1000+ Building Materials MCQ for GMAT [Solved]

1. Which of the following is the purest form of iron?
A. Cast iron
B. Wrought iron
C. Mild steel
D. High carbon steel
Answer : B

2. To retard the initial setting time of cement, the compound responsible, is
A. Tri-calcium silicate
B. Gypsum
C. Di-calcium silicate
D. Tri-calcium aluminate
Answer : B

3. Pig iron obtained from the furnace which is properly provided with fuel at a very high temperature, is called
A. Bessemer pig
B. Grey or foundry pig
C. White or forge pig
D. Mottled pig
Answer : B

4. Stones used for ornamental work must be
A. Soft
B. Hard
C. Light
D. Heavy
Answer : A

5. In stone masonry, stones (stratified rocks) are so placed that the direction of pressure to the plane of bedding is
A. Right angles
B. 45°
C. 60°
D. Parallel
Answer : A

6. Proper amount of entrained air in concrete results in (i) Better workability (ii) Better resistance to freezing and thawing (iii) Lesser workability (iv) Less resistance to freezing and thawing The correct answer is
A. (i) and (ii)
B. (i) and (iv)
C. (ii) and (iii)
D. (iii) and (iv)
Answer : A

7. Chemically, marble is known as
A. Metamorphic rock
B. Argillaceous rock
C. Calcareous rock
D. Siliceous rock
Answer : C

8. Pick up the correct statement from the following: Method of sawing timber
A. Tangentially to annual rings, is known as tangential method
B. In four quarters such that each board cuts annual rings at angles not less than 45°, is known as quarter sawing method
C. Cut out of quarter logs, parallel to the medullary rays and perpendicular to annual rings, is known as radial sawing
D. All the above
Answer : D

9. For testing compressive strength of cement, the size of cube used is
A. 50 mm
B. 70.6 mm
C. 100 mm
D. 150 mm
Answer : A

10. A good building stone should not absorb water more than
A. 5 %
B. 10 %
C. 15 %
D. 20 %
Answer : A

11. Pick up the volcanic rock from the following:
A. Granite
B. Dolerite
C. Basalt
D. All the above
Answer : C

12. Which of the following trees yields hard wood?
A. Deodar
B. Chir
C. Shishum
D. Pine
Answer : C

13. Laterite is a/an
A. Volcanic rock
B. Argillaceous rock
C. Calcareous rock
D. Siliceous rock
Answer : B

14. Pick up the correct statement from the following:
A. The percentage of absorption for firebricks varies from 5 to 10
B. The percentage of silica in silica bricks is to the extent of about 95 to 97 percent
C. Roughly 1 to 2 percent of lime in silica bricks is added to act as binding material
D. All the above
Answer : D

15. The normal curing period for lime mortar, is:
A. 1 day
B. 3 days
C. 7 days
D. 10 days
Answer : C

16. The rocks which are formed due to pouring of magma at the earth's surface are called
A. Plutonic rocks
B. Hypabyssal rocks
C. Volcanic rocks
D. Igneous rocks
Answer : C

17. To give a brilliant finish, the type of varnish used, is
A. Water varnish
B. Spirit varnish
C. Turpentine varnish
D. Oil varnish
Answer : B

18. The kiln which may work throughout the year, is
A. Clamp
B. Bull's kiln
C. Hoffman's kiln
D. None of these
Answer : C

19. French polish is
A. Oil paint
B. Distemper
C. Spirit varnish
D. None to these
Answer : C

20. Dorry's testing machine is used for
A. Crushing test of stone
B. Hardness test of stone
C. Impact test of stone
D. Water absorption test
Answer : B

21. Generally wooden moulds are made from
A. Ply wood
B. Shishum wood
C. Deodar wood
D. Teak wood
Answer : B

22. In paints, the pigment is responsible for
A. Durability
B. Colour
C. Smoothness
D. Glassy face
Answer : B

23. Lime putty
A. Is made from hydraulic lime
B. Is made by adding lime to water
C. Can be used only upto three days
D. All of above
Answer : D

24. The frog of the brick in a brick masonry is generally kept on
A. Bottom face
B. Top face
C. Shorter side
D. Longer side
Answer : B

25. The size of mould for bricks, is generally kept
A. A little large to specified size
B. A little small to specified size
C. Equal to specified size
D. 10% larger than specified size
Answer : A

26. The thermosetting plastic
A. Becomes rigid when moulded at suitable pressure and temperature
B. At 127°C to 177°C permanently set and further application of heat does not soften it
C. Chars at 343°C
D. All the above
Answer : D

