Cement

Qes.1 Why is natural cement used very limitedly?

Ans.1 Natural cement sets very quickly after addition of water and hence it is not quite workable.
Artificial cement is preferred over this.

Qes.2 What is the average particle size of cement?

Ans.2 Approximately 95% of cement particles are smaller than 45 microns and the average
particle size is 15 microns

Qes.3 Who invented Portland cement and in which year?

Ans.3 Joseph Aspdin patented Portland cement in 1824. William Aspdin, his son is regarded as
inventor of modern Portland cement due to his developments in 1840s.

Qes.4 What is the meaning of soundness of cement?

Ans.4 When cement paste hardens and sets, it should not undergo any volume change. Soundness
ensures this and is tested using Autoclave expansion test.

Qes.5 Which equipment is used to test setting time of cement?

Ans.5 Vicat apparatus. It’s consists of a needle, used to penetrate the cement paste sample.

Qes.6 What is the initial setting time of cement?

Ans.6 The initial setting time of cement is minimum of 30 minutes. After this cement will start
losing its plasticity and will not be workable.

Qes.7 What are the problems wet cement can cause not if not washed off with water
immediately?
Ans.7 Cement is highly alkaline and setting process is exothermic. Wet cement is strongly caustic
and causes skin burns. Similarly, dry cement causes eye or respiratory irritation, when it
comes in contact with mucous membranes.

Qes.8 What is green Green cement?

Ans.8 Green cement is a cementitious material which employs the use of optimized recycled
materials. These can meet or even exceed the functional performance of Portland cement.

Qes.9 What is the depth the needle in Vicat apparatus should penetrate into the cement paste in
consistency test?
Ans.9 33-35mm depth of penetration is ideal.

Qes.10 What is the most dominant constituent of cement?

Ans.1 Lime. Cement contains about 60-65% of lime. Silica constitutes 17-25%, alumina 3-8% and
0 magnesia 1-3%.

Qes.11 Excess of lime in cement leads to:

Ans.1 Excess lime leads to expansion, disintegration and unsoundness of cement.
1

Qes.12 What effect does calcium sulphate have on cement?

Ans.1 Calcium sulphate is found in cement in the form of gypsum. Its slows down the setting time
2 of cement.

Qes.13 Which element of cement adds quick-setting property to cement?

Ans.1 Aluminium Oxide or Alumina is present in small quantity in cement and it helps in quick-
3 setting property.

Qes.14 What is the effect of excessive Alkali presents in cements?

Ans.1 Efflorescence is the formation of powdery substance on the surface of masonry or concrete
4 work. Alkalis usually get carried away by flue gases during heating. In excess quantity, they
 result in alkali-aggregate reaction.

Qes.15 What function does iron oxide perform in cement?

Ans.1 Iron oxide acts as flux, in addition to being responsible for imparting colour to cement. If
5 temperature goes higher, then iron oxide reacts with aluminium and calcium and results in
formation of calcium aluminate ferrite.

Qes.16 How many major ingredients are present in the composition of cement?
Ans.1 There are 8 main ingredients present in cement. They are lime, silica, alumina, magnesia,
6 iron oxide, calcium sulphate, sulphur trioxide and alkalis.

Qes.17 What amount of Sulphur is present in cement?

Ans.1 Sulphur 1-2.5%. The presence of ingredients is expressed in percentage. Iron oxide is
7 present in 0.5-6% and sulphur 1-2.5%.

Qes.18 Is excess of magnesium oxide after 5% harmful to cement?

Ans.1 Excess of magnesium causes problems in structures built with this cement. It causes cracks
8 in both mortar and concrete after they harden.

Qes.19 How much does a bag of cement weigh?

Ans.1 The weight of one bag of cement is 50 kg everywhere. It is the standard measurement. In
9 the manufacturing unit of cement, it is packed in bags of 50kg.

Qes.20 What is released during the production of clinker?

Ans.2 Specifically, CO2 is released during calcination of limestone, which goes on to form clinkers
0 ahead. It occurs in upper, cooler end of kiln (precalciner) at temperatures of 600-900 oc.

