Civil Engineering - UPSC Civil Service Exam Questions MCQs Part 4

1. The moment of inertia of a given rectangular area is minimum about

A.
its longer centroidal axis

B.
its polar axis

C.
its axis along the diagonal

D.
its shorter centroidal axis

 Answer Option D

2. If the efficiencies of BOD removal of first-stage and second-stage trickling filters are each 65.0%, then what is the overall BOD removal efficiency of these filters ?

A.
65%

B.
77.25%

C.
87.75%

D.
92.6%

 Answer Option C

3. Which one of the following tests can be carried out at the construction site to determine the dynamic elastic properties of soil ?

A.
Block vibration test

B.
Dutch cone penetration test

C.
Standard penetration test

D.
Vane shear test

 Answer Option D

4. A particle moves with simple harmonic motion. If its acceleration at distance 'D' from the equilibrium position is 'A' then the period of the motion is given by

A.
2πAD

B.

C.

D.

 Answer Option D

5. Consider the following statements :A high lime content in a composite cement-lime mortor results in1. slow hardening.2. quick setting.3. weaker mortar.Of these statements :

A.
2 and 3 are correct

B.
1 and 2 are correct

C.
1 and 3 are correct

D.
1, 2 and 3 are correct

 Answer Option B

6. Seasoning of timber is required to

A. soften the timber

B. harden the timber

C. straighten the timber

D. remove sap from the timber

 Answer Option D

7. Four vertical columns of the same material, height and weight have the same end condition. The buckling load will be the largest for a column having the cross-section of a/an

A. solid square

B. thin hollow circle

C. solid circle

D. I

 Answer Option A

8. A beam has a solid circular cross-section having diameter d. If a section of the beam is subjected to a shear force F the maximum shear stress in the cross-section is given by

A.

B.

C.

D.

 Answer Option B

9. A cantilever beam of span 4 m and cross-sectional are 0.3 m wide and 0.4 m deep is subjected to a concentrated load of 10 kN at the free end. Neglecting self-weight, the maximum bending stress at a section 2 m from the free end will be

A. 20 kN/m2

B. 2500 kN/m2

C. 4000 kN/m2

D. 5000 kN/m2

 Answer Option B

10. A simply supported beam AB of span 'l' has a form cross-section throughout. It carries a central concentrated load W and another load which is uniformly distributed over the entire span, its total magnitude being W. The minimum deflection in the beam is

A.

B.

C.

D.

 Answer Option B

11. Consider the following statements about concrete sleepers :1. They improve the track modulus.2. They have good scrap value.3. They render transportation easy4. They maintain the gauge quite satisfactorily.Of these statements :

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 D

12. When are dropman holes provided in a sewerage system ?

A. There is a change from gravity system to pressure system

B. There is a change in the elevation of the ground level

C. There is change in the diameter of the sewer

D. There is change in the direction of the sewer line

 Answer Option B

13. Consider the following statements :For the manufacture of good quality bricks it is essential to1. use a reverberatory kiln.2. blend the soil with clay or sand as deemed appropriate.3. knead the soil in a ghani.4. temper the soil in a pug mill.Of these statements;

A. 1 and 3 are correct

B. 2 and 4 are correct

C. 1, 3 and 4 are correct

D. 2, 3 and 4 are correct

 Answer Option B

14. For the propped cantilever beam shown in the figure given above, the plastic moment capacity is Mp. What is the value of its collapse load ?

A.

B.

C.

D.

 Answer Option B

15. Consider the following statements in case of impulse turbine :1. The pressure and velocity both change as the water flows through the turbine.2. Pressure throughout remains atmospheric and the velocity alone changes.3. All the available energy is converted into kinetic energy.4. Water is admitted over the entire circumference of the runner.5. Water is admitted only through the nozzle.Which of these statements are correct ?

