first four days of the delay consume the float and the remaining two days push the critical path, so a two-day time extension is due.

Question 15Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

A subcontract makes the owner's payment to the prime contractor a condition precedent to the prime's duty to pay the subcontractor. Compared with a pay-when-paid clause, this provision:

  1. is void as against public policy in every jurisdiction
  2. merely postpones payment until the owner pays the prime
  3. shifts the risk of owner nonpayment to the subcontractor Correct answer.
  4. gives the subcontractor a direct action against the owner

Explanation

A pay-if-paid clause makes owner payment a condition precedent, so the subcontractor bears the risk of owner insolvency. A pay-when-paid clause, by contrast, only sets the timing of payment and does not extinguish the prime's obligation.

Question 16Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

A liquidated damages clause in a construction contract is generally enforceable when the amount:

  1. equals the profit the contractor expected to earn on the project
  2. is recalculated after the delay based on the owner's actual losses
  3. is a reasonable forecast of damages that are hard to estimate Correct answer.
  4. is set high enough to discourage the contractor from finishing late

Explanation

Liquidated damages are enforceable when the stipulated sum is a reasonable pre-estimate of the harm anticipated at contract formation and actual damages would be difficult to calculate. A sum designed to punish is treated as an unenforceable penalty.

Question 17Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

The schedule of values submitted with the first payment application is used mainly to:

  1. show the owner's anticipated cash flow during construction
  2. record the contractor's overhead and profit for the whole project
  3. list the unit prices that will govern any change orders issued
  4. allocate the contract sum across work items for billing Correct answer.

Explanation

The schedule of values breaks the contract sum into work items so that each progress payment can be measured against completed work. It must be realistic, because it becomes the basis for monthly billing and for evaluating the percentage of completion.

Question 18Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

On a federal construction contract covered by the Davis-Bacon Act, the contractor must:

  1. withhold five percent of each worker's pay as retainage
  2. pay prevailing wages and file certified payrolls Correct answer.
  3. hire only workers who are members of a building trade union
  4. pay overtime only after forty-eight hours in a workweek

Explanation

Davis-Bacon requires payment of locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits on covered federal work and imposes weekly certified payroll reporting. Overtime under federal law is due after forty hours in a workweek.

Question 19Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

A work package has a budget of $80,000 and has earned $60,000 of value to date; actual costs to date are $66,000. The cost variance is:

  1. $20,000 under budget
  2. $6,000 under budget
  3. $14,000 over budget
  4. $6,000 over budget Correct answer.

Explanation

Cost variance equals earned value minus actual cost: $60,000 minus $66,000 equals a negative $6,000. A negative variance means the work performed cost more than its earned value, so the package is $6,000 over budget.

Question 20Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

The contract states that no change is valid without a written change order signed by the owner. The owner's representative orally directs extra work, the contractor performs it, and the owner refuses to pay. The contractor's strongest argument is that:

  1. the owner must pay because the work benefited the project
  2. extra work is always paid at the contract unit prices
  3. the owner waived the writing requirement by directing the work Correct answer.
  4. the oral directive automatically amended the contract price and scope

Explanation

A contract clause requiring written change orders can be waived by the conduct of the party who benefits from it, such as an owner who orally orders extra work and then accepts it. The contractor's best theory is waiver or estoppel, supported by documentation of the directive and the work performed.

Question 21Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

An owner finds that the low bid is front-end loaded: mobilization and early work items are priced far above cost while later items are priced below cost. The main risk to the owner is that:

  1. the contractor will finish early and owe no liquidated damages
  2. the owner may overpay for early work if the contractor defaults Correct answer.
  3. unbalanced bids are illegal and the bid must be rejected outright
  4. the surety will cancel the performance bond once work begins

Explanation

Front-end loading shifts payment ahead of the value of work in place, so an early default or termination leaves the owner having paid substantially more than the work is worth. Owners manage this by requiring a balanced schedule of values and verifying prices before award.

