TNPSC AE, JDO, SSC JE & TNMAWSB – 2024

Building Materials & Construction Practices

Test Topic: Cement
Total Questions: 100
Total Marks: 100

All The Best

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1. For testing compressive and tensile a. Dicalcium silicate
strength of cement, the cement b. Tri calcium silicate
mortar is made by mixing cement and c. Tri calcium Aluminiate
standard sand in proportions of d. Tetra calcium alumino ferrite
a. 1:2 Answer: (a)
b. 1:3
6. Before testing setting time of cement,
c. 1:4
one should test for
d. 1:6
a. Soundness
Answer: (b)
b. Strength
2. Which of the following cement c. Fineness
contains maximum percentage of d. Consistency
dicalcium silicate? Answer: (d)
a. Ordinary portland cement
7. Higher percentage of tricalcium
b. Low heat cement
silicate in cement results in
c. Rapid hardening cement
a. High early strength
d. Sulphate resisting cement
b. low heat of hydration
Answer: (b)
c. Slow hardening
3. Cement used in under water d. Slow setting
construction work is Answer: (a)
a. High alumina cement
8. The constituent which imparts
b. Quick setting cement
strength to cement is
c. Water proof cement
a. Lime
d. Rapid hardening cement
b. Silica
Answer: (b)
c. Alumina
4. Commonly used raw material in the d. Magnesia
manufacture of cement is Answer: (a)
a. Sand stone
9. The constituent which imparts colour
b. Slate
to cement is
c. Lime stone
a. Lime
d. Rock
b. Silica
Answer: (c)
c. Alumina
5. Strength to cement is provided by d. Iron oxide

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Answer: (d) a. While mixing the raw materials
b. During burning in the kiln
10. Rotary kiln used in manufacturing
c. At the beginning of grinding the
cements rotates at a speed of
clinker
a. 1 to 3 rpm
d. After grinding the clinker
b. 10 to 12 rpm
Answer: (c)
c. 18 to 22 rpm
d. Greater than 25 rpm 15. Specific surface of cement is
Answer: (a) a. Measure of fineness
b. Measure of volume of cement
11. The clinker is formed at a
c. Measure of smoothness of
temperature of
cement
a. 500 to 600oC
d. None of the above
b. 900 to 1000oC
Answer: (a)
c. 1100 to 1300oC
d. 1400 to 1500oC 16. The specific surface of cement
Answer: (d) should not be less than
a. 100 cm2/gm
12. The amount of gypsum added in the
b. 1500 cm2/gm
manufacture of cement is
c. 2000 cm2/gm
a. 0.1 to 0.5%
d. 2250 cm2/gm
b. 0.5 to 1%
Answer: (d)
c. 1 to 3%
d. 3 to 4% 17. The compound responsible for initial
Answer: (d) setting of cement is
a. Tricalcium aluminate
13. Gypsum is added in the manufacture
b. Tricalcium silicate
of portland cement to
c. Dicalcium silicate
a. Reduce setting time of cement
d. Tetra calcium alumino ferrite
b. Increase setting time of cement
Answer: (a)
c. To enhance the strength of
cement 18. The compound that hydrates early
d. To decrease grinding time and is responsible for gain in strength
Answer: (b) in 28 days is
a. Tricalcium aluminate
14. Gypsum is added during the
b. Tricalcium silicate
manufacture of cement
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 c. Dicalcium silicate Answer: (b)
d. Tetra calcium alumino ferrite
23. 43 grade cement has a strength of 43
Answer: (b)
N/mm2 at the age of
19. The compound that hydrates slowly a. 3 days
and responsible for gain of strength b. 7 days
over a period of 1 year is c. 28 days
a. Tricalcium aluminate d. 1 year
b. Tricalcium silicate Answer: (c)
c. Dicalcium silicate
24. Vicat apparatus is used for
d. Tetra calcium alumino ferrite
determining
Answer: (c)
a. Initial setting time of cement
20. Unsoundness in cement is due to b. Final setting time of cement
a. Free lime c. Normal consistency of cement
b. Free magnesia d. All the above
c. Insufficient grinding Answer: (d)
d. All the above
25. Normal consistency of cement is
Answer: (a)
about
21. Le Chatelier apparatus is used for a. 7%
testing cement for its b. 14%
a. Strength c. 21%
b. Setting time d. 28%
c. Fineness Answer: (d)
d. Soundness
26. Addition of pozzolana to portland
Answer: (d)
cement causes
22. At the end of the test on cement, a. Increase in heat of hydration
increase in the distance between the b. Increase in strength
two indicators of Le Chatelier c. Increase in water tightness
apparatus should not be more than d. All the above
a. 5 mm Answer: (c)
b. 10 mm
27. Blast furnace slag cement is
c. 15 mm
a. Durable
d. 20 mm
b. Gain strength slowly
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 c. Cheap d. All the above
d. All the Above Answer: (d)
Answer: (d)
32. Which one of the following is not a
28. High alumina cement is pozzolanic material?
a. More resistant to sulphate attack a. Fly ash
b. More resistant to acid attack b. Rice husk ash
c. Gains almost full strength within c. Gypsum
24 hours after adding water d. Blast furnace slag
d. All the above Answer: (c)
Answer: (a)
33. For testing compressive strength of
29. Which one of the following is not cement, the size of cubes used is
correct statement about fly ash a. 50 mm
blended cement? b. 70.6 mm
a. They have superior resistance to c. 100 mm
weathering action d. 150 mm
b. They gain strength fast Answer: (b)
c. Ultimate strength is same as OPC
34. The reaction of cement with water
d. All the above
liberates a heat, this process is
Answer: (b)
known as
30. To prevent setting of cement during a. Curing
storage the material added to cement b. Mixing
during grinding is c. Heat of hydration
a. Acidol d. Placing
b. Oleic acid Answer: (c)
c. Oxidized petroleum
35. It is estimated that about -------
d. Any of the above
calories of heat is generated in the
Answer: (a)
hydration of 1 gm of cement.
31. Rapid hardening cement is produced a. 120
by b. 320
a. Increasing the lime content c. 220
b. Burning it at high temperature d. 20
c. Grinding to a finer size Answer: (a)

