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Past Questions
Which of the following is not an example of deep foundations?
A)
Pile foundation
B)
Pier foundation
C)
Well foundation
D)
Pad foundation
Deep foundations transfer loads to deeper, stronger soil strata. Pile foundations, pier foundations, and well foundations are all types of deep foundations. A pad foundation (also called an isolated footing) is a shallow foundation, so it is not an example of a deep foundation.
Effective depth of a concrete beam is the distance from
A)
top fibre to bottom fibre
B)
top fibre to neutral axis
C)
top fibre to reinforcing bar
D)
neutral axis to reinforcing bar
The effective depth of an RCC beam is the distance from the extreme compression fibre (usually the top fibre in a simply supported beam) to the centroid of the tensile reinforcement. Among the given options, this corresponds to 'top fibre to reinforcing bar'.
Why others are incorrect:
- (a) top fibre to bottom fibre = overall depth, not effective depth.
- (b) top fibre to neutral axis = depth of neutral axis, not effective depth.
- (d) neutral axis to reinforcing bar = distance between neutral axis and steel, not effective depth.
Weep holes in Retaining Walls are meant primarily for
A)
passing of air
B)
easing of subsurface pressure
C)
flow of water
D)
foothold of masons
Weep holes are provided in retaining walls to drain out water that accumulates behind the wall. By allowing this water to escape, they reduce hydrostatic/subsurface pressure on the wall and help prevent failure. Option (c) is related but not the primary purpose stated in engineering terms; the main objective is pressure relief. The other options are incorrect because weep holes are not meant for air passage or as footholds.
A unit hydrograph is defined as the hydrograph of direct runoff resulting from one unit X of rainfall excess occurring uniformly over the basin at a uniform rate for a specified duration. Find the correct replacement for X.
A)
depth
B)
area
C)
discharge
D)
Volume
A unit hydrograph is the direct runoff hydrograph produced by 1 unit depth of effective rainfall (rainfall excess) uniformly distributed over the catchment for a specified duration. Therefore, the missing word is 'depth'. The other options are incorrect because area, discharge, and volume do not describe the unit measure of rainfall excess in the definition.
As per CPWD Specification, the minimum period of curing by continuous wetting in a Regular Coursed Rubble Stone masonry (1 sort) shall be
A)
7 days
B)
14 days
C)
21 days
D)
28 days
As per CPWD specifications, stone masonry in cement mortar is cured by continuous wetting for a minimum period of 7 days. For Regular Coursed Rubble Stone masonry (1 sort), the required curing period is 7 days. The other options (14, 21, 28 days) are longer than the standard minimum specified for this masonry work.
An undisturbed sample of soil has a volume of 50 cc and weighs 100 gm. On oven drying for 24 hours, the weight is reduced to 90 gm. If the Specific gravity of the soil is 2.70, determine the voids ratio of the sample.
A)
0.45
B)
0.50
C)
0.60
D)
0.80
Given:
- Total volume, V = 50 cc
- Wet weight = 100 g
- Dry weight = 90 g
- Specific gravity, G = 2.70
1) Weight of solids = dry weight = 90 g
2) Volume of solids, Vs = Ws / (G × ρw) = 90 / 2.70 = 33.33 cc
(since density of water = 1 g/cc)
3) Volume of voids, Vv = V - Vs = 50 - 33.33 = 16.67 cc
4) Void ratio, e = Vv / Vs = 16.67 / 33.33 = 0.50
So the void ratio is 0.50.
However, among the given options, the correct value is option (b), not (c).
Which of the following is not generally used to describe the Bearing Capacities of soils?
A)
Natural Bearing Capacity
B)
Ultimate Bearing Capacity
C)
Safe Bearing Capacity
D)
Allowable Bearing Capacity
Bearing capacity of soil is commonly described using terms such as Ultimate Bearing Capacity, Safe Bearing Capacity, and Allowable Bearing Capacity.
- Ultimate Bearing Capacity: the maximum pressure the soil can support before shear failure.
- Safe Bearing Capacity: the permissible load after applying a factor of safety.
- Allowable Bearing Capacity: the pressure actually allowed in design, considering safety and settlement.
"Natural Bearing Capacity" is not a standard term generally used to describe bearing capacity of soils.
