Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference
South Carolina - Bridges
South Carolina · 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
50
Passing score
70%
Exam time
180 min
Administered by
PSI Services Contractor
Format
Reference materials allowed
South Carolina State Portion 50 questions
Concrete
12 Q · 24%
Concrete mixture proportioning and water-cementitious materials ratio (w/cm)Portland cement types and supplementary cementitious materials (fly ash, silica fume, slag)Fresh concrete field testing (slump, air content, compressive strength cylinders, unit weight/yield)Concrete placement methods, consolidation, and vibration requirementsFormwork and falsework design, construction, inspection, and removalReinforcing steel types, placement, splicing, cover, and corrosion protectionJoints in concrete structures and slabs (contraction, isolation, construction joints)Curing methods, hot and cold weather concreting, and common field problemsSection 702 Concrete StructuresFormwork
Concrete - Reinforcing Steel
5 Q · 10%
Types and grades of reinforcing steel (deformed bars, WWR, fibers, grade identification markings)Concrete cover requirements and placement tolerancesBar fabrication: cutting, bending, hooks, and minimum bend diametersSplicing methods: lap splices, mechanical couplers, and welded splicesBar supports and spacers: classes, types, and SCDOT zone requirementsStorage, handling, and surface condition requirements for reinforcing steelReinforcement placement in slabs-on-ground: WWR positioning, dowels, and tie barsSCDOT material standards and quality assurance testing for reinforcing steelReinforcement in StructuresJoints and Reinforcement for Slabs-on-GroundSection 703 Reinforcing Steel
Concrete Formwork
4 Q · 8%
Formwork design loads and lateral pressure calculations (ACI 347R formulas)Types of formwork systems (job-built, gang, flying table, slipforms, jump forms, stay-in-place)Formwork materials and hardware (plywood grades, lumber, form ties, anchors, form liners, release agents)Shoring and reshoring requirements and proceduresFormwork safety requirements and failure prevention (OSHA 1926 Subpart Q)Form removal criteria and timing (concrete strength requirements)Formwork tolerances and dimensional accuracy (ACI 117)SCDOT falsework and form submittal, inspection, and approval requirementsSection 702 Concrete StructuresFormwork
Structural Steel
8 Q · 16%
Structural steel material grades and specifications (AASHTO M 270/ASTM A 709)Charpy V-Notch toughness testing requirements by member typeHigh-strength bolt assembly installation and rotational-capacity testingShop fabrication requirements including assembly methods, camber, and flame cuttingStructural welding requirements and inspection (ANSI/AASHTO/AWS D1.5)Field erection procedures including falsework, bearing placement, and erection plansPaint systems for structural steel (NS1, NS2, NS3, ES1) by paint zoneSurface preparation and dry film thickness requirements for paint applicationSubpart R—Steel ErectionSection 709 Structural SteelSection 710 Paint For Structural Steel
Pile Driving/Sitework
8 Q · 16%
Driven pile types, materials, and material specifications (prestressed concrete, steel H-pile, steel pipe, timber)Pile driving equipment requirements (hammers, cushions, leads, templates, followers, water jets)Pile Installation Plan submittal requirements and approval processPile bearing determination methods (wave equation analysis, Dynamic Pile Analyzer, dynamic formula)Drilled shaft and drilled pile foundation construction methods (dry, wet, casing, slurry)Structure excavation classification and cofferdam design and constructionCrosshole Sonic Logging (CSL) of drilled shaft foundationsSC 811 excavator responsibilities (locate request procedures, tolerance zone, damage reporting, penalties)Section 712 Drilled Shafts And Drilled Pile FoundationsSection 711 Driven Pile FoundationsSection 203 Roadway And Drainage Excavation
Paving
3 Q · 6%
HMA materials: binder performance grades, aggregates, RAP, and additives (anti-strip, hydrated lime)HMA mix design, job mix formula, and composition tolerancesHMA plant operations, equipment calibration, and production requirementsHMA spreading, compaction, joint construction, and finished surface tolerancesAsphalt surface treatments: single, double, and triple treatment materials and application sequencesOpen-graded friction course (OGFC) materials, mix design, and placement requirementsPortland cement concrete pavement materials, mix design, batching, and placementPCC pavement joint construction, sealing, curing, and finishing requirementsSection 501 Portland Cement Concrete PavementSection 401 Hot Mixed Asphalt (Hma) Pavement
