← MES Jr. Grade
Past Questions
Flexible pavement distribute the wheel load
A)
directly to subgrade
B)
through structural action
C)
through a set of layers to the subgrade
D)
none of these
Flexible pavements do not transfer wheel load directly to the subgrade. Instead, the load is distributed gradually through the pavement layers—surface course, base course, sub-base—so that the stress reaching the subgrade is reduced. Hence, option (c) is correct. Option (a) is wrong because direct load transfer is characteristic of rigid pavement behavior, not flexible pavement. Option (b) is too vague and not the standard description. Option (d) is incorrect because a correct option is given.
When a ship floats at its designed water line, the vertical distance from water line to the bottom of the ship is known as
A)
beam
B)
depth
C)
freeboard
D)
draft
The vertical distance from the waterline to the bottom of a ship is called the draft (or draught). It indicates how deep the ship sits in the water.
Why others are incorrect:
- Beam: the width of the ship.
- Depth: the vertical distance from the keel to the deck, not specifically from waterline to bottom.
- Freeboard: the vertical distance from the waterline to the deck line.
So the correct answer is draft.
The stopping sight distance depends upon
A)
total reaction time of driver
B)
speed of vehicle
C)
efficiency of brakes
D)
all of these
Stopping sight distance (SSD) is the total distance required for a vehicle to stop safely after the driver perceives an obstruction. It depends on: (1) the driver's reaction time, because the vehicle continues moving during perception and reaction; (2) the speed of the vehicle, because higher speed increases both reaction and braking distance; and (3) the efficiency of the brakes, because better braking reduces the braking distance. Therefore, all the given factors affect SSD.
Whenever an activity has zero total float, then
A)
free float of the activity must be zero but independent float need not be zero
B)
independent float must be zero but free float need not be zero
C)
free float and independent float both must be zero
D)
free float and independent float both need not be zero
If an activity has zero total float, it lies on the critical path. For a critical activity, any delay will delay the project, so there is no spare time available. Hence its free float is zero. Since independent float is always less than or equal to free float, it must also be zero. Therefore, both free float and independent float are zero.
In a cavity wall, both leaves of which are load bearing, the effective thickness is taken as
A)
sum of thickness of both leaves
B)
two-third of the sum of thickness of both the leaves
C)
actual thickness of the stronger leaf
D)
larger of (b) and (c)
In a cavity wall where both leaves are load-bearing, the effective thickness is taken as two-third of the total thickness of the two leaves. This accounts for the reduced structural contribution due to the cavity. Option (a) is incorrect because the full sum is not used. Option (c) is incorrect because only the stronger leaf thickness is not the effective thickness in this case. Option (d) is incorrect because the standard rule is specifically two-third of the sum, not the larger of two values.
Due to battering action of wheels over the end of the rails, the rails get bent down and are deflected at ends. These rails are called
A)
roaring rails
B)
hogged rails
C)
corrugated rails
D)
buckled rails
When train wheels repeatedly strike the rail ends, the ends get battered and bend downward, causing a depression at the rail ends. This condition is called **hogging**, and such rails are known as **hogged rails**.
- **Roaring rails**: rails that produce excessive noise due to vibration/looseness.
- **Corrugated rails**: rails with wave-like wear on the running surface.
- **Buckled rails**: rails that bend sideways due to excessive compressive stress, usually in hot weather.
Hence, the correct answer is **hogged rails**.
Terzaghi’s bearing capacity factors Nc, Nq and Nr are functions of
A)
cohesion only
B)
angle of internal friction only
C)
both cohesion and angle of internal friction
D)
none of these
Terzaghi’s bearing capacity factors Nc, Nq and Nr (or Nγ) depend only on the soil’s angle of internal friction, φ. They are tabulated or computed as functions of φ, not cohesion. Cohesion affects the bearing capacity equation separately through the term cNc, but the factors themselves are functions of φ only. Hence, option (b) is correct.