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36. The diameter of plunger used in vicat 40. The development of strength of
apparatus is cement and its fineness are;
a. 20 mm a. Directly proportional
b. 10 mm b. Inversely proportional
c. 5 mm c. Not related
d. 25 mm d. Randomly related
Answer: (b) Answer: (a)

37. Which of the following ingredients 41. The specific gravity of particles of
imparts quick setting property of ordinary portland cement is about ----
cement? a. 3.15
a. Silica b. 2.55
b. Iron oxide c. 2.65
c. Sulphur d. 1
d. Alumina Answer: (a)
Answer: (d)
42. What is the approximate composition
38. In the process of hydration of OPC, of silica present in ordinary portland
to complete all chemical reaction, the cement?
water requirement is a. 40 to 50%
a. 5 to 8% b. 17 to 25%
b. 8 to 16% c. 3 to 8%
c. 20 to 25% d. 60 to 667%
d. 35 to 45% Answer: (b)
Answer: (c)
43. As per IS 267 – 1975 initial setting
39. If P is the percentage of water time of ordinary cement is
required for normal consistency, a. 15 minutes
water to be added for determination b. 30 minutes
of initial setting time is ------. c. 60 minutes
a. 0.70 P d. 75 minutes
b. 0.75 P Answer: (b)
c. 0.80 P
44. What is the average particle size of
d. 0.85 P
cement?
Answer: (d)
a. 15 microns

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 b. 45 microns 48. Deficiency of lime in cement leads
c. 75 microns to;
d. 100 microns a. Unsound cement
Answer: (a) b. Disintegration of cement
c. Quick setting of cement
45. What is the meaning of soundness of
d. Expansion of cement
cement?
Answer: (c)
a. Ability to flow when mixed
b. Ability to make ringing noise when 49. What function does iron oxide
struck perform in cement?
c. Ability to form strong and sound a. Increases strength
structure b. Makes cement sound
d. Ability to retain volume after c. Increases setting time
setting d. Acts as flux
Answer: (d) Answer: (d)

46. Use of coarser cement particles 50. How much does a bag of cement
leads to weighs?
a. Low durability a. 10 kg
b. Higher strength b. 30 kg
c. Low consistency c. 50 kg
d. Higher soundness d. 80 kg
Answer: (a) Answer: (c)

