Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) Level 3 Technician Recertification

The HMA Quality Manager Course is intended to assure the ability to trouble-shoot and solve problems when monitoring HMA mix design, production, placement, compaction and testing.  Individuals who complete this course will be re-certified to perform HMA Level 3 Quality Control Manager duties for SCDOT projects.  In addition, any person maintaining a current HMA Level 3 QC Manager Certification (also known as HMA 1-2-3-ART Certification) will not be required to re-certify at the other levels of HMA certification.  The re-certification course includes a general overview as well as a review of all specification and procedural changes that may have occurred.  The instructors for the course are made up of experienced asphalt industry personnel, academia, and SCDOT experts.

New for Re-certifications Only: For participants who are re-certifying in HMA Level 3, SCDOT is now allowing the option to not attend Day 1 and Day 2 of the HMA Level 3 class.  However, all participants are still required to attend instruction on Day 3 and to take the written exam on Day 4.  Please note that all material covered on all three days of instruction will be included in the written exam, and the course cost is the same for both options.  If you intend to opt-out of Day 1 and Day 2, please notify us by emailing conted@tctc.edu. 

Course Outline:
To become re-certified, participants are required to attend a three-and-a-half (3 ½) day course and pass a written exam with a score of 85% or higher to become certified.  The exam is open book and open notes.  Topics covered include:

• Materials:
  • Aggregate
  • Asphalt Binder
• SCDOT Mix Design Procedures and Related Calculations
• Types of HMA Plants
• Production Operations
• SCDOT Plant Laboratory Testing Procedures and Related Calculations
• Construction Operations
  • Preparation
  • Placement
  • Compaction
• SCDOT In-Place Density Testing Procedures and Related Calculations
• Troubleshooting
• SCDOT Specifications

Entry Requirements/What to Expect:

Prerequisites:

• Current HMA Level 3 QC Manager Certification

Frequency of Re-certification:
The certification period is five years.  It is the responsibility of the individual to keep track of his/her certification expiration date. The individual is also responsible for registering for the re-certification course, attending the re-certification course, and passing the written exam with a score of 85% or higher.

Additional Information:
Any person maintaining a current HMA Quality Control Manager Certification (also known as HMA 1-2-3-ART Certification) will not be required to re-certify at the other levels of HMA certification.

Re-certification Date Policy (as of June 2005):
The SCDOT Technician Certification Board hereby requests that the certification expiration dates for re-certifications obtained within one year prior to the technician's original date of expiration be issued based on the original expiration date.  For example, if a technician's certification expires April 2006, and that technician passes a re-certification exam in April 2005, his/her certification will be extended five years from the original April 2006 date to April 2011.  However, if that technician chooses to attend a re-certification course in March 2005 and passes the exam, the re-certification will be valid from March 2005 to March 2010 (because the technician passed the exam outside of the one-year window).  If that technician does not obtain the re-certification before April 2006, then his/her certification expires on that date.