Civil Engineering - UPSC Civil Service Exam Questions MCQs Part 10

1. Which one of the following closely represents the shape of the earth?

A.
Spheroid

B.
Ellipsoid

C.
Oblate spheroid

D.
Prolate spheroid

 Answer Option C

2. In an old map, line PQ was drawn to a magnetic bearing of 6°32', the magnetic declination at that time being 1° East. The present magnetic declination is 9°42' East. The magnetic bearing to which the line is set at present is

A.
357° 50'

B.
356° 50'

C.
3° 10'

D.
2° 10'

 Answer Option A

3. Based on the Gaussian law of distribution of random errors, the number of errors that are expected to exceed the limit of ± a, where 0 represents the standard deviation, out of 1000 observations is

A.
317

B.
46

C.
30

D.
3

 Answer Option A

4. In a trigonometric levelling, the height of the signal used is 4.62 m and the instrument height is 1.25 m. If the horizontal distance of the target from the instrument is 5780 m, then the axis-signal correction is

A.
seconds

B.
seconds

C.
seconds

D.
seconds

 Answer Option D

5. The rotation of a rigid body is governed by What is its angular velocity at t - 2s ?

A.
18 rad/s

B.
π/4 rad /s

C.
π/8 rad /s

D.
zero.

 Answer Option B

6. The figure shows a rigid frame fixed at A and hinged at C.If a pure moment of 20 kNm is applied at B in the plane of the figure, then what is the moment at the fixed end A?

A. 10 kNm

B. 7.5 kNm

C. 5 kNm

D. 2.5 kNm

 Answer Option C

7. The effective throat thickness in mm of a 6 mm size fillet weld with an angle of 75° between the fusion faces is

A. 3.6

B. 4.0

C. 4.2

D. 4.5

 Answer Option C

8. Which one of the following is the correct statement ? A streamlined body is one for which the

A. skin friction is zero.

B. thickness of the body is less than 1/100 of its length

C. corners are rounded off.

D. separation occurs, if at all, at the farthest downstream part of the body.

 Answer Option D

9. The correct sequence of plasticity of min-erals in soil in an increasing order is

A. Silica, Kaolinite, Illite, Montmorillonite

B. Kaolinite, Silica, Illite, Montmorillonite

C. Silica, Kaolinite, Montmorillonite, Illite

D. Kaolinite, Silica, Montmorillonite, Illite

 Answer Option A

10. Why is a proportional flow weir provided in a grit chamber ?

A. To reduce the suspended solids entering into the grit chamber

B. To maintain the constant flow depth in the grit chamber

C. To take care of maintaining constant flow velocity in the grit chamber over a certain depth range

D. To allow the sewage afresh into the grit chamber

 Answer Option C

11. The "Back sight" reading on a vertically held staff at a point A on the floor along the centre line of a railway tunnel is 3.465 m, and the "Fore sight" on the inverted staff held at the roof of the tunnel just vertically above A is 1.115 m. The height of the tunnel along the centre line at floor point A is

A. 2.310 m

B. 3.465 m

C. 4.620 m

D. 6.930 m

 Answer Option C

12. The tipping load of a crane refers to

A. lifted weight together with all attached handling tackle and hoist rope, with grounded attached outriggers

B. lifted weight together with all attached handling tackle but excluding hoist rope, with specifying the radius horizontally, with grounded outriggers

C. lifted weight alone, with specifying the radius for the lifted weight and also for the counter weight without grounding the outriggers

D. lifted weight alone, at specified horizontal radius without grounding the outriggers.

 Answer Option B

13. According to the theory of filtration in water treatment, which of the following mechanisms come into play when water is filtered through a filter bed ?1. Mechanical straining2. Capillary action3. Centrifugal force4. Electro kinetic phenomenon5. Osmotic force6. Bacteriological actionSelect the correct answer using the code given below :

A. 1, 2, 4 and 6

B. 2, 3 and 5

C. 3, 4, 5 and 6

D. 1, 3, 4 and 6

 Answer Option A

14. A ball of mass 1 kg moving with a velocity of 2 m/s collides directly with a stationary ball of mass 2 kg and comes to rest after the impact. The velocity of the second ball after impact will be

A. 0

B. 1 m/s

C. 2 m/s

D. 4 m/s

 Answer Option B

15. Consider the following statements :In the critical path method of construction planning free float can be 1. greater than total float 2. greater than independent float3. equal to total float 4. less than independent float. Of these statements :

