Civil Engineering - UPSC Civil Service Exam Questions MCQs Part 5

1. Consider the following statements :If a simply supported beam of uniform cross-section is subjected to a clockwise moment at the left support and an equal anticlockwise moment at the right support, then the1. B.M.D. will be in the shape of a rectangle.2. S.F.D. will be a straight line coinciding with the base.3. deflection curve will be in the shape of a circular arc.Of these statements :

A.
1, 2 and 3 are correct

B.
1 and 2 are correct

C.
1 and 3 are correct

D.
2 and 3 are correct

 Answer Option C

2. Which one of the following related to domestic potable water quality is correct?

A.
Turbidity (on Silica scale) is 15-20 ppm or mg/lit.

B.
Colour (on Cobalt scale) is 15-25 ppm or mg/lit.

C.
Hardness (expressed as Ca CO3 equivalent) is 75-115 ppm or mg/lit

D.
BOD is 20 ppm or mg/lit

 Answer Option C

3. Which one of the following pairs in not correctly matched ?

A.
Lame's constant : Thick cylinder

B.
Macaulay's method : Deflection of beams

C.
Euler's method : Theory of columns

D.
Eddy's theorem : Torsion of shafts.

 Answer Option D

4. BOD is preferred to COD as an index of sewage concentration because

A.
BOD represents both carbonaceous and nitrogenous organic matter while COD may indicate carbonaceous matter only

B.
BOD test is easier to perform and gives more reliable result

C.
BOD relates specifically to putrescible organic matter which is the most objectionable sewage constituent

D.
COD relates to the impurities which can only removed by chemical treatment which is expensive

 Answer Option B

5. Consider the following systems :1. Trusses and purlins2. Suspension system3. Flat grid roof 4. ShellsWhen these are used in single deck industrial structures, the correct sequence in increasing order of spans will be

A.
3, 1, 2, 4

B.
1, 3, 2, 4

C.
3, 1, 4, 2

D.
2, 4, 1, 3

 Answer Option A

6. A clay layer 3 m deep is sandwiched by a pervious material. The soil reaches 90% consolidation in 3 years. At another site, the same clay layer is bounded by impervious boundary at the bottom and sand at the top. What is the time taken by this layer to reach 90% settlement ?

A. 9 years

B. 12 years

C. 15 years

D. 21 years

 Answer Option B

7. What is the distance through which the tongue rail moves laterally at the toe of the switch for movement of trains called ?

A. Flangeway clearance

B. Heel divergence

C. Throw of the switch

D. None of the above

 Answer Option C

8. Presence of which one of the following in water is the major cause of depression paralysis, blindness and/or birth defects ?

A. cadmium

B. Chromium

C. Manganese

D. Mercury

 Answer Option D

9. Consider a close-coiled helical spring of radius R, subjected to a load P. The spring consists of n turns of wire with wire radius r. The stiffness of the spring is

A.

B.

C.

D.

 Answer Option B

10. Force of buoyancy on a floating body equals

A. total pressure on the vertical projection of the body

B. total pressure on the horizontal projection of the body

C. weight of the liquid equal to the volume of the body

D. weight of the liquid equal to the immersed volume of the body

 Answer Option D

11. Which one of the following statements is correct ? Lug angles:

A. are necessarily unequal angles

B. are always equal angles

C. increase the shear resistance of joint

D. reduce the length of joint

 Answer Option D

12. Consider the following statements :A : The collapse load found in the plastic analysis of a continuous beam is affected by sinking of supports. B : Large elastic stresses are caused at the supports due to sinking of supports.Of these statements :

A. Both A and B are true

B. A is true but B is false

C. Both A and B are false

D. A is false but B is true

 Answer Option A

13. When a particular discharge is flowing in a horizontal pipe, a mercury-water U-tube manometer connccted to the entrance and throat of a venturimeter fitted in the pipe recorded a deflection of 25 cm. If the same discharge flowed through the same pipe kept at an inclination of 45° to the horizontal, then the corresponding deflection recorded by the U-tube manometer will be

A. 25 2 cm

B. 25/2 cm

C. 25/2 cm

D. 25 cm

 Answer Option D

14. Velocity in the z direction is given by

A.

B.

C.

D.

 Answer Option D

15. A grinding wheel rotates 3000 rpm. When power supply is cut off, the wheel stops completely in 10 seconds. What is the number of revolutions made by the wheel before coming to rest ?

A. 3000

B. 1000

C. 500

D. 250

 Answer Option D

16. When is a masonry wall known as a shear wall ?

A. If the earthquake load is out-of-plane

B. If the earthquake load is in-plane

C. If it is under reinforced

D. If it is placed as infill to the frame

 Answer Option B

17. A parabolic arch, symmetrical, with hinges at centre and ends, carries a point load P at distance x from left support. The arch has a span of 20 m and rise of 5 m. What is the value of x if the left hinge reaction is inclined with a slope of two vertical on one horizontal ?

