Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference
Mississippi Marine Construction
Mississippi · PSI Services Contractor
Verified, not estimated. Every figure below is drawn from the official exam structure we maintain — question counts, passing standard and topic weighting. Practice questions are grounded in the source law with statute citations. We omit any figure we can't verify rather than guess at it.
Total questions
40
Passing score
70%
Exam time
120 min
Administered by
PSI Services Contractor
Format
Reference materials allowed
Mississippi State Portion 40 questions
Safety
6 Q · 15%
Fall protection systems (guardrail, safety net, personal fall arrest) and duty to have fall protection at 6-foot thresholdExcavation safety: cave-in protection, sloping, shoring, and trench shieldsCrane and derrick safety: load charts, ground conditions, assembly/disassembly, and power line clearancesConfined spaces in construction: permit requirements, atmospheric testing, entry procedures, and rescuePersonal protective equipment (PPE): selection, use, and employer payment requirementsFire protection and prevention: fire extinguisher ratings, flammable liquid storage, and fire prevention programsUnderground construction and compressed air: air monitoring, gassy operations, communications, and emergency provisionsBlasting and explosives: storage, handling, authorized personnel, and misfire procedures
Miscellaneous Engineering – Pile Driving
18 Q · 45%
Pile types and classifications (timber, concrete, steel, sheet, composite)Pile-driving hammers: types, selection, and energy outputLoad-bearing mechanisms: friction piles vs. end-bearing pilesDriving stresses and pile cushion requirements for concrete pilesVibratory pile drivers and sheet pile installation methodsCompressed air systems for powering pile-driving hammersCrane selection and rigging for pile-driving operationsPile-driving terminology and glossary of terms
Concrete
12 Q · 30%
Cement types and properties (portland, blended, hydraulic)Concrete mix design and proportioning (water-cementitious materials ratio, aggregate sizing, air content)Aggregates for concrete (grading, quality, moisture content, classification)Durability and exposure categories (freeze-thaw, sulfate attack, chloride/corrosion resistance, permeability)Chemical admixtures (air-entraining, water-reducing, accelerating, retarding)Placing, finishing, and consolidation of concreteCuring methods and materialsFormwork systems and lateral pressure of concrete
Concrete - Reinforcing Steel
4 Q · 10%
Purpose and structural role of reinforcing steel in concrete (tension, compression, shear resistance)Reinforcing bar types, sizes, grades, and ASTM specificationsIdentification markings on deformed reinforcing barsConcrete cover requirements and placement tolerancesBar supports: types, sizes, and proper useSplice types: lap, mechanical, and welded splicesTying methods, tie wire types, and general principles of tyingHandling, storing, and hoisting reinforcing bars at the jobsite
Key Distinctions
Isolation jointvsContraction joint
Isolation joints separate a placement from other parts of the structure (at floor junctions with walls, columns, footings) and extend the full depth of the slab with a premolded filler, while contraction joints extend only to about one-quarter of the concrete thickness.
Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 9 - Properties of Concrete, Page 184 (16th ed.: Page 282)Flash set (quick set)vsFalse set
Flash set occurs when the proper amount or form of calcium sulfate is unavailable to control C₃A hydration, causing rapid workability loss with considerable heat that cannot be dispelled by further mixing without adding water, whereas false set comes from rapid crystallization of secondary gypsum when too much gypsum dehydrates to plaster during finish milling.
Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 2 - Portland, Blended, and Other Hydraulic Cements, Page 48 (16th ed.: Page 134)Ownership costvsOperating cost
Major repairs and overhauls are ownership costs because they extend service life and act as an investment in a new machine, while fuel, lubricants, and tires are operating costs; ownership cost per hour decreases with time and operating cost per hour increases.
Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 2, Page 80Operating leasevsDirect ownership
An operating lease is an operating expense rather than a liability (off-balance-sheet financing) so it preserves bonding capacity, while direct ownership gives a tax depreciation shield, guaranteed availability, and control of mechanical condition but its debt liability can reduce bonding capacity.
Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 2 - Equipment Economics, Lease considerationsType III portland cementvsType I portland cement
Type III is chemically similar to Type I but ground finer to give high early strength for early form removal and quick service (and permits shorter curing in cold weather), while Type I is general purpose with no special sulfate resistance.
Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 2 - Portland, Blended, and Other Hydraulic Cements, Page 26 (16th ed.: Page 113)Type V portland cementvsType IV portland cement
Type V is for severe sulfate exposure (soils/groundwater high in sulfate) achieved by limiting C₃A to not more than 5%, while Type IV is for low heat of hydration in massive structures.
Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 2 - Portland, Blended, and Other Hydraulic Cements, Page 26 (16th ed.: Page 113)Fly ashvsSilica fume
Adding fly ash generally reduces water demand (and decreases air content if the air-entraining admixture is not readjusted), while silica fume increases water demand.
Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 13 - Specifying, Designing, and Proportioning Concrete Mixtures, Page 270 (16th ed.: Page 363)Calcium chloride acceleratorvsNon-chloride accelerator
Calcium chloride is an effective set accelerator but promotes corrosion of reinforcing steel (and is not an effective antifreeze — it lowers the freezing point only a few degrees), so non-chloride accelerators are more appropriate for steel-reinforced concrete.
Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 6 - Chemical Admixtures for Concrete, Page 129 (16th ed.: Pages 222-223)Membrane-forming curing compoundvsPlastic sheet curing
Membrane-forming compounds remain intact until abraded by traffic and can prevent adequate air drying before winter deicer exposure, so plastic sheets — which allow drying at the end of curing — are preferable for fall paving where deicers will be used.
Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 11 - Durability, Page 221 (16th ed.: Page 326)Average-end-area method (volume)vsTrapezoidal formula (area)
The average-end-area volume method gives volumes generally slightly in excess of actual with a precision of ±1.0%, while the trapezoidal area formula is more precise at about ±0.5%.
Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 3 - Planning for Earthwork Construction, Volume CalculationBank cubic yards (bcy)vsCompacted cubic yards (ccy)
Bank volume is the in-situ measure and compacted volume is the placed/compacted measure; converting ccy to bcy requires dividing by the shrinkage/conversion factor because compacted material occupies less volume than bank material.
Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 3 - Planning for Earthwork Construction, Net Volume / ProblemsLow-slope roof fall protection (≤ 4 in 12)vsSteep roof fall protection
On low-slope roofs with unprotected edges 6 ft or more above lower levels, workers may be protected by guardrails, safety nets, personal fall arrest, or a combination of warning line plus safety monitoring system, whereas guardrails with toeboards are specifically required for steep roofs under §1926.501(b)(11).
29 CFR 1926, §1926.501(b)(10)Key Terms
Competent person OSHA 1926 CFR 29, Page 31
Per 29 CFR 1926.32(f), one capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them (no specific degree, years of experience, or certificate required).
Danger sign OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.200(b)(1)
Per §1926.200(b)(1)-(2), a sign used only where an immediate hazard exists, having red as the predominating color for the upper panel, black outline on the borders, and a white lower panel for additional wording.
Emergency action plan (10 or fewer employees) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.35(e)(3)
Per §1926.35(e)(3), employers with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the plan orally and need not maintain a written plan.
Fire alarm system (construction site) OSHA 1926.150(e)(1) and (e)(2)
Per §1926.150(e)(1)-(2), an employer-established alarm system (telephone, siren, etc.) by which site employees and the local fire department can be alerted for an emergency, with the alarm code and reporting instructions conspicuously posted at phones and employee entrances.
Material storage in tiers OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.250(b)(1)
Per §1926.250(a)(1), all materials stored in tiers must be stacked, racked, blocked, interlocked, or otherwise secured to prevent sliding, falling, or collapse; per §1926.250(b)(1), material stored inside buildings under construction must not be within 6 ft of any hoistway or inside floor opening, nor within 10 ft of an exterior wall that does not extend above the top of the stored material.
