Construction Methods, Materials, and Site Work
Site work and soils
Understand soil classification and why it matters: granular soils drain and compact well; clays swell, shrink, and hold water. Compaction is specified as a percentage of maximum dry density from a standard proctor test - 95% under structural fill is a common requirement. Know how to read a boring log, what bearing capacity means, and why footing size is tied to allowable soil pressure. Site work also includes clearing, stripping topsoil, cut and fill balance, dewatering, erosion and sediment control, and stormwater BMPs required under NPDES permits.
Structural and envelope systems
Know basic concrete practice: water-cement ratio controls strength and durability, slump measures workability, air entrainment improves freeze-thaw resistance, and curing must be maintained. Understand reinforcing placement and cover, formwork removal timing, masonry units and mortar joints, wood framing and connections, structural steel bolting and welding, and flashing/waterproofing detailing. Water intrusion questions usually hinge on lapping, continuity, and drainage plane.
Excavation and temporary works
Trenching and shoring are safety-critical. Know the difference between sloping, benching, shoring, and trench boxes, and that a protective system is required at 5 ft depth (or shallower in unstable soil).
Traps
- Confusing swell (excavation) with shrinkage (compaction).
- Assuming higher slump means stronger concrete - it is the opposite for a fixed cement content.
- Forgetting that water must drain out of a wall assembly, not just be blocked.
Rule of thumb
Order backfill in compacted cubic yards. If 1,000 ft³ of compacted fill is needed and shrinkage is 15%, you need roughly 1,000 ÷ 0.85 ≈ 1,176 ft³ of bank material.