Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference

South Carolina Marine

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

Safety - Marine 6 Q · 12%
Marine operations safety requirements (OSHA 1926 Subpart O)Floating cranes and cranes on barges — stability, list, trim, and free surface effectMarine hoisted personnel transfer and hoisting over waterCofferdams — controlled flooding, guardrails, evacuation warnings, and proximity to navigation channelsCaissons — compressed air medical requirements, man locks, and decompression proceduresSubaqueous excavation notification and tolerance zone requirements (SC 811)Underground construction hoisting — personnel hoists, cage requirements, and shaft safetyDiving operations — pre-dive, in-dive, post-dive procedures and dive team qualifications
Miscellaneous Engineering - Pile Driving 25 Q · 50%
Pile types and classifications (timber, concrete, steel, sheet piles)Pile load transfer mechanisms (friction piles vs. end-bearing piles)Pile-driving hammer types (single-acting, double-acting, diesel, hydraulic, vibratory)Hammer selection criteria and Engineering News pile formulaPile driving support systems (fixed leads, swing leads, templates, batter piles)Jetting, spudding, and preaugering techniquesSite investigation and test pile programs for bearing capacityCompressed air systems for pile-driving hammers (pressure loss, hose and pipe sizing)
Concrete 15 Q · 30%
Concrete mix design and proportioning (water-cementitious materials ratio, aggregate sizing, admixtures)Properties of fresh concrete (workability, slump, bleeding, air content, consistency)Batching, mixing, transporting, and handling ready-mixed concreteSubgrade preparation, formwork, and concrete placement proceduresCuring methods and materials (moist curing, membrane compounds, temperature requirements)Concrete durability (freeze-thaw resistance, sulfate attack, permeability, abrasion resistance)Steel reinforcement — types, grades, placement, cover, and splicing requirementsOSHA safety requirements for concrete and masonry construction operations
Concrete - Reinforcing Steel 4 Q · 8%
Reinforcing bar types, grades, and identification markingsBar sizes, dimensions, and standard ASTM specificationsConcrete cover requirements for different structural membersPlacement tolerances for reinforcing bars in structural membersTypes of bar splices: lap, mechanical, and weldedBar supports: types, sizes, and placement requirementsTying and securing reinforcing bars to prevent displacementSafety precautions for handling, hoisting, and placing reinforcing steel

Key Distinctions

Isolation JointvsContraction Joint

Isolation joints extend the full depth of the slab and separate it from walls, columns, and footings to permit both horizontal and vertical movement, while contraction joints extend only about one-quarter the concrete thickness to control cracking.

Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 282
Flash SetvsFalse Set

Flash set occurs when insufficient calcium sulfate fails to control C₃A hydration, causes rapid stiffening with high heat, and cannot be reversed by remixing without adding water; false set is caused by rapid crystallization of secondary gypsum and can be dispelled by further mixing.

Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 134
Ownership CostvsOperating Cost

Ownership costs include major repairs and overhauls (which extend service life) and decrease per hour over time, while operating costs such as fuel, lubricants, and tires increase per hour over time.

Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 2, Page 80
Leasing EquipmentvsOwning Equipment

Leasing is treated as an off-balance-sheet operating expense that preserves bonding capacity, while direct ownership creates a debt liability that can reduce bonding capacity but provides tax depreciation and guaranteed equipment availability.

Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 2 - Equipment Economics, Lease considerations
Type III Portland CementvsType V Portland Cement

Type III is ground finer than Type I to achieve high early strength and is used for fast form removal or cold weather work, while Type V has a low C₃A content (≤5%) specifically for resistance to severe sulfate environments.

Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 113
Type II(MH) Portland CementvsType IV Portland Cement

Type II(MH) limits the heat index (C₃S + 4.75 C₃A) to a maximum of 100 for moderate heat control in large foundations, while Type IV is a low-heat cement suited for massive concrete structures where temperature rise must be minimized.

Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 112
Silica FumevsFly Ash

Silica fume dramatically reduces chloride penetrability within 28 days and increases water demand, while fly ash generally reduces water demand by 1–10% but shows only slight improvement in chloride resistance at early ages.

Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Pages 161-162
MV-90 CablevsMV-105 Cable

Type MV-90 medium voltage cable has a maximum operating temperature of 90°C, while Type MV-105 is rated for a maximum of 105°C.

NEC Table 315.10(A)
Pressure Method (ASTM C231) for Air ContentvsOther Air Content Test Methods

The pressure method is based on Boyle's law and is unsuitable for lightweight or highly porous aggregates because their pore air distorts the reading, whereas other methods (e.g., volumetric) can be used with such aggregates.

Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 509
Direct-Burial Cable (>1 kV–22 kV)vsDirect-Burial Cable (>22 kV–40 kV) in Rigid Metal Conduit

Cables rated over 1 kV AC through 22 kV buried directly require a minimum cover of 750 mm (30 in.), while cables over 22 kV through 40 kV installed in rigid metal conduit require only 150 mm (6 in.) of cover.