A. 8 m

B. 5 m

C. 4 m

D. 2.5 m

 Answer Option C

18. Which of the following equations will be satisfied by irrotational flow of an incompressible fluid?

A.

B.

C.

D.

 Answer Option A

19. Consider the following statements for the column with a bracket as shown in the figure :1. Shear force is constant throughout.2. Maximum moment in the column is P.e.3. The compressive axial force in the column is 0.4. p.Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

A. 1, 2 and 3

B. 1 only

C. 1 and 3

D. 2 only

 Answer Option C

20. Increase in fineness of cement

A. reduces the rate of strength development and leads to higher shrinkage

B. increases the rate of strength development and reduces the rate of deterioration

C. decreases the rate of strength development and increases the bleeding of cement

D. increases the rate of strength development and leads to higher shrinkage

 Answer Option D

21. Two springs of stiffnesses KA and KB are placed on inside the other so as to compressed by the same amount under an applied axial load. The combined stiffness of the two springs will be

A.

B. KA KB/(KA + KB)

C. (KA + KB)/2

D. KA + KB

 Answer Option D

22. If the Young's modulus 'E' is equal to bulk modulus 'K', then what is the value of the Posson's ratio ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

 Answer Option C

23. At the time of initial tensioning the maximum tensile stress in tendon immediately behind the anchorage shall Not exceed

A. 50% of the ultimate tensile strength of the wire or bar strength

B. 80% of the ultimate tensile strength of the wire or bar strength

C. 40% of the ultimate tensile strength of the wire or bar strength

D. 60% of the ultimate tensile strength of the wire strength

 Answer Option B

24. The following statements relate to a laminar flow :1. Laminar flow is rotational.2. In laminar flow the loss of head is proportional to the square of the velocity.3. In laminar flow the loss of head is proportional to the first power of viscosity.4. In laminar flow the velocity is constant over the cross-section.5. Other quantities remaining the same, increase in diameter will increase the Reynolds number in laminar flow.Of these statements :

A. 1, 2 and 4 are correct

B. 1, 3 and 4 are correct

C. 1, 3 and 5 are correct

D. 2, 3 and 5 are correct

 Answer Option D

25. Plate load test is useful to estimate

A. Bearing capacity of foundation

B. Settlement of foundation

C. Both bearing capacity and settlement of foundation

D. Depth of foundation

 Answer Option C

26. In the figure shows two blocks of equal weights designated as W1 and W2 connected together by a rod and resting on an inclined plane whose angle α can be varied. The coefficients of friction between the blocks and the surface of the plane are μ1 = 0.2 and μ2 = 0.3. The value of angle α at which the slipping will commence is given by

A. tan α = 0.1

B. tan α = 0.2

C. tan α = 0.25

D. tan α = 0.8

 Answer Option C

27. The most suitable type of equipment for compaction of cohesive soils is

A. Smooth-wheeled rollers

B. Vibratory rollers

C. Sheep foot rollers

D. Tampers

 Answer Option C

28. Ringelmann's scale is used to

A. measure CO

B. measure SO2

C. grade density of smoke

D. grade automobile exhaust gas

 Answer Option C

29. Consider the following statements :1. Obtaining reliable properties of soil is very important in geotechnical engineering. Chunksamples obtained from the field are the best for this purpose.2. Chunk samples may easily be obtained at all depths below ground level and for all types of soils.3. Undisturbed soil samples are enclosed in rugged containers. As such, they do not get disturbed easily during transportation and handling.Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

A. 1, 2 and 3

B. 1 only

C. 2 and 3

D. 1 and 3

 Answer Option B

30. In a V-notch, an error of 1% in the measurement of head would constitute in the discharge measurement, an error of

A. 1.0%

B. 1.5%

C. 2.0%

D. 2.5%

 Answer Option D

31. In a diamond riveting, for a plate of width land rivet diameter 'd' the efficiency of the joint is given by

A. (b - d)/b

B. (b / 2d)/b

C. (b - d)/d

D. (b - 2d)/d

 Answer Option A

32. Shear strength of timber depends on which one of the following ?

A. Lignin with fibres

B. Medullary rays

C. Heartwood

D. Sapwood

 Answer Option A

33. The number of independent conditions required to be satisfied for the adjustment of a braced quadrilateral in triangulation survey is

A. 2

B. 4

C. 6

D. 8

 Answer Option D

34. In case of well foundation, grip length is defined as the

A. length below the top of the well cap to the cutting edge

B. length between the bottom of the well cap to the cutting edge

C. depth of the bottom of the well below the minimum scour level

D. depth of the bottom of the well below the maximum scour level

 Answer Option D

35. The coefficient of linear expansion of granite is in the range of that of

A. glass

B. mild steel

C. high carbon steel

D. bamboo

 Answer Option A

36. The optimistic, most likely and pessimistic time estimates of an activity are 5, 10 and 21 days respectively. What are the expected time and standard deviation respectively ?