47. What is the depth the needle in vicat 51. What is released during the
apparatus should penetrate into the production of clinker?
cement paste in consistency test? a. CaCO3
a. 33 to 35 cm from bottom of the b. CO2
mould c. Ca(OH)2
b. 33 to 35 mm from top of the d. CO
mould Answer: (b)
c. 33 to 35 cm from top of the mould
52. What is the abbreviation of PPC?
d. 33 to 35 mm from bottom of the
a. Perfect portland cement
mould
b. Portland produced cement
Answer: (b)
c. Portland pozzolana cement

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 d. Productive portland cement 57. The ratio of percentage of alumina to
iron oxide in OPC 43 grade is;
Answer: (c)
a. 3.5
53. What property does air entraining b. 0.66
cement provide? c. 0.1
a. Workability d. 0.05
b. Soundness Answer: (b)
c. Fineness
58. The compound responsible for flash
d. Strength
set of cement is
Answer: (a)
a. C3A
54. Which of the following types of b. C2S
cement is used in marine structures? c. C3S
a. Expanding cement d. CO2
b. High alumina cement Answer: (a)
c. Blast furnace slag cement
59. Which of the compound is
d. White cement
responsible for strength of cement?
Answer: (c)
a. MgO
55. Grade 43 OPC is used widely for; b. Alumina
a. High rise buildings c. Silica
b. Plastering d. Calcium sulphate
c. House construction Answer: (c)
d. Finishing works
60. Which of the following compound
Answer: (c)
produces high heat of hydration?
56. After how many days is the strength a. C3A
of cement is tested and graded b. C4AF
according to the result? c. C3S
a. 7 days d. C2S
b. 28 days Answer: (a)
c. 3 days
61. Which of the compound is
d. 14 days
responsible for later stage strength of
Answer: (b)
cement?
a. C2S

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 b. C3S d. Not comparable
c. C3A Answer: (b)
d. C4AF
66. The rapid hardening portland cement
Answer: (a)
is obtained by
62. Which of the following cement is a. Grinding the clinker to a higher
suitable for mass concrete degree
construction? b. Adding calcium sulphate to a
a. Rapid hardening cement mixture
b. Ordinary portland cement c. Adding gypsum after grinding
c. Expansive cement d. Burning the mixture at a lower
d. Low heat cement temperature
Answer: (d) Answer: (a)

63. Which of the following is fused 67. Early attainment of strength in rapid
together to prepare the high alumina hardening cement is mainly due to
cement? a. Gypsum
a. Bauxite and limestone b. Finer grinding
b. Limestone and gypsum c. Tricalcium silicate
c. Bauxite and gypsum d. Tricalcium aluminate
d. Limestone and clay Answer: (b)
Answer: (a)
68. Slow setting cement have higher
64. Which of the following cement percentage of
exhibits greater resistance to frost? a. Tricalcium aluminate
a. Quick setting cement b. Tricalcium silicate
b. Portland slag cement c. Di calcium silicate
c. Air entrained cement d. Gypsum
d. Rapid hardening cement Answer: (d)
Answer: (c)
69. Rapid hardening portland cement
65. The strength of white cement is ------ contains
that of ordinary cement. a. More C3S
a. Equal to b. More C2S
b. Less than c. More C3A
c. Greater than d. More C4AF

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Answer: (a) strength and soundness of portland
cement?
70. Which cement is expected to have
a. CaO
the highest compressive strength
b. SiO2
after 72 hours?
c. Al2O3
a. Quick setting cement
d. Fe2O3
b. Air entrained cement
Answer: (a)
c. High alumina cement
d. Portland pozzolana cement 75. Autoclave method is used to
Answer: (c) determine
a. Residue
71. Heat of hydration in cement is mainly
b. Expansion
due to
c. Heat of hydration
a. Di calcium silicate
d. Fineness
b. Tri calcium silicate
Answer: (b)
c. Tri calcium aluminate
d. Tetra calcium alumino ferrite 76. The normal consistency of ordinary
Answer: (c) portland cement is about
a. 20%
72. Final setting time of OPC should not
b. 10%
greater than
c. 25%
a. 10 hours
d. 40%
b. 8 hours
Answer: (c)
c. 6 hours
d. 24 hours 77. The expansion in portland cement
Answer: (a) can be tested by
a. Soundness test
73. In cement, ratio of silica: Lime:
b. Fineness test
Alumina is approximately
c. Setting time test
a. 10:4:1
d. Normal consistency test
b. 4:10:1
Answer: (a)
c. 1:10:4
d. 1:4:10 78. Amount of water required for
Answer: (b) soundness test is in percentage
a. 0.85 P
74. Which of the following raw material is
b. 0.78 P
responsible for controlling the
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 c. 0.75 P d. None of the above
d. 0.87 P Answer: (a)
Answer: (b)
83. The total percentage of dicalcium
79. As per IS 10262, OPC is divided into silicate and tricalcium silicate in all
how many grades? types of portland cement is around
a. 2 a. 60%
b. 3 b. 50%
c. 6 c. 90%
d. 7 d. 70%
Answer: (b) Answer: (d)

