← MES Jr. Grade
Past Questions
The Global positioning system is recording data from
A)
Remote sensing satellite
B)
Communication satellite
C)
Geo-synchronized satellite
D)
Polar satellite
GPS works by receiving signals from satellites in fixed orbits around the Earth. In standard exam terminology, these are described as geo-synchronized (geostationary/geosynchronous) satellites. Hence, option (c) is the intended answer. The other options are incorrect because remote sensing satellites are used for Earth observation, communication satellites are for telecommunication, and polar satellites orbit over the poles for imaging and mapping.
If the hydraulic gradient is unity, then the ratio of flow across unit area of soil is called
A)
Co-efficient of seepage
B)
Co-efficient of permeability
C)
Co-efficient of viscosity
D)
Co-efficient of discharge
By Darcy’s law, discharge per unit area (seepage velocity) is proportional to the hydraulic gradient: q/A = k i. If the hydraulic gradient i = 1, then q/A = k. Hence, the ratio of flow across unit area of soil is the coefficient of permeability. The other options are not related to Darcy’s law for flow through soil.
The inventor of the term ‘soil mechanics’ was
A)
Kray
B)
Dr. Karl Terzaghi
C)
Leygue
D)
Fellenius
The term and modern field of soil mechanics are credited to Dr. Karl Terzaghi, who is widely regarded as the father of soil mechanics. He established the scientific basis of the subject. The other options are associated with geotechnical or earth pressure concepts, but not with coining the term 'soil mechanics'.
The first observation taken on a turning point in survey is
A)
Fore sight
B)
Back sight
C)
Both (a) and (b)
D)
None of these
In leveling, the first staff reading taken from a new instrument setup is on a known point, usually a turning point or benchmark, and it is called a back sight (BS). It is used to determine the height of the instrument. A fore sight (FS) is the last reading taken before shifting the instrument. Therefore, the first observation taken on a turning point is back sight.
If the loose quantity of water bound macadam road is 600 cum, the compacted quantity approximately will be
A)
100 cum
B)
200 cum
C)
300 cum
D)
400cum
For water bound macadam (WBM), the loose volume reduces significantly after rolling and compaction. A common approximate conversion is that compacted quantity is about 50% of the loose quantity. So, 600 cum loose quantity × 0.5 = 300 cum compacted quantity. Hence, option (c) is correct. The other options do not match the usual compaction allowance for WBM.
The rate of rise or fall of a road along its alignment is
A)
Super-elevation
B)
Side slope
C)
Camber
D)
Gradient
The rate of rise or fall of a road along its alignment is called the gradient. It represents the longitudinal slope of the road. Super-elevation is the transverse slope provided on curves, side slope refers to the slope of embankments or cuttings, and camber is the cross slope on the road surface for drainage.
A shallow foundation is defined as a foundation which
A)
Has low bearing capacity
B)
Is resting on the ground surface
C)
Has a depth of embedment less than its width
D)
Causes less settlement
A shallow foundation is generally defined by its depth of embedment being less than or equal to its width, usually Df < B. It transfers load to soil near the ground surface. Option (a) is incorrect because bearing capacity is not the defining criterion. Option (b) is too narrow, since shallow foundations are not necessarily resting exactly on the ground surface. Option (d) is incorrect because settlement depends on soil and load, not the definition of shallow foundation.
The average of a number of spot speed measurements in traffic survey is
A)
Space means speed
B)
Running speed
C)
Time mean speed
D)
Journey speed
In a traffic spot speed survey, speeds of vehicles passing a fixed point are measured. The average of these spot speed measurements is called the time mean speed. Space mean speed is the average speed over a road length, not at a point. Running speed excludes stopped time, and journey speed includes total travel time including delays.
