Earthquake Engineering (Practice Test MCQs)

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1. Earthquake engineering primarily deals with:
(A) Wind load analysis
(B) Seismic design and structural response to earthquakes
(C) Soil fertility
(D) Traffic analysis

2. The point inside the Earth where an earthquake originates is called:
(A) Epicenter
(B) Hypocenter (Focus)
(C) Seismic zone
(D) Fault line

3. The point on the Earth’s surface directly above the earthquake focus is called:
(A) Hypocenter
(B) Epicenter
(C) Fault center
(D) Seismic node

4. Which scale measures the magnitude of an earthquake?
(A) Beaufort scale
(B) Richter scale
(C) Mercalli intensity scale
(D) Mohs scale

5. The Modified Mercalli scale measures:
(A) Seismic energy
(B) Earthquake intensity based on observed effects
(C) Soil settlement
(D) Tsunami height

6. Which type of seismic wave travels the fastest?
(A) P-waves
(B) S-waves
(C) Surface waves
(D) Love waves

7. S-waves cannot travel through:
(A) Liquids
(B) Solids
(C) Rocks
(D) Crust

8. The term “liquefaction” in earthquake engineering refers to:
(A) Solidification of soil
(B) Sudden loss of soil strength due to pore water pressure increase
(C) Water evaporation in soil
(D) Cement hydration process

9. The zone where two tectonic plates meet is called:
(A) Rift
(B) Fault
(C) Basin
(D) Valley

10. The Indian subcontinent lies in which seismic belt?
(A) Mid-Atlantic belt
(B) Alpine-Himalayan belt
(C) Pacific belt
(D) Mediterranean belt

11. The main cause of earthquakes is:
(A) Heavy rainfall
(B) Volcanic eruptions
(C) Sudden release of energy in Earth’s crust due to tectonic movement
(D) Solar activity

12. The ductility of a structure helps in:
(A) Reducing dead load
(B) Resisting earthquake forces by allowing plastic deformation
(C) Increasing foundation depth
(D) Preventing settlement

13. Base isolation in earthquake engineering is used to:
(A) Increase the stiffness of the building
(B) Reduce transmission of ground motion to the structure
(C) Strengthen the foundation soil
(D) Lower the building height

14. The fundamental natural period of a building depends on:
(A) Material only
(B) Mass and stiffness of the structure
(C) Number of windows
(D) Type of paint used

15. In earthquake-resistant design, the factor of importance depends on:
(A) Occupancy and use of the building
(B) Color of the building
(C) Type of soil
(D) Roofing material

16. The zone factor (Z) in seismic design codes represents:
(A) Building height
(B) Seismic hazard level of the region
(C) Material grade
(D) Foundation depth

17. Which IS code provides guidelines for earthquake-resistant design in India?
(A) IS 456
(B) IS 875
(C) IS 1893
(D) IS 3370

18. The response reduction factor (R) accounts for:
(A) Wind load
(B) Ductility and energy-dissipating capacity of the structure
(C) Dead load
(D) Foundation type

19. What is the main objective of seismic zoning?
(A) Beautification of cities
(B) Estimation of potential earthquake intensity in a region
(C) Determining soil fertility
(D) Classifying building materials

20. Soft storey buildings are more vulnerable to:
(A) Wind loads
(B) Earthquake damage due to uneven stiffness distribution
(C) Snow loads
(D) Fire hazards only

21. The concept of resonance in earthquake engineering means:
(A) Zero vibration
(B) Amplification of vibrations when natural frequency matches earthquake frequency
(C) Complete damping
(D) Sudden ground settlement

22. Shear walls in buildings help to:
(A) Increase ventilation
(B) Resist lateral earthquake loads
(C) Reduce dead load
(D) Provide thermal insulation

23. Which foundation type performs better in seismic zones?
(A) Floating foundation
(B) Raft or mat foundation
(C) Stone masonry foundation
(D) Isolated footing without tie beams

24. Earthquake-resistant masonry structures should have:
(A) Large openings without lintels
(B) Properly reinforced bands and small openings
(C) Weak mortar joints
(D) Heavy overhangs

25. The main aim of seismic retrofitting is to:
(A) Demolish old structures
(B) Strengthen existing structures to resist future earthquakes
(C) Reduce construction cost
(D) Change building design to aesthetic forms

