Civil Engineering - UPSC Civil Service Exam Questions MCQs Part 9

1. Consider the following statements :A critical activity in a CPM network has1. The longest duration of all activities2. zero total float3. zero for float4. The shortest duration of all activitieswhich one of the statements given above are correct ?

A.
1 and 2

B.
1 and 3

C.
2 and 3

D.
3 and 4

 Answer Option A

2. Which one of the following is the correct statement ? A heterotroph is an organism that obtains

A.
its cell carbon from an inorganic source.

B.
its energy from the oxidation of simple inorganic compounds.

C.
its cell carbon as well as its energy from organic matter.

D.
its energy from a natural ecosystem.

 Answer Option C

3. Which one of the following sections performs better on the ductility criterion ?

A.
Balanced section

B.
Over-reinforced section

C.
Under-reinforced section

D.
Non-prismatic section

 Answer Option C

4. Westergaard's formula for vertical stress gives greater value of stress than that by the Boussinesq's formula, when r/z exceeds :

A.
1.5

B.
2.5

C.
3.5

D.
4.0

 Answer Option A

5. A round steel bar of overall length 40 cm consists of two equal portions of 29 cm each having diameters of 10 cm and 8 cm respectively. If the rod is subjected to a tensile load of 10 tones, the elongation will be given by :(E = 2 x 106 kg/cm2)

A.
1/10π (1/25 + 1/16) cm

B.
2/10π (1/25 + 1/16) cm

C.
3/10 π (1/25 + 1/16) cm

D.
4/10 π (1/25 + 1/16) cm

 Answer Option A

6. In the cantilever beam shown in the figure, what is the percentage of bending moment at l/2 with respect to the maximum bending moment at the fixed support ?

A. 15%

B. 20%

C. 25%

D. 30%

 Answer Option C

7. Which one of the following is the correct statement ? The strength of timber :

A. is maximum in a direction parallel to the grain

B. is maximum in a direction perpendicular to the grain

C. is maximum in a direction 45° to the grain

D. remains same in all directions

 Answer Option A

8. A and B are two traverse stations free from local attraction errors. If the true bearing of a line AB is 89°, and the magnetic declination at point A is 1° West, then the magnetic bearing of the line BA would be

A. 88°

B. 90°

C. 268°

D. 270°

 Answer Option B

9. For a fully saturated clay Skempton's pore pressure parameter B is

A. zero

B. between zero and 1

C. 1

D. more than 1

 Answer Option C

10. What is the correct sequence of the following metals in the decreasing order of their Poission's ratio ?(a) Aluminium(b) Cast iron(c) SteelSelect the correct answer using the code given below :

A. 1 - 2 - 3

B. 2 - 1 - 3

C. 1 - 3 - 2

D. 3 - 1 - 2

 Answer Option C

11. A symmetrical channel section is made of a material which is equally strong in tension and compression. It is used as a simply supported beam with its web horizontal to carry vertical loads. It will

A. be strongest if the web is used as top face

B. be strongest if the web is used as bottom face

C. be equally strong in (a) and (b) above

D. not be possible to state which of the above statements is correct

 Answer Option A

12. A machine costing Rs. 8, 500 will have a scrap value of Rs. 300. Machines of this class have a working hour average life of 25, 000 hours. What will be the depreciation charge at the end of the first year, if the machine is operated for a total of 1500 hours ? (use straight line method of depreciation)

A. Rs. 492.00

B. Rs. 542.00

C. Rs. 548.50

D. Rs. 692.00

 Answer Option A

13. The limits of percentage p of the longitudinal reinforcement in a column is

A. 0.15% to 2%

B. 0.8% to 4%

C. 0.8% to 6%

D. 0.8% to 8%

 Answer Option C

14. Figure shows the forces acting on a body. Each square is 3 cm x 3 cm. If F1 = 30 N, F2 = 15 N, F3 = 25 N and F4 = 20 N, the resultant force and the moment about point O, respectively, are

A. 0 N, 0 Ncm

B. 90 N, 80 Ncm

C. 60 N, 60 Ncm

D. 30 N, 30 Ncm

 Answer Option A

15. A simply supported beam of span (l) carries a point load W at midspan. The breadth 'b' of the beam along the entire span is constant. Given, f = permissible stress in bending, for a beam of uniform strength, the depth of the beam at any cross-section, at a distance x from the support would be :

A. 6Wx/fb

B. 6Wx/fb

C. 3 Wx/fb

D. 3 Wx/fb

 Answer Option D

16. In the truss shown in the given figure which one of the following members has no force induced in it ?

A. CD

B. CE

C. CF

D. DF

 Answer Option C

17. Consider the following statements :A : An isotropic material is always homogeneous. R : An isotropic material is one in which all the properties are the same in all the directionsat every point.Of these statements :

A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

B. Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A

C. A is true but R is false

D. A is false but R is true

 Answer Option B

18. The ratio of pressures between two points A and B located respectively at depths 0.5 m, and 2 m below a constant level of water in a tank is

A. 1 : 2

B. 1 : 2

C. 1 : 4

D. 1 : 16

 Answer Option C

19. The acceleration of a particle starting from rest varies with time according to the relation a = - sω2 sin ωtWhat is the displacement of this particle at a time t ?