Qes.21 Which stone provides the calcareous component required for manufacture of cement?
Ans.2 Calcareous component used for cement manufacture is calcium carbonate. It is obtained by
1 quarrying limestone.

Qes.22 What is the abbreviation of PPC?

Ans.2 Portland Pozzolana Cement. Pozzolana is a material containing silica. PPC is formed by
2 intergrinding ordinary Portland cement, clinker, gypsum and pozzolanic material.

Qes.23 What are the advantages of rapid hardening cement?

Ans.2 The initial and final setting time of rapid hardening cement is same as that of ordinary
3 cement. It attains higher strength in less time. It develops the same strength of ordinary
cement in four days rather than 28 days.

Qes.24  How many types of cements are there based on ability to set in presence of water?
Ans.2 The 2 types are hydraulic and non-hydraulic cement. Hydraulic cement sets and becomes
4 adhesive due to reaction with water. Non-hydraulic cement does not set under-water or in
wet conditions.

Qes.25 What property does air-entraining cement provides?

Ans.2 Air-entraining agents are added to cement during manufacturing. These creates voids and
5 in turn increases workability when used in concrete.

Qes.26 Which types of cement is used in marine structures?

Ans.2 Blast furnace slag cement. Blast furnace slag cement is obtained by combining slag and
6 cement clinkers. These have less heat of hydration and are not affected by sea water. Hence,
can be used for marine structures.

Qes.27 Low heat cement is ideal for use in construction of dams, is it Correct? Why?
Ans.2 Heat of hydration is heat produced during chemical action between cement and water. In
7 mass concreting works (dam) heat will be high and effect the stability of structure. Hence,
 low heat cement is ideal for use.

Qes.28 What is meant by pozzolanic material?

Ans.2 Pozzolans are silicate based materials that form cementitious materials. Fly ash, silica
8 fumes and slag are composed of oxide of silicon. Cinder is a coal residue.

Qes.29 Elements that used to prepare cement of various kinds with mixing ordinary cement.
Ans.2 Resins are added in air entraining cement. Water repellent chemicals in hydrophobic
9 cement. Sulpho-aminate is added in expanding cement. Metal stearates (Ca, Al, etc) are
added in small percentage during grinding to get water proof cement.

Qes.30 What is the abbreviation of OPC?

Ans.3 Ordinary Portland cement (OPC).
0

Qes.31  After how many days is strength of cement is tested and graded according to the result?
Ans.3 28 days. Cement blocks are prepared to test their compressive strength. With proper curing
1 and attaining strength, these can be tested. It requires 28 days to fully cure and attain
strength of required grade.

Foundation
Qes.1 How many types of foundations are there based on depth?
Ans.1 The 2 types are shallow and deep foundations. Shallow foundation transfers load to very
near earth. Deep foundations are used for high rise buildings to bear heavy loads.

Qes.2 Examples of shallow foundations

Ans.2 Isolated footing, Wall footing or strip footing, Strap footing, Mat foundation, Combined
footing etc.

Qes.3 Examples of deep foundations

Ans.3 Pile Foundation, Well Foundation, Pier Foundation

Qes.4 What is the abbreviation of CPRF?

Ans.4 CPRF uses the combination of pile and raft foundation as the name suggests. It is used as
foundation for high rise buildings. It is more powerful, strong, load bearing, safe than raft or
pile when used.

Qes.5 What is the use of Micropiles and Sheet piles?

Ans.5 Micropiles are used for under pinning. They are used in highways, bridges and
transmission tower projects. Sheet piles are extensively used in retaining walls.

Qes.6 What is well foundation?

Ans.6 Well foundation is a type of deep foundation. It is shaped like a well. The well is dug, filled
with sand/concrete.

Qes.7 What is Pier/Caisson foundation?

Ans.7 Caisson foundation is often used in construction of bridge piers, hence it is also called pier
foundation. Caisson can be floated to site and sunk to required position. It is used under
water also.

