Multiple Choice Questions and Answers (MCQs) on Highway Engineering
01. Group index method of design of flexible pavement is
(A) A theoretical method
(B) An empirical method based on physical properties of sub-grade soil
(C) An empirical method based on strength characteristics of sub-grade soil
(D) A semi empirical method
Answer: Option B
02. Which of the following is considered to be the highest quality construction in the group of black top pavements?
(A) Mastic asphalt
(B) Sheet asphalt
(C) Bituminous carpet
(D) Bituminous concrete
Answer: Option D
03. Los Angeles testing machine is used to conduct
(A) Abrasion test
(B) Impact test
(C) Attrition test
(D) Crushing strength test
Answer: Option A
04. When the width of car parking space and width of street are limited, generally preferred parking system is
(A) Parallel parking
(B) 45° angle parking
(C) 65° angle parking
(D) 90° angle parking
Answer: Option A
05. When the bituminous surfacing is done on already existing black top road or over existing cement concrete road, the type of treatment given is
(A) Seal coat
(B) Tack coat
(C) Prime coat
(D) Spray of emulsion
Answer: Option B
06. In the penetration macadam construction, the bitumen is
(A) Sprayed after the aggregates are spread and compacted
(B) Premixed with aggregates and then spread
(C) Sprayed before the aggregates are spread and compacted
(D) None of the above
Answer: Option A
07. The drain which is provided parallel to roadway to intercept and divert the water from hill slopes is known as
(A) Sloping drain
(B) Catch-water drain
(C) Side drain
(D) Cross drain
Answer: Option B
08. The function of an expansion joint in rigid pavements is to
(A) Relieve warping stresses
(B) Relieve shrinkage stresses
(C) Resist stresses due to expansion
(D) Allow free expansion
Answer: Option D
09. Select the correct statement.
(A) More the value of group index, less thickness of pavement will be required
(B) More the value of CBR, greater thickness of pavement will be required
(C) Minimum and maximum values of group index can be 0 and 20 respectively
(D) All of the above
Answer: Option C
10. Penetration test on bitumen is used for determining its
(A) Grade
(B) Viscosity
(C) Ductility
(D) Temperature susceptibility
Answer: Option A
11. In soils having same values of plasticity index, if liquid limit is increased, then
(A) Compressibility and permeability decrease and dry strength increases
(B) Compressibility, permeability and dry strength decrease
(C) Compressibility, permeability and dry strength increase
(D) Compressibility and permeability increase and dry strength decreases
Answer: Option D
12. The maximum limit of water absorption for aggregate suitable for road construction is
(A) 0.4 %
(B) 0.6 %
(C) 0.8 %
(D) 1.0 %
Answer: Option B
13. The critical combination of stresses for corner region in cement concrete roads is
(A) Load stress + warping stress frictional stress
(B) Load stress + warping stress + frictional stress
(C) Load stress + warping stress
(D) Load stress + frictional stress
Answer: Option C
14. In highway construction, rolling starts from
(A) Sides and proceed to center
(B) Center and proceed to sides
(C) One side and proceed to other side
(D) Any of the above
Answer: Option A
15. The most economical lighting layout which is suitable for narrow roads is
(A) Single side lighting
(B) Staggered system
(C) Central lighting system
(D) None of the above
Answer: Option A
16. The ideal shape of a transition curve, is
(A) Clothoid
(B) Cubic spiral
(C) Cubic parabola
(D) Lamniscate
Answer: Option A
17. The full width of land acquired before finalising a highway, alignment is known
(A) Width of formation
(B) Right of way
(C) Carriage way
(D) Roadway
Answer: Option B
18. Tyre pressure influences the
(A) Total depth of pavement
(B) Quality of surface course
(C) Both the above
(D) None of the above
Answer: Option B
19. Any gradient on a road is said to be an exceptional gradient, if it is
(A) More than ruling gradient
(B) Less than average gradient
(C) More than floating gradient
(D) Less than minimum gradient or more than maximum gradient
Answer: Option D
20. During last phase of the reconnaissance, details of the grade line is recorded on 2 metre poles to indicate
(A) Direction of the proposed alignment
(B) Distance between the previous and forward pegs
(C) Relative elevations of pegs
(D) All the above
Answer: Option D
21. The most suitable equipment for compacting clayey soils is a
(A) Smooth wheeled roller
(B) Pneumatic tyred roller
(C) Sheep foot roller
(D) Vibrator
Answer: Option C
22. Pick up the correct statement from the following:
(A) Seasonal cycle of traffic volume during April and November, is usually near the annual average
(B) Mid-winter seasonal cycle of traffic is least
(C) Mid-summer seasonal cycle of traffic is highest
(D) All the above
Answer: Option D
23. Three points A, B and C 500 m apart on a straight road have 500 m, 505 m and 510 m as their reduced levels. The road is said to have
