1. Toughness index of a good stone should be more than:
a) 17
b) 18
c) 13
d) 19
Discussion
Explanation: Toughness is the ability to resist impact forces. A good building stone should have high toughness index to resist vibrations from machinery, moving loads, etc.
2. What is sand composed of?
a) Silica
b) Silicon
c) Silicon oxide
d) Quartz
Discussion
Explanation: Sand is composed of small grains of silica (SiO2). It’s also called silicon dioxide.
3. Which of the following sand type is excellent for use in mortar and concrete work?
a) Sea sand
b) Clayey sand
c) Pit sand
d) River sand
Discussion
Explanation: Pit sand doesn’t contain any salts and has sharp, angular grains. These are the desired properties for a sand to be used for mortar and concrete.
4. At what depth should pit sand be excavated from?
a) 1 – 2 m from bed of water body
b) 1 – 2 m from ground surface
c) 1 – 2 cm from bed of water body
d) 1 – 2 cm from ground surface
Discussion
Explanation: Pit sand is found in Earth in deposits. It is obtained by forming pits in the soil. At a depth of 1 – 2 m from the ground surface, angular grained pit sand is obtained.
5. Which IS code gives the grading of sand?
a) IS 456
b) IS 383
c) IS 2368
d) IS 1542
Discussion
Explanation: IS code 383-1970 gives the classification of sand based on the grading. There are 4 grading zones. For each sieve size, there is a specific % of particle passing through that sieve, denoted in the respective zone.
6. What type of grains constitutes river sand?
a) Angular
b) Flaky
c) Irregular
d) Rounded
Discussion
Explanation: River sand is constituted of fine round grains. These are the result of mutual attrition under the effect of water current. It is naturally occurring, clean and mostly white in colour.
7. Sand is a fine grained component in soil.
a) True
b) False
Discussion
Explanation: Sand size lies in the range 4.75 mm to 75 microns. A fine grained component of a soil has a size less than 75 microns.
8. How many classifications are there for sand based on the grain size distribution?
a) 3
b) 2
c) 5
d) 4
Discussion
Explanation: There are three types of sands based on grain size distribution. They are fine (passes through 1.5875 mm sieve), coarse (passes through 3.175 mm sieve) and gravelly sand (passes through 7.62 mm sieve).
9. Fine sand is generally used for which of the following works?
a) Masonry
b) Concrete structures
c) Plastering
d) Grinding and polishing
Discussion
Explanation: Plastering is the act of applying a layer of plaster over a wall. It gives the wall a smooth and decorative appearance. Hence, for achieving the smoothness, fine grained sand is employed.
10. How is M-sand produced?
a) Crushing bricks
b) Quarrying
c) Reusing the debris of demolished building
d) Crushing granite stones
Discussion
Explanation: M-sand stands for Manufactured sand and contains cubical grains with grounded edges. These are the perfect replacement for sand to be used in construction works.