A. 1 and 4 are correct

B. 2 and 3 are correct

C. 3 and 4 are correct

D. 1 and 2 are correct

 Answer Option C

16. In a cantilever beam, the bending moment at any section of the beam is equal to the

A. area of the shear force diagram between the free end of the beam and that section

B. area of the bending force moment diagram between the free end of the beam and that section

C. the area of shear force diagram between the fixed end of the beam and that section

D. the vertical ordinate at that section in the shear force diagram

 Answer Option A

17. Which one of the following is the correct sound intensity expression with usual notations ?

A. dB = 10 log10 (I/I0)2

B. dB = 10 log10 (I/I0)

C. dB = 10 log10 (I - I0)2

D. dB = 10 log10 (I - I0)

 Answer Option B

18. A three-hinged parabolic arch rib with hinges at abutments and at crown is under the action of uniformly distributed load 'W' per unit length over its entire span 'l' through its crown. The bending moment at quarter span is

A. zero

B. Wl2/8

C. Wl2/12

D. Wl2/24

 Answer Option A

19. A bulldozer operates on a 30 m stretch and moves at 2.4 kmph when pushing the earth, and returns empty at 6 kmph. The time lost in loading and shifting gears per trip is 18 seconds. Its operating factor is nearly 50 min/hour. What is the number of trips made per hour ?

A. 31

B. 33

C. 35

D. 37

 Answer Option D

20. In the case of panel wall subjected to horizontal loads at right angles to the plane of the wall, with the mortar not leaner than M1 type, tensile stress in bending in the vertical direction may be allowed to the extent of

A. 0.4 kg/cm2

B. 0.7 kg/cm2

C. 1.0 kg/cm2

D. 1.2 kg/cm2

 Answer Option C

21. The 'Euler' load for a column is 1000 kN and crushing load is 1500 kN. The 'Rankine' load is equal to

A. 600 kN

B. 1000 kN

C. 1500 kN

D. 2500 kN

 Answer Option A

22. In "full face" method of constructing tunnel, the first operation relates to

A. removal to bottom portion

B. excavation of one drift in the centre

C. removal of top portion

D. excavation being done along the perimeter

 Answer Option C

23. Which one of the following statements best defines a 'level surface'?

A. A horizontal surface every element of which is normal to plumb line

B. A curved surface every element of which is perpendicular to the spheroidal shape of the earth

C. A plane surface which is perpendicular at all points to the direction of gravity

D. A curved surface which is perpendicular to the direction of gravity at every point

 Answer Option D

24. In a shape test of aggregate, which one of the following gives the correct slot for flakiness index of a material passing 50 mm sieve and retained on 40 mm sieve ?

A. 25 mm

B. 27 mm

C. 81 mm

D. 30 mm

 Answer Option B

25. Ruling gradient on highways as per IRC in plane terrain is

A. 1 in 30

B. 1 in 60

C. 1 in 100

D. 1 in 200

 Answer Option A

26. For a symmetrical continuous beam as shown in the figure given above, which one of the following is correct in respect of distribution factors at B ?

A. δBA : δBC = 3:4

B. δBA : δBC = 1:2

C. δBA : δBC = 3:2

D. δBA : δBC = 3:8

 Answer Option A

27. For the retaining wall shown in the given figure, if the stress at the heel is zero, then the maximum storage 'H' will be specific gravity of the material of the wall = 2.25

A. 7.5 m

B. 5 m

C. 4 m

D. 3 m

 Answer Option A

28. A short column of external diameter D1 and internal diameter D2 carries an external load W. For no-tension condition, the eccentricity will be :

A. (D12 - D22)/8D2

B. (D21 - D22)/8D2

C. (D12 - D22)/8D1

D. (D1 - D2)2 /8D1

 Answer Option C

29. The following four hydrological features have to be estimated or taken as inputs before one can compute the flood hydrograph at any catchment outlet:1. Unit hydrograph2. Rainfall hydrograph3. Infiltration index4. Base flowThe correct order in which they have to be employed in the computations is

A. 1, 2, 3, 4

B. 2, 1, 4, 3

C. 2, 3, 1, 4

D. 4, 1, 3, 2

 Answer Option C

30. Which one of the following statements is correct ?A forebay in a hydel system is provided at the junction of :

A. the power channel and the tail race channel

B. the tail race channel and the penstock

C. the penstock and the turbine

D. the power channel and the penstock

 Answer Option D

31. Consider the following statements :Higher water-cement ratio in concrete results in1. stronger mix.2. better workable mix.3. a weak mix.4. less bleeding.