Question 22Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

During excavation the contractor encounters rock that is not shown on the contract drawings and is not indicated by the geotechnical information. The contract contains a differing site conditions clause. The contractor should first:

  1. continue excavating and include the added cost in the next payment application
  2. wait until the rock is fully removed before requesting a change order
  3. remove the rock and record a mechanic's lien for the added cost
  4. stop work there, notify the owner promptly, and document the condition Correct answer.

Explanation

A differing site conditions clause requires prompt written notice before the condition is disturbed, together with an opportunity for the owner to investigate. Stopping work in the affected area and documenting the condition preserves both the factual record and the claim.

Question 23Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

The owner's late review of shop drawings delays the critical path by ten days. During the same ten days the contractor is also delayed by its own late material order. Under typical contract terms, the contractor's time extension for that period is:

  1. zero days, because the delays ran concurrently Correct answer.
  2. ten days, because the owner caused part of the delay
  3. twenty days, because two separate delays occurred
  4. five days, splitting the difference between the parties

Explanation

When an owner-caused delay and a contractor-caused delay run at the same time on the critical path, the delays are concurrent and the contractor generally receives no time extension for that period. The contractor's own delay would have caused the same impact regardless of the owner's actions.

Question 24Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

A general contractor is sued three years after completion for a defect in a subcontractor's work and tenders the claim to the subcontractor's CGL insurer. The claim is payable only if the subcontractor's policy includes:

  1. completed operations coverage plus an additional insured endorsement Correct answer.
  2. a products-completed operations aggregate shown on the declarations
  3. an occurrence form with no additional insured endorsement
  4. a claims-made form with a retroactive date before the work began

Explanation

Injury or damage arising from completed work is covered only under completed operations coverage, and the general contractor is protected only if it is named as an additional insured. A policy limit or form type alone does not extend coverage to another party.

Question 25Business, Finance, and Project Administration (contracts, bidding, scheduling, cost control, insurance, liens)

The owner directs the contractor to make up a ten-day delay that the owner itself caused, but issues no change order for the added cost. The contractor works overtime and later claims the added cost. This claim is best characterized as:

  1. a cardinal change claim
  2. a suspension of work claim
  3. a differing site condition claim
  4. a constructive acceleration claim Correct answer.

Explanation

A constructive acceleration arises when the owner requires recovery of owner-caused delay time without granting a time extension, forcing the contractor to accelerate to avoid liquidated damages. The contractor may recover the acceleration cost even without a formal directive to accelerate.

Question 26Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

At what minimum depth must an excavation be provided with a protective system against cave-ins under OSHA construction rules?

  1. 5 feet Correct answer.
  2. 4 feet
  3. 6 feet
  4. 8 feet

Explanation

OSHA 29 CFR 1926.652 requires cave-in protection for trenches 5 feet or deeper unless the excavation is made entirely in stable rock. A competent person may also require protection in shallower excavations where hazards exist.

Question 27Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

Excavated spoil and equipment must be kept at least what distance from the edge of a trench?

  1. 3 feet
  2. 4 feet
  3. 1 foot
  4. 2 feet Correct answer.

Explanation

Materials and equipment must be kept at least 2 feet back from the edge of an excavation to reduce surcharge loading and the chance of spoil falling into the trench.

Question 28Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

Employees in a trench must be able to reach a ladder, stairway, or ramp within what maximum lateral travel distance?

  1. 20 feet
  2. 25 feet Correct answer.
  3. 50 feet
  4. 15 feet

Explanation

OSHA requires a means of egress within 25 feet of lateral travel for employees in a trench 4 feet or deeper.

Question 29Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

Which OSHA soil classification is the most stable, having an unconfined compressive strength of at least 1.5 tons per square foot?

  1. Layered Type A over Type B
  2. Type A Correct answer.
  3. Type B
  4. Type C

Explanation

Type A soil is cohesive and has an unconfined compressive strength of 1.5 tons per square foot or greater. Type B ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 tsf, and Type C is less than 0.5 tsf.

Question 30Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

What minimum length must a ladder extend above the top of an excavation to provide safe access?

  1. 3 feet Correct answer.
  2. 2 feet
  3. 1 foot
  4. 4 feet

Explanation

Ladders used for access to excavations must extend at least 3 feet above the landing surface so workers have a handhold when stepping off.