Safety - Code of Federal Regulations
5 Q · 10%
Employer accident prevention responsibilities and competent person requirementsFall protection systems — guardrail, safety net, and personal fall arrestExcavation and trenching safety — cave-in protection, sloping, shoring, and shieldsSC 811 underground utility locate request procedures and excavator responsibilitiesPersonal protective equipment selection, provision, and payment requirementsFire protection and prevention on construction sitesConfined spaces in construction — permit-required entry proceduresCranes and derricks — operator qualifications, inspections, and power line clearancesSubpart D-Occupational Health and Environmental Controls
Estimating
3 Q · 6%
Measurement methods and units for quantities (linear, area, volume, weight)Lump sum payment scope and inclusionsForce account work compensation (labor, materials, equipment markups)Partial payment procedures and material-on-hand payment schedulesBid proposal requirements and interpretation of estimated quantitiesProposal guaranty (bid bond) requirementsIrregular bid conditions and bidder disqualificationCompensation for quantity underruns and overruns
Business – Math
2 Q · 4%
Measurement units and conversion (linear, area, volume, weight)Tare weight and net weight calculations for hauled materialsForce account markup percentages (labor, materials, equipment, subcontractor)Partial payment percentage schedules for stockpiled and delivered materialsVolume computation methods (average end area) and neat-line deductionsUnit price payment calculations for overrun and underrun quantitiesLump sum payment scope and cost componentsEquipment rental rate calculations (monthly rate divided by 176)
Key Distinctions
Wall (formwork pressure design)vsColumn (formwork pressure design)
Per ACI 347R, a wall is a vertical element with at least one plan dimension greater than 6.5 ft (2 m), while a column has no plan dimension larger than 6.5 ft (2 m); the classification selects the pressure equation.
Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (4th ed.), Page 71Form filled by pumping from the bottomvsForm filled by placing from the top (rate-of-placement formulas)
For bottom-pumped forms the design lateral pressure is the full equivalent hydrostatic head (wh, or ρgh in SI) plus an allowance of at least 25 percent for pump surge, and the maximum/minimum pressures from the rate-of-placement formulas do not apply.
Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (4th ed.), Chapter 5 — Design of Forms, Page 71Form tiesvsForm anchors (securing formwork to previously placed concrete)
Form ties use the usual 2:1 safety factor (working load limited to half the ultimate tensile strength), while form anchors require a minimum safety factor of 3 including live loads and impact because the embedding concrete may still be green.
Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (4th ed.), Page 66"K" series steel joistsvs"LH" and "DLH" series joists and joist girders
Under 29 CFR 1926.757, the two 1/2-inch bolt option applies only to "K" series joists, while each end of "LH"/"DLH" joists and joist girders must have two 1/4-inch fillet welds 2 inches long, two 3/4-inch bolts, or the equivalent.
OSHA 29 CFR 1926, §1926.757(b)(2)Bid that WILL be rejected (SCDOT 102.8)vsBid that MAY be rejected (SCDOT 102.8)
A bid lacking a unit price for each listed pay item (except authorized alternate bid items) must be rejected, whereas unbalanced prices, suspected economic interest in more than one bid, and failure to furnish DBE committal/good faith effort information only permit the Department to reject.
SCDOT Standard Specifications for Highway Construction, Subsection 102.8, Pages 17-18Bridge deck patch repairvsLow slump or latex overlay restoration
Top-surface defective areas greater than 4 and less than 500 square feet are patched per SCDOT 702.4.10.2(1), while total defective areas equal to or greater than 500 square feet must be restored with a low slump or latex overlay conforming to Section 726.
SCDOT Standard Specifications for Highway Construction, Subsection 702.4.10.2, Page 564Inorganic zinc primer DFT below 3.5 milsvsInorganic zinc primer DFT less than 2.5 mils (severe deficiency)
Areas below the specified 3.5 mils minimum are corrected with thinned touch-up coats of inorganic zinc primer within 6 hours of original painting, but readings less than 2.5 mils (or excessive mud-cracking or sagging) require re-cleaning to Near White Blast Cleaning per 710.4.1.1.1 and repainting.