Qes.8 Types of Pile based on load bearing Condition?

Ans.8 Friction Pile, End Bearing Pile

Qes.9 What is machine Foundation and where it is used?

Ans.9 Foundation subjected to both static and dynamic load or working load. Machine foundation
is used in industries, workshops, where there is machinery under use. The static load
 includes dead load of machine and dynamic load (the working load). It should be able to
withstand both these loads.

Components of Building
Qes.1 What are the main components of a Building?
Ans.1 Mainly 3 components which are substructure, plinth and superstructure. Anything below
ground level is substructure and above it is superstructure.

Qes.2 D.P.C (Damp Proof Course) is mainly laid on..

Ans.2 Plinth is a line between sub and superstructure. If D.P.C. is laid on top of plinth level,
moisture penetration to the superstructure can be avoided.

Qes.3 What is the level below window called?

Ans.3 The wall below window needs to support the weight of the window or opening and keep it
steady. This level is called as sill level.

Qes.4  Wall is mainly of how many types?

Ans.4 Based on capacity of walls to carry load, it is of 2 types. Load bearing walls and non load
bearing walls are the two categories.

Qes.5 Which type of wall is used to resist lateral forces like severe wind
Ans.5 Shear wall is long continuous structure, just like that surrounding an elevator. It has
excellent strength and can withstand heavy winds, earthquakes.

Qes.6 What is Skylight and where it is provided?

Ans.6 Skylight is a type of window. Skylight is provided on top of sloped roofs to admit light into
rooms. It is provided parallel to the sloping surface. They can be opened when required.
They perform all the functions of a window.

Mortar
Qes.1 What is Mortar?
Ans.1 The word Mortarium means crushed. Mortar consists of binding material, fine aggregate
and water.

Qes.2 Polymer Cement Mortar (PCM) is used primarily for

Ans.2 In PCM, a part of cement is replaced by polymer admixtures like latex, emulsion,
monomers, etc. These mortars have low permeability, reduce shrinkage and are suited for
repairing works.

Qes.3  MM 1.5 means?

Ans.3 MM stands for Masonry Mortar. The number after that represents the compressive strength
of that mortar mix.

Qes.4 The ratio of mortar used for various work?

Ans.4 The ratio 1:2 indicates cement to fine aggregate ratio. For plastering works, 1:3 – 1:4 is
used. For masonry, 1:6 – 1:8 is used.

Qes.5 Which of the elements is added to make mortar fire proof?

Ans.5 This mortar is prepared by adding one part of aluminous cement to 2 parts of powder of
fire bricks. It can be used to line furnaces, ovens, fire places, etc
 Sand
Qes.1 What is sand composed of?
Ans.1 Sand is composed of small grains of silica (SiO2). It’s also called silicon dioxide.

Qes.2 Which type of sand type is excellent for use in mortar and concrete work?
Ans.2 Pit sand doesn’t contain any salts and has sharp, angular grains. These are the desired
properties for a sand to be used for mortar and concrete.

Qes.3 At what depth should pit sand be excavated from?

Ans.3 Pit sand is found in Earth in deposits. It is obtained by forming pits in the soil. At a depth of
1 – 2 m from ground surface, angular grained pit sand is obtained.

Qes.4 What is the range of Sand size?

Ans.4 Sand size lies in the range 4.75 mm to 75 microns. A fine grained component of a soil has
size less than 75 microns.

Qes.5 How many classifications are there for sand based on the grain size distribution?
Ans.5 There are three types of sands based on grain size distribution. They are fine (passes
through 1.5875 mm sieve), coarse (passes through 3.175 mm sieve) and gravelly sand
(passes through 7.62 mm sieve).

Qes.6 Fine sand is generally used for which type of works?

Ans.6 Plastering. Plastering is the act of applying a layer of plaster over a wall. It gives the wall a
smooth and decorative appearance. Hence, for achieving the smoothness, fine grained sand
is employed.

Qes.7 How is M-sand produced?