A. s sin ωt

B. sω cos ωt

C. sω sin ωt

D. - 1/2 (sω2 sin ωt)t2

 Answer Option A

20. For which one of the following purposes is the double mass curve used ?

A. Checking on the consistency of precipitation records

B. Prediction of annual precipitation

C. Defining which periods of storm should be analyzed to obtain the maximum useful information from storm rainfall records

D. For estimating the capacity of a reservoir.

 Answer Option A

21. If s is the shear strength, c and Φ are shear strength parameters, and σn is the normal stress at failure, then Coulomb's equation for shear strength of the soil can be represented by

A. c = s + σs tan Φ

B. c = s - σn tan Φ

C. s = σn + c tan Φ

D. s = c - σn tan Φ

 Answer Option B

22. The beam shown in the figure given above is subjected to concentrated load and clockwise couple. What is the vertical reaction at A ?

A. 10 kN

B. 40 kN

C. 50 kN

D. 30 kN

 Answer Option A

23. What is the vertical displacement at the point C of the structure shown in the figure ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

 Answer Option A

24. If all the dimensions of a prismatic bar of square cross-section suspended freely from the ceiling of a roof are doubled then the total elongation produced by its own weight will increase

A. eight times

B. four times

C. three times

D. two times

 Answer Option B

25. Which of the following statements are true for the pile shown in the figure ?1. Frictional resistance acts upwards through the length of the pile.2. Negative skin friction acts over the length AB3. Frictional resistance acts upwards over the length BC4. There is point resistance at level CSelect the correct answer using the codes given below :

A. 1, 3 and 4

B. 2, 3 and 4

C. 1 and 2

D. 2 and 3

 Answer Option A

26. If the standard meridian is 82°30' E and the standard time at longitude 90°E is known to be 8 hr 30 m, the corresponding local mean time at the place will be

A. 7 hr 00 m

B. 8 hr 00 m

C. 8 hr 30 m

D. 9 hr 00 m

 Answer Option D

27. For a masonry dam of base width b, at which location w.r.t. the central line, should the resultant loading intersect the section to avoid tension in any horizontal section ?

A. Outside of b/6

B. Within b/6

C. Within b/8

D. At the central line

 Answer Option B

28. Consider the following statements :Excessive camber is not provided on the roads because1. Transverse tilt causes uncomfort2. Of formation of cross ruts3. Of likely toppling over of highly laden bullock carts4. Of higher costs involvedWhich of the statements given above are correct ?

A. 2, 3 and 4 only

B. 1, 3 and 4 only

C. 1, 2 and 4 only

D. 1, 2 and 3 only

 Answer Option D

29. Consider the following statements :1. A project has a mission.2. A project has to terminate at some time or the other.3. Projects vary in terms of technology, equipment and materials, machinery and people, work ethics and organisational culture.Amongst the above, the characteristic features for a project are

A. 1 and 2

B. 2 and 3

C. 1 and 3

D. 1, 2 and 3

 Answer Option D

30. Which one of the following gives the correct distance between the lighthouse and a ship, when the lighthouse whose height is 100 m is visible just above the horizon from the ship ?

A. 30.68 km

B. 36.50 km

C. 38.54 km

D. 40.54 km

 Answer Option C

31. Consider the following statements :Bearing stiffness, in plate girders, are :1. provided at supports.2. provided under concentrated loads.3. provided alternately on the web.Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. 1 and 2

D. 1, 2 and 3

 Answer Option C

32. Which one of the following statements is correct ?As the depth of immersion of a vertical plane surface increases, the location of centre of pressure.

A. comes closer to the centre of the area

B. moves apart from the centre of gravity of the area

C. ultimately coincides with the centre of gravity of the-area

D. remains unaffected

 Answer Option A

33. A highly sensitive undisturbed clay sample was brought to the laboratory and UU test was performed. The curve of deviator stress versus strain % plot will be (among the four curves shown in the given figure) the one labelled

A. A

B. B

C. C

D. D

 Answer Option C

34. The sequent depth ratio in a hydraulic jump formed in a horizontal rectangular channel is 16.48. The flow is supercritical. What is the value of the Froude number of flow ?