All other things being equal, the runway configuration most desirable from the stand point of capacity and air traffic control is
A)
Single-direction runway
B)
Two parallel runways-even threshold
C)
Two parallel runways-staggered threshold
D)
Four parallel runways
From the standpoint of capacity and air traffic control, two parallel runways with even thresholds are generally the most desirable among the given options. They allow simultaneous or closely spaced operations with better organization of arrivals and departures, while avoiding the inefficiencies of a single runway. Staggered thresholds reduce operational flexibility compared with even thresholds. Four parallel runways would give higher theoretical capacity, but the question asks for the most desirable configuration under general conditions and air traffic control practicality, where two parallel runways-even threshold is the standard preferred arrangement.
Tunneling method suitable for all classes of moderately firm or hard soils, where height of over burden is small is
A)
Belgian method
B)
Linear plate method
C)
Fore polling method
D)
Army method
Fore-poling is used in moderately firm to hard soils, especially where the overburden is small. It supports the roof by driving short poles ahead of excavation, making it suitable for shallow tunnels in such ground conditions. Belgian method is generally used for soft ground, while linear plate and army methods are not the standard choice for this specific condition.
A contraction joint is provided in concrete pavement to
A)
Prevent contraction of the pavement
B)
Permit cracking at the edge
C)
Lower the bending moment in the pavement to reduce pavement thickness
D)
Lower the temperature gradient across the depth of the pavement
A contraction joint in concrete pavement is provided to control shrinkage and temperature contraction cracks by inducing a weak plane where cracking can occur in a predetermined location, usually near the edge. It does not prevent contraction; instead, it allows the slab to crack safely. It is also not meant to reduce bending moment or temperature gradient.
Mountainous terrains are hilly zones with cross slope of hill face
A)
Greater than 60 %
B)
Below 10%
C)
Between 25% to 10%
D)
Between 60% to 25%
Mountainous terrain is generally classified as a hilly zone with a very steep cross slope. In standard transportation engineering classification, mountainous terrains have hill-face cross slopes between 60% and 25%. Options (b) and (c) are too gentle, while (a) is steeper than the usual upper limit for this classification.
Benkelman beam deflection method is used for design of
A)
Rigid overlay on rigid pavement
B)
Flexible overlay on flexible pavement
C)
Flexible overlay on rigid pavement
D)
Rigid overlay on flexible pavement
The Benkelman Beam Deflection (BBD) method measures the rebound deflection of an existing pavement under a standard wheel load. It is mainly used to evaluate the structural condition of flexible pavements and to design the thickness of a flexible overlay over an existing flexible pavement. Hence, the correct answer is flexible overlay on flexible pavement. The other options are incorrect because Benkelman beam is not used for rigid pavement overlay design.
The application of surcharges in a sand drain
A)
Squeezes out water in the radial directions to the nearest sand drain
B)
Squeezes out water horizontally to the nearest sand drain
C)
Squeezes out water downward from the sand blanket
D)
Non of these
In sand drain (vertical drain) consolidation, a surcharge is applied to increase the effective stress and accelerate settlement. The excess pore water is expelled mainly in the horizontal/radial direction toward the nearest sand drain, because the drains provide a short drainage path. Hence option (b) is correct. Option (a) is less precise in wording, while (c) refers to vertical drainage through a sand blanket, not the main function of sand drains.
If a cement concrete road is properly constructed and maintained, then its expected life will be
A)
One year
B)
10 years
C)
20 years
D)
30 to 40 years
A properly constructed and well-maintained cement concrete road has a very long service life compared to flexible pavements. In standard highway engineering practice, its expected life is about 30 to 40 years. The other options are too short for a concrete pavement.
The lines connecting points at which the declination is zero is
A)
Agonic lines
B)
Isogonic lines
C)
Dip
D)
Alidade
Magnetic declination is the angle between the geographic meridian and the magnetic meridian. A line joining points where declination is zero is called an agonic line. Isogonic lines join points of equal declination, while dip is the angle of magnetic inclination and alidade is a surveying instrument.
The minimum design speed of hair-pin bend is
A)
15 km/hr
B)
20 km/hr
C)
25 km/hr
D)
30km/hr
Hair-pin bends on hill roads are designed for very low speeds due to sharp curvature and restricted geometry. The standard minimum design speed commonly adopted is 15 km/hr. Hence, option (a) is correct. The higher values 20, 25, and 30 km/hr are generally not used as the minimum design speed for hair-pin bends.