Ans.7 M-sand stands for Manufactured sand and contains cubical grains with grounded edges.
These are the perfect replacement for sand to be used in construction works.

Qes.8 The fineness modulus of sand lies in the range

Ans.8 2-3. Fineness modulus is an index number which represents average size of sand particles.
It is calculated after conducting sieve analysis.

Qes.9 Ideal sand should comprise of which of the following grain types?
Ans.9 For sand to be used in every type of construction, the grains must suit all requirements.
Angular, coarse grained sand is the one suitable for all work.

Qes.10 What is the maximum percentage of silt allowed in sand to be used in concrete?
Ans.1 8%. If more silt content is present, it will lead to improper measurement of volume or
0 weight. It should be washed off to bring it to allowable limit.

Qes.11 The density of wet sand is?

Ans.1 The density of wet sand is 1922 kg/m 3.1682 kg/m3 is density of rammed sand, 1281
1 kg/m3 is density of dry sand and 1522 kg/m3 is of silica sand.

Bricks
Qes.1 How many constituents are there in brick earth?
Ans.1 Five. For a good brick earth, 5 major constituents are needed. They are alumina, silica, lime,
oxides of iron and magnesia.

Qes.2 Which is the most important ingredient in brick earth?

Ans.2 Silica. The amount of silica present in brick earth is 50-60% and it prevents cracking and
warping of raw bricks.
Qes.3 Excess of oxides of iron makes the brick
Ans.3 Iron oxide imparts red colour to the brick. Presence of magnesia makes brick yellowish and
manganese makes it black. Excess of oxides of iron makes the brick dark blue on burning.

Qes.4 What happens to raw bricks if excess of alumina is present?

Ans.4 Shrinkage. Raw bricks develop shrinkage, cracks, warping in presence of excess alumina.
Other three changes happen on burnt bricks or final brick product due to excess of other
constituents.

Qes.5 What is the harmful effect of presents of alkali in brick earth on bricks?
Ans.5 Efflorescence. Alkali exists in the form of soda and potash. Alkalis absorb moisture and with
passage of time, it gets evaporated, leaving white powdery deposits called efflorescence.

Qes.6 Why do bricks become brittle when excess silica is present?

Ans.6 Cohesion is lost. Silica is present is either free or combined form. It is usually present as
sand, which is cohesionless in nature. So, excess of silica would lead to loss of cohesion
between particles and this make the brick brittle.

Qes.7 How many methods of moulding brick earth are there?

Ans.7 There are two methods of carrying out moulding of brick earth. These are hand moulding
and machine moulding.

Qes.8 Which is not a chemical change that takes place in brick earth during burning?
Ans.8 Reduction. During burning, no reduction reaction takes place. Dehydration expels most of
the water. Oxidation results in elimination of carbon and sulphur as oxides. Vitrification is
extreme reaction and occurs when heating above 900oc.

Qes.9 Which are the changes that take place in brick earth during burning?
Ans.9 a) Dehydration
b) Vitrification
c) Oxidation
d) Reduction

Qes.10 What is the standard size of brick?

Ans.1 9.5 in x4.5 in x2.75 in (10 in x 5 in x 3 in brick including mortar)
0

Qes.11 A good brick should not absorb more than what percent of water when soaked?
Ans.1 When a brick is soaked in water for 24 hours, it should not absorb more than 15% of its dry
1 weight.

Qes.12 Which is used to sound proof bricks?

Ans.1 Terracotta. Terracotta is an acoustic material. It will absorb the sound waves and render
2 the brick sound proof.

Qes.13 The compressive strength of the brick should be

Ans.1 It should be a minimum of 3.5 N/mm2
3

Qes.14 What will happen if a good brick when dropped from height of 1 meter?
Ans.1 Not Break. A good brick should be able to withstand rough handling and transporting. If it
4 breaks into pieces, then it cannot be trusted for use for high strength requirements.

Qes.15 For what types of work First class bricks are used?
Ans.1 First class bricks are strong, durable and have good appearance. These are used for
5 important work, load bearing works. Pavements, flooring, load bearing wall are some
 places of use.

