What is the correct procedure if a cylinder is damaged during testing?

• A. Continue testing, documenting later.
• B. Document damage and remove the cylinder from testing.
• C. Replace with a spare cylinder and retest without documenting.
• D. Stop testing, document damage, replace with a spare cylinder, and retest per FDOT procedures.

Answer: (D)

When a cylinder is damaged, the test results can no longer be trusted, so you must follow the established procedure to protect data integrity. Stop the testing, document the damage, replace the damaged cylinder with a spare, and retest in accordance with FDOT procedures. Stopping prevents further deterioration and prevents invalid data from being recorded. Documenting creates a traceable record of what happened, which is essential for review and accountability. Replacing with a spare keeps the test plan intact and avoids bias or missing data from using a compromised specimen. Retesting per FDOT procedures ensures the new results are valid and comparable to the rest of the batch.