Which statement is true regarding the quartering method?

• A. The type B mechanical splitter used for coarse aggregate should have at least eight chutes, which are set to be at least 50% wider than the largest aggregate particle being split.
• B. Draindown at production temperatures should not exceed 3%.
• C. The quartering template used with the quartering procedure should be at least 3 times larger than the pile being quartered.
• D. Surfaces that will be exposed to hot mix asphalt should be coated with petroleum based release agents prior to use.

Answer: (C)

Quartering is used to reduce a sample while keeping it representative. After forming a pile of material, a quartering template is placed on top and the material is divided into four roughly equal portions, with opposite portions combined and the process repeated as needed to reach the desired size. Making the template at least three times larger than the pile ensures there’s enough surface area and boundary to spread the material evenly and create clean, well-defined quarters. This size helps minimize edge effects and bias, so the final smaller sample still reflects what the whole pile contained. The other statements refer to draindown, hot-mix release agents, or a different sampling device, which are not about the quartering process itself.