Question 31Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

Before excavating on a site, the contractor should contact which service to have underground utilities located and marked?

  1. The utility billing office
  2. The OSHA area office
  3. The one-call center (811) Correct answer.
  4. The local building department

Explanation

The 811 one-call system notifies member utility owners, who then mark their buried lines. Excavation should not begin until the markings are complete and the required notice period has passed.

Question 32Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

What is the maximum allowable slope for an excavation in Type B soil less than 20 feet deep?

  1. 1.5:1
  2. 1/2:1
  3. 1:1 Correct answer.
  4. 3/4:1 (horizontal to vertical)

Explanation

OSHA Appendix B allows Type B soil to be sloped at 1:1, or 45 degrees, for excavations less than 20 feet deep.

Question 33Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

What is the primary purpose of a trench box, or trench shield?

  1. To support existing underground utilities
  2. To dewater the excavation
  3. To prevent surface water from entering
  4. To protect workers from sidewall collapse Correct answer.

Explanation

A trench box is a protective system that shields workers from cave-in, but it does not shore the trench walls themselves. It must be positioned so workers remain inside the protected area.

Question 34Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

An 8-foot-deep trench is excavated in Type C soil. Which protective system satisfies OSHA requirements?

  1. Making a vertical cut with no support
  2. Sloping the sides at 1:1
  3. Sloping the sides at 1.5:1 Correct answer.
  4. Benching the sides in a vertical cut

Explanation

Type C soil is the least stable and must be sloped at 1.5:1 or flatter, or supported by a designed system. Benching is not permitted in Type C soil.

Question 35Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

Which technique transfers the load of an existing foundation to a deeper bearing stratum before an adjacent excavation is made?

  1. Sheet piling
  2. Dewatering
  3. Underpinning Correct answer.
  4. Benching

Explanation

Underpinning adds new permanent support beneath an existing foundation so loads are carried to a deeper, competent stratum. It is commonly used when adjacent excavation would otherwise undermine the footing.

Question 36Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

A standard Proctor test is performed to determine which soil property?

  1. Maximum dry density and optimum moisture content Correct answer.
  2. Plastic limit
  3. Angle of internal friction
  4. Permeability

Explanation

The Proctor test compacts soil at several moisture contents to find the maximum dry unit weight and the moisture content at which it occurs. Field compaction is then specified as a percentage of that maximum dry density.

Question 37Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

When compacting backfill with hand-operated equipment, lifts should generally not exceed what thickness?

  1. 12 inches
  2. 18 inches
  3. 24 inches
  4. 6 to 8 inches Correct answer.

Explanation

Hand-operated compactors have limited energy and typically cannot densify lifts thicker than about 6 to 8 inches. Thicker lifts leave loose zones that can cause settlement.

Question 38Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

Which feature relieves hydrostatic pressure behind a retaining wall?

  1. Additional compacted clay backfill
  2. A thicker wall stem
  3. A deeper toe embedment
  4. Weep holes and a gravel drainage layer Correct answer.

Explanation

Weep holes, often combined with a gravel blanket or drain board, allow water to escape so it does not build pressure behind the wall. Without drainage, saturated backfill can greatly increase the lateral load.

Question 39Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

Which method is commonly used to verify the in-place density of compacted backfill?

  1. Sieve analysis
  2. Slump test
  3. Nuclear density gauge Correct answer.
  4. Atterberg limits

Explanation

A nuclear density gauge measures in-place wet and dry density and moisture, which are compared with the Proctor maximum. The sand-cone method is another accepted field density test.

Question 40Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

Footings are required to bear below the local frost line primarily to prevent which problem?

  1. Frost heave Correct answer.
  2. Erosion
  3. Settlement
  4. Hydrostatic uplift

Explanation

Frost-susceptible soils expand when freezing water is drawn to the frost zone, lifting structures above. Bearing below the frost depth prevents that uplift.

Question 41Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

What is the primary purpose of a silt fence on a construction site?

  1. To intercept sediment-laden runoff before it leaves the site Correct answer.
  2. To retain topsoil stockpiles only
  3. To support trench walls
  4. To filter groundwater at the excavation bottom

Explanation

Silt fence is a perimeter sediment control device that slows runoff and allows sediment to settle before water leaves the site. It is not a substitute for erosion control on the disturbed area itself.

