New Information Effective January 1, 2006:
If a course applicant does not have the required level of experience at the time of registration, but he/she will have the required level of experience at the time of the course, the Level 3 QC Manager may send a letter of intent at the time of registration in lieu of the pre-certification checklist/experience letter. However, the Level 3 QC Manager must still send the required, signed pre-certification checklist/experience letter once the course applicant has completed the required level of experience. This pre-certification checklist/experience letter must be received 14 days prior to the starting class date or the applicant will be automatically dropped from the class roster and the registration fee will not be refunded.

Course Description:
The HMA Quality Control Technician Course is intended to assure an understanding of the proper testing procedures and requirements for asphalt plant inspection. All participants in this class are expected to have some laboratory experience at the asphalt plant, and should be familiar with the related SCDOT specifications. The course serves as a guide for quality control technicians to learn laboratory testing methods used by the SCDOT. The asphalt plant technician will be expected to perform these tests, and demonstrate competency of testing procedures individually. 

The course will typically begin on Monday morning. The classes will be conducted on an informal basis, with casual-working dress. This course is usually divided into two parts - a morning lecture session, and an afternoon laboratory session. During the laboratory session, the class is divided into subgroups of three or four students. The groups work together as teammates for the entire week. They perform laboratory procedures simulating actual working conditions at the asphalt plant. After demonstrating the procedures, the students are required to prove their own individual capabilities. On the last day of class, an oral test of knowledge of laboratory testing procedures is done, along with a written examination. The written portion of the examination is open book and notes while the oral portion is closed book and notes. 

• Perform stockpile and mixture gradations
• Perform Maximum Specific Gravity tests on HMA mixtures
• Check Marshall stability on Marshall mixtures
• Verify lime rate
• Verify mixture temperature
• Perform binder content analysis using the Ignition Oven
• Calculate mixture volumetric properties
• Other testing as required for adequate quality control
  

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