NICET Highway Construction Inspection Certificate Preparatory Courses

NICET Certification is one of the most prestigious, and extensive, vocational tests conducted across the United States of America for professionals in the Highway Construction Industry. Certification often influences hiring, retention, promotion, and contracting decisions. It is equally beneficial for employers as it is for the employees.

The National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET), a division of the National Society of Professional Engineers, promotes excellence in engineering technologies via certification services. To meet the required qualifications for the evolving changes in construction, it is necessary that construction management professionals are equipped with the tools to help them successfully meet the technical areas involved in modern construction trends. In general, NICET certification creates a pool of multiple opportunities and high-paying jobs at higher designations for technicians in different areas of expertise like Highway construction and many others.

The National Institute of Certified Engineering Technicians (NICET) offers certifications in multiple areas at a different level of academic/experience levels related to a Civil Engineering Technology Program; The following are the major work areas where certification programs are offered:

Construction Materials Testing:
Asphalt, Concrete & Soils

NICET Certified Technicians are defined as “hands-on” members of the engineering team who work under the direction of Engineers, Scientists, and Technologists. They have knowledge of the components, operating characteristics, and limitations of engineering systems and processes particular to their area of specialization.

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Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

• Develop a basic knowledge and concepts related to inspection of Highway Construction
• Identify the problems and their causes
• Apply mitigation techniques and newly developed procedures and practices
• Recognize an inspector's duties for providing a quality and safe roadway
• Interpret the behavior of construction material from test results

Training and Course Objectives

Plans and Specifications:

• Understand and interpret plans and drawings
• Common construction terminologies
• Documents required for construction
• Scope statement schedule budget requirements quality criteria project resources stakeholder list communication plan
• Construction Standards AASHTO ASTM ACI OSHA

Measurement and Surveys:

• Units & their conversions
• Arithmetic calculations involve length
• area volume weight mass temperature pressure strength

Tools and Equipment:

• Identify tools & equipment used by inspectors testing and reporting
• Tools and equipment used by surveyors
• Tools & equipment used in construction

Personal Safety:

• Use of PPE for the construction site
• Identify and report potential safety hazards
• Identify sources of safety information and requirements

Site Operations:

• Identify components of work zone traffic control
• Identify construction activities

Environmental Issues:

• Identify and verify the presence of erosion and sediment control components

Utilities:

• Identification types their layouts and markings the process before you dig

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Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

• Develop a basic knowledge and concepts related to inspection of Highway Construction
• Identify the problems and their causes
• Apply mitigation techniques and newly developed procedures and practices
• Recognize an inspector's duties for providing a quality and safe roadway
• Interpret the behavior of construction material from test results

Training and Course Objectives

Earthwork (Excavation; Classified & Unclassified)

• Visually identify soil and aggregate types and their properties
• Identify and differentiate between limits of disturbance
• Rights-of-way and easement
• Inspect clearing grubbing inspect temporary erosion and sediments controls and storm water management components
• Recognize materials testing certification and acceptance requirements Construction Standards AASHTO ASTM ACI oshasite

Asphalt Pavement Construction:

• Inspect existing surface preparation as required Inspect the application of tack coat Conduct preplacement inspection
• Grade control equipment pre-checks and paving plan review Visually identify asphalt mixes and properties
• Calculate and interpret yield inspect delivery placement compaction and finishing of asphalt

Concrete Pavement Construction:

• Inspect surface preparation forms reinforcing steel and load-transfer assemblies for pavement
• Verify that correct procedures are followed for sampling fresh concrete; measuring temperature determining slump
• Air content unit weight and yield and making and curing test specimens

Concrete Structure Construction:

• Inspect delivered precast box culverts
• Box beams and other precast items
• Inspect bedding and installation of footing and basic driven piles
• Inspect delivery and method of placement of concrete for structures
• Identify drainage system components
• Inspect excavation for drainage system
• Inspect bedding and backfilling
• Inspect installation of drainage components

Utilities and Incidental Construction:

• Identify utility facilities affected by construction
• Inspect signage striping and message marking
• Inspect guard rails safety systems and fencing
• Inspect basic foundations for lighting traffic signals ground mounted signs and sound walls
• Inspect underground electrical conduit
• Inspect sidewalks curbs and gutters curb ramps median/median barriers and driveways.

Site Layouts & Controls:

• Use survey notes and data to verify elevations
• Inspect placement of work zone traffic controls
• Including lane shifts closures detours and construction access points and routes

Responsibilities & documentation:

• Generate and maintain project documentation related to work within the inspector’s scope of responsibility
• Identify project roles hierarchies and responsibilities including the authority of the inspector
• Identify project activities from a project schedule
• Identify and inspect required work-site postings

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Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

Review and Interpret contract erection shop drawings

• Identify problems/errors and their causes
• Apply safety standards and codes and their enforcement
• Recognize the duties of an inspector for the provision of the quality product to the client
• Use tools and techniques for compliance of contract documents

Training and Course Objectives

Soil & Slope Stabilization

• Inspect roadway soil stabilization steep slopes and slope stabilization both temporary & permanent including support of excavation water retention and channeling features
• Installation of permanent geosynthetics and geogrids
• Reinforced earth and mechanically stabilized embankment and walls
• Evaluate field conditions relative to core borings
• Inspect ground improvement procedures
• Construction Standards AASHTO ASTM ACI OSHA

Roadway Construction:

• Inspect pavement preservation application
• Application for concrete and asphalt roadways grade tie-line drainage elevations and transition for proper functionality through all phases of construction
• Inspection of sanitary sewer lines water lines
• Identify potential improvements to work zone traffic control implementation

Structure Construction:

• Inspect drilled shafts caissons and shallow foundations steel structural components and conformance with erection plans
• Verify size and type of structural steel connections
• Inspect implementation of thermal control plans for mass concrete
• Inspect the delivered condition and handling of pre-stressed concrete beams boxes and piles
• Inspect post-tensioning of concrete components

Traffic Signals:

• Inspect erection of structures for signals signage and lighting loops and other detection devices for traffic signals and intelligent transportation systems

Lighting & ITS:

• Inspect installation of components and wiring for signals and other traffic management systems and verify functionality
• Inspect installation of components and wiring for lighting and verify functionality

Reporting & Compliance:

• Review inspection reports from staff for completeness and content and report work results non-conformances and actions taken
• Prioritize and coordinate inspection activities of available inspection personnel
• Verify that temporary erosion and sediment controls and storm water management components are functioning adequately
• Inspect project activities for conformance with basic OSHA safety requirements

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