Multiple choice question for engineering
Set 1
1. Structures built on which land have to withstand greater risk during earthquakes?
a) Solid mass
b) Loose soil
c) Strong rocks
d) Unfractured mass
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] Structures built on loose soil or sediments or weak rocks will have to withstand greater risk compared to those founded on solid bed rocks in the same region, other things being the same.
2. What do the rocks undergo during seismic shocks?
a) Tension
b) Expansion
c) Strengthening
d) Compaction
Answer
Answer: d [Reason:] Structures built on loose soil are more risky, due to the fact that soil particles undergo a lot of compaction during seismic shocks thereby causing settlement.
3. What should be the type of foundation for concrete and masonry buildings?
a) Continuous
b) Discontinuous
c) Shallow foundation
d) Isolated
Answer
Answer: a [Reason:] Foundations for concrete and masonry buildings should be excavated to the same level throughout the building, and should be, as far as possible of continuous type.
4. What is the characteristic of walls for quake resistant buildings?
a) Heavy weight
b) As thick as possible
c) Light weight
d) Acoustic
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] The walls should be, unless properly designed for resisting lateral forces, as light in weight as possible and made up of wood or light weight concrete.
5. What should be maintained in cross walls?
a) Continuity
b) Discontinuity
c) Intersections
d) Gaps
Answer
Answer: a [Reason:] Continuity of crosswalls should be maintained as far as possible and in such a way that different parts of the building behave as integrals of the same structure and not at random.
6. Stronger and resistant walls should be designed with plain concrete. State true or false.
a) True
b) False
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] Stronger and resistant walls should be designed with reinforced rather than plain concrete.
7. Which type of roofs give better resistance against shocks?
a) Sloped roofs
b) Thached roofs
c) Flat roofs
d) Straw roofs
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] Flat, RCC roofs give better resistance against shocks compared to the sloping roofs or those designed with different slope angles.
8. Which of the following need not be avoided for construction of quake resistant buildings?
a) Uniform height
b) Chimneys
c) Heavy weight walls
d) Discontinuous foundations
Answer
Answer: a [Reason:] As far as possible, uniform height should be given to the structure. The rest of the options have to be avoided as much as possible, as they are risky for the construction of quake resistant buildings.
9. A dam is subjected to simpler system of forces during an earthquake compared to the other buildings. State true or false.
a) True
b) False
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] A dam is subject to more complex system of forces during an earthquake compared to a multi-storeyed building. The risk factor has to be of a higher order.
10. In a storage dam, how many forces have to be considered?
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] In a storage dam, two types of forces have to be considered: Force due to dam and forces due to reservoir water.
11. To avoid shearing, dam has to be placed as far as possible from
a) Joints
b) Folds
c) Intrusions
d) Faults
Answer
Answer: d [Reason:] For avoiding failure due to shear, the proximity of a fault must be clearly ascertained. These should be placed as far away from faults as possible.
Set 2
1. Joints running parallel to hinge lines are called
a) Hinge joints
b) Radial joints
c) Bedding joints
d) Oblique joints
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] In the folded regions, joint orientation is conveniently described with reference to the hinge of the fold. Joints running parallel to hinge line are called radial joints.
2. In which rock, joints may be classified on the basis of their lineation?
a) Sedimentary
b) Igneous
c) Metamorphic
d) Igneous and metamorphic
Answer
Answer: d [Reason:] In igneous and metamorphic rocks, the joints may be classified on the basis of their geometric relations with planar structures of those rocks such as lineation or cleavage.
3. Joints traverse linear structure right angles in which type?
a) Q joints
b) S joints
c) B joints
d) T joints
Answer
Answer: a [Reason:] Cross or Q joints are the joints which are traversing the linear structures at right angles.
4. Which are the joints parallel to linear structure?
a) Cross joints
b) Longitudinal joints
c) Alternate joints
d) Q joints
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] Longitudinal or S joints, are the joints traversing parallel to the linear structure. In these rocks all the joint systems traversing at any other angular inclination with the linear structures are described as diagonal joints.
