Building Materials Questions

• Adhesives in construction: Dextrin is best classified as which type of glue or adhesive?
• Lime mortars: Why is pozzolana (surkhi) blended with lime in traditional construction?
• Cements: Quick-setting cement is produced by adding which of the following to the clinker or mix?
• Surveying instruments: The material used for precision leveling staffs to minimize thermal expansion errors is
• Timber durability: Which timber species offers the highest natural resistance against white ants (termites)?
• Aggregates for concrete: Bulking of sand occurs primarily due to which factor?
• Paint materials — commonly used drying oil In building and protective coatings, which of the following is the most commonly used drying oil for preparing traditional oil paints (serving as the vehicle/binder that hardens by oxidation)?
• Polymer composites and resins — roles of catalysts and fillers Which of the following statements about resin systems and fillers in building materials is correct?
• Stone geology — definition of natural bed and occurrence in rock types Which statement(s) correctly describe the “natural bed” of a stone and its relation to different rock classes?
• Petrology basics — rocks formed from magma at the Earth’s surface Rocks that are formed when magma erupts and cools at or very near the Earth’s surface are called:
• Cement chemistry — composition linked to rapid-hardening cement Rapid hardening cement is characterised primarily by a higher content of which clinker compound?
• Cast irons — improving toughness by annealing with hematite When cast iron is heated to red heat in contact with powdered red hematite to increase toughness, it is converted into:
• Cement soundness — oxides that cause deleterious expansion Cement may become unsound due to the presence of excessive amounts of which constituents?
• Rock classification by dominant composition If a rock is dominated by calcium carbonate (CaCO3), how is it classified?
• Varnishes in building works — identifying the most durable type Among common varnish types used for wood and metal finishes, which is generally considered the most durable for exterior service?
• Paint formulation — role of a volatile component for ease of application In architectural/industrial paints, the volatile component added primarily to make application smooth and to adjust viscosity is called:
• In building materials terminology, “Jhumb” (also spelled Jhama/Jhama) bricks refer to bricks that have been excessively fired during the kiln process. These over-burnt units become dark, vitrified, and distorted; they are often crushed and used as aggregate rather than for face masonry. Such Jhumb bricks are:
• Quantity estimation for brickwork: For 1 cubic metre (1 m³) of standard brick masonry with typical mortar joints, approximately how many standard burnt clay bricks are required on site?
• Dendrochronology basics for timber: The most reliable way to ascertain the age of a tree (and hence the age of the timber source) is to count the visible growth markers known as:
• Steelmaking routes and product control: A comparatively “softer” variety of steel, with better control over composition and quality than early air-blown methods, is most characteristically obtained through which classical process?