A. 2, 3 and 5

B. 2 and 3

C. 1, 4 and 5

D. 1 and 4

 Answer Option A

16. Non-disposal of solid waste may cause the spread of

A. malaria

B. rodents related plague

C. typhoid

D. dysentery

 Answer Option B

17. What is the steepest gradient permissible on a 2° curve for B.G. line having using gradient of 1 in 200 ?

A. 1 in 250

B. 1 in 238

C. 1 in 209

D. 1 in 198

 Answer Option B

18. A cantilever beam of uniform EI has span equal to 'L'. An upward force W acts at the mid-point of the beam and a downward force P acts at the free end. In order that the deflection at the free end is zero, the relation between P and W should be

A. W = 3P/2

B. W = 2P

C. W = 16P/5

D. W = 5P

 Answer Option C

19. In what context is the slump test performed ?

A. Strength of concrete

B. Workability of concrete

C. Water-cement ratio

D. Durability of concrete

 Answer Option B

20. In trigonometric levelling, if the horizontal distance between the instrument and the object is 3088 m, the coefficient of refraction is 0.07 and R sin 1" = 30.88 m, then the refraction correction in angular measure would be

A. 0.07"

B. 0.70"

C. 7.0"

D. 1'10"

 Answer Option C

21. Given figure shows a retaining wall of base width B1 and height H1 The sp. gravity of the material of construction is S. Further AB = BC = CD = When the depth of storage increases from 0 to H1, the resultant force will move from

A. A to B

B. B to C

C. C to D

D. B to D

 Answer Option B

22. A machine costs Rs. 16, 000. By constant rate of declining balance method of depreciation, its salvage value after an expected life of 3 years is Rs. 2, 000. The rate of depreciation is

A. 0.25

B. 0.30

C. 0.40

D. 0.50

 Answer Option D

23. Consider the following statements regarding the longitude of a place.It is determined by :1. wireless time signals2. transportation of chronometers3. electric telegraph.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 B

24. The outstand of the flange of built-up beams from the line of connection should not extend beyond:(where T is the thickness of flange and tw is the thickness of web)

A. 10 T

B. 85 T

C.

D. 180tw

 Answer Option C

25. Consider the following statements :In subsoil exploration programme the term "significant depth of exploration" is upto1. the width of foundation2. twice the width of foundation3. the depth where the additional stress intensity is less than 20% of overburden pressure4. the depth where the additional stress intensity is less than 10% of the overburden pressure5. hard rock level.Of these statements :

A. 1, 3 are 5 are correct

B. 2, 3 and 5 are correct

C. 1 and 4 are correct

D. 2 and 4 are correct

 Answer Option B

26. Which one of the following statements is correct ? Compared to IFR conditions, the runaway capacity of a runway operating under VFR consitions

A. is higher

B. is lower

C. is the same

D. cannot be generalised

 Answer Option A

27. In an otherwise symmetrical portal frame with one end fixed and the other end hinged, the large support sinks by an amount Δ. The fixed and bending moment induced at each end of the horizontal member of the frame due to the sinking of the support will be (given that 'L' is the length of the member and 'E' is the flexural stiffness)

A.

B.

C.

D.

 Answer Option D

28. The total observed runoff volume during a 4 hour storm with a uniform intensity of 2.8 cm/hr is 25.2 x 106 m3 from a basin of 280 km2 area. What is the average infiltration rate for the basin ?

A. 3.6 mm/hr

B. 4.8 mm/hr

C. 5.2 mm/hr

D. 5.5 mm/hr

 Answer Option D

29. A car accelerates from rest to a speed of 10 m/s and the energy spent in doing this is E. If the car is further accelerated from 10 m/s to 20m/s, what is the amount of energy to be spent further ?

A. E

B. 2E

C. 3E

D. 4E

 Answer Option D

30. The losses in prestress in pre-tensioning system are due to :1. elastic deformation of concrete when wires are tensioned successively2. friction3. shrinkage and creep of concreteSelect the correct answer using the codes given below:

A. 1, 2 and 3

B. 2 and 3

C. 1 alone

D. 3 alone

 Answer Option A

31. Consider the following statements in relation to the given sketch :1. Soil is partially saturated at degree of saturation = 60%2. Void ratio = 40%3. Water content = 30%4. Saturated unit weight = 1.5 g/ccOf these statements :

A. 1, 2 and 3 are correct

B. 1, 3 and 4 are correct

C. 2, 3 and 4 are correct

D. 1, 2 and 4 are correct

 Answer Option A

32. A journey from work to home made by walking to the bus, travelling by bus to the station and completing the journey by train is regarded as

A. 4 trips

B. 3 trips

C. 2 trips

D. 1 trip

 Answer Option D

33. If P is the direct load, L is the length of the member, A is the uniform area of cross-section and E is the Young's modulus; then strain energy due to direct stress caused by a gradually applied load is

A.

B.

C.

D.

