Building Engineering MCQ Flashcards
7 cards from real Building Engineering practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Building Engineering MCQ flashcards as text
What is the 'modulus of elasticity' (Young's modulus) for structural steel approximately equal to?
Answer: 29,000 ksi
The modulus of elasticity for structural steel is approximately 29,000 ksi (200 GPa), defining its stiffness in the elastic range.
What does 'LEED certification' evaluate in buildings?
Answer: Sustainability and environmental performance
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a green building rating system assessing sustainability across energy, water, materials, and indoor quality.
What is the purpose of a 'transfer beam' in building construction?
Answer: To carry loads from columns above that cannot continue to the foundation
Transfer beams redirect vertical loads from upper columns that are offset or discontinued, carrying them to other supporting elements below.
In acoustics, what unit is used to measure sound intensity level?
Answer: Decibel (dB)
Decibels (dB) express sound intensity on a logarithmic scale relative to a reference pressure of 20 μPa, the threshold of human hearing.
What is 'creep' in concrete structures?
Answer: Gradual long-term deformation under sustained load beyond elastic strain
Creep is the time-dependent increase in strain under constant sustained stress, causing prestressed members to lose force and deflections to increase over years.
Which system provides lateral stability against wind and seismic forces in a steel-framed building?
Answer: Moment-resisting frame or braced frame or shear wall
Lateral force-resisting systems—moment frames, braced frames, or shear walls—are designed specifically to resist horizontal loads from wind and earthquakes.
What does 'soil liquefaction' describe in geotechnical engineering?
Answer: Loss of soil strength when saturated cohesionless soil behaves like a liquid during seismic shaking
Liquefaction occurs when seismic vibrations cause pore water pressure in saturated sand to rise, temporarily eliminating effective stress and bearing capacity.