NICET CMT Soils study guide
NICET CMT Soils · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
NICET CMT-Soils is one of the Construction Materials Testing (CMT) certification programs listed by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) under its Civil Engineering Technology Programs, alongside CMT-Asphalt, CMT-Concrete, Highway Construction Inspection, and the optional CMT Performance Examinations. It is aimed at technicians who sample, test, classify, and inspect soils on construction projects - laboratory work such as gradation, plasticity, moisture-density relationships, and classification; field work such as density and moisture testing for compaction control; inspection of subgrade preparation, embankment fill, and structural backfill; and the documentation, specification, and ethical responsibilities that surround that work. The NICET CMT Soils study guide has 4 sections and about 1,423 words.
01Soils Laboratory Testing and Classification
This domain tests whether you can choose the correct AASHTO/ASTM procedure for a given soil and turn the results into a classification and a compaction target. Gradation - sieve and hydrometer analysis, AASHTO T 88.
362 words, about 2 min02Field Density and Moisture Testing (Compaction Control)
Field density and moisture testing proves that the compaction achieved in the field matches the laboratory target. The exam tests method selection, sand-cone and gauge procedure, and the arithmetic of relative compaction.
353 words, about 2 min03Subgrade, Embankment, and Backfill Construction Inspection
This domain covers what an inspector does on a subgrade, embankment, or backfill operation: verify materials, control lift thickness and moisture, watch compaction, and accept or reject each lift with tests. Strip unsuitable material, proof roll the exposed subgrade with a loaded truck, and scarify the surface before placing the next lift so layers bond.
351 words, about 2 min04Sampling, Test Reports, Specifications, and Ethics
Sampling, reporting, specification reading, and ethics are tested together because they answer one question: can the result be trusted and defended? Take samples at random locations, at the depth being represented, in the quantity the test method needs.
357 words, about 2 min