Excavation daily inspection 29 CFR 1926, §1926.651(k)(1)
Per §1926.651(k)(1), a competent person's inspection made prior to the start of work, as needed during the shift, and after every rainstorm or other hazard-increasing occurrence, looking for situations that could result in cave-ins, indications of protective system failure, hazardous atmospheres, or other hazardous conditions.
Bleeding Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 9 - Properties of Concrete, Page 165 (16th ed.: Chapter 12, Page 261)
The development of a layer of water at the top or surface of freshly placed concrete, caused by sedimentation of solid particles and the simultaneous upward migration of water.
Vapor retarder Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 15 - Placing and Finishing Concrete, Page 315 (16th ed.: Pages 413-414)
A polyethylene film or polyolefin sheet placed under concrete floors on ground to slow the movement of water vapor, used where an impermeable floor covering is likely or where vapor passage could damage moisture-sensitive equipment or materials.
Entrained air voids Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 11 - Durability, Page 219 (16th ed.: Page 324)
Empty chambers in the paste where freezing (expanding) and migrating water can enter, relieving hydraulic and osmotic pressures and preventing freeze-thaw damage; on thawing most water returns to the capillaries by capillary action and compressed air pressure.
Flowing concrete Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 6 - Chemical Admixtures for Concrete, Page 124 (16th ed.: Page 217)
Concrete having a slump greater than 190 mm (7.5 in.) while maintaining cohesive properties, produced with high-range water reducers (superplasticizers) for placement in congested reinforcement with little or no vibration.
Shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA) Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 6 - Chemical Admixtures for Concrete, Page 132 (16th ed.: Page 226)
An admixture that can delay time of set and slow the bleed rate, so premature finishing can trap bleedwater beneath the surface and lead to surface delamination.
Set-retarding admixture Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 6 - Chemical Admixtures for Concrete, Page 130 (16th ed.: Page 221)
An admixture that offsets the accelerating effect of hot weather by extending the period during which concrete remains plastic, eliminating cold joints in large pours, extending finishing/joint-preparation time, and reducing early temperature rise.
Type II(MH) portland cement Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 2 - Portland, Blended, and Other Hydraulic Cements, Page 30 (16th ed.: Page 112)
A cement manufactured to generate heat at a slower rate than Type I or most Type II cements by limiting the heat index (C₃S + 4.75 C₃A) to a maximum of 100, suited to mass elements such as large foundations and thick walls.
Recycled-concrete aggregate (RCA) Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 5 - Aggregates for Concrete, Page 97 (16th ed.: Pages 184-185)
Crushed old concrete used as aggregate, having lower specific gravity and much higher absorption (typically 3% to 10%) than conventional aggregate because of the porous hardened paste, requiring added water or prewetting of stockpiles for equal workability.
Sealing in the mix water (curing method) Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 17th ed., Chapter 17 - Curing Concrete, Page 371 (16th ed.: Chapter 18, Page 453)
A curing method that covers concrete with impervious paper or plastic sheets, or applies membrane-forming curing compounds, to reduce loss of mixing water from the surface — as distinct from ponding and fogging, which supply additional moisture, and accelerated curing, which uses heat and moisture.
Station / station yard Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 3 - Planning for Earthwork Construction, GRAPHICAL PRESENTATION OF EARTHWORK
A station is a horizontal distance of 100 ft (adjacent stations are 100 ft apart); a station yard is the measure of work equal to moving 1 cubic yard through one station (100 ft), used in mass diagram analysis.
Balance line Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 3 - Planning for Earthwork Construction, Balance Lines
A horizontal line on a mass diagram that intersects the diagram in two places, with its length equal to the maximum economical haul distance for a particular machine type.
