Which statement is true about handling large samples?

• A. In the incremental method, the entire sample should be turned over itself at least three times.
• B. When samples are large, it is recommended that they be split using mechanical methods.
• C. In the quartering method, the pile should be flattened so that the diameter is four to eight times the thickness of the pile.
• D. Draindown at production temperatures should not exceed 3%.

Answer: (C)

When you need a representative sub-sample from a large asphalt sample, the goal is to expose the material evenly so no part is overrepresented. The quartering method achieves this by forming a pile and flattening it so the diameter is four to eight times the thickness. This shallow, wide shape promotes thorough mixing and minimizes layering, so a quarter drawn from the pile accurately reflects the entire sample. Repeating the quartering process allows you to reduce the sample size while preserving its representative characteristics.

Other statements don’t focus on creating a representative sub-sample in the same way. The idea of turning the whole sample over several times isn’t part of this method’s approach to ensure uniformity. Splitting large samples mechanically can be a technique, but the specific requirement described here—flattening the pile to a wide diameter—directly implements the representative reduction principle. Draindown at production temperatures relates to binder behavior, not to how you handle or reduce the sample for testing.