A. 1 and 2 are correct

B. 2 and 3 are correct

C. 3 and 4 are correct

D. 1 and 4 are correct

 Answer Option B

32. Which one of the following is not the reason for coning of wheels ?

A. To reduce the wear and tear of wheel flanges and rails

B. To provide the possibility of lateral movement of axle

C. To reduce the unit weight of wheels

D. To prevent wheels from slipping to some extent

 Answer Option C

33. For a vertical stiffened web of a plate girder, the lesser clear dimension of the panel should not exceed :(Where t is the thickness of the web

A. 85 t

B. 180 t

C. 200 t

D. 250 t

 Answer Option C

34. Deck bridges have the main disadvantage that

A. their compression flanges have no lateral support

B. the traffic is exposed to winds

C. it is not possible to provide portal bracings

D. the road level has to be very high

 Answer Option B

35. Electrostatic precipitator is a device to control

A. SO2 emission

B. Particulate emission

C. Both SO2 and particulate emission

D. Precipitation of Al(OH)3 in water coagulation.

 Answer Option B

36. For carrying out bituminous patch work during the rainy season, the most suitable binder is

A. road tar

B. hot bitumen

C. cutback bitumen

D. bituminous emulsion

 Answer Option D

37. The vertices of an astronomical triangle would include

A. zenith, pole and heavenly body

B. azimuth, zenith and pole

C. azimuth, pole and heavenly body

D. azimuth, zenith and heavenly body

 Answer Option A

38. In a restrained retangular slab subjected to uniformly distributed load, the yield lines form first

A. along the shorter span on the loaded face of slab

B. along the longer span on the loaded face of slab

C. at the intersection of shorter and longer side

D. along the centre line of the unloaded face of slab

 Answer Option D

39. The channel section can be designed on the basis of Lacey's Theory. The steps are mentioned below :1. Finding out the perimeter2. Finding out the velocity3. Calculation of the silt factor4. Finding out the areaWhat is the correct sequence of the steps ?

A. 4 - 2 - 3 - 1

B. 3 - 1 - 4 - 2

C. 4 - 1 - 3 - 2

D. 3 - 2 - 4 - 1

 Answer Option D

40. The radius of curvature of an ideal transition curve should be

A. inversely proportional to its length from the beginning

B. directly proportional to its length from the beginning

C. proportional to the speed of the vehicle

D. proportional to the superelevation

 Answer Option A

41. A dry soil has a mass specific gravity of 1.35. If the specific gravity of solids is 2.7, then the void ratio will be

A. 0.5

B. 1.0

C. 1.5

D. 2.0

 Answer Option B

42. The change in the vertical stress in the soil mass estimated by Boussinesq's equation when Poisson's ratio of soil changes from 0.3 to 0.5 will be

A. reduction by 30%

B. increase by 50%

C. reduction by 20%

D. no change

 Answer Option D

43. Which one of the following in NOT as excavating the moving type of equipment ?

A. Bulldozer

B. Clam shell

C. Scraper

D. Dump truck

 Answer Option D

44. When was the water (Prevention and Control of Pollution). Act enacted by the Indian Parliament ?

A. 1970

B. 1974

C. 1980

D. 1985

 Answer Option B

45. In Lacey's regime theory, the velocity of flow is proportional to :

A. Qf2

B. Q/f2

C. (Qf2)1/6

D. (Q/f2)1/6

 Answer Option C

46. The kern of a circular cross-section of radius R is a concentric circular area with a radius of

A.

B.

C.

D.

 Answer Option B

47. On which of the following do the numerical values of Terzaghi's bearing capacity factors depend ?

A. Angle of internal friction of soil and depth of foundation

B. Angle of internal friction of soil only

C. Coefficient of curvature of soil and bulk density of soil

D. Uniformity coefficient of soil and dry density of soil

 Answer Option B

48. A cantilever AB is loaded as shown in the figure. What is the shape of the bending moment diagram for portion AC?

A. Parabolic

B. Linearly varying with maximum value of the bending moment at C

C. Linear with constant bending moment value from C to A

D. Linearly varying with maximum value at A

 Answer Option D

49. In the network given above, the critical path of activities is in the given figure

A. A-C-H

B. B-E-F-H

C. A-D-E-F-H

D. A-D-E-G

 Answer Option C

50. In highway geometric design, once the cumulative speed distribution is drawn, the design adequacy is checked at which percentile ?

A. 85th percentile

B. 95th percentile

C. 98th percentile

D. 99th percentile

 Answer Option C