5. The joints developed due to tensile forces are
a) Tensile joints
b) Compressive joints
c) Shear joints
d) No particular name
Answer
Answer: a [Reason:] Tension joints are those, which have developed due to the tensile forces acting on the rocks. The most common location of such joints in folded sequence is on the outer margins of crests and troughs.
6. The type of joint occurring in igneous rocks during cooling is
a) Shear joints
b) Tensile joints
c) Compression joints
d) Bend joints
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] Tension joints are also produced in igneous rocks during their cooling. Joints produced in many rocks during the weathering of overlying strata and subsequent release of stresses by expansion are also thought to be due to the tensile forces.
7. Which joints are located in axial regions in the folded rocks?
a) Tension joints
b) Compression joints
c) Shear joints
d) T joints
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] Shear joints are commonly observed in the vicinity of fault planes and shear zone where the relationship with shearing forces is clearly established. In folded rocks, these are located in axial regions.
8. The joints that are caused due to compressive forces are called as
a) T joints
b) C joints
c) Longitudinal joints
d) Compression joints
Answer
Answer: d [Reason:] Rocks may be compressed to crushing and numerous joints may result due to the compressive forces in this case.
9. Compression joints usually occur in which part of fault?
a) Crust
b) Mantle
c) Core
d) Margins
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] In the core regions of folds where compressive forces are dominant, joints may be related to the compressive forces.
10. Joints are not common and are very easy structures to study in rocks. State true or false.
a) True
b) False
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] Joints are very common and at the same time very complex structures in rocks.
Set 3
1. What is the criteria for a covered surface to be said a fault?
a) Polished surface
b) Grooves
c) Striations
d) Polished surface, grooves and striations
Answer
Answer: d [Reason:] An exposed or covered surface may be suspected of being a faulted surface if it polished, and carries grooves and striations.
2. What is the reason for abrupt termination?
a) Breaking of strata into blocks
b) Movement of the disrupted blocks away from each other
c) Breaking of strata into blocks and movement of disrupted blocks away from each other
d) Movement of the disrupted blocks towards each other
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] A group of beds or some veins or dykes may abruptly terminate along a surface in a given region. This may generally be due to breaking of the strata into blocks and movement of the disrupted blocks away from each other.
3. What is indicative of faulting?
a) Repetition
b) Omission
c) Repetition and omission
d) Cracking
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] When in the field the same layer or rock is encountered more than once in a certain section, that is, it is repeated in space, faulting is indicated. Similarly, omission of certain of beds in some directions as proved by thorough study of stratigraphy of the region, is also indicative of faulting.
4. Disruption of beds due to faulting results in their
a) Displacement
b) Settling
c) Inclination
d) Change in their composition
Answer
Answer: a [Reason:] Disruption of the beds due to faulting generally results in their displacement, which may be determined in terms of slip, separation, offset and gap etc.
5. What kind of evidence the physiographic features provide?
a) Direct
b) Indirect
c) Certain
d) Uncertain
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] Some physiographic features may serve as indirect evidence of faults. Among them, the most important are: aligned springs and offset streams.
6. The important physiographic evidence studied is
a) Aligned spring
b) Offset stream
c) Mountain range
d) Offset stream and aligned spring
Answer
Answer: d [Reason:] Some physiographic features may serve as indirect evidence of faults. Among them, the most important are: aligned springs and offset streams.
7. The resistance to stresses of rocks depend upon
a) Cohesive strength only
b) Internal friction only
c) Cohesive strength and internal friction
d) Hardness
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] Any rock on or below the crust may withstand all the operating stresses up to a limit, which depends upon its cohesive strength and internal friction.