The type of footing which is used to transmit heavy loads through steel columns is
A)
raft foundation
B)
grillage foundation
C)
well foundation
D)
isolated footing
Grillage foundation is specifically used to transmit heavy loads from steel columns to the soil by spreading the load over a larger area through layers of steel beams. Raft foundation is used for low bearing capacity soils, well foundation is used for deep foundations in waterlogged areas, and isolated footing is generally used for individual columns but not especially for heavy steel column loads.
The effective height of free standing non load bearing wall and column respectively will be (where H is the height of wall or column between centres of supports)
A)
1.0H and 1.0H
B)
1.5H and l.5H
C)
2.0H and l.5H
D)
2.0H and 2.0H
For a free-standing non-load-bearing wall, the effective height is taken as 2.0H. For a column, the effective height is taken as 1.5H. Here H is the actual height between the centres of supports. Therefore, the correct pair is 2.0H and 1.5H.
Which of the following lining materials is useful for shield driven tunnels in sub aqueous regions?
A)
stone masonry
B)
timber
C)
cast iron
D)
cement concrete
Shield-driven tunnels in sub-aqueous regions are exposed to high water pressure and require a strong, watertight, and durable lining. Cast iron lining is traditionally used for such tunnels because it can resist heavy external pressure and provides good joint tightness. Stone masonry and timber are not suitable under submerged conditions, and cement concrete is generally less preferred for shield-driven sub-aqueous tunnels compared with cast iron.
Consider the following operations: 1. Drilling, 2. Blasting, 3. Mucking, 4. Placing steel, 5. Placing concrete. The correct sequence of these operations in tunnel construction is
A)
1,2,4,3,5
B)
1,3,2,4,5
C)
1,2,3,4,5
D)
1,3,4,2,5
In conventional tunnel construction, the usual cycle is: drilling the face, blasting to break the rock, mucking to remove the broken material, then placing steel support if required, and finally placing concrete lining. So the correct sequence is 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5. The other options place mucking or support operations before blasting, which is not the correct construction order.
If the R.L. of a B.M. is 100.00 m, the back- sight is 1.215 m and the foresight is 1.870 m, the R.L. of the forward station is
A)
99.345 m
B)
100.345 m
C)
100.655 m
D)
101.870 m
Use the height of instrument method or simple leveling relation: R.L. of forward station = R.L. of B.M. + back sight - foresight = 100.00 + 1.215 - 1.870 = 99.345 m. Hence option (a) is correct. The other options do not match this calculation.
Which of the following is an example of failure in flexible pavements?
A)
Alligator cracking
B)
Mud pumping
C)
Warping cracks
D)
Shrinkage cracks
Alligator cracking is a typical failure/distress in flexible pavements caused by repeated traffic loading and fatigue of the bituminous layers. It appears as interconnected cracks resembling an alligator skin. Mud pumping is mainly associated with rigid pavements, while warping cracks and shrinkage cracks are also characteristic of concrete (rigid) pavements.
The slope of the obstruction clearance line from the boundary of the heliport should be
A)
1:2
B)
1:5
C)
1:8
D)
1:40
For a heliport, the obstruction clearance line from the boundary is specified with a slope of 1:5. This means the surface rises 1 unit vertically for every 5 units horizontally. The other options are not the standard heliport clearance slope in airport engineering.
The slope of the transitional surface for A, B and C type of runway shall be
A)
1:5
B)
1:7
C)
1:10
D)
1:12
In airport zoning standards, the transitional surface slope for A, B and C type runways is 1:7. This is the standard side-slope adopted in the approach/transitional surface provisions for these runway types. The other options (1:5, 1:10, and 1:12) do not match the prescribed transitional surface slope.
The height of the centre of arm of a semaphore signal above the ground is
A)
5.5m
B)
6.5m
C)
7.5m
D)
8.5m
In railway engineering, the centre of the arm of a semaphore signal is kept at a standard height of about 6.5 m above ground. This provides sufficient visibility to the engine driver while maintaining the required clearance and operational convenience. Hence, option (b) is correct. The other values are not the standard specified height for the centre of a semaphore signal arm.
