All Free Civil Engineering MCQs with Answers

• A. A vertical force only
• B. A horizontal force only
• C. A moment and horizontal force
• D. A moment and vertical force

Explanation: A smooth roller on a horizontal surface resists motion normal to the surface, giving a vertical reaction.

• A. wL at each end
• B. wL divided by 2 at each end
• C. wL divided by 4 at each end
• D. wL divided by 12 at each end

Explanation: The total distributed load is wL, and symmetry divides it equally between the two end shear forces.

• A. Much lower than the natural frequency
• B. Twice the damping frequency only
• C. Equal or very close to the natural frequency
• D. Independent of the natural frequency

Explanation: Resonance occurs when the forcing frequency approaches the system's natural frequency.

• A. √(k/m)
• B. 2k divided by m
• C. k divided by 2m
• D. 2√(km)

Explanation: The critical damping coefficient is cc = 2√(km). A value below this gives an underdamped response, while a value above it gives an…

• A. It must satisfy the essential support conditions
• B. It must satisfy equilibrium at every internal point
• C. It must contain no bending deformation
• D. It must be identical to every higher mode

Explanation: Rayleigh's method uses an assumed deflected shape that must satisfy the essential, or geometric, boundary conditions.

• A. The identity matrix only
• B. The mass matrix
• C. The load vector
• D. The support reaction matrix

Explanation: Distinct normal modes of an undamped linear structure satisfy mass orthogonality, and also stiffness orthogonality under the usual…

• A. A straight line
• B. A parabolic curve
• C. A cubic curve
• D. A rectangular curve

Explanation: A linearly varying load produces a parabolic shear diagram after integration.

• A. Their lines of action are equally spaced
• B. Their lines of action are perpendicular
• C. Their magnitudes are identical
• D. Their lines of action are concurrent

Explanation: For three nonparallel coplanar forces to have zero resultant moment, their lines of action must meet at one point.

• A. Both translations and rotation
• B. Vertical translation and rotation
• C. Horizontal translation only
• D. Rotation only

Explanation: A fixed support prevents horizontal movement, vertical movement, and rotation of the connected member end.

• A. The three forces are equal
• B. The three forces are concurrent
• C. The three forces are perpendicular
• D. The three forces have equal moments

Explanation: Taking moments about the intersection of any two force lines shows that the third force line must pass through the same point.

• A. Bending only
• B. Compression only
• C. Tension only
• D. Torsion only

Explanation: A flexible cable has negligible bending and flexural stiffness, so it carries axial tension along its changing shape.

• A. To prescribe the applied loading direction
• B. To calculate material density directly
• C. To eliminate support reactions
• D. To interpolate displacement within the element

Explanation: Shape functions express displacement at an interior point in terms of the element's nodal displacement degrees of freedom.

• A. Constant or linear
• B. Parabolic only
• C. Cubic only
• D. Sinusoidal only

Explanation: With no distributed load, the shear force is constant between point actions, so the bending moment varies linearly.

• A. A stable elastic frame
• B. A kinematic mechanism
• C. A zero-shear section
• D. A statically determinate span

Explanation: A plastic hinge allows rotation at the plastic moment, and a sufficient number of such hinges can convert the structure into a mechanism.

• A. Work from whole to part
• B. Work from part to whole
• C. Measure angles before distances
• D. Begin with contour intervals

Explanation: Surveying normally establishes the larger control framework first and then fills in smaller details.

• A. Accuracy is repeatability, while precision is closeness to truth
• B. Accuracy is closeness to truth, while precision is repeatability
• C. Accuracy concerns angles, while precision concerns distances
• D. Accuracy concerns maps, while precision concerns instruments

Explanation: Accuracy describes how close a measured value is to the true value. Precision describes how closely repeated measurements agree with one…

• A. 124.350 m
• B. 125.600 m
• C. 126.850 m
• D. 127.100 m

Explanation: The height of instrument equals the reduced level of the benchmark plus the backsight. Therefore, HI = 125.600 + 1.250 = 126.850 m.

• A. The included angles
• B. The number of observed bearings
• C. The elevations of stations
• D. The lengths of the traverse sides

Explanation: The Bowditch rule distributes latitude and departure corrections according to the lengths of the respective traverse sides.

• A. Centering the instrument
• B. Focusing the objective lens
• C. Measuring the vertical angle
• D. Reading the horizontal circle

Explanation: The instrument is first centered approximately over the station so that subsequent levelling is performed at the correct position.

• A. They always intersect at right angles
• B. They normally do not intersect one another
• C. They are equally spaced on every slope
• D. They always form straight parallel lines

Explanation: Contour lines representing different elevations normally do not intersect.