27. Cement is said to be of good quality if
A. Its colour is not greenish grey
B. One feels cool by thrusting one's hand in the cement bag
C. A handful of cement thrown into a bucket of water does not float
D. None of these
Answer : D

28. Dolomite is a lime stone which contains carbonate of magnesia upto
A. 15 %
B. 20 %
C. 25 %
D. 45 %
Answer : D

29. Putty is
A. Made with finely powdered chalk and linseed oil
B. Used for fixing glass panes
C. Softened by a solution of pearl ash and quick-lime soaked in water
D. All the above
Answer : D

30. The material generally not used as extender in paints, is
A. Powdered silica
B. Gypsum
C. Talc
D. Zinc white
Answer : D

31. In brick masonry the bond produced by laying alternate headers and stretchers in each course is known as
A. English bond
B. Double Flemish bond
C. Zigzag bond
D. Single Flemish bond
Answer : B

32. Oil varnish generally consists of
A. Synthetic resin and spirit
B. Oil, wax and resin
C. Resin, oil and turpentine
D. Spirit, oil and wax
Answer : C

33. Pick up the correct statement from the following:
A. Rusting is caused due to combined action of air, moisture and carbon dioxide
B. During rusting, first ferrous bicarbonates are formed
C. On further oxidation ferrous bicarbonates get converted to ferric bicarbonates
D. All the above
Answer : D

34. Pick up the correct statement from the following:
A. Steel produced by open hearth process is milder than that obtained by the Bessemer process
B. Engineers prefer open hearth steel for structural purpose as it is more homogenous
C. Basic Bessemer process is suitable for converting poor ore containing a large proportion of sulphur and phosphorus into steel
D. All the above
Answer : D

35. Quick lime (or caustic lime)
A. Is obtained by the calcination of pure lime stone
B. Has great affinity to moisture
C. Is amorphous
D. All the above
Answer : D

36. Plywood is made from
A. Common timber
B. Bamboo fibre
C. Teak wood only
D. Asbestos sheets
Answer : C

37. Plywood has the advantage of
A. Greater tensile strength in longer direction
B. Greater tensile strength in shorter direction
C. Same tensile strength in all directions
D. None of the above
Answer : C

38. As per IS specifications, the maximum final setting time for ordinary Portland cement should be
A. 30 minutes
B. 1 hour
C. 6 hours
D. 10 hours
Answer : D

39. Assertion A : Pure lime takes a long time to develop adequate strength. Reason R : Pure lime has slow hardening characteristics. Select your answer according to the coding system given below:
A. Both A and R is true and R is correct explanation of A
B. Both A and R is true and R is not a correct explanation of A
C. A is true but R is false
D. A is false but R is true
Answer : A

40. Spalling hammer is used for
A. Driving wooden headed chisels
B. Rough dressing of stones
C. Carving of stones
D. Breaking small projection of stones
Answer : B

41. Pick up the correct statement from the following:
A. Bull's trench kiln a trench excavated in ground
B. Hoffman's kiln is constructed over ground
C. Tunnel Kiln is constructed as a tunnel
D. All the above
Answer : D

42. Soundness test of cement determines
A. Quality of free lime
B. Ultimate strength
C. Durability
D. Initial setting
Answer : A

43. The ultimate tensile strength of structural mild steel is about
A. 160 N/mm²
B. 260 N/mm²
C. 420 N/mm²
D. 520 N/mm²
Answer : C

44. Geologically, marble is known as
A. Sedimentary rock
B. Igneous rock
C. Metamorphic rock
D. Stratified rock
Answer : C

45. For testing compressive and tensile strength of cement, the cement mortar is made by mixing cement and standard sand in the proportions of
A. 1 : 2
B. 1 : 3
C. 1 : 4
D. 1 : 6
Answer : B

46. Ultimate strength to cement is provided by
A. Tri-calcium silicate
B. Di-calcium silicate
C. Tri-calcium aluminate
D. Tetra calcium alumino ferrite
Answer : B

47. The internal size of mould used in brick preparation is
A. Equal to the size of a fully burnt brick
B. Smaller than the size of a fully burnt brick
C. Greater than the size of a fully burnt brick
D. None of the above
Answer : C

48. The minimum compressive strength of 1st class bricks should be
A. 75 kg/cm²
B. 90 kg/cm²
C. 100 kg/cm²
D. 120 kg/cm²
Answer : C

49. According to IS 399-1963, the weight of the timber is specified at
A. 8% moisture content
B. 10% moisture content
C. 12% moisture content
D. 14% moisture content
Answer : C

50. Dry rot
A. Cracks the timber
B. Reduces the strength of timber
C. Reduces the timber to powder
D. Spoils the appearance of timber
Answer : C