All Free Civil Engineering MCQs with Answers

• A. 100 m
• B. 500 m
• C. 1 km
• D. 10 km

Explanation: At a scale of 1:50,000, 1 cm represents 50,000 cm, or 500 m. Therefore, 2 cm represents 1,000 m, which is 1 km.

• A. Increase the focal length of the camera
• B. Convert a vertical photograph into an oblique photograph
• C. Remove the need for ground control points
• D. Provide two views for three dimensional measurement

Explanation: Overlapping photographs provide two slightly different views of the same ground area, allowing stereoscopic vision and measurement of…

• A. Transfer the line of collimation safely
• B. Measure the horizontal angle between lines
• C. Determine the magnetic bearing of a line
• D. Mark the midpoint of a survey line

Explanation: A change point is a firm point on which a foresight is taken before shifting the instrument and a backsight is then taken.

• A. Permanent benchmark
• B. Temporary benchmark
• C. Arbitrary benchmark
• D. Geodetic benchmark

Explanation: A temporary benchmark is fixed at a convenient, stable point for the duration of a survey or construction project.

• A. Higher than the instrument line
• B. At the benchmark elevation
• C. Lower than the instrument line
• D. Closer to the instrument station

Explanation: With the same height of instrument, reduced level equals height of instrument minus the staff reading.

• A. Weights based only on bearings
• B. Weights proportional to side lengths
• C. Weights proportional to coordinates
• D. Equal weights

Explanation: When all angular observations are considered equally reliable, the total angular misclosure is divided equally among them.

• A. It does not normally provide a complete closure check
• B. It starts and ends at the same station
• C. It always provides an angular check
• D. It must contain exactly three survey lines

Explanation: An open traverse does not close on a known station or another known control point, so its angular and linear closure checks are generally…

• A. Vertical axis
• B. Line of collimation
• C. Horizontal axis
• D. Axis of bubble tube

Explanation: The line of collimation, also called the line of sight, passes through the optical centre of the objective and the intersection of the…

• A. Incorrect chain length
• B. Magnetic declination
• C. Instrument imperfections
• D. Unequal contour intervals

Explanation: Observing on both faces reverses or changes the effect of several instrumental errors, so averaging the results reduces their influence.

• A. 1 m
• B. 5 m
• C. 10 m
• D. 100 m

Explanation: Contour interval is the constant vertical difference in elevation between consecutive contour lines.

• A. Systematic distance error
• B. Random angular error
• C. Gross plotting error
• D. Levelling misclosure

Explanation: A wrong prism constant introduces a consistent additive error into electronic distance measurements.

• A. Closer to the principal point
• B. Farther from the principal point
• C. At the exact flying height
• D. Located on level terrain only

Explanation: Relief displacement is radial from the principal point and increases with both the point's elevation relative to the datum and its radial…

• A. Measuring the angle between two lines
• B. Determining the elevation of a station
• C. Locating intermediate points on a straight survey line
• D. Calculating the area of a survey plot

Explanation: Ranging means establishing intermediate points so that they lie on the straight line joining two end stations.

• A. The two end stations are separated by dense vegetation
• B. The ground has steep undulations
• C. The survey line crosses a building
• D. The two end stations are mutually visible

Explanation: Direct ranging is used when the end stations can see each other. If the stations are not intervisible, indirect or reciprocal ranging is…

• A. The difference between consecutive staff readings
• B. The sum of all backsights only
• C. The difference between consecutive bearings
• D. The product of the staff readings

Explanation: In the rise and fall method, a smaller succeeding staff reading indicates a rise, while a larger reading indicates a fall.

• A. Datum line
• B. Contour line
• C. Grid line
• D. Chain line

Explanation: A contour line connects points having the same reduced level or elevation.

• A. Nearly level
• B. Uniformly depressed
• C. Steep
• D. Without elevation change

Explanation: Close contour spacing indicates a large change in elevation over a short horizontal distance, which represents a steep slope.

• A. Object point
• B. Vertical axis
• C. Levelling screws
• D. Cross-hairs

Explanation: The eyepiece is focused to make the cross-hairs appear sharp to the observer.

• A. Smallest value that can be read or estimated
• B. Largest distance it can measure
• C. Maximum permissible observational error
• D. Average value of repeated observations

Explanation: Least count is the smallest measurement increment that an instrument can directly read or reliably estimate.

• A. Top of the staff downward
• B. Foot of the staff upward
• C. Line of sight upward
• D. Centre of the bubble outward

Explanation: A levelling staff is graduated from its bottom, and the staff reading increases upward from the point on which it stands.