Qes.16 How many types’ burnt bricks can be classified?

Ans.1 4 Types. They are first class, second class, third class & Fourth class or kiln rejected bricks.
6 Special types of bricks also produce for special works.

Qes.17 In absorption test on brick, how many hours it has to be soaked in cold water?
Ans.1 The sample brick is oven dried, cooled and then soaked in water at room temperature for
7 24 hours.

Qes.18 How is hardness of brick tested?

Ans.1 Brick is scratched using finger nail. If there are no visible scratches made on the brick
8 surface, it is said to be sufficiently hard.

Qes.19 What should be observed ideally when two bricks are struck together?
Ans.1 It is a test for soundness of brick. A sound brick should not break. It should produce a clear
9 ringing sound. A dull sound indicates an unsound brick.

Qes.20 What are the tests that should be carried out for Bricks?
Ans.2 1. Absorption test
0 2. Crushing strength test
3. Hardness test
4. Shape and size
5. Color test
6. Soundness test
7. Structure of brick
8. Presence of soluble salts (Efflorescence Test)

Basic Civil Engineering Questions

Concrete
Qes.1 What is Concrete?
Ans.1 Concrete is a construction material composed of cement, fine aggregates (sand) and coarse
aggregates mixed with water which hardens with time. Portland cement is the mostly used
type of cement for production of concrete.

Qes.2 What is lime concrete and asphalt concrete?

Ans.2 Binding material is used other than cement such as lime for lime concrete and bitumen for
asphalt concrete which is used for road construction.

Qes.3 Types of Cement used in construction?

Ans.3 Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC), Rapid hardening cement, Sulphate resistant cement etc.

Qes.4 What is Grade of Concrete?

Ans.4 Grade of concrete denotes its strength required for construction. For example, M30 grade
signifies that compressive strength required for construction is 30MPa. The first letter in
grade “M” is the mix and 30 is the required strength in MPa.

Qes.5 What are the types of Concrete Construction?

Ans.5 Concrete is generally used in two types of construction, i.e. plain concrete construction and
reinforced concrete construction.

Qes.6 States the Steps of Concrete Construction?

Ans.6 1. Selecting quantities of materials for selected mix proportion
2. Mixing
 3. Checking of workability
4. Transportation
5. Pouring in formwork for casting
6. Vibrating for proper compaction
7. Removal of formwork after suitable time
8. Curing member with suitable methods and required time.

Qes.6 Minimum Cover Thickness for Cast-in-Place Concrete

Ans.6 75 mm- Concrete cast against and permanently in contact with ground
50mm – Footings
40 mm - columns
25 mm - Beams
20 mm- Slabs, walls, joists

Qes.8 What is a construction material?

Ans.8 A construction material is any material used in the construction industry. Examples:
Concrete, cement, soil, stones, aggregates, plastics, and asphalt.

Qes.9 Types of construction material?

Ans.9  Wood
 Cement and concrete
 Bitumen and bituminous materials
 Structural clay and concrete units
 Reinforcing and structural steels

Qes.10 Various Civil Engineering Materials

Ans.1 Stones Concrete Bitumen Roofing and Flooring
0 Bricks Aluminium Asbestos Tiles
Lime Copper Paints
Cement Rod Distempers
Timber or Wood Glass Varnishes
Sand Plastics Solid and Hollow
Mortar Concrete Blocks

Qes.11 What is Curing?

Ans.1 Curing may be defined as the process of maintaining satisfactory moisture and temperature
1 conditions for freshly placed concrete for some specified time for proper hardening of
concrete.  Curing for 14 days is very important. Better to continue it for 7 to 14 days more.

Qes.12 What is the effect of Curing?

Ans.1 If curing is not done properly, the strength of concrete reduces. Cracks develop due to
2 shrinkage. Thus durability of structure reduces.

Qes.13  What are the curing methods?