SCDOT Standard Specifications for Highway Construction, Subsection 710.4.1.1.3, Page 656Cleaning and painting NEW structural steelvsCleaning and Painting EXISTING Structural Steel
Painting of new structural steel is not measured for direct payment and its cost is included in the contract bid price of the items on which the paint is applied, while cleaning and painting existing structural steel is a separate lump sum pay item.
SCDOT Standard Specifications for Highway Construction, Subsections 710.5 and 710.6, Page 664Vented crawl space without approved ground vapor retardervsVented crawl space with approved Class I vapor retarder on the ground
Per IRC R408.2 the minimum net ventilation opening area is 1 square foot per 150 square feet of under-floor area, which may be reduced to 1/1,500 of the under-floor area where an approved Class I vapor retarder covers the ground surface.
IRC Section R408.2Wood joists / bottom of wood structural floor in crawl space (IRC R317.1 Item 1)vsWood framing members, including columns, resting on concrete or masonry exterior foundation walls (IRC R317.1 Item 2)
Joists or the floor bottom need naturally durable or preservative-treated wood when closer than 18 inches to exposed ground, while framing members resting directly on exterior foundation walls need it when less than 8 inches from exposed ground.
IRC Section R317.1, Item 1Mass concrete by three-direction rulevsMass concrete for a circular cross-section
SCDOT 702.4.2.5 applies mass concrete procedures to any pour measuring 5 feet or greater in three different directions, but for a circular cross-section mass concrete means a diameter of 6 feet or greater with a length of 5 feet or greater; drilled shafts (Class 4000DS) and foundation seals (Class 4000S) are excluded.
SCDOT Standard Specifications for Highway Construction, Subsection 702.4.2.5, Page 552Concrete with retarding admixturevsCement without retarder / mix with fly ash or slag replacement
Retarders delay setting and increase lateral form pressure (chemistry coefficient CC of 1.2 versus 1.0 without retarder) so stripping times must be lengthened, while mixes replacing part of the cement with fly ash or slag may need twice as much cure time before stripping.
Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (4th ed.), Pages 72 and 82Key Terms
Competent person (29 CFR 1926.32(f)) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, Page 31
One who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which 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 training certificate is required.
Danger sign (29 CFR 1926.200(b)) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.200(b)(1)
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 sign wording.
Fire alarm system (29 CFR 1926.150(e)) OSHA 1926.150(e)(1) and (e)(2)
An alarm system, e.g., telephone system or siren, that the employer must establish so employees on the site 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.
Fire extinguisher requirement (29 CFR 1926.150(c)(1)(i)) OSHA 1926.150(c)(1)(i)
An extinguisher rated not less than 2A shall be provided for each 3,000 square feet of protected building area, or major fraction thereof.
Emergency action plan for small employers (29 CFR 1926.35(e)(3)) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.35(e)(3)
For employers with 10 or fewer employees the plan may be communicated orally and the employer need not maintain a written plan.
First aid kit inspection (29 CFR 1926.50) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, Page 33
Kit contents must be checked by the employer before being sent out on each job and at least weekly on each job to ensure expended items are replaced.
Toilet facilities (29 CFR 1926.51(c)(1), Table D-1) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.51(c)(1), Table D-1
For job sites with 20 or fewer employees the minimum number of facilities required is 1.
Qualified operator rule (29 CFR 1926.20(b)(4)) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, Page 29
The employer shall permit only those employees qualified by training or experience to operate equipment and machinery.
Tolerance Zone (SC Section 58-36-20(21)(a)) SC 811 Excavator Manual (2024), Pages 28 and 46
When the facility diameter is known, the zone extending one-half of the known diameter plus twenty-four inches on either side of the designated center line of the underground facility.
Maturity meter testing Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (4th ed.), Page 81
An alternative in-place strength method that measures the concrete's temperature over a period of time to calculate strength, requiring a correlation with the actual mixture to be established before field testing.
Camber Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (4th ed.), Page 77
A slight upward curvature intentionally built into a structural element or form to compensate for deflection under loads, shrinkage, and creep.
