← MES Jr. Grade
Past Questions — 2020
The slenderness ratio for masonry walls should not be more than
A)
5
B)
10
C)
20
D)
30
For masonry walls, the slenderness ratio is defined as the effective height or effective length divided by the thickness of the wall. In practice and as per standard building code provisions, it should not exceed 10 for masonry walls. A higher slenderness ratio means the wall becomes too slender and more prone to buckling or instability. Hence, among the given options, 10 is correct.
In long and short wall method of estimation, the long wall is the center to center distance between the walls and
A)
Breadth of the wall
B)
Half breadth of wall on each side
C)
One fourth breadth of wall on each side
D)
None of these
In the long and short wall method, the long wall length is measured from centre to centre, and the actual length of the wall is obtained by adding half the breadth of the wall on each side. This is why the long wall is taken as centre-to-centre distance plus half breadth on each side. Option (a) is incomplete, option (c) is incorrect, and option (d) is not correct because option (b) matches the method.
The upstream slope of an earth dam under steady seepage condition is
A)
Equipotential lines
B)
Phreatic line
C)
Water table
D)
Seepage line
In an earth dam under steady seepage, the upstream slope corresponds to the line along which seepage occurs within the dam body. This is called the seepage line. It is not an equipotential line (which represents equal head), nor the water table (a free surface in soil due to saturation), nor the phreatic line in this context as asked. Hence, the correct answer is seepage line.
The safe stopping distance may be calculated from the equation
A)
D = 0.278Vt + V^2/254f
B)
D = 0.278Vt + V^2/254f
C)
D = 0.254Vt + V^2/225f
D)
D = 0.225Vt + V^2/254f
Safe stopping distance = reaction distance + braking distance.
- Reaction distance = 0.278 V t, where V is speed in km/h and t is reaction time in seconds.
- Braking distance = V^2 / (254 f), where f is the coefficient of longitudinal friction.
So the correct equation is D = 0.278Vt + V^2/254f.
Options (b) is identical to (a), so the question appears to have a duplication/printing error. The standard formula matches option (a).
Stability of hill slope depends on
A)
Angle of slope
B)
Geological condition
C)
Groundwater conditions
D)
All of these
Hill slope stability is influenced by multiple factors: (1) angle of slope, because steeper slopes are generally less stable; (2) geological condition, including rock/soil type, stratification, joints, faults, and weathering; and (3) groundwater conditions, since seepage and high pore water pressure reduce shear strength. Therefore, all the listed factors affect slope stability.
The error due to bad ranging is
A)
Cumulative positive
B)
Cumulative negative
C)
Compensating
D)
Cumulative positive or negative
In chain surveying, bad ranging causes the measured length of a line to be either more or less than the true length, depending on whether the intermediate points are set off inward or outward from the straight line. Since the error may increase the measured distance or decrease it, it is a cumulative error that can be positive or negative. Hence, option (d) is correct. Compensating errors are not systematic like this, and the error is not fixed as only positive or only negative.
Undisturbed soil samples are required for conduction
A)
Shrinkage limit test
B)
Consolidation test
C)
Specific gravity test
D)
Proctor test
Undisturbed soil samples are needed when the soil structure, fabric, and in-situ condition must be preserved. The consolidation test measures compressibility and settlement characteristics of soil, so an undisturbed sample is required. Shrinkage limit and specific gravity tests can be done on disturbed samples, and the Proctor test is performed on remoulded soil to determine compaction characteristics.
The precise control of excavation is possible by
A)
Scrapper
B)
Hoe
C)
Clamp shell
D)
Bulldozer
A hoe (dragline excavator type with backhoe action) allows precise control of excavation, especially below ground level and near foundations. It is suitable where accurate depth and limited over-excavation are required. A bulldozer is mainly for rough grading and pushing soil, a scraper is for bulk earth moving, and a clamshell is used for deep vertical excavation but not for the most precise control.