Ans.1 (a) Spraying of water
3 (b) Covering the surface with wet gunny bags, straw etc.
(c) Ponding
(d) Steam curing and
(e) Application of curing compounds.

Qes.14 What are the Properties of Green Concrete & hardened Concrete?
Ans.1 The properties of green concrete include The properties of hardened concrete are:
4 1. Workability 1. Strength
2. Segregation 2. Resistance to wear
3. Bleeding 3. Dimensional changes
4. Harshness. 4. Durability
5. Impermeability.
Qes.15 What are the tests for Concrete?
Ans.1 1. Slump test.
5 2. Compaction factor test.
3. Crushing strength test.
Qes.16 What is Slump Test?
Ans.1 This test is conducted to determine the workability of concrete. It needs a slump cone
6 for test (Fig. 3.3). Slump cone is a vessel in the shape of a frustum of a cone with diameter
at bottom 200 mm and 50 mm at top and 300 mm high. This cone is kept over a impervious
platform and is filled with concrete in four layers. Each layer is tamped with a 16 mm
pointed rod for 25 times. After filling completely the cone is gently pulled up. The decrease
in the height of the concrete is called slump. Higher the slump, more workable is the
concrete.

Qes.17 What is Reinforced Cement Concrete (R.C.C.)?

Ans.1 Concrete is good in resisting compression but is very weak in resisting tension. Hence,
7 when reinforcement is provided in the concrete to withstand with the tensile stress then it
is called Reinforced Cement Concrete (R.C.C.).

Qes.18 Where Reinforced Cement Concrete (R.C.C.) has been used?

Ans.1 1. R.C.C. is used as a structural element, the common structural elements are
8 (a) Footings (b) Columns (c) Beams and lintels (d) roofs and slabs (e) Stairs.
2. R.C.C. is used for the construction of storage structures like
(a) Water tanks (b) Dams (c) Bins (d) Silos and bunkers.
3. It is used for the construction of big structures like
(a) Bridges (b) Retaining walls (c) Docks and harbours (d) Under water structures.
4. It is used for pre-casting
(a) Railway sleepers (b) Electric poles
5. R.C.C. is used for constructing tall structures like
(a) Multistorey buildings (b) Chimneys (c) Towers.
6. It is used for paving
(a) Roads (b) Airports.
7. R.C.C. is used in building atomic plants to prevent danger of radiation. For this purpose
R.C.C. walls built are 1.5 m to 2.0 m thick.

Buildings
Qes.1 States various Elements of a Building
Ans.1 1. Foundation 6. Floors
2. Plinth 7. Roofs
3. Walls and columns 8. Steps, stairs and lifts
4. Sills, lintels 9. Finishing work
5. Doors and windows 10. Building services.

Qes.2 What is meant by floor & roofs?

Ans.2 Floors are the important component of a building. They give working/useful area for the
occupants.
Roof is the top most portion of the building which provides top cover to the building. It
should be leak proof.

Qes.3 What are Basic Requirements of a Building?

Ans.3 . Strength and stability 7. Protection against termite attack
2. Dimensional stability 8. Durability
3. Resistance to dampness 9. Security against burglary
4. Resistance to fire 10. Lighting and ventilation
 5. Heat insulation 11. Comforts and convenience
6. Sound insulation 12. Economy.

Qes.4 What do you mean by Principles of planning of buildings?

Ans.4 Except strength requirement following things include in Principles of planning of buildings
1. Orientation 3. Utility
2. Energy efficiency 4. Other requirements of the building.
Qes.6 What is Plastering?
Ans.6 Applying mortar coats on the surfaces of walls, columns, ceiling etc. to get smooth finish is
termed as plastering. Mortar used for plastering may be lime mortar, cement mortar or
lime-cement mortar.

Qes.7 Ratio of various mortars used for Plastering?

Ans.7 Lime mortar- 1:3 or 1:4
Cement mortar of 1: 4 or 1: 6
lime-cement mortar (cement : lime : sand) 1 : 1 : 6 or 1 : 1 : 8 or 1 : 2 : 8

Qes.8 Requirement of good plaster

Ans.8 1. It should adhere to the background easily.
2. It should be hard and durable.
3. It should prevent penetration by moisture
4. It should be cheap.

