VDOT Soils and Aggregate Compaction:
Chapter 1 questions and answers 2025\2026
A+ Grade
True or false: The voids in a saturated soil are partly filled with water and partly filled with water.
- correct answer False. In a saturated soil, the voids are entirely filled with water. (Zero Air Voids = ZAV)
What classification systems does VDOT use to classify soils?
- correct answer VDOT uses AASHTO and Unified Soil Classification Systems to classify soils.
What term refers to the texture and firmness of a soil?
- correct answer Consistency refers to the texture and firmness of a soil.
Silts and clays are made of particles that are smaller than which sieve?
- correct answer Silt and clay are made up of particles smaller than the No. 200 sieve (75 micrometers)
What term describes the distribution of various particle sizes with the material?
- correct answer The gradation is the distribution of various particle sizes within the material.
What term describes that the particles in a mixture are sized so that they fill most of the voids and there
is very little space in between soil or stone particles?
- correct answer Dense graded means that the particles in the mixture are sized do that they fill most of
the voids; there is very little space between the soil or stone particles.
What is the moisture content at which soil begins to behave like a liquid called?
- correct answer The moisture content at which a soil begins to behave like a liquid is called the liquid
limit.
What is the behavior of a material where the material deforms under load and does not return to its
original shape called?
Chapter 1 questions and answers 2025\2026
A+ Grade
True or false: The voids in a saturated soil are partly filled with water and partly filled with water.
- correct answer False. In a saturated soil, the voids are entirely filled with water. (Zero Air Voids = ZAV)
What classification systems does VDOT use to classify soils?
- correct answer VDOT uses AASHTO and Unified Soil Classification Systems to classify soils.
What term refers to the texture and firmness of a soil?
- correct answer Consistency refers to the texture and firmness of a soil.
Silts and clays are made of particles that are smaller than which sieve?
- correct answer Silt and clay are made up of particles smaller than the No. 200 sieve (75 micrometers)
What term describes the distribution of various particle sizes with the material?
- correct answer The gradation is the distribution of various particle sizes within the material.
What term describes that the particles in a mixture are sized so that they fill most of the voids and there
is very little space in between soil or stone particles?
- correct answer Dense graded means that the particles in the mixture are sized do that they fill most of
the voids; there is very little space between the soil or stone particles.
What is the moisture content at which soil begins to behave like a liquid called?
- correct answer The moisture content at which a soil begins to behave like a liquid is called the liquid
limit.
What is the behavior of a material where the material deforms under load and does not return to its
original shape called?
