All Free Civil Engineering MCQs with Answers

Every Civil Engineering question in the bank, across all chapters, each with the correct answer and a written explanation. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.

631 questions · page 30 of 32

  • A. The variation of pavement thickness along a route
  • B. The movement pattern between traffic zones
  • C. The cross slope of a road surface
  • D. The distribution of stresses beneath a wheel load

Explanation: A desire-line diagram represents the major origin and destination movements between traffic analysis zones.

Correct answer: The movement pattern between traffic zones
  • A. Final location survey
  • B. Preliminary survey
  • C. Reconnaissance survey
  • D. Construction staking survey

Explanation: A reconnaissance survey examines the terrain, obstacles, settlements and broad route possibilities.

Correct answer: Reconnaissance survey
  • A. Number of peak hours
  • B. Number of working days
  • C. Number of lane kilometres
  • D. Number of days in the year

Explanation: AADT represents the average traffic volume for a typical day over a full year.

Correct answer: Number of days in the year
  • A. 1,200 vehicles per hour
  • B. 900 vehicles per hour
  • C. 600 vehicles per hour
  • D. 3,600 vehicles per hour

Explanation: Flow is the reciprocal of time headway when expressed in consistent units.

Correct answer: 1,200 vehicles per hour
  • A. Permanent deformation of the subgrade
  • B. Loss of adhesion between bitumen and aggregate
  • C. Formation of transverse concrete cracks
  • D. Polishing of railway ballast particles

Explanation: Stripping is the separation of bitumen from aggregate, usually because water weakens the bond.

Correct answer: Loss of adhesion between bitumen and aggregate
  • A. Transfer wheel loads across a transverse joint
  • B. Permit free expansion at an expansion joint
  • C. Keep adjoining lanes from separating
  • D. Reduce the required concrete thickness

Explanation: Tie bars hold adjacent concrete slabs or lanes together and prevent the longitudinal joint from opening.

Correct answer: Keep adjoining lanes from separating
  • A. Rail cant
  • B. Formation width
  • C. Sleeper spacing
  • D. Track gauge

Explanation: Track gauge is the specified distance between the inner faces of the rails.

Correct answer: Track gauge
  • A. Aircraft parking, loading and servicing
  • B. Aircraft takeoff and landing
  • C. Controlling runway lighting systems
  • D. Storing excavated runway soil

Explanation: The apron is the paved area where aircraft park and receive services such as boarding, loading, refuelling and maintenance.

Correct answer: Aircraft parking, loading and servicing
  • A. Increase the stopping sight distance
  • B. Drain rainwater away from the pavement
  • C. Reduce the length of a vertical curve
  • D. Provide extra width on a horizontal curve

Explanation: Camber gives the pavement a cross slope that allows rainwater to flow toward the edges.

Correct answer: Drain rainwater away from the pavement
  • A. Insufficient shoulder width
  • B. Excessive road camber
  • C. Insufficient superelevation
  • D. Excessive vertical gradient

Explanation: Insufficient superelevation leaves too much of the lateral demand to be resisted by tyre friction, increasing the risk of outward…

Correct answer: Insufficient superelevation
  • A. Permissive phase
  • B. Coordination phase
  • C. Flashing phase
  • D. Protected phase

Explanation: A protected phase gives a movement an exclusive right of way while conflicting traffic is stopped.

Correct answer: Protected phase
  • A. Sources and destinations of individual trips
  • B. Number of vehicles using each pavement layer
  • C. Strength of soil beneath the roadway
  • D. Superelevation required on road curves

Explanation: An origin-destination survey records where trips begin and end, along with related travel information.

Correct answer: Sources and destinations of individual trips
  • A. Increased pavement drainage requirements
  • B. Vehicle off-tracking and driver psychology
  • C. Reduced strength of the road subgrade
  • D. Greater thickness of the surface dressing

Explanation: The rear wheels of a vehicle follow a shorter radius than the front wheels, causing off-tracking on curves.

Correct answer: Vehicle off-tracking and driver psychology
  • A. One-fourth of the jam density
  • B. Equal to the jam density
  • C. One-half of the jam density
  • D. Twice the jam density

Explanation: The Greenshields model assumes a linear relationship between speed and density.

Correct answer: One-half of the jam density
  • A. Arithmetic mean of vehicle speeds
  • B. Modal value of vehicle speeds
  • C. Geometric mean of vehicle speeds
  • D. Harmonic mean of vehicle speeds

Explanation: Space mean speed represents the average speed over a specified road length and is calculated as the harmonic mean of individual speeds.

Correct answer: Harmonic mean of vehicle speeds
  • A. Vehicles in the intersection to clear it
  • B. Pedestrians to begin crossing early
  • C. Additional vehicles to join the queue
  • D. The signal controller to change its cycle

Explanation: During the all-red interval, all approaches display red so vehicles already within the intersection can leave safely.

Correct answer: Vehicles in the intersection to clear it
  • A. Loss of aggregate particles from the surface
  • B. Upward movement of excess binder to the surface
  • C. Formation of transverse cracks from shrinkage
  • D. Depression caused by weak underlying soil

Explanation: Bleeding produces a shiny, smooth surface because excess bitumen rises to the pavement surface.

Correct answer: Upward movement of excess binder to the surface
  • A. Provide drainage through the pavement surface
  • B. Increase the width available to moving vehicles
  • C. Control cracking caused by concrete shrinkage
  • D. Prevent vehicles from crossing the centre line

Explanation: A contraction joint creates a planned weakened plane where shrinkage and temperature-related contraction can produce a controlled crack.

Correct answer: Control cracking caused by concrete shrinkage
  • A. Stop automatically at a station platform
  • B. Increase its speed on a straight track
  • C. Reduce vibration between rail and sleeper
  • D. Change from one track to another

Explanation: A turnout consists of track components that guide railway vehicles from one track onto another.

Correct answer: Change from one track to another
  • A. Runway threshold
  • B. Taxiway shoulder
  • C. Aircraft holding bay
  • D. Runway blast pad

Explanation: The runway threshold identifies the beginning of the landing surface available for aircraft operations.

Correct answer: Runway threshold