Qes.9 The objective of plastering are

Ans.9 1. to conceal defective workmanship
2. to give smooth surface to avoid catching of dust.
3. to give good look.
4. to protect the wall from rain water and other atmospheric agencies.
5. to protect surfaces against vermit.

Qes.10 What is Pointing?

Ans.1 Instead of plastering entire surface of the masonry, special mortar finishing work is done to
0 the exposed joints. This is called pointing.

Qes.11 What are the Causes of Dampness?

Ans.1 (a) Ground water
1 (b) Rain water and
(c) Leakages from pipes.

Qes.12 What is meant by damp proof course?

Ans.1 Applying a course using any water repellant material like bitumen, mastic asphalt, cement-
2 concrete, metal or plastic sheets to protect the building component from damping is called
damp proof course.

Qes.13 What are the functions of column in a building?

Ans.1 Column is a vertical member in building whose primary function is to support structural
3 load and transfer it through beams. Upper columns transfers the load to the lower columns
and finally to the ground through footings.

Qes.14 What is the cement sand & aggregate ratios for various grades of concrete mix?
Ans.1 M10 – 1:3:6
4 M15 – 1:2:4
M20 – 1:1.5:3
M25 – 1:1:2
M30 – 1:1:1

Qes.15 What do you mean by honeycomb in concrete?

Ans.1 Honeycomb, also known as air pocket, is nothing but the air voids in concrete. It is usually
5 formed during concrete casting.

Qes.16 What is the formula for weight of steel?

Ans.1 Weight of steel in kg can be calculate by formula (D2*L)/162;
6 Where,
D is diameter of steel bar in millimeter and
L is total length of steel bar in meter.

Qes.17 What is difference between working stress method and limit state method?
Ans.1 Working stress method is an elastic design method in which structure is designed to bear
7 the load up to elastic limit.

Whereas, limit state method is a plastic design method in which structure is designed to
bear the load beyond plastic limit.

Qes.18 What is the function of sand in mortar?

Ans.1 The main role of sand (aggregate) in mortar or plaster is to provide core strength, but it has
8 other benefits too. If water is mixed with binder without adding sand to the mixture, both
compressive and tensile strength of the mixture would be drastically lower than in mixture
with added sand. It also helps to prevent mortar shrinkage, increases density and helps in
setting.

Qes.19 What is void ratio?

Ans.1 Void ratio is the ratio of volume of voids to volume of solids.
9

Qes.20 What are the responsibilities of a construction manager?

Ans.2 The responsibilities of a construction manager are
0 • Cost Estimates
• Pre-purchase of selected materials
• Selection of bidders for bidding phase
• Analysis of proposals
• Construction contract negotiations
• Construction Scheduling and Monitoring
• Cost control of construction
• Construction supervision

Qes.21 List out the potential risk factors for workers on the construction site?
Ans.2 Potential risk factors for worker on the construction site
1 • Falls from heights
• Scaffold and Trench collapse
• Electric shock and arc blast
• Repetitive motion injuries
• Not using personal protective equipment correctly

Qes.22 What is OSHA compliance?

Ans.2 OSHA stands for Occupational Safety and Health Act; its motive is to fulfill the health and
2 safety requirement of employees and workers. It is a standard for health and safety.

Qes.23 For the construction project what capital cost has to be taken in consideration?
Ans.2 • Land acquisition ( Assembly, holding and improvement)
3 • Planning and feasibility studies
• Construction ( Material, equipment, and labor)
• Construction financing ( Bank loan)
• Insurance and taxes during construction
• Owner’s general office overhead
 • Inspection and testing
• Equipment and furnishing not included in the construction
• Field supervision, architectural and engineering design

Qes.24 Explain what is Hybrid Foundation?

Ans.2 Hybrid Foundation is usually used for high rise building, it contains both soil supported mat
4 and piles. This type of foundation is helpful in reducing the amount of the settlement.