 Answer Option A

34. A T-section is used as a simply supported beam with uniform loading. The maximum bending stress for a given load will occur at the

A. top of the section

B. C.G. of the section

C. mid-point of the depth of section

D. bottom of the section

 Answer Option D

35. If the width of a carriageway is 5.5 m, then what is it called ?

A. Single lane

B. two lanes

C. intermediate lane

D. Multi-lane

 Answer Option C

36. The performance of a well is measured by its

A. Specific capacity

B. Specific yield

C. Storage coefficient

D. Permeability coefficient

 Answer Option A

37. What is the prime objective of providing a point lock ?

A. To ensure that each switch is correctly set.

B. To ensure that the point may not be operated while the train is on it.

C. To detect any obstruction between stock rail and tongue rail.

D. To limit the riding of the conical exterior circumference of the wheels.

 Answer Option B

38. The velocity vector for a steady three-dimensional flow field is described as :At point (1, 2, 3) what is the approximate value of the magnitude of the velocity?

A. 21

B. 18

C. 10

D. 4

 Answer Option A

39. As per the maximum principal stress theory, when a shaft is subjected to a bending moment M and torque T, and if σ is the allowable stress in axial tension, then the diameter 'd' of the shaft is given by

A.

B.

C.

D.

 Answer Option A

40. In a closed traverse, the sum of south latitudes exceeds the sum of north latitudes and the sum of east departures exceeds the sum of west departures. The closing line will lie in the

A. N-W quadrant

B. N-E quadrant

C. S-E quadrant

D. S-W quadrant

 Answer Option C

41. Creep of a material is a property indicated by

A. a time-dependent strain of the material

B. elongation of the material due to changes in the material properties

C. shortening caused by shrinkage of the member

D. the decrease in the volume of the material affected by the weather conditions

 Answer Option A

42. The most accurate measurement of the lengths of long survey lines is made by using ?

A. steel band

B. invar tape

C. electronic distance measuring equipment

D. autoreduction tachometer

 Answer Option C

43. A saturated clay layer with single drainage face takes 4 years to attain 50% degree of consolidation. If the clay layer had double drainage, then the time required to attain 50% degree of consolidation is

A. 8 years

B. 4 years

C. 2 years

D. 1 year

 Answer Option D

44. Consider the following statements :Among the more common varieties of timber, namely, sal, mango and deodar, 1. sal is the strongest. 2. mango is the least durable.3. deodar is the lightest.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 A

45. Which one of the following tools is required to bend the rails for track maintenance ?

A. Rail tong

B. Jim crow

C. Crowbar

D. Wire claw

 Answer Option B

46. On which one of the following concepts is the basic principle of structural design based ?

A. Weak column strong beam

B. Strong column and weak beam

C. Equally strong column-beam

D. Partial weak column-beam

 Answer Option B

47. Consider the following statements : If two planes at right angles carry only shear stress of magnitude 'q', then the1. diameter of Mohr's circle would equal 2q2. centre of the Mohr's circle would lie at the origin3. principal stresses are unlike and have magnitude 'q'4. angle between the principal plane and the plane of maximum shear would be equal to 45° Of these statements :

A. 1 and 2 are correct

B. 2 and 4 are correct

C. 3 and 4 are correct

D. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are correct

 Answer Option D

48. Two bodies of masses m1 and m2 are communicated by a light inextensible string passing over a small smooth fixed pulley; m1 > m2. What is the acceleration of the system ?

A. g (m1 + m2)/(m1 - m2)

B. g (2m1 + m2)/(m1 - 2m2)

C. g (m1 + 2m2)/(2m1 - m2)

D. g (m1 - m2)/(m1 + m2)

 Answer Option D

49. Consider the following statements :1. Butterfly valve is used for throttling and controlling flow rate.2. Check valve is used in the discharge piping of a pump.3. Air-relief valve is placed in the pipeline at the valleys to automatically vent the accumulated air in the system4. Altitude valve is provided in user overhead tank.Which of the statements given above are correct ?

A. 1, 2 and 4 only

B. 1, 2 and 3 only

C. 1 and 2 only

D. 3 and 4 only

 Answer Option C

50. A beam of rectangular section 100 mm x 300 mm carries certain loads such that the Bending Moment at a section A is M ans at another section B it is (M + C).The distance between the sections A and B is 0.5 m and there are no external loads acting between the two sections. If the value of C is 10, 000 Nm, then the maximum shear stress is

A. 1.5 MN/m2

B. 1.0 MN/m2

C. 0.5 MN/m2

D. 0.25 MN/m2

 Answer Option B