ACI-AGGREGATE-BASE Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts

What This Cheat Sheet Covers

This is a one-page distillation of the facts that matter most for the Aggregate Base Testing Technician-ASTM Methods credential, administered under American Concrete Institute (ACI) policy through approved sponsoring groups and ACI examiners. It is not a substitute for full preparation - for that, see the ACI-AGGREGATE-BASE Study Guide - but it is exactly what you should skim the night before, in the parking lot, or during a last coffee break before check-in.

If you want the fully expanded breakdown of each content area before you drill down to this summary, start with the ACI-AGGREGATE-BASE Exam Domains Guide. Everything below assumes you already know the basics of what the credential is; if you don't, read What Is ACI-AGGREGATE-BASE? first.

Exam Format at a Glance

Two components make up the full certification, and both must be completed to earn the credential:

• Written examination: open-book, using ACI-approved references only, two-hour time limit, approximately 75 multiple-choice questions.
• Performance examination: closed-book, procedure-based, requires successful demonstration of all required procedures on the checklists; verbal description is accepted only where the checklist explicitly permits it.

Both parts must be passed within one year of each other. If you fail one component, the retest covers the entire failed component - not just the sections or procedures you missed. That single rule changes how you should prepare: partial review is not an option once you're retesting.

The Seven Standard Sections

The domain list below reflects the official ASTM standard sections underlying the ASTM job-task analysis approved February 13, 2026. These are not equally weighted slices of the exam - they are the standards themselves, and some carry more procedural depth than others. For a full walkthrough of each, see the exam domains guide.

Candidates frequently lose points by mixing up D1557 and D698 procedural details, since both are compaction tests differing only in compactive effort. Build a side-by-side comparison sheet for these two before test day.

Scoring Rules You Cannot Miss

The passing structure has two layers, and missing either one fails the written component:

• At least 60% correct within each required standard section individually.
• At least 70% correct across the exam overall.

This means you cannot compensate for a weak domain by acing the others - a section score below 60% fails the exam even if your overall average clears 70%. For the exact mechanics and worked scenarios, see the ACI-AGGREGATE-BASE Passing Score guide.

Materials, References & Calculators

Know exactly what you can bring and use before you walk in:

• The written exam is open-book, but only ACI-approved references are allowed - check your sponsoring group's instructions ahead of time.
• The performance exam is closed-book; you demonstrate procedures from memory and trained practice.
• Approved simple-function, nonprogrammable calculators are permitted. Mobile devices cannot be used as calculators under any circumstance.
• CP-46, first edition, is the official ASTM workbook for this credential. Always check for and apply the applicable errata before your test date - do not study from an outdated printing without cross-checking corrections.

Note that CP-47 belongs to the separate AASHTO Methods track and is not the correct workbook for this exam. If you're pricing materials, the workbook itself is a purchasable item (not an exam fee) - for a full cost breakdown, see the ACI-AGGREGATE-BASE Certification Cost breakdown.

Pathways, Exemptions & Renewal

A few structural rules affect who needs to take what:

• A current AASHTO Methods holder can earn the ASTM credential by passing the ASTM written examination within one year of obtaining AASHTO certification - no need to repeat the performance exam in that specific pathway.
• Current Aggregate Testing Technician-Level 1 holders may receive specified performance-procedure exemptions, reducing duplicate demonstration requirements.
• Certification is valid for five years. Renewal requires passing both examinations again - there is no partial renewal track.

If you're weighing whether to pursue this credential at all given the renewal cycle, the ROI analysis and requirements guide both go deeper into eligibility and long-term value. For scheduling specifics tied to your sponsoring group, check exam dates and testing windows.

Final-Week Review Sequence

A generic study calendar won't help much here - what matters is sequencing review around where errors cluster. In the final week, most candidates benefit from this order:

This sequencing works because the later domains (compaction) depend on accurate execution of the earlier ones (sampling, reduction, moisture). Reviewing in dependency order, rather than list order, reduces cascading errors on multi-step exam questions. For a broader first-attempt strategy that fits this sequencing into a longer timeline, see the full study guide.

Whatever your review method, practicing with realistic multiple-choice scenarios is one of the fastest ways to expose section-specific weak spots before test day. You can run through timed practice questions modeled on the actual format at the main practice test site, and if you haven't already reviewed the fundamentals of how the credential is structured, this certification overview is a useful companion piece.

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