(A) No gradient between A and C
(B) A positive gradient between A and C
(C) A negative gradient between A and C
(D) A negative gradient between A and B
Answer: Option D
24. Select the correct statement.
(A) Quantity of binder required for tack coat is less than that required for prime coat
(B) Prime coat treatment is given for plugging the voids in water bound macadam during bituminous road construction
(C) Seal coat is the final coat over certain previous bituminous pavements
(D) A bitumen primer is a high viscosity cutback
Answer: Option D
25. The minimum design speed of various types of highways in plain terrain is the same as the ruling design speed of
(A) Rolling terrain
(B) Mountainous terrain
(C) Steep terrain
(D) None of these
Answer: Option A
26. Excessive camber on pavements may cause
(A) Deterioration of central portion
(B) Slip of the speedy vehicles towards the edges
(C) Erosion of the berms
(D) All the above
Answer: Option D
27. In hill roads the side drains arc provided
(A) Only on the hill side of road
(B) Only on the opposite side of hill
(C) On both sides of road
(D) None of the above
Answer: Option A
28. Selection of the routes, of highways depends upon
(A) Feasibility of attaining ruling gradient
(B) Avoidance of cutting hard rocks
(C) Minimum number of bridges
(D) All the above
Answer: Option D
29. Maximum number of vehicles that can pass a given point on a lane during one hour without creating unreasonable delay, is known as
(A) Traffic density of lane
(B) Basic capacity of lane
(C) Probable capacity of lane
(D) Practical capacity of lane
Answer: Option D
30. A traffic rotary is justified where
(A) Number of intersecting roads is between 4 and 7
(B) Space is limited and costly
(C) When traffic volume is less than 500 vehicles per hour
(D) When traffic volume is more than 5000 vehicles per hour
Answer: Option A
31. Pick up the correct statement from the following:
(A) Minimum desirable width of medians on rural highways is 5 metres
(B) Minimum width of medians should be 3 metres
(C) On long bridges and viaducts, the width of medians should be 1.5 m
(D) All the above
Answer: Option D
32. Pick up the correct statement from the following:
(A) The cross fall of the shoulder should be at least 0.5% steeper than camber
(B) On super-elevated sections, the shoulders should be provided a cross fall equal to camber
(C) Earthen roads in general are provided steepest cross-fall
(D) All the above
Answer: Option D
33. If aggregate impact value is 20 to 30 percent, then it is classified as
(A) Exceptionally strong
(B) Strong
(C) Satisfactory for road surfacing
(D) Unsuitable for road surfacing
Answer: Option C
34. Design of horizontal curves on highways, is based on
(A) Design speed of vehicles
(B) Permissible friction on the road surface
(C) Permissible centrifugal ratio
(D) All the above
Answer: Option D
35. Set-back distance is the distance between
(A) Road land boundary and building line
(B) Road land boundary and control line
(C) Building line and control line
(D) Road land boundary and control line
Answer: Option A
36. RC-2, MC-2 and SC-2 correspond to
(A) Same viscosity
(B) Viscosity in increasing order from RC-2 to SC-2
(C) Viscosity in decreasing order from RC-2 to SC-2
(D) None of the above
Answer: Option A
37. Speed regulations on roads is decided on the basis of
(A) 60 percentile cumulative frequency
(B) 75 percentile cumulative frequency
(C) 80 percentile cumulative frequency
(D) 85 percentile cumulative frequency
Answer: Option D
38. At intersection of roads, the traffic volume study is carried out to ascertain the number of vehicles
(A) Moving along straights
(B) Turning left
(C) Turning right
(D) All the above
Answer: Option D
39. Flexible pavement distribute the wheel load
(A) Directly to sub-grade
(B) Through structural action
(C) Through a set of layers to the sub-grade
(D) None of the above
Answer: Option C
40. The most commonly adopted method to provide super-elevation on roads, is by pivoting the road surface about
(A) Outer edge so that the inner edge is lowered
(B) Crown so that outer edge is raised and inner edge is lowered
(C) Inner edge so that outer edge is raised
(D) None of these
Answer: Option C
41. When load is applied on concrete pavement
(A) Away from edges, the maximum bending moment is negative
(B) Away from edges, the maximum bending moment cause compression
(C) On the edges, the maximum stress is parallel to the edge of the slab
(D) None of these
Answer: Option C
42. The fundamental factor in the selection of pavement type is
(A) Climatic condition
(B) Type and intensity of traffic
(C) Sub-grade soil and drainage conditions
(D) Availability of funds for the construction project
Answer: Option B
43. If the coefficient of friction on the road surface is 0.15 and a maximum super-elevation 1 in 15 is provided, the maximum speed of the vehicles on a curve of 100 metre radius, is
(A) 32.44 km/hour
(B) 42.44 kg/hour
(C) 52.44 km/hour
(D) 62.44 km/hour
Answer: Option C
44. Pick up the correct statement from the following:
(A) Various geometric design features and generally guided by ruling design speed
(B) The design speed for a given highway should preferably be uniform
(C) Abrupt change in the design speed should not be permitted
(D) All the above
Answer: Option D
45. For the construction of water bound macadam roads, the correct sequence of operations after spreading coarse aggregates is
(A) Dry rolling, wet rolling, application of screening and application of filler
(B) Dry rolling, application of filler, wet rolling and application of screening
(C) Dry rolling, application of screening, wet rolling and application of filler
(D) Dry rolling, application of screening, application of filler and wet rolling
Answer: Option C
46. In case of a multi-lane road, overtaking is generally permitted
(A) From right
(B) From left
(C) From both sides right and left
(D) Not at all
Answer: Option C
47. If degree of a road curve is defined by assuming the standard length of an arc as 30 metres, the radius of 1° curve is equal
(A) 1719 m
(B) 1146 m
(C) 1046 m
(D) 1619 m
Answer: Option A
48. The walls which are necessary on the hill side of roadway where earth has to be retained from slipping is known as
(A) Retaining wall
(B) Breast wall
(C) Parapet wall
(D) None of the above
Answer: Option B
49. If cross slope of a country is greater than 60%, the terrain is classified as
(A) Rolling
(B) Mountainous
(C) Steep
(D) Plain
Answer: Option C
50. The length of a transition curve, is governed by
(A) Rate of change of radial acceleration
(B) Rate of change of super-elevation
(C) Both (a) and (b)
(D) Neither (a) nor (b)
Answer: Option C