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Focused topic practice

building materials and construction MCQs

Practise focused building materials and construction questions with marked answers for exam preparation and subject revision.

building materials and construction Mcqs
1. Which of the following represents a metamorphic rock? (1) slate (2) shale (3) quartzite . The correct answer is___________?
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A. only (3)

B. both (1) and (3)

C. both (2) and (3)

D. all (1), (2) and (3)

2. The constituent of cement which is responsible for all the undesirable properties of cement is____________?
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A. tricalcium aluminate

B. tetra calcium alumino ferrite

C. tricalcium silicate

D. dicalcium silicate

3. The most common admixture which is used to accelerate the initial set of concrete is______________?
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A. calcium chloride

B. gypsum

C. none of the above

D. calcium carbonate

4. The lintels are preferred to arches because______________?
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A. arches are difficult in construction

B. arches require more headroom to span the openings like doors, windows etc.

C. all of the above

D. arches require strong abutments to withstand arch thrust

5. The main constituent of cement which is responsible for initial setting of cement is_________________?
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A. all of the above

B. tricalcium silicate

C. tricalcium aluminate

D. dicalcium silicate

6. Specific gravity for most of the building stones lies between_____________?
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A. 2.0 to 2.5

B. 1.5 to 2.0

C. 2.5 to 3.0

D. 3.0 to 3.5

7. Number of bricks required for one cubic metre of brick masonry is____________?
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A. 400

B. 550

C. 450

D. 500
8. Excess of silica in brick earth results in______________?
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A. enhancing the impermeability of bricks

B. none of the above

C. cracking and warping of bricks

D. loss of cohesion
9. Which of the following trees yields hard wood ?
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A. shishum

B. chir

C. deodar

D. pine

10. The trunk of tree left after cutting all the branches is known as_______________?
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A. plank

B. batten

C. baulk

D. log
11. The type of pile which is driven at an inclination to resist inclined forces is known as______________?
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A. sheet pile

B. anchor pile

C. batter pile

D. friction pile

12. The moisture content in a well seasoned timber is_______________?
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A. 10% to 12%

B. 4% to 6%

C. 15% to 20%

D. 100%

13. Single flemish bond consists of___________________?
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A. stretcher bond facing and double flemish bond backing in each course

B. English bond facing and double flemish bond backing in each course

C. double flemish bond facing and Eng-lish bond backing in each course

D. double flemish bond facing and header bond backing in each course

14. In which of the following pairs both trees yield soft wood ?
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A. chir and sal

B. chir and deodar

C. sal and teak

D. deodar and shishum

15. Gypsum is a_________________?
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A. mechanically formed sedimentary rock

B. chemically precipitated sedimentary rock

C. metamorphic rock

D. igneous rock

16. The normal consistency of ordinary Portland cement is about________________?
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A. 40%

B. 30%

C. 10%

D. 20%

17. Which of the following has more fire resisting characteristics ?
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A. granite

B. marble

C. lime stone

D. compact sand stone
18. Excess of alumina in brick earth makes the brick______________?
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A. to crack and warp on drying

B. impermeable

C. to lose cohesion

D. brittle and weak

19. The stone suitable for rubble masonry should be____________?
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A. hard

B. light

C. tough

D. heavy

20. Which of the following gradients exerts maximum influence on properties of steel?
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A. manganese

B. iron

C. carbon

D. sulphur

21. In which of the following directions, the strength of timber is maximum ?
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A. 45 to grains

B. same in all directions

C. perpendicular to grains

D. parallel to grains
22. Which of the following ingredients of the brick earth enables the brick to retain its shape ?
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A. alumina

B. silica

C. magnesia

D. iron

23. Paints with white lead base are suitable for painting of______________________?
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A. wood work

B. iron work

C. both wood work and iron work

D. none of the above

24. Which of the following pairs gives a correct combination of the useful and harmful constituents respectively of a good brick earth ?
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A. lime stone and alumina