Water retentivity for brick masonry should not be less than
A)
50 %
B)
60 %
C)
70 %
D)
80 %
Water retentivity is the ability of bricks to retain water needed for proper hydration and bonding of mortar. For brick masonry, the required water retentivity should not be less than 70%. Hence, option (c) is correct. Options (a), (b), and (d) are below or above the standard minimum requirement asked in such building-materials questions.
The most suitable soil for compressed air tunneling is
A)
Silt
B)
Sand
C)
Clay
D)
Gravel
Compressed air tunneling is most suitable in permeable, cohesionless soils where air pressure can balance groundwater seepage and prevent collapse. Sand is ideal among the given options because it is porous and allows compressed air to control water inflow. Clay is less permeable and does not need compressed air as much; silt is unstable and difficult to control; gravel is too coarse and highly permeable, making air loss excessive.
Horizontal distances obtained by tacheometric observations
A)
Require slope correction
B)
Require tension correction
C)
Require slope and tension correction
D)
Do not require slope and tension correction
In tacheometric surveying, the horizontal distance is computed directly from staff intercept and instrument constants, using the line of sight and staff readings. The method is designed to give horizontal distance without the need for separate slope correction or tension correction. Slope correction is needed in chain/tape measurement on inclined ground, and tension correction applies to tape measurements, not tacheometry.
The sudden loss of shear strength by saturated soil mass under external forces where the soil behave as fluid is called
A)
Liquefaction
B)
Piping of soil
C)
Quick condition
D)
mud slide
The phenomenon described is liquefaction: a saturated soil mass suddenly loses shear strength under external loading and behaves like a fluid. Piping is erosion of soil by seepage, quick condition is a related state in cohesionless soils under upward seepage but the standard term for fluid-like loss of strength is liquefaction, and mud slide is a general mass movement, not the soil mechanics term asked here.
While estimating the qualities for the construction of a building, the correct metric unit is
A)
Cubic meter for area
B)
Liter for capacity
C)
Square meter for volume
D)
Meter per cubic meter
In estimation and costing, different quantities are measured using appropriate metric units. Capacity is measured in liters. The other options are incorrect because area is measured in square meters, volume in cubic meters, and meter per cubic meter is not a valid unit for such estimation.
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 the ship is called the draft (or draught). It indicates how deeply the ship is submerged in water.
Why the other options are incorrect:
- Beam: the width of the ship.
- Depth: vertical distance from the top deck to the bottom of the ship.
- Freeboard: vertical distance from the waterline up to the top deck/gunwale.
So, the correct answer is Draft.
The estimated time required to perform an activity is known as
A)
Event
B)
Dummy
C)
Duration
D)
Float
In construction management, the estimated time required to complete an activity is called its **duration**. An **event** is a milestone point in the network, a **dummy** is a zero-time artificial activity used in network diagrams, and **float** is the allowable delay in an activity without affecting project completion.
Direct load carrying capacity of a brick masonry wall standing freely against when supports RC slab will be
A)
More
B)
Less
C)
Does not change
D)
100%
A brick masonry wall standing freely (without lateral support) has only its own load-carrying capacity. When it supports an RC slab, the slab load adds an eccentric vertical load on the wall, producing additional bending and reducing the wall’s effective direct load-carrying capacity. Hence, compared with a wall standing freely, the direct load-carrying capacity becomes less. The other options are incorrect because the capacity does not increase, remain unchanged, or become 100%.
The vertical staff intercept is 0.65 m from tacheometer, the horizontal distance between the staff and tacheometer is
A)
0.65 m
B)
6.5 m
C)
65 m
D)
650 m
In tacheometry, for a horizontal line of sight and standard stadia constants, the horizontal distance D is proportional to the staff intercept s. Here, the usual relation gives D = 10 × s. With staff intercept s = 0.65 m, D = 10 × 0.65 = 6.5 m. So the correct option is (b). Options (a), (c), and (d) are respectively too small or too large.