26. In the context of earthquake engineering, PGA stands for:
(A) Peak Ground Acceleration
(B) Primary Ground Activity
(C) Principal Geological Area
(D) Permanent Ground Adjustment

27. Which structural system is most suitable in high seismic zones?
(A) Unreinforced masonry
(B) Steel moment-resisting frames
(C) Random rubble masonry
(D) Heavy concrete block walls without reinforcement

28. Damping in structures helps to:
(A) Increase resonance
(B) Reduce vibration amplitude
(C) Increase dead load
(D) Reduce building height

29. Torsional irregularity in buildings occurs when:
(A) Building has symmetric mass and stiffness
(B) Center of mass does not coincide with the center of stiffness
(C) Roof load is negligible
(D) Shear walls are provided symmetrically

30. Which type of soil amplifies earthquake motion more?
(A) Rock
(B) Dense gravel
(C) Loose saturated sand
(D) Hard clay

31. In earthquake design, importance factor for hospitals is:
(A) Low
(B) Same as residential
(C) Higher than ordinary buildings
(D) Not considered

32. Pushover analysis is used to:
(A) Estimate live load
(B) Evaluate the nonlinear behavior of structures under seismic loads
(C) Check thermal stresses
(D) Design foundations only

33. Seismic isolation bearings are placed:
(A) At the roof
(B) Between foundation and superstructure
(C) Within columns
(D) In the soil below the foundation

34. Which of the following materials provides good earthquake resistance due to high ductility?
(A) Brick masonry
(B) Stone masonry
(C) Reinforced concrete
(D) Mild steel

35. Earthquake load is considered as:
(A) Static load
(B) Dynamic load
(C) Dead load
(D) Thermal load

36. The main purpose of tie beams in earthquake-resistant construction is:
(A) Reduce cost
(B) Distribute lateral forces and prevent differential movement
(C) Increase room height
(D) Reduce thermal expansion

37. In seismic design, overstrength factor accounts for:
(A) Dead load only
(B) Additional strength available beyond the design level
(C) Reduction in ductility
(D) Soil settlement

38. What is the typical return period considered for design-level earthquakes in building codes?
(A) 10 years
(B) 50 years
(C) 100 years
(D) 475 years

39. Horizontal diaphragms in buildings act to:
(A) Transmit vertical loads
(B) Transfer lateral seismic forces to vertical resisting elements
(C) Reduce dead load
(D) Prevent shrinkage cracks

40. Which analysis method is commonly used for preliminary earthquake design?
(A) Nonlinear time history analysis
(B) Response spectrum analysis
(C) Experimental shaking table test
(D) Modal damping analysis

41. Seismic gap theory refers to:
(A) Gap between two floors
(B) Segment of fault that has not experienced significant earthquakes for a long time
(C) Expansion joint in buildings
(D) Difference in soil levels

42. Which type of bracing is most effective for earthquake resistance?
(A) Horizontal bracing
(B) X-bracing (Diagonal)
(C) Vertical bracing only
(D) No bracing

43. Seismic weight of a structure includes:
(A) Only live load
(B) Dead load and applicable portions of live load
(C) Wind load
(D) Thermal load

44. The term “seismic microzonation” means:
(A) Large-scale zoning
(B) Detailed classification of small regions based on seismic hazard
(C) Reducing building size
(D) Soil improvement technique

45. Which of the following is a secondary effect of earthquakes?
(A) Ground shaking
(B) Tsunamis
(C) Fault rupture
(D) Seismic waves

46. Critical damping ratio for most buildings is around:
(A) 1%
(B) 2–5%
(C) 10–15%
(D) 20–25%

47. The main purpose of cross walls in seismic design is:
(A) Improve aesthetics
(B) Provide lateral stiffness and strength
(C) Reduce cost
(D) Increase floor height

48. Which country is known for the most advanced earthquake-resistant design practices?
(A) USA
(B) Japan
(C) India
(D) Brazil

49. Vertical seismic forces are considered critical for:
(A) Pavement design
(B) Long-span bridges and cantilever structures
(C) Small residential buildings
(D) Underground pipes only

50. The best shape of a building for earthquake resistance is:
(A) L-shaped
(B) T-shaped
(C) Rectangular and symmetric
(D) Irregular polygon

Earthquake Engineering (Practice Test MCQs)

1. Basic/Foundation Subjects

2. Core Civil Engineering Subjects

3. Advanced/Applied Subjects

4. Management and Planning

5. Environmental & Sustainable Development