Qes.25 What are the common ways of demolition?

Ans.2 • Hydro-demolition
5 • Pressure Bursting
• Dismantling

Qes.26 What does a construction cost covers and what does not?
Ans.2 A construction cost covers material, labor, equipment and services, contractor’s overhead
6 and profit and other direct construction costs.

While, it does not cover compensation paid to the architect, consultant or engineers, cost of
the land and other cost that is owner’s responsibility.

Qes.27 Explain what is Critical Path Method (C.P.M)?

Ans.2 Critical Path Method is strategy and method of representing the respective tasks and
7 activities involved in the construction through a symbolic diagram.

Qes.28 What is the ideal size of the living room ranges from small to large size?
Ans.2 • Very small size living room= 7x10ft ( for two seater sofas on one side of the room)
8 • Small living room= 10x13ft ( for two 2 seater sofa)
• Medium living room= 12x18 (for 3 Seater sofa)
• Large living room= 15x20 ( for 4 seater or 5 seater sofa)

Qes.29 What are the causes of building collapse?

Ans.2  Age of the Building
9  Weak foundations.
 Earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters
 Bombings or demolition of buildings etc.

Qes.30 How do you measure concrete?

Ans.3 Cubic feet, Cubic yards, Cubic Meter
0

Qes.31 What is aggregate?

Ans.3 Aggregate is the component of a composite material used to resist compressive stress.
1

Qes.32 Types of aggregate?

Ans.3  Fine Aggregate
2  Course Aggregate

Qes.33 What is absolute pressure?

Ans.3 Absolute pressure is simply the addition of the observed gage pressure plus the value of the
3 local atmospheric pressure. One atmosphere = (101.325 kPa or 14.7 psi)

Qes.34 What is Gravity flow?

Ans.3 Gravity flow is fluid flowing due to the forces of gravity alone and not to an applied
4 pressure head. In the Bernoulli equation, the pressure term is omitted, and the height and
velocity terms are the only ones included.
Qes.35 What is a kip?
Ans.3 Unit of Force. 1 kip = 1000 lbs
5

Qes.36 What is meant by QA and QC?

Ans.3 Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC),
6

Qes.37 What is unit weight of normal concrete?

Ans.3 150 lb/ft3 or 2400 Kg/m3
7

Qes.38 What is the density of steel?

Ans.3 7850 kg/m3
8

Qes.39 Unit Weight or density of Various Materials:

Ans.3 Material Unit Weight
9
Water 1000 Kg/ m3
Bricks (broken) 1420 Kg/ m3
Bricks(common) 1600 Kg/ m3
Cement(ordinary) 1440 Kg/ m3
Cement (rapid hardening) 1250 Kg/ m3
Steel 7850 Kg/ m3
Cement Concrete (Plain) 2400 Kg/ m3
Cement Concrete (Reinforced) 2500 Kg/ m3

Cement Mortar 2000 Kg/ m3

Glass 2500 Kg/ m3
Lime Concrete 1900 Kg/ m3
Cement Plaster 2000 Kg/ m3
Lime Plaster 1700 Kg/ m3
Stones (Ballast) 1720 Kg/ m3
Stones (Aggregates) 1750 Kg/ m3
Stones (Basalt) 2850 Kg/ m3
Stones (Granite) 2450 Kg/ m3
Stones (Marble) 2650 Kg/ m3
Coal 600 Kg/ m3
Plastics 1250 Kg/ m3
Clay (dry, compact) 14.4 KN/ m3
Sand (dry) 15.4 – 16 KN/ m3
Sand (wet) 17.6 -20 KN/ m3

Qes.40 How many bricks are required for Various work..?

Ans.4  480 nos. bricks per 100 square ft for 5” thick brick wall.
0  290 nos. bricks per 100 square ft for 3” thick brick wall.
 960 nos. bricks per 100 square ft for 10” thick brick wall.
 1160 nos. bricks per 100 cubic ft brick work.