SCE Structural Engineering 2

Question 1

In steel design, the term 'compact section' means that the section can:

Accepted Answer

Develop full plastic moment capacity before local buckling

Answer

A compact section has width-to-thickness ratios small enough to allow full plastic hinge formation before local buckling occurs.

Question 2

For a fixed-fixed beam with a central point load P and span L, what is the fixed-end moment at each support?

Accepted Answer

PL/8

Answer

For a fixed-fixed beam with a central point load, the fixed-end moment at each support = PL/8 by standard fixed-end moment tables.

Question 3

Which of the following increases the critical buckling load of a column?

Accepted Answer

Reducing the effective length factor K

Answer

Euler's buckling load Pcr = π²EI/(KL)²; reducing K (by adding fixed end conditions) increases Pcr.

Question 4

In reinforced concrete, the purpose of stirrups (shear links) in a beam is to:

Accepted Answer

Resist diagonal tension (shear) and confine the concrete core

Answer

Stirrups resist diagonal tensile stresses caused by shear and also provide confinement to the concrete, improving ductility.

Question 5

The degree of static indeterminacy of a propped cantilever (fixed at one end, pinned at other, single span) is:

Accepted Answer

1

Answer

A propped cantilever has 4 reactions (3 at fixed end + 1 vertical at pin) but only 3 equilibrium equations, making it once statically indeterminate.

SCE Engineering Practice Test