8. When are the normal stresses formed?
a) Maximum stress is horizontal
b) Maximum stress is vertical
c) Maximum stress is inclined at certain angle other than right angle
d) Intermediate stress is vertical
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] In highly oversimplified situation, the type of fault likely to form is related to stress field operating in a given area. Thus, talking in terms of the three principal stresses, normal faults would form when, the maximum stress is vertical.
9. What is the assumed nature of the rock for the study?
a) Isotropic
b) Anisotropic
c) Uniform
d) Non-uniform
Answer
Answer: a [Reason:] a [Reason:] In all the idealized situations, it is assumed that the rocks are isotropic in character and the Mohr-Coulomb Law of rock failure holds good in those cases.
10. What is the cause for compressive force?
a) Vertical tension
b) Horizontal tension
c) Vertical compression
d) Shear
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] Gravity or normal faults are believed to be causes under the influence of horizontal tension whereas thrust faults are the result of compressive forces that may throw the rocks into severe type of folding before actual development of faults.
11. A fracture is formed perpendicular to the axis plane of a fold. State true or false.
a) False
b) True
Answer
Answer: a [Reason:] A fracture is formed parallel to the axis plane of a fold where the shearing strength of the beds is overcome by the shearing stresses responsible for the development of the fold.
Set 4
1. Artificially created water storage basins with storage capacity that may range from a few thousand cubic meters to thousands of millions cubic meters are called
a) Lakes
b) Ponds
c) Pools
d) Reservoirs
Answer
Answer: d [Reason:] Reservoirs may broadly be defined as artificially created water storage basins with storage capacity that may range from a few thousand cubic meters to thousands of millions cubic meters.
2. Depending on the purpose of storage, reservoirs are classified into how many types?
a) 2
b) 4
c) 3
d) 5
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] Depending on the purpose of storage, reservoirs are classified into three main categories: Storage and conservation reservoirs; Flood control reservoirs; Distribution reservoirs.
3. Which reservoirs are used to feed the canal systems for irrigation and power generation?
a) Storage and conservation reservoirs
b) Flood control reservoirs
c) Distribution reservoirs
d) Drought control reservoirs
Answer
Answer: a [Reason:] Storage and conservation reservoirs, are the ones where river water is stored by creating barriers or dams in its path and is then released from gated or ungated outlets. These feed the canal systems for irrigation and power generation.
4. The reservoirs for small storage and short period of time are
a) Storage and conservation reservoirs
b) Flood control reservoirs
c) Distribution reservoirs
d) Drought control reservoirs
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] Distribution reservoirs are actually small storage reservoirs which hold water supplies in a water supply system for short spells of time.
5. Reservoirs involving large sluice gates are
a) Storage and conservation reservoirs
b) Flood control reservoirs
c) Distribution reservoirs
d) Drought control reservoirs
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] Flood control reservoirs are provided with large sluice ways to discharge the inflow received by the reservoir during a flood up to a volume which could be safely accommodated in the channel downstream.
6. The level up to which the reservoir shall be full of water is called
a) High level
b) Maximum level
c) Pool level
d) Surface level
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] Pool level, indicated the designed level up to which the reservoir shall be ‘full of water’ at a particular point of time. There is, thus, the maximum pool level, the minimum pool level and the normal pool level.
7. The measure of the volume of water that can be drawn from a given reservoir in a certain interval of time is called
a) Surface yield
b) Drawable yield
c) Reservoir yield
d) Pool yield
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] Reservoir yield is a measure for the volume of water that can be drawn from a given reservoir in a certain interval of time and is also expressed in terms of safe or guarantee yield, secondary yield and design yield etc.
8. Volume of water in cubic meters available between minimum pool level and normal pool level is
a) Useful storage
b) Dead storage
c) Surcharge storage
d) Specific storage
Answer
Answer: a [Reason:] Useful storage is defined as, volume of water in cubic meters available between minimum pool level and normal pool level.