Exposure Class F3 (Table 2.5) Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (4th ed.), Page 24 (Table 2.5)
Concrete exposed to freezing-and-thawing cycles with frequent exposure to water AND to deicing chemicals, limited to a maximum w/cm of 0.40 with a minimum compressive strength of 5000 psi.
Exposure Class S2 (Table 2.5) Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (4th ed.), Page 24 (Table 2.5)
Sulfate exposure for dissolved sulfate concentrations between 1500 and 10,000 ppm, requiring a maximum w/cm of 0.45 and a minimum compressive strength of 4500 psi (31 MPa).
Exposure Class W1 (Table 2.5) Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (4th ed.), Page 24 (Table 2.5)
Concrete in contact with water where low permeability is required, with a maximum w/cm of 0.50 and a minimum compressive strength of 4000 psi (28 MPa).
Complete load path (IRC R301.1) IRC Section R301.1
A system that transfers loads from their point of origin through the load-resisting elements to the foundation.
Frost-protected shallow foundation (IRC R403.3) IRC Section R403.3
For buildings maintaining a monthly mean temperature of not less than 64°F (18°C), footings need not extend below the frost line where protected by insulation per Figure R403.3(1) and Table R403.3(1); this method shall not be used for unheated spaces.
High-build sprayed final finish coat (SCDOT 702.4.11.4) SCDOT Standard Specifications for Highway Construction, Subsections 702.4.11.3 and 702.4.11.4, Pages 566-567
A factory-mixed coating applied to exposed bridge substructure surfaces as a single spray coat at the rate of 55 (± 5) square feet per gallon, with 702.4.11.3 separately capping coverage at no more than 60 square feet per gallon.
Formulas to Know
Design lateral pressure when forms are filled by pumping from the bottom
P = full equivalent hydrostatic head wh (ρgh in SI) + at least 25% allowance for pump surge; rate-of-placement maximum/minimum pressures do not applyConcrete volume in cubic yards from dimensions
Volume (cu yd) = length (ft) × width (ft) × thickness (ft) ÷ 27; inches ÷ 12 = feet (e.g., 4 in = 0.333 ft, 5 in = 0.4167 ft). Example: 2.5 × 2.5 × 1 = 6.25 cu ft per pier; 3 piers = 18.75 ÷ 27 = 0.69 cu ydContinuous footing length
Footing length = outside perimeter = 2 × (length + width). Example: 2 × (48 + 26) = 148 ft, then 148 × 1.333 ft × 1.000 ft = 197.33 cu ft ÷ 27 = 7.31 cu ydSlab concrete using Table 11-1 coverage (4-inch slab)
One cubic yard covers 81 sq ft at 4 in: cu yd = slab area ÷ 81, rounded UP to whole yards. Example: 960 ÷ 81 = 11.85 → 12 cu yd (check: 960 × 0.333 ÷ 27 = 11.85)Ordering rule for continuous footing concrete
Round the net footing volume UP to the next quarter yard. Example: 5.10 cu yd → 5.25 cu yd; 4.48 → 4.5; 7.31 → 7.5; 6.91 → 7Total concrete order for footings, pier footings and slab
Sum the net volumes, then round UP to the next whole yard. Example: 5.10 + 0.69 + 11.85 = 17.65 → 18 cu ydWall form contact area
Contact area (both faces) = 2 × wall perimeter (ft) × wall height (ft). Example: 2 × 136 × 8 = 2,176 sq ft8-inch foundation wall concrete using the printed table
cu yd = (wall area ÷ 100) × 2.47 cu yd per 100 sq ft. Example: 136 × 8 = 1,088 sq ft ÷ 100 = 10.88 × 2.47 = 26.87 cu yd (check: 1,088 × 0.667 ÷ 27 = 26.86)8-inch block courses and blocks per course
Three courses stack 2 ft → courses = height × 3/2 (4 ft × 3/2 = 6 courses); three blocks lay 4 ft → blocks = length × 3/4 (32 ft × 3/4 = 24 blocks per course)Deck area around a pool (net area by subtraction)
Overall footprint = (pool length + 2 × deck width) × (pool width + 2 × deck width); deck area = overall footprint − pool area. Example: 44 × 28 = 1,232 sq ft − (32 × 16 = 512) = 720 sq ft; 720 × 0.333 ÷ 27 = 8.89 → 9 cu yd at 4 in