Question 42Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

What does the term swell factor describe in earthwork?

  1. The depth to the water table
  2. The increase in soil volume after excavation Correct answer.
  3. The decrease in volume after compaction
  4. The ratio of water to solids in a soil sample

Explanation

Swell factor is the percentage by which bank soil volume increases when excavated and loosened. It is used to convert bank cubic yards to loose cubic yards for hauling calculations.

Question 43Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

What is the maximum allowable slope for an excavation in Type A soil less than 20 feet deep?

  1. 1:1
  2. 3/4:1 Correct answer.
  3. 1/2:1
  4. 1.5:1

Explanation

Type A soil may be sloped at 3/4:1, horizontal to vertical, the steepest simple slope allowed by the OSHA tables. Type B requires 1:1 and Type C requires 1.5:1.

Question 44Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

When employees must enter an excavation where a hazardous atmosphere could exist, what action is required before entry?

  1. Post a second exit within 25 feet
  2. Run continuous ventilation without testing
  3. Provide a respirator to each worker
  4. Test the atmosphere for oxygen, combustibles, and toxics Correct answer.

Explanation

OSHA requires atmospheric testing before entry and as often as necessary where hazardous conditions may exist. The results determine whether ventilation, respiratory protection, or other controls are needed.

Question 45Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

Which best describes a drilled shaft, or caisson, foundation?

  1. A deep cast-in-place concrete shaft Correct answer.
  2. A steel sheet pile wall
  3. A shallow reinforced concrete pad
  4. A timber pile driven to refusal

Explanation

A drilled shaft is a deep foundation formed by excavating a cylindrical hole, placing reinforcement, and filling it with concrete. It can carry high loads through skin friction and end bearing.

Question 46Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

A contractor excavates 1,000 bank cubic yards of soil with a 25% swell factor. What is the resulting loose volume?

  1. 1,000 loose cubic yards
  2. 750 loose cubic yards
  3. 800 loose cubic yards
  4. 1,250 loose cubic yards Correct answer.

Explanation

Loose volume equals bank volume multiplied by one plus the swell factor. Here 1,000 BCY times 1.25 equals 1,250 LCY.

Question 47Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

Soil with a 15% shrinkage factor is used as fill. How many bank cubic yards are required to produce 1,000 compacted cubic yards?

  1. 850 bank cubic yards
  2. 1,176 bank cubic yards Correct answer.
  3. 1,000 bank cubic yards
  4. 1,150 bank cubic yards

Explanation

Bank volume equals compacted volume divided by one minus the shrinkage factor. Here 1,000 CCY divided by 0.85 equals about 1,176 BCY.

Question 48Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

Which condition most increases the likelihood of a trench wall collapse?

  1. Backfill compacted at the surface away from the trench
  2. A low groundwater table
  3. A Type A soil classification confirmed by testing
  4. Heavy equipment operating close to the trench edge Correct answer.

Explanation

Equipment and spoil near the edge create surcharge loads that add lateral pressure to the trench walls and can trigger collapse. Vibration from equipment adds further risk.

Question 49Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

Which shoring system consists of vertical steel H-piles driven into the ground with horizontal timber or concrete lagging placed between them?

  1. Trench box
  2. Soldier piles and lagging Correct answer.
  3. Sheet piling
  4. Secant pile wall

Explanation

Soldier piles and lagging uses spaced vertical piles to support horizontal lagging that retains the soil face. It is commonly used for deep utility cuts and temporary retaining walls.

Question 50Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations

A 10-foot-high retaining wall holds saturated granular backfill and shows bulging. Which condition most likely caused the problem?

  1. Adequate footing width and embedment
  2. Compacted backfill placed in thin lifts
  3. Blocked weep holes that allow water pressure to build Correct answer.
  4. Free-draining gravel backfill placed behind the wall

Explanation

When drainage is blocked, water fills the backfill and exerts hydrostatic pressure that the wall was not designed to resist, causing bulging or failure. Free-draining backfill and working weep holes are essential.