9. What is the volume of water which is available between maximum reservoir level and normal pool level called?
a) Useful storage
b) Dead storage
c) Surcharge storage
d) Specific storage
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] Surcharge storage is defined as, the volume of water which is available between the maximum reservoir level and normal pool level.
10. Some amount of water can be stored beyond maximum pool level. State true or false.
a) True
b) False
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] No water can be stored beyond maximum pool level and no water shall be available when the storage is below the minimum pool level.
Set 5
1. The branch or study which deals with behaviour of rocks under applied forces is called
a) Soil mechanics
b) Rock mechanics
c) Lithology
d) Geology
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] Rock mechanics deals essentially with behaviour of rocks under applied force fields in natural as well as in laboratory conditions. Rock mechanics has developed at such a fast pace during last it has already become a compulsory part of advanced civil engineering practice.
2. Which material can be used as a roofing material among the following?
a) Slate
b) Granite
c) Marble
d) Gneiss
Answer
Answer: a [Reason:] Slates used in many areas as roofing material for ordinary constructions and in pavements also fall in the category of building stones.
3. Which type of compressive strength is taken as the most important index property of stones?
a) Confined
b) Drained
c) Undrained
d) Unconfined
Answer
Answer: d [Reason:] Stones like all other solids fail when subjected to loads beyond their strength. The failure takes place under compressive, tensile and shear forces at different values. It is however, the unconfined compressive strength, which is taken as the most important index property of stones.
4. What is the maximum force expressed per unit area, which a stone can withstand without rupturing?
a) Shear strength
b) Tensile strength
c) Compressive strength
d) Bending strength
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] Compressive strength is also sometimes referred as crushing strength of a stone and may be defined as the maximum force expressed per unit area, which a stone can withstand without rupturing.
5. What is not true about unconfined test?
a) It is also called tri-axial test
b) The specimen has no lateral support
c) The specimen has no lateral restraint
d) It is also called uniaxial test
Answer
Answer: a [Reason:] The load at failure divided by the area of cross-section of the sample gives the unconfined compressive strength of the rock. The value is termed unconfined or uniaxial because the test specimen has no lateral support or restraint and is being compressed only along one axis.
6. Which rock possesses very high compressive strength?
a) Igneous
b) Sedimentary
c) Metamorphic
d) Sedimentary and metamorphic
Answer
Answer: a [Reason:] Igneous rocks being crystalline in character, compact and interlocking in texture and uniform in structure possess very high compressive strengths compared to sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.
7. What is the capacity of a stone to withstand bending loads called?
a) Bending strength
b) Shear strength
c) Transverse strength
d) Lateral strength
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] Transverse strength is defined as the capacity of a stone to withstand bending loads. Such loads are only rarely involved in situations where stones are commonly used.
8. Ratio between the total volume of the rock pore spaces and the total volume of the rock sample is called
a) Void ratio
b) Porosity
c) Pores ratio
d) Bulk density
Answer
Answer: b [Reason:] Numerically, porosity is expressed as the ratio between the total volume of the pore spaces and the total volume of the rock sample and is expressed commonly in percentage terms.
9. Pick the stone which is objectionable for use in moist conditions.
a) Granite
b) Marble
c) Gabbro
d) Limestone
Answer
Answer: d [Reason:] Sandstones and limestones may show varieties as high absorption values as 10% or more. Selection of such highly porous varieties of stones for use in building construction, especially in moist situations, would be greatly objectionable.
10. The density of the rock with natural moisture content is
a) Dry density
b) Wet density
c) Bulk density
d) Natural density
Answer
Answer: c [Reason:] Bulk density is the density of the rock with natural moisture content. It is assumed that in such cases all the pore spaces are not filled with water.
11. A road stone should possess sufficient affinity for binding. State true or false.
a) True
b) False
Answer
Answer: a [Reason:] Road stones should possess sufficient affinity for binding materials to ensure stability. Stones with an ability to form their own binding material under traffic are preferred.