The type of surveying which requires least office work is
A)
tacheometry
B)
trigonometrical levelling
C)
plane table surveying
D)
theodolite surveying
Plane table surveying requires the least office work because the field observations and plotting are done simultaneously on the drawing sheet at the site itself. Hence, very little post-survey office computation or plotting is needed. In contrast, tacheometry, trigonometrical levelling, and theodolite surveying involve more measurements and calculations in the office.
The rail is designated by its
A)
length
B)
weight
C)
cross-section
D)
weight per unit length
Rails are designated by their weight per unit length, usually expressed in kg/m or lb/yd. This is the standard railway engineering convention because it directly indicates the rail section size and strength. Length alone does not define the rail section, and cross-section is not the usual designation method. Therefore, the correct answer is weight per unit length.
The basic action involved in sheep foot rolling is
A)
Kneading
B)
Pressing
C)
Tamping
D)
Vibration
Sheep foot rollers compact soil mainly by a kneading action. The projecting feet penetrate the soil and repeatedly press and remold it, which is especially effective for cohesive soils like clay. Pressing is more associated with smooth wheel rollers, tamping with impact-type compaction, and vibration with vibratory rollers.
Free float is mainly used to
A)
identify the activities which can be delayed without affecting the total float of preceding activity
B)
identify the activities which can be delayed without affecting the total float of succeeding activity
C)
establish priorities
D)
identify the activities which can be delayed without affecting the total float of either the preceding or succeeding activities
Free float is the portion of float that an activity can use without delaying the early start of its immediate successor. In other words, it shows how much an activity can be delayed without affecting the total float of the succeeding activity. Hence, option (b) is correct. Option (a) is incorrect because free float is not defined with respect to the preceding activity's total float. Option (c) is too general. Option (d) describes neither free float nor total float correctly.
Which of the following is not a PERT event?
A)
site investigation started
B)
sessional work completed
C)
bus starts from Jaipur
D)
class is being attended
PERT events are specific milestones or instantaneous points in a project, not activities that take time.
- (a) site investigation started: a definite event/milestone.
- (b) sessional work completed: a clear completion event.
- (c) bus starts from Jaipur: a point event.
- (d) class is being attended: this is an ongoing activity, not an event.
Therefore, the option that is not a PERT event is (d).
The percentage compensation in gradient for ruling gradient of 4% and horizontal curve of radius 760 m is
A)
0.1%
B)
1%
C)
10%
D)
no compensation
In railway engineering, gradient compensation on curves is usually taken as 0.04% per degree of curve (or an equivalent standard formula based on radius). For a horizontal curve of radius 760 m, the compensation works out to about 0.1%. Since the given ruling gradient is 4%, the required percentage compensation is therefore 0.1%. The other options are not consistent with standard railway gradient compensation values.
In basins subjected to strong winds and tide, the length of the berthing area should not be less than
A)
the length of design vessel
B)
the length of design vessel + 10% clearance between adjacent vessels
C)
the length of design vessel + 20% clearance between adjacent vessels
D)
twice the length of design vessel
In harbour design, when basins are subjected to strong winds and tidal effects, extra allowance is needed for safe berthing and manoeuvring. The berthing area length should therefore be increased beyond the design vessel length, and the standard recommendation is the design vessel length plus 20% clearance between adjacent vessels. Options (a) and (d) are too general or excessive, while (b) gives only 10% clearance, which is insufficient for such adverse conditions.
The ruling design speed on a National Highway in plain terrain as per IRC recommendations is
A)
60 kmph
B)
80 kmph
C)
100 kmph
D)
120 kmph
As per IRC recommendations, the ruling design speed for a National Highway in plain terrain is 100 kmph. In plain terrain, highways are designed for higher speeds than in rolling or mountainous terrain due to better alignment and visibility. Hence, option (c) is correct.
The water content of soil, which represents the boundary between plastic state and liquid state is known as
A)
liquid limit
B)
plastic limit
C)
shrinkage limit
D)
plasticity index
The water content at which soil changes from the plastic state to the liquid state is called the liquid limit. The plastic limit is the boundary between semi-solid and plastic states, the shrinkage limit is between semi-solid and solid states, and the plasticity index is the range of water content between liquid limit and plastic limit.