80. Which compound has maximum 84. The fineness of cement is expressed
percentage proportion in cement? as
a. C3A a. m2/kg
b. C4AF b. mm
c. C3S c. kg/m3
d. C2S d. grade
Answer: (c) Answer: (a)

81. Which test is carried out to know 85. In fineness test of Rapid hardening
about free lime in cement? portland cement, the residue on IS
a. Soundness test sieve No: 9 should not be more than
b. Consistency test a. 1%
c. Setting time test b. 5%
d. Fineness test c. 10%
Answer: (a) d. 15%
Answer: (b)
82. White cement is white in colour due
to 86. In dry process of cement
a. Use of limestone and china clay manufacturing rotary kiln is charged
free from metal oxides at a temperature
b. Its modified manufacturing a. Less than 1200oC
process b. Between 1300oC and 1450oC
c. Specific chemical treatment given c. Between 1500oC and 1800oC
to ordinary cement d. More than 1800oC

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Answer: (b) 91. Increase in the fineness of cement
results in
87. The fineness of cement can be found
a. Increase in the rate of heat of
out by sieve analysis using IS sieve
hydration without changing the
number
total amount of heat liberated
a. 3
b. Decrease in the rate of heat of
b. 9
hydration without changing the
c. 90
total amount of heat liberated
d. 150
c. Increase in the rate of heat of
Answer: (b)
hydration with an increase in the
88. The minimum compressive strength total amount of heat liberated
of 53 grade OPC after 72 hours d. None of the above
should not be less than Answer: (a)
a. 10
92. The volume of one bag of cement
b. 15.69
weighing kg is
c. 27
a. 0.05 m3
d. 53
b. 0.0245 m3
Answer: (c)
c. 0.0445 m3
89. Which of the following is the first one d. 0.0345 m3
to react in hydration reaction of Answer: (d)
cement paste?
93. Finer the cement, more is the
a. Dicalcium silicate
a. Strength of the cement
b. Tricalcium silicate
b. Workability
c. Tricalcium aluminate
c. Shrinkage cracking
d. Tetra calcium alumino ferrite
d. All the above
Answer: (c)
Answer: (d)
90. Green colour of cement is caused by
94. For a 50 kg bag of cement, water
a. Magnesium oxide
required is
b. Iron oxide
a. 20.5 litres
c. Carbon pigments
b. 22.5 litres
d. Chromium dioxide
c. 23.5 litres
Answer: (d) d. 18.5 litres
Answer: (b)
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95. Cement is said to be good quality if d. 10 to 15 mm
a. It is not smooth when rubbed in Answer: (c)
between fingers
98. Fly ash residue is generated from
b. Its colour is grayish yellow
a. Chemical industries
c. A handful of cement thrown into a
b. Hydel power plants
bucket of water does not float
c. Nuclear power plants
d. None of the above
d. Thermal power plants
Answer: (c)
Answer: (d)
96. Le Chatelier test detects the
99. Efflorescence in cement is caused
unsoundness of cement due to
due to the excess of
a. Excess magnesia only
a. Lime
b. Free lime only
b. Silica
c. Both excess magnesia and free
c. Iron oxide
lime
d. Alkalis
d. All the above
Answer: (d)
Answer: (b)
100. Which of the following cements is
97. In soundness test by Le Chatelier’s
expected to have the highest
apparatus the increase in the
compressive strength after 3 days?
distance between the pointers should
a. Ordinary portland cement
not be more than
b. Rapid hardening cement
a. 1 to 2 mm
c. High alumina cement
b. 3 to 5 mm
d. Sulphate resisting cement
c. 5 to 10 mm
Answer: (c)

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