Master of Civil Engineering Flashcards
7 cards from real ME or MEng Master of 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 Master of Civil Engineering flashcards as text
In the context of environmental engineering, the term 'BOD5' refers to:
Answer: Biochemical oxygen demand measured over 5 days at 20°C
BOD5 is the standard measure of organic pollution—the amount of oxygen consumed by microorganisms decomposing organic matter in a sample over 5 days at 20°C.
A prestressed concrete beam is post-tensioned. The primary advantage of post-tensioning over pre-tensioning is:
Answer: Tendons can be curved to follow the moment diagram, reducing eccentricity losses
Post-tensioned tendons can be profiled (draped) to align with the bending moment diagram, optimizing prestress efficiency throughout the beam length.
The 'rational method' formula Q = CiA is used to estimate:
Answer: Peak stormwater runoff from small watersheds
The rational method estimates peak discharge Q where C is the runoff coefficient, i is rainfall intensity for the time of concentration, and A is watershed area.
According to ASTM standards, the Standard Proctor compaction test uses a hammer energy of approximately:
Answer: 12,375 ft-lbf/ft³
The Standard Proctor test (ASTM D698) applies approximately 12,375 ft-lbf/ft³ of compactive energy, while the Modified Proctor uses ~56,250 ft-lbf/ft³.
In steel connection design, a 'slip-critical' bolt connection is required when:
Answer: Slip would be detrimental to serviceability or the connection is subject to fatigue loading
Slip-critical connections are required where joint slip would affect alignment, serviceability, or structural integrity, and in connections subject to fatigue or load reversal.
The 'Unit Hydrograph' method in hydrology assumes that:
Answer: Direct runoff response is linearly proportional to excess rainfall depth
The unit hydrograph principle assumes a linear, time-invariant watershed response where excess rainfall of different depths produces proportionally scaled hydrographs.
In seismic design, the concept of 'ductility' in structural systems is important because:
Answer: It allows structures to absorb and dissipate seismic energy through inelastic deformation
Ductile systems can undergo significant inelastic deformation without collapse, dissipating earthquake energy and allowing use of reduced seismic design forces.