A. 4.0

B. 8.0

C. 12.0

D. 120.0

 Answer Option C

35. Consider the following operations in a spire test :1. Depress telescope and sight a point on the ground nearer to the instrument2. Clamp horizontal plates3. Sight a well defined high point on a high building4. Change face and repeat the procedure.The correct sequence of these operations is

A. 1, 2, 3, 4

B. 3, 1, 2, 4

C. 3, 2, 1, 4

D. 2, 1, 3, 4

 Answer Option C

36. Probability of a lO-year flood to occur at least once in the next 4 years is

A. 25%

B. 35%

C. 50%

D. 65%

 Answer Option B

37. Weigh-batching proceeds on

A. the assumption of the declared weight in each bag of cement

B. weighing the contents of each bag

C. accurately estimating the weight of each material to be used in each batch

D. the assumption of correct dry weight of each size range of each material and the weight of water.

 Answer Option C

38. A cantilever beam of span l carries a uniformly varying load of zero intensity at the free end and w per metre length at the fixed end. What does the integration of the ordinate of the load diagram between the limits of free and fixed ends of the beam give ?

A. Bending moment at the fixed end

B. Shear force at the fixed end

C. Bending moment at the free end

D. Shear force at the free end

 Answer Option A

39. A shaft PQRS is subjected to torques at P, Q, R, S as shown in the given figure.The maximum torque for the shaft section occurs between

A. P and Q

B. P and R

C. Q and R

D. R and S

 Answer Option C

40. When the recirculation ratio in a high rate trickling filter is unity, then what is the value of the recirculation factor ?

A. 1

B. > 1

C. < 1

D. Zero

 Answer Option B

41. In a direct shear test the shear stress and normal stress on a dry sand sample at failure are 0.6 kg/cm2 and 1 kg/cm2 respectively. The angle of internal friction of the sand will be nearly

A. 25°

B. 31°

C. 37°

D. 43°

 Answer Option B

42. In the network given in figure, the maximum number of shovels and dumpers required are

A. 6 shovels and 14 dumpers on days 9 and 10

B. 24 shovels and 10 dumpers on days 3 and 4

C. 30 shovels and 90 dumpers on all days

D. 10 shovels and 24 dumpers on days 3 and 4

 Answer Option D

43. Consider the following statements :A good soil for making bricks should contain1. about 30% alumina 2. about 10% lime nodules 3. a small quantity of iron oxides 4. about 15% magnesia.Of these statements :

A. 1 and 2 are correct

B. 1 and 3 are correct

C. 1, 3 and 4 are correct

D. 2, 3 and 4 are correct

 Answer Option B

44. Service connection consists of

A. ferrule, stopcock and gooseneck

B. ferrule, check valve and gooseneck

C. stopcock, meter and sluice valve

D. sluice valve, check valve and meter

 Answer Option A

45. In the phase diagrams given, the change due to initial state changing into final state is shown due to consolidation. Depth of soil layer undergoing consolidation is H ; e0 is initial void ratio; ef is final void ratio ; Δe is change in void ratio. Indicate which of the following expressions gives settlement of the layer :

A.

B.

C.

D.

 Answer Option D

46. What does super-saturation of water body with DO cause ?

A. Eutrophication

B. Gas bubble disease in fish

C. Methamoglobinemia

D. Endemic goitre

 Answer Option A

47. In a third order traverse, if the standard error of ± 3" is assigned to each of the four source of errors, namely :(i) reading the vernie(ii) non-adjustment of transit(iii) sighting and(iv) setting over the station, then the total standard error of the work would be

A. ±3"

B. ±6"

C. ±6.92"

D. ±12"

 Answer Option B

48. Which one of the following statements is correct ?

A. The axis of plate level should be parallel to the vertical axis.

B. The axis of striding level must be parallel to the horizontal axis.

C. The axis of the altitude level must be perpendicular to the plate level axis.

D. The line of collimation must be perpendicular to the plate level axis.

 Answer Option B

49. Consider the following statements regarding settlement of foundations :1. Differential settlement of foundation leads to structural damage to the superstructure.2. In non-cohesive soils, the major component of settlement is due to consolidation.3. Lowering of ground water table contributes of settlement of foundations.Of these statements :

A. 1 and 2 are correct

B. 1 and 3 are correct

C. 2 and 3 are correct

D. 1, 2 and 3 are correct

 Answer Option D

50. A solid circular shaft is subjected to a bending moment M and torque T. The ratio of maximum bending stress to the maximum shear stress is given by

A. MT/2

B. 2M/T

C. M/2T

D. M/T

 Answer Option B