B. silica and alkalies

C. alkalies and magnesium

D. alumina and iron

25. Depth or height of the arch is the________________?
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A. vertical distance between springing line and intrados

B. none of the above

C. perpendicular distance between intra-dos and extrados

D. perpendicular distance between springing line and extrados

26. A mortar joint in masonry which is normal to the face of wall is known as_________________?
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A. wall joint

B. cross joint

C. bed joint

D. bonded joint

27. The bearing capacity of a water logged soil can be improved by_____________?
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A. compacting the soil

B. draining the soil

C. grouting

D. increasing the depth of foundation

28. The slenderness ratio for masonry walls should not be more than_____________?
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A. 30

B. 10

C. 20

D. 40

29. Which of the following is the purest form of iron ?
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A. wrought iron

B. cast iron

C. mild steel

D. high carbon steel

30. The most commonly used retarder in cement is_________________?
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A. calcium carbonate

B. calcium chloride

C. none of the above

D. gypsum
31. Slate is formed by metamorphic action on______________?
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A. lime stone

B. shale

C. sand stone

D. granite

32. Which of the following should be used for hearting of thicker walls ?
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A. brick bats

B. queen closer

C. stretchers

D. headers
33. The process of mixing clay, water and other ingredients to make brick is known as______________?
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A. moulding

B. kneading

C. drying

D. pugging

34. A good building stone should not absorb water more than_____________?
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A. 10%

B. 5%

C. 15%

D. 20%

35. Which of the following sedimentary rocks changes into quartzite by metamorphic action ?
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A. lime stone

B. sand stone

C. shale

D. gypsum

36. The slump recommended for mass concrete is about_______________?
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A. 25 mm to 50 mm

B. 125 mm to 150 mm

C. 50 mm to 100 mm

D. 100 mm to 125 mm

37. The most important tool in brick laying for lifting and spreading mortar and for forming joints is____________?
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A. bolster

B. scutch

C. trowel

D. square

38. Which of the following metamorphic rocks has the most weather resisting characteristics ?
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A. slate

B. quartzite

C. marble

D. lime stone

39. Assertion A : Shishum is used for decorative woodwork. Reason R : Shishum can be polished to an excellent finish. Select your answer according to the coding system given below ?
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A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A

C. A is true but R is false

D. A is false but R is true

40. Sapwood consists of______________?
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A. thin fibre which extends from the pith outwards and holds the annular rings together

B. innermost annular rings around the pith

C. portion of timber between heartwood and cambium layer

D. thin layers below the bark

41. Addition of pozzolana to ordinary Portland cement increases__________________?
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A. permeability

B. heat of hydration

C. bleeding

D. shrinkage
42. Spalling hammer is used for_____________?
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A. rough dressing of stones

B. driving wooden headed chisels

C. carving of stones

D. breaking small projection of stones

43. The predominant constituent which is responsible for strength in granite is_____________?
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A. quartz

B. none of the above

C. feldspar

D. mica

44. The maximum total settlement for isolated foundations on clayey soils should be limited to______________?
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A. 25 mm

B. 65 mm

C. 100 mm

D. 40 mm

45. The pressure acting on the stones in stone masonry construction should be_____________?
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A. at 60 to the direction of bedding planes

B. along the direction of bedding planes

C. perpendicular to the direction of bedding planes

D. at 45 to the direction of bedding planes

46. After storage, the strength of cement________________?
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A. decreases

B. remains same

C. increases

D. may increase or decrease

47. The frog of the brick in a brick masonry is generally kept on______________?
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A. bottom face

B. longer side

C. shorter side

D. top face
48. Quick lime is (1) slow in setting (2) rapid in slacking (3) good in strength The correct answer is____________?
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A. only (1)

B. only (2)

C. both (1) and (2)

D. both (2) and (3)

49. In the construction of arches, sand box method is used for________________?
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A. none of the above

B. actual laying of arch work

C. centring

D. striking of centring
50. As compared to stretcher course, the thickness of joints in header course should be_____________?
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A. equal or more

B. more

C. equal

D. less