Building Materials Questions

• Explosives in civil works — composition of traditional gunpowder The proportions by weight of charcoal, saltpetre (potassium nitrate), and sulphur in black gunpowder are, respectively:
• Paint technology — properties and uses of resins Which of the following statements about resins used in paints and varnishes is/are correct?
• Occupational health — long-term inhalation of fly ash Prolonged inhalation of fly ash dust can lead to which of the following respiratory conditions?
• Blast furnace practice — typical composition of slag The slag floating on molten iron in a blast furnace typically contains which constituents (approximate percentages by weight)?
• Whitewashing — type of lime commonly used on building surfaces Which type of lime is most commonly used for whitewashing walls and ceilings?
• Early plastics — notable contributors and materials Select the correct statement(s) regarding pioneers of plastics and their products.
• Concrete technology — effects of poor mixing A badly mixed cement concrete most commonly results in which of the following defects?
• Metallurgy (iron ores) — In which ore is at least 40% elemental iron typically available as a minimum?
• Cement for hydraulic structures — Which cement is preferred for canal linings to enhance durability and reduce permeability?
• Construction materials terminology — What is “shingle” in the context of aggregates?
• Building stones — A good-quality stone should absorb less than what percentage of water by weight?
• Brick earth composition — Select the correct set of desirable constituents and percentages for good brick earth.
• Mastic asphalt in buildings — Typical uses in building envelopes and protection layers
• Lime types — The lime that is mainly calcium oxide and vigorously slakes with water is called
• Field identification — Which observation most reliably indicates good quality cement during a quick site check?
• Timber sizes — A sawn piece whose cross section exceeds 5 cm in one direction and 20 cm in the other is termed as
• Binders — Which of the following is an air-binding (air-setting) material that hardens primarily in air rather than under water?
• Cement testing — water for Vicat initial setting time If P (%) is the water required to produce a paste of normal consistency, what proportion of P should be added when preparing the paste for determining the initial setting time of cement (Vicat apparatus, standard practice)?
• Metallurgy — identifying the Bessemer process output The Bessemer (converter) process refines molten pig iron by blowing air through it. Which product does this classic process primarily manufacture?
• Building stones — purpose of Smith’s test In traditional stone testing for civil engineering works, Smith’s test is performed mainly to determine which characteristic of a stone sample?