A. 12, 3

B. 11, 4

C. 11, 2.67

D. 10, 16

 Answer Option C

37. A fixed beam made of steel is shown in the figure. At collapse, the value of load P will be equal to :

A. 10 Mp/L

B. 12 Mp/L

C. 16 Mp/L

D. 20 Mp/L

 Answer Option A

38. Consider the following statements :The use of relatively weak motor1. will accommodate movements due to loads, cracking if any and will be distributed as thin hair cracks which are less noticeable or harmful.2. will result in reduction of stresses due to differential expansion of masonry units.Of these statements :

A. 1 alone is correct

B. 2 alone is correct

C. both 1 and 2 are correct

D. neither 1 nor 1 is correct

 Answer Option A

39. A stone dropped from the top of a tower is found to travel (5/9) of the height of the tower during the last second of its fall. What is the total time of fall ?

A. 2 s

B. 3 s

C. 6 s

D. 4 s

 Answer Option B

40. Field vane shear is the appropriate field test for obtaining the shear strength of which one of the following ?

A. Stiff clay

B. Weathered rock

C. Sand

D. Soft clay

 Answer Option D

41. A hydro-electric reservoir can supply water continuously at a rate of 100 m3/s. The head is 75 m. The theoretical power that can be developed is

A. 10000 mhp

B. 100000 mhp

C. 7500 mhp

D. 7500 kW

 Answer Option B

42. The structure shown in the given figure is stable if

A. x = 2y

B. 2x = y

C. 2x = y

D. x = 2y

 Answer Option D

43. Flow happens at a critical depth of 0.5 m in a rectangular channel of 4 m width. What is the value of discharge ?

A. 5.4 m3/s

B. 5.1 m3/s

C. 4.9 m3/s

D. 4.4 m3/s

 Answer Option D

44. Which one of the following statements is NOT correct ?

A. In combined sewerage system, one set of sewers is laid for both sanitary sewage and storm water.

B. In separate system, the design of sewage system is economical

C. In separate system, self cleaning velocities are not available and occasional flushing is required.

D. As the sewage is diluted by storm water in combined sewage system, cost of treatment is low.

 Answer Option C

45. A mild steel bar of square cross-section 40 mm x 40 mm is 400 mm long. It is subjected to a longitudinal tensile stress of 440 N/mm2 and lateral compressive stress is 200 N/mm2 in perpendicular directions. E = 2 x 10-5 N/mm2, μ = 0.3. What is the approximate elongation of tht bar in the longitudinal direction ?

A. 0.44 mm

B. 088 mm

C. 0.22 mm

D. 1 mm

 Answer Option D

46. What are the values of tolerable CO concentration in residential area, for continuous exposure durations of 1 hour and 8 hours, respectively ?

A. 4 and 2 mg / m3

B. 1 and 2 mg / m3

C. 4 and 6 mg / m3

D. 5 and 1 mg / m3

 Answer Option A

47. If the proportion of soil passing 75 micron sieve is 50% and the liquid limit and plastic limit are 40% and 20% respectively, then the group index of the soil is

A. 3.8

B. 6.5

C. 38

D. 65

 Answer Option B

48. Which one of the following instruments can be used as a clinometer ?

A. Prism square

B. Line ranger

C. Abney level

D. Optical square

 Answer Option C

49. Consider the following statements :For the N-girder shown in the given figure, ILD for force in the member, L0U1 is obtained by1. multiplying the ordinate of ILD for shear in the panel L0L1, by sec θ.2. dividing the ordinate of ILD for moment at L1 by cos θ x L0L13. dividing the ordinate of ILD for moment at L1 by L1 U1Of these statements :

A. only 3 is correct

B. 1 and 3 are correct

C. 1 and 2 are correct

D. 1, 2 and 3 are correct

 Answer Option A

50. Consider the following statements :1. In a fluid under motion, the pressure at a point is always perpendicular to the surface.2. Pascal's law states that the pressure at a point is same in all directions.3. Magnitude of pressure of a fluid at a point is obtained from hydrostatic law.4. Pascal's law is applicable in the operation of a hydraulic press.Which of these statements are correct ?

A. 1, 2 and 3

B. 1, 3 and 4

C. 1, 2 and 4

D. 2, 3 and 4

 Answer Option D