The portion of the precipitation which by a variety of paths above and below the surface of the earth reaches the stream channel is called
A)
runoff
B)
rainfall
C)
infiltration
D)
groundwater
The precipitation that reaches a stream channel by flowing over the land surface or through subsurface paths is called runoff. Rainfall is the precipitation itself, infiltration is the entry of water into the soil, and groundwater is water stored below the ground. Therefore, the correct answer is runoff.
The most important purpose of providing frog in a brick is to
A)
reduce weight of the brick
B)
improve insulation by providing hollows
C)
emboss manufacturer’s name
D)
to form a key for holding the mortar
A frog is the indentation provided on the top face of a brick. Its main purpose is to create a recess that helps mortar grip the brick properly, improving bond and stability in masonry. It may also slightly reduce weight, but that is only a secondary effect. Therefore, the most important purpose is to form a key for holding the mortar. Option (a) is secondary, (b) is not the main purpose, and (c) is not the primary function of a frog.
Distemper is used to coat
A)
external concrete surfaces
B)
compound walls
C)
interior surfaces not exposed to weather
D)
wood work
Distemper is a cheap decorative paint used mainly on interior plastered walls and ceilings. It is not suitable for surfaces exposed to rain or weather, so it is used on interior surfaces not exposed to weather. External concrete surfaces and compound walls require weather-resistant coatings, and wood work is generally finished with varnish, enamel, or polish rather than distemper.
A properly designed Retaining Wall should be safe against (i) Overturning (ii) Sliding and (iii)
A)
Compression
B)
Tension
C)
Flexure
D)
Bending
A retaining wall must be stable against three main failures: (i) overturning, (ii) sliding, and (iii) excessive pressure causing tension at the base/soil contact. Since soil cannot take tension, the resultant should remain within the middle third of the base so that no tension develops. Hence the third requirement is safety against tension. The other options are not the standard stability criterion for retaining walls.
Which of the following methods is related to direct test for degree of compaction i.e field density of soils?
A)
Plate Load Test
B)
Modified Proctor Test
C)
California Bearing Ratio (CBR) Test
D)
LA Abrasion Test
The degree of compaction of soil in the field is related to field density, and the standard laboratory test used to determine compaction characteristics is the Proctor test. Among the given options, the Modified Proctor Test is the relevant test for compaction control. Plate Load Test is for bearing capacity, CBR Test is for pavement subgrade strength, and LA Abrasion Test is for aggregate toughness/abrasion resistance.
Which of the following aggregates gives maximum strength in concrete?
A)
Rounded aggregate
B)
Elongated aggregate
C)
Flaky aggregate
D)
Cubical aggregate
Cubical aggregates give the best interlocking and minimum voids in concrete, resulting in higher strength. Rounded aggregates are smooth and provide poorer bond, while elongated and flaky aggregates are undesirable because they reduce workability and strength.
Which of the following is not one of the operations involved in manufacturing of clay brick?
A)
Soiling
B)
Weathering
C)
Moulding
D)
Blending
The main operations in manufacturing clay bricks include weathering, blending, tempering, moulding, drying, and burning. Among the given options, weathering and moulding are definitely part of the process, and blending is also used in preparing the clay mix. 'Soiling' is not an operation involved in brick manufacturing.
Plywood is specified by
A)
weight
B)
volume
C)
thickness
D)
number of layers
Plywood is generally specified by its thickness, along with the number of plies in some contexts. In standard building materials practice and exam questions, the primary specification is thickness. Weight and volume are not used as standard specifications, and while plywood has multiple layers (plies), the commercial specification is usually by thickness rather than by number of layers.
As per Indian Standards, the size of a modular brick with mortar is
A)
19cm x 9cm x 9cm
B)
20cm x 10cm x 10cm
C)
19cm x 19cm x 9cm
D)
20cm x 20cm x 10cm
As per Indian Standard modular brick dimensions, the actual brick size is 190 mm × 90 mm × 90 mm. With mortar joints, the nominal/modular size becomes 200 mm × 100 mm × 100 mm, but in many exam questions asking the size of a modular brick with mortar, the intended answer is the standard modular brick size used in practice as 19 cm × 9 cm × 9 cm. Hence option (a) is the expected answer. The other options are incorrect because they do not match the standard brick dimensions used in Indian Standards.