Mandatory signs are displayed on a disc having diameter of
A)
30cm
B)
50cm
C)
100cm
D)
60cm
Mandatory road signs are circular (disc-shaped) and, in standard Indian traffic sign specifications, they are displayed on a disc of 60 cm diameter. Hence option (d) is correct. The other sizes listed are not the standard diameter for mandatory signs.
Bearing capacity failure of soil which consist of a continuous slip surface from one edge of the footing to the ground surface is
A)
General shear failure
B)
Local shear failure
C)
Punching shear failure
D)
Principal shear failure
In soil mechanics, **general shear failure** occurs when a **continuous, well-defined slip surface** develops from one edge of the footing and extends up to the ground surface. This is typical of dense sands and stiff clays.
- **General shear failure**: continuous failure surface reaches the ground surface. ✅
- **Local shear failure**: failure surface is not fully developed; soil bulges and the slip surface does not clearly reach the ground surface. ❌
- **Punching shear failure**: footing punches downward with little lateral soil movement, common in very loose soils. ❌
- **Principal shear failure**: not a standard bearing capacity failure mode in this context. ❌
Therefore, the correct answer is **(a) General shear failure**.
Earthwork in plinth feeling in building is calculated by taking
A)
Centre to centre distance of the walls
B)
Internal dimensions in between plinth walls
C)
Internal dimensions of the room
D)
External dimensions of the room
Earthwork in plinth filling is measured using the internal dimensions between the plinth walls, because the filling is done inside the enclosed plinth area. The wall thickness is not included in this measurement. Hence, option (b) is correct. Option (a) is used in some centerline methods for wall quantities, while (c) and (d) do not correctly represent the plinth filling area.
The liquid and plastic limits exist in
A)
Sandy soils
B)
Silty soils
C)
Gravel soils
D)
Clay soils
Liquid limit and plastic limit are Atterberg limits, which are characteristic of fine-grained cohesive soils. These limits are mainly observed in clay soils because clay particles have high surface area and water affinity, allowing the soil to change from liquid to plastic to semi-solid states. Sandy and gravel soils are coarse-grained and do not exhibit plasticity, while silty soils may show limited plasticity but are not the primary soil type where these limits are defined.
The foundation of a structure can settle due to
A)
Inclined movement
B)
Vertical movement
C)
Swinging movement
D)
None of these
Settlement of a foundation means downward displacement of the structure due to compression or consolidation of the supporting soil. This is a vertical movement. Inclined movement refers to tilting, and swinging movement is not a standard term for foundation settlement.
The test of soil to distinguish silt from clay is called
A)
Dispersion test
B)
Plasticity test
C)
Dilatancy test
D)
Silt test
The test used to distinguish silt from clay is the dilatancy test. In this test, a moist soil pat is shaken in the hand; silt shows a quick reaction with water appearing on the surface, while clay does not. Plasticity test is used to assess plastic behavior, dispersion test is not the standard test for this purpose, and 'silt test' is not the correct technical name.
In broad gauge, the clear horizontal distance between the inner faces of two parallel rails forming the track is
A)
1.0m
B)
0.792 m
C)
0.6096 m
D)
1.676m
The clear horizontal distance between the inner faces of two parallel rails is called the gauge. For Indian Railways, the broad gauge standard is 1.676 m (1676 mm). Hence option (d) is correct. The other options correspond to different measurements or gauges: 1.0 m is metre gauge, 0.792 m is not the standard broad gauge, and 0.6096 m is narrow gauge.
Travelling expenses for the sake of analysis of rates would be under the category
A)
Job overhead
B)
General overhead
C)
Miscellaneous overhead
D)
Contingency overhead
Travelling expenses incurred specifically for the purpose of site inspection, collection of data, or analysis of rates are directly connected with a particular job or work. Hence, they are treated as job overhead. General overhead relates to office administration, miscellaneous overhead is for small indirect expenses, and contingency overhead is for unforeseen items.