Due to battering action of wheels over the end of the rails, the rails get bent down and deflected at the end, these rails are termed as
A)
Buckled rails
B)
Hogged rails
C)
Corrugated rails
D)
Bent rails
When train wheels repeatedly batter the ends of rails, the rail ends get bent downward and deflected. This condition is called a "hogged rail" because the rail end sags downward.
Why others are incorrect:
- Buckled rails: rails that are laterally displaced or warped due to compressive forces, usually from heat.
- Corrugated rails: rails with a wavy surface wear pattern.
- Bent rails: too general; the specific term for downward deflection at ends is hogged rails.
In brick masonry the bond produced by laying alternated headers and strechers in each course is
A)
English bond
B)
Double Flemish bond
C)
Zigzag bond
D)
Single Flemish bond
In brick masonry, when each course is laid with alternate headers and stretchers, the bond is called **Flemish bond**. Since the question specifies this arrangement in **each course**, it refers to **Double Flemish bond**.
Why others are incorrect:
- **English bond**: has alternate courses of headers and stretchers, not alternate units in the same course.
- **Zigzag bond**: used mainly for decorative flooring patterns, not standard brick masonry bonding.
- **Single Flemish bond**: combines English bond on the backing and Flemish bond on the face, used for thick walls.
So the correct answer is **Double Flemish bond**.
How many types of concrete batching are there
A)
1
B)
2
C)
3
D)
4
Concrete batching is generally classified into 2 types: (1) volume batching and (2) weight batching. Volume batching measures materials by volume, while weight batching measures them by mass and is more accurate. Hence, the correct answer is 2.
In approach areas of runways equipped with instrumental landing facilities any object within 4.5 km distance from runway end shall be considered obstruction if the height is above
A)
20 m
B)
30 m
C)
45 m
D)
55 m
For runways equipped with instrumental landing facilities, obstruction standards are stricter in the approach zone. Within 4.5 km from the runway end, any object is treated as an obstruction if its height exceeds 45 m. Hence, option (c) is correct. The other values (20 m, 30 m, 55 m) do not match the standard obstruction limit for this zone.
The representative fraction 1/2500 means that the scale is 1 cm equal to
A)
0.25 m
B)
2.5 m
C)
25 m
D)
250 m
Representative fraction (RF) = map distance / ground distance = 1/2500. So, 1 cm on the map represents 2500 cm on the ground. Since 100 cm = 1 m, 2500 cm = 25 m? Wait, check carefully: 2500 cm ÷ 100 = 25 m. Therefore the correct conversion is 1 cm = 25 m, not 2.5 m. Hence the correct option is (c).
The specified width of ballast section for Broad gauge is
A)
1.83 m
B)
2.25 m
C)
3 m
D)
3.35 m
For Indian Railways, the standard specified width of ballast section for Broad Gauge is 1.83 m. This is the usual ballast shoulder/section width adopted in track geometry standards. The other options are not the standard BG ballast section width.
Enoscope is used to find
A)
Average speed
B)
Space mean speed
C)
Spot speed
D)
Time mean speed
An enoscope is a traffic engineering instrument used to observe the speed of a vehicle at a specific point on a road, i.e., its spot speed. It does not directly measure average speed, space mean speed, or time mean speed. Therefore, the correct answer is spot speed.
Security deposit deducted at 5% from contractor’s bill is
A)
Refunded when the contractor has completed the work
B)
Event refunded before completion of work if good progress is made
C)
Retained till expected life time of structure
D)
Refunded when defect and liability period of six months is over
A security deposit is kept by the department to ensure satisfactory completion and to cover defects during the defect liability period. It is not normally refunded immediately on completion of work. It is released only after the defect liability period is over, provided no defects remain. Hence, option (d) is correct. Options (a) and (b) are incorrect because refund is not made before completion or just on completion. Option (c) is incorrect because the deposit is not retained for the entire life of the structure.