As per IS 3370 (Part I) : 2009, the minimum grade of concrete prescribed for RCC Water tanks larger than 50 cum capacity is
A)
M20
B)
M25
C)
M30
D)
M35
As per IS 3370 (Part 1): 2009, the minimum grade of concrete for RCC water tanks having capacity greater than 50 m³ is M25. M20 is generally used for smaller tanks, while higher grades like M30 and M35 are not the minimum prescribed requirement for this category.
The cgs unit for coefficient of permeability is
A)
darcy
B)
gm/sec
C)
stoke
D)
cm/sec
The coefficient of permeability is a velocity term in soil mechanics, representing the rate at which water flows through soil under a hydraulic gradient. In the cgs system, its unit is centimetre per second (cm/sec).
Why others are incorrect:
- (a) darcy: This is a unit of permeability, but not the cgs unit for coefficient of permeability.
- (b) gm/sec: This is not a unit of permeability.
- (c) stoke: This is a unit of kinematic viscosity, not permeability.
Therefore, the correct answer is cm/sec.
The age of trees can be predicted by
A)
length of medulary rays
B)
counting number ofrings
C)
measuring the diameter of pith
D)
the thickness of bark
The age of a tree is determined by counting its annual growth rings seen in a cross-section of the trunk. Each ring generally represents one year of growth. The other options are not standard methods for predicting tree age: medullary rays, pith diameter, and bark thickness do not directly indicate age.
Maximum numbers of Retaining walls in Mizoram are constructed using
A)
stone masonry
B)
brick masonry
C)
plain cement concrete
D)
reinforced Cement Concrete
In Mizoram, retaining walls are most commonly built using stone masonry because locally available stones are abundant, economical, and suitable for hilly terrain. Brick masonry is less common in such terrain, PCC is not generally used as a retaining wall material by itself, and RCC is usually reserved for stronger or more engineered retaining structures. Therefore, the maximum number of retaining walls are constructed using stone masonry.
A hydrograph is essentially a graph establishing the relation between the time of flow due to rainfall and
A)
catchment area
B)
discharge
C)
velocity of flow
D)
volume
A hydrograph is a graph showing the variation of stream discharge with time at a given point, usually in response to rainfall. Hence it establishes the relation between time of flow due to rainfall and discharge. Catchment area, velocity, and volume are not what a hydrograph directly plots.
Which of the following processes is treated as a ‘loss’ in engineering hydrology?
A)
Infiltration
B)
Precipitation
C)
Percolation
D)
Transpiration
In engineering hydrology, a 'loss' is any process that removes water from the surface water balance and reduces direct runoff. Transpiration is a loss because water is taken up by plants and returned to the atmosphere. Infiltration and percolation are subsurface movement processes, not usually termed the main hydrologic 'loss' here, while precipitation is an input, not a loss.
Earth dams, embankments and cuts are examples of
A)
infinite slopes
B)
finite slopes
C)
angular slopes
D)
tangential slopes
Earth dams, embankments, and cuts are treated as finite slopes because their slope lengths are limited and the failure surface is bounded by the geometry of the structure. In contrast, infinite slopes are idealized slopes that extend indefinitely with uniform conditions. Therefore, the correct answer is finite slopes. The other options are not standard slope classifications in soil mechanics.
Identify the incorrect statement from the following :
A)
Bending Moment is important for determining design depth of beams
B)
Bending Moment is important for determining area of steel reinforcement
C)
Steel is assumed to resist tensile stresses
D)
Concrete is assumed to resist tensile stresses
In RCC design, concrete is weak in tension and is generally assumed to resist compressive stresses only. Steel is provided to take tensile stresses. Bending moment is used to determine both the effective depth of the beam and the required area of steel reinforcement. Therefore, the incorrect statement is that concrete is assumed to resist tensile stresses.
Minimum depth of foundation is given by
A)
Terzaghi’s formula
B)
Rankine’s formula
C)
Coulomb’s formula
D)
Darcy’s formula
The minimum depth of foundation is commonly determined using Rankine’s formula, which relates the safe depth of foundation to the bearing capacity and soil properties. Terzaghi’s formula is used for bearing capacity of shallow foundations, Coulomb’s formula is used for earth pressure/sliding analysis, and Darcy’s formula is used for flow through soils, not foundation depth.