10 exam-style questions with answers and explanations, straight from our 1,030-question bank. Tap an answer to check yourself. When you're ready, take the scored version in the free practice test.
The HI-GBC exam has 80 questions and runs 4 hours.
These 10 free HI-GBC questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Hawaii General Building Contractor (B) Trade Exam blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.
A slab plan shows a 30 ft by 24 ft slab, 4 inches thick, with an integral 10 ft by 8 ft equipment pad that is 10 inches thick overall. The pad is entirely within the slab footprint, and their top surfaces are flush. There are no openings or other thickened areas. Include 5% waste and round the order up to the next 0.25 cubic yard. How much concrete should be ordered?
Correct answer: C - 11.00 cubic yards
A structural-fill specification requires at least 95% of the laboratory maximum dry density of 120.0 lb/ft³. A field test reports wet bulk density of 128.7 lb/ft³ and gravimetric water content of 10.0%, expressed as water mass divided by dry-soil mass. Other acceptance requirements are satisfied. Which result belongs on the density acceptance report?
Correct answer: A - 97.5% relative compaction; the density requirement is met.
A trial batch for a heavily reinforced wall reaches the specified maximum water-cementitious materials ratio but is still too stiff to consolidate through the reinforcement. The mixture designer must improve workability without increasing that ratio. Which adjustment directly addresses the problem?
Correct answer: B - Use an approved high-range water reducer to increase the mixture's workability.
During a formed concrete-column inspection, a foreman checks cover by measuring from the form face to the longitudinal bars. Closed steel ties encircle those bars and lie closer to the forms. Where should the inspector take the cover measurement?
Correct answer: B - From the form face to the nearest outside surface of the ties.
A roof has opposing rafters meeting at a nonstructural ridge board. Ceiling joists tie the exterior walls together near the rafter feet. To create a vaulted ceiling, a remodeler proposes removing those joists and installing collar ties near the ridge, without adding a structural ridge beam. What load-path problem would this proposal leave unresolved?
Correct answer: A - Unrestrained outward rafter thrust at the exterior bearing walls.
Roof sheathing marked '32/16, Exposure 1' was briefly wetted by rain during construction. It is now dry and undamaged. Roof supports are 24 inches on center, and the specified loads, panel orientation, edge support, and fastening satisfy the panel's rating conditions. An owner requests replacement solely because the panels got wet. Which assessment is technically justified?
Correct answer: C - Retain the panels; the roof span and temporary wetting are within the stated ratings.
Long windows will cast strong side lighting across a lobby's smooth gypsum-board walls, which will receive semigloss paint. The finishing subcontractor proposes Level 4 joint treatment followed by primer. What additional preparation is appropriate for this appearance requirement?
Correct answer: D - Provide Level 5 finishing by skim-coating the entire wall surface, including finished joints.
A glazing review covers four fixed window panes. For this review, only the individual-window criteria in 2018 IBC Section 2406.4.3 apply; no exception applies. Each bottom and top dimension is measured above the floor, and each walking-surface distance is horizontal from the glazing. Which pane is in a hazardous location requiring safety glazing?
Correct answer: D - Exposed area 10 ft²; bottom 12 inches; top 60 inches; walking surface 24 inches away.
Workers resume a connection in a 7-foot-deep trench after a rainstorm. The trench had been sloped for the previously classified soil. The competent person now sees fresh cracks along the crest, soil sloughing from a face, and water seeping into the excavation. What is the immediate priority?
Correct answer: C - Remove the workers until the changed hazards are assessed and controlled.
Dampness appears inside an air-conditioned building's exterior wall during humid weather, including rain-free periods. Investigation confirms that outdoor air is leaking through an unsealed wall penetration onto a surface at 62°F. That outdoor air has a dew point of 74°F. No rainwater path is found. Which repair addresses the demonstrated moisture mechanism?
Correct answer: B - Seal the humid-air leakage path while preserving the wall's intended drying route.
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