Tag line (clamshell) Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 9 - Excavators, Lattice-Boom Clamshells
A small-diameter cable with a spring-tension winder (usually mounted on the lower boom) that prevents the clamshell bucket from twisting while being hoisted and lowered, requiring no operator control.
Optimum economic life Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 2, Pages 100-103
The ownership time duration yielding the minimum total hourly cost, found by considering cumulative ownership cost per hour together with cumulative operating cost per hour.
Formulas to Know
Nominal maximum aggregate size limits (ACI 318 as cited)
Dmax ≤ ¾ × clear spacing between bars (and between bars and forms); ≤ 1/5 the narrowest dimension of a vertical member; ≤ 1/3 the depth of a slab. Governing value is the smallest, then round down to the next standard nominal size (e.g., 32 mm spacing → ¾ × 32 = 24 mm → use 19 mm/¾ in.; 4-in. slab → 4 ÷ 3 ≈ 1-1/3 in. governs over 12 ÷ 5 = 2.4 in.).Volume between two cross sections (average-end-area)
V = [(A1 + A2)/2] × L; e.g., (320 + 480)/2 × 50 ft = 20,000 cu ft (precision ±1.0%, slightly in excess of actual)Compacted cubic yards to bank cubic yards
bcy = ccy ÷ conversion (shrinkage) factor; e.g., 5,000 ccy ÷ 0.90 = 5,556 bcy; 4,400 ccy ÷ 0.88 = 5,000 bcyEngineering News pile formula, single-acting hammer
Safe load = (W × h) / (s + 1), where s = penetration in inches per blow; a safety factor of six is built into the equationRoller production in compacted cubic yards per hour
ccy/hr = [speed (fpm) × width (ft) × lift thickness (ft) × 60 min/hr × efficiency] ÷ number of passesMaximum vibratory roller speed for required impacts per foot
Speed (mph) = [frequency (vpm) ÷ impacts per foot] ÷ 88; e.g., (2,500 ÷ 6) ÷ 88 ≈ 4.7 mphHourly rental rate and rental-vs-ownership breakeven hours
Hourly rate = monthly rate ÷ 176 hr (daily = 8 hr, weekly = 40 hr, monthly = 176 hr); e.g., $3,558 ÷ 176 = $20.22/hr. Breakeven hours = annual ownership cost ÷ hourly rental rate; e.g., $26,304 ÷ $20.22 ≈ 1,300 hr/yr (below which renting is more economical).Slab concrete quantity (4-in. slab, Table 11-1 method)
Area (sq ft) ÷ 81 sq ft per cu yd for a 4-in. thickness, rounded up to whole yards; e.g., 30 × 32 = 960 sq ft ÷ 81 = 11.85 → 12 cu yd (check: 960 × 0.333 ft ÷ 27 = 11.85)Footing, pier, and combined concrete orders
Footing volume = outside perimeter × width (ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27, e.g., 124 × 1.333 × 0.833 = 137.78 cu ft ÷ 27 = 5.10 cu yd; pier footing = 2 × 2 × 1 ft = 4.00 cu ft each ÷ 27 per count (4 piers = 0.59 cu yd; 2 piers = 0.30 cu yd). Order rules: footing alone rounds UP to the next quarter yard (5.10 → 5.25; 4.48 → 4.5); summed net volumes round up to the next whole yard (5.10 + 0.69 + 11.85 = 17.65 → 18 cu yd; 6.91 + 0.30 = 7.21 → 8 cu yd).Foundation wall concrete and form contact area
8-in. wall concrete = (wall area ÷ 100) × 2.47 cu yd per 100 sq ft; e.g., 136 × 8 = 1,088 sq ft → 10.88 × 2.47 = 26.87 cu yd (check 1,088 × 0.667 ÷ 27 = 26.86). Form contact area (both faces) = 2 × perimeter × height; e.g., 2 × 136 × 8 = 2,176 sq ft; 2 × 152 × 8 = 2,432 sq ft.