100+ Free ACI Adhesive Anchor Inspector Practice Questions

The ACI Adhesive Anchor Installation Inspector credential is an ACI certification for special inspectors who verify post-installed adhesive anchor installations comply with IBC Chapter 17, ACI 318 Section 17.11, ACI 355.4, and the manufacturer's printed installation instructions (MPII). In September 2019 the standalone Adhesive Anchor Inspector program was consolidated into ACI's broader Post-Installed Concrete Anchor Installation Inspector program, which now covers both adhesive and mechanical anchors. Inspectors verify installer certification, product ESRs, drilling, hole cleaning, adhesive injection, and cure.

In July 2006, the Boston Interstate 90 connector tunnel ceiling collapsed, killing one motorist, because a polyester-based adhesive underperformed in sustained-tension creep. The NTSB investigation led to ACI 355.4 creep qualification testing, the ACI 318 installer certification mandate in Section 17.11, and the IBC Chapter 17 requirement for CONTINUOUS special inspection of adhesive anchors installed in horizontal or upwardly inclined orientations that resist sustained tension. These orientations are the most susceptible to creep-related failure.

The ACI written examination is administered in two parts. Part I (Installation) is closed-book, approximately 45 multiple-choice questions, 45 minutes, with a 74% minimum passing score. Part II (Inspection) is open-book, approximately 55-90 multiple-choice questions depending on program version, 2 hours, with a 70% overall minimum plus 60% on each subsection. Open-book means candidates may reference ACI 318 Chapter 17, ACI 355.4, IBC Chapter 17, the Job Task Analysis (JTA), and MPIIs during Part II.

Full certification fees are approximately $550 for ACI members and $650 for non-members for the complete two-part written examination. Written exam retakes are $240 for members and $340 for non-members. Fees vary slightly by local ACI chapter administering the exam. Verify current fees with the chapter you plan to test through.

Candidates must pass both written examinations and should have construction inspection experience. ACI recommends candidates hold the ACI Concrete Construction Special Inspector credential or have equivalent experience in concrete construction inspection. Attendance at an adhesive anchor installation demonstration session (covering vertical-down, vertical-up, and horizontal orientations with both retaining cap and piston plug systems) is typically required.

The certification is valid for five years from the date the candidate successfully completes all requirements. Recertification requires retesting. This five-year validity is standard for ACI certification programs. Inspectors should track their expiration dates and recertify on time, as code authorities require CURRENT credentials for inspectors of record.

Primary references are ACI 318-19 Chapters 17 and 26, ACI 355.4 (Post-Installed Adhesive Anchors) Chapters 1-3 and 10-13, ACI 355.2 (Mechanical Anchors) Chapters 1-3, 6, and R1-R4, IBC Chapter 17 (Special Inspections and Tests), representative ICC-ES ESRs (e.g., ESR-2583, ESR-2502), and the Job Task Analysis. ACI publishes a CP-81PACK reference bundle through the ACI Bookstore that contains the study materials.

No. IBC Chapter 17 requires special inspection to be INDEPENDENT of the work being inspected. A person cannot simultaneously install and provide special inspection of their own work. Holding both the ACI Adhesive Anchor Installer and ACI Adhesive Anchor Inspector credentials is valuable for career development, but on any given project the individual must serve in only one role.

Inadequate hole cleaning is the most common cause of field bond failures. Concrete dust left in the hole after drilling prevents the adhesive from bonding to the substrate. The inspector's most important verification is that the installer performs the MPII-specified blow-brush-blow sequence correctly, uses oil-free compressed air at the required pressure, and uses a brush of the correct diameter (not excessively worn). Multiple MPIIs require two or three cycles of the blow-brush sequence for Category 2 or 3 anchors.