NEC Table 305.15(A)
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, while plastic sheets allow drying at the completion of the curing period and are preferred for fall paving where deicers will be used.

Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 326
Competent Person (OSHA)vsQualified Employee (OSHA)

A competent person is defined by the ability to identify existing and predictable hazards and having authorization to take prompt corrective measures, while a qualified employee is one permitted to operate equipment based on training or experience.

OSHA 1926 CFR 29, Page 31

Key Terms

Competent Person OSHA 1926 CFR 29, Page 31
Per OSHA 29 CFR 1926.32(f), one capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.
Fire Extinguisher Minimum Rating (2A) OSHA 1926.150(c)(1)(i)
Per OSHA 1926.150(c)(1)(i), a fire extinguisher rated not less than 2A must be provided for each 3,000 square feet of protected building area.
Fire Alarm System Requirement OSHA 1926.150(e)(1) and (e)(2)
Per OSHA 1926.150(e)(1)–(e)(2), employers must establish an alarm system (telephone, siren, etc.) to alert employees and the local fire department, with alarm codes conspicuously posted at phones and employee entrances.
First Aid Kit Inspection Frequency OSHA 1926 CFR 29, Page 33
Per OSHA 29 CFR 1926.50, first aid kit contents must be checked before sending each kit to a job and at least weekly on each job to replace expended items.
Danger Sign Color Code OSHA 1926 CFR 29, Page 201
Per OSHA 1926.200(b)(2), danger signs must have red as the predominating color for the upper panel, black outline on the borders, and a white lower panel for additional wording.
Minimum Bending Radius — Shielded/Lead-Covered Conductors (>1000 V) NEC 305.5
Per NEC 305.5, shielded or lead-covered conductors rated over 1000 volts must not be bent to a radius less than 12 times the overall diameter during or after installation.
Type MV Cable Support Interval NEC 315.40
Per NEC 315.40, Type MV cable terminated in equipment or installed in pull boxes or vaults must be secured within 1.5 m (5 ft) of terminations and supported at a maximum interval of 1.8 m (6 ft).
Minimum Free Conductor Length at Outlet/Junction NEC 300.14
Per NEC 300.14, at least 150 mm (6 in.) of free conductor must be left at each outlet, junction, and switch point for splices or connection of luminaires or devices.
Minimum Conductor Size for 8001–15,000 V MV Cable NEC Table 315.12(A)
Per NEC Table 315.12(A), the minimum conductor size for Type MV cables rated 8001–15,000 volts is 2 AWG for copper, aluminum, or copper-clad aluminum.
Isolation Joint Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 282
A joint extending the full depth of a concrete slab with a premolded joint filler, used at junctions with walls, columns, and footings to permit horizontal and vertical movement.
Bleeding (Concrete) Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, 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 simultaneous upward migration of water.
Entrained Air Voids Function Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 324
Entrained air voids act as empty chambers in the cement paste where freezing and migrating water can enter, relieving hydraulic and osmotic pressures to prevent freeze-thaw damage.
Optimum Economic Life of Equipment Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 2, Pages 100-103
The ownership time duration at which the combined ownership cost per hour and operating cost per hour reaches a minimum total, identifying the best replacement point for construction equipment.
Cross-Section Spacing for Tight Topography Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 3 - Planning for Earthwork Construction, Volume Calculation / Example 3.2
In areas with tight curves or rapid topographic changes such as swales and drop-offs, a cross-section spacing of 25 ft is appropriate rather than the standard 100-ft station spacing.
Recycled-Concrete Aggregate (RCA) Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Pages 184-185
Crushed demolished concrete reused as aggregate; it has significantly lower specific gravity and higher absorption (3–10%) than natural aggregate due to residual hardened cement paste, requiring additional water or pre-wetting.

Formulas to Know

Concrete Volume (Slab)Volume (cu ft) = Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Thickness (ft); then ÷ 27 to convert to cubic yards
Maximum Aggregate Size — Slab Depth RuleMax aggregate size ≤ (1/3) × slab depth
Maximum Aggregate Size — Rebar Spacing RuleMax aggregate size ≤ (3/4) × clear spacing between reinforcing bars
Maximum Aggregate Size — Narrow Member RuleMax aggregate size ≤ (1/5) × narrowest dimension of a vertical member
Earthwork Volume — Average End Area MethodVolume = [(Area₁ + Area₂) / 2] × Distance between cross-sections
Equipment Total Cost per HourTotal cost/hr = Ownership cost/hr + Operating cost/hr; optimum replacement occurs at the minimum of this sum
Contraction Joint DepthContraction joint depth ≈ (1/4) × slab thickness
Concrete Volume from Table (Slab Coverage Check)Cubic yards needed = Slab area (sq ft) ÷ Coverage factor (sq ft/cu yd at given thickness), rounded up to whole yards