Category: Engineering Geology Objective Questions

Engineering Geology Interview Questions and Answers for freshers on “Causes of Folding – 02”.

1. Which rock is lifted up during the folding due to intrusions?
a) Overlying metamorphic rocks
b) Overlying igneous rocks
c) Overlying sedimentary rocks
d) Overlying petroleum rocks
Answer: c
Clarification: In magmatic intrusions, highly viscous magma may be forced up gradually and with considerable force so that sedimentary host rocks overlying are lifted up to provide the space for the rising magma.

2. The process of folding which is considered to be non-tectonic is ___________
a) Differential compression
b) Tangential compression
c) Intrusions
d) Tangential tension
Answer: a
Clarification: Folding due to differential compression is totally dependent on the load from above and are attributed to superficial causes. These are, therefore, non-tectonic folds.

3. What is the indirect cause for warping or folding?
a) Homogenous strata
b) Non-homogenous strata
c) Inclined strata
d) Curved strata
Answer: b
Clarification: If the strata in question is not homogenous, the bending may not be uniform in character and results in warping or folding of different types.

4. What is the reason for rock bursts?
a) Change in attitude of rocks
b) Shattering of rocks
c) Intense precipitation
d) Strained nature
Answer: d
Clarification: All the stresses that have acted on the rocks during their folding are generally absorbed by these rocks by undergoing strain. Enough stored energy is released as soon as the excavations are made and this leads to rock bursts.

5. What is affected when the layers of undesirable nature are encountered?
a) Project cost
b) Time schedule
c) Safety of the project
d) All the three are affected
Answer: d
Clarification: Same layers may be repeated along an alignment or one or more encountered layers are of undesirable nature, the project cost may be affected as also the time schedule and safety of the project.

6. Axial zones are the places of maximum concentration of stresses.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: Folding is the response of the rocks to the stresses induced during the process. These stresses are often strong enough to break or shatter the rocks, especially in the axial zones, which are the places of maximum concentration of these forces.

7. Shattering makes the rocks ___________
a) Non-porous
b) Impervious
c) Stronger
d) Pervious
Answer: d
Clarification: Shattering effect is of utmost importance because shattered rocks become: weak in strength parameters of all types; porous and pervious in character.

8. The axial regions have to be avoided and there is no alternative method to utilize the place.
a) False
b) True
Answer: a
Clarification: Axial regions should be thoroughly studied and avoided if possible. If it is not possible to avoid them, these areas must be subjected to suitable processes of rock treatment for developing in them desired qualities of strength and imperviousness.

9. The process of folding which mainly causes uparching is ___________
a) Folding due to differential compression
b) Folding due to tangential shearing
c) Folding due to intrusions
d) Folding due to differential tension
Answer: c
Clarification: Intrusion of magma or even rock salt bodies from beneath has been found to be the cause of uparching of the overlying strata.

10. What is the cause of downward bending?
a) Differential compression
b) Differential shearing
c) Intrusions
d) Flowage folding
Answer: a
Clarification: Strata that are being compacted under load in a basin of sedimentation develop, with the passage of time, downward bending especially in the zones of maximum loading.

11. Which rock might undergo flowage folding?
a) Siltstone
b) Sandstone
c) Gypsum
d) Limestone
Answer: c
Clarification: Flowage folding is the principal process of folding in incompetent or weaker, plastic type of rocks such as clays, shales, gypsum and rock salt etc.

12. At what angle is the primary lateral compressive force said to act in tangential compression?
a) 60° to the trend of the folds
b) 90° to the trend of the folds
c) 30° to the trend of the folds
d) 45° to the trend of the folds
Answer: b
Clarification: In general, the primary lateral compressive force is believed to act at right angles to the trend of the folds.

Engineering Geology Multiple Choice Questions on ” Physical Properties – 01″.

1. Which of the following is not true about a mineral?
a) Naturally occurring
b) Inorganic substance
c) Organic substance
d) Definite chemical composition
Answer: c
Clarification: A mineral, is defined as, a naturally occurring inorganic solid substance that is characterized with a definite chemical composition and very often with a definite atomic structure.

2. Mineralogy deals with?
a) Individual properties of minerals
b) Formation of minerals
c) More of occurrence
d) Properties, formation and occurrence
Answer: d
Clarification: Mineralogy is the branch of geology dealing with the wide range of aspects related to minerals like their individual properties, mode of occurrence and mode of formation.

3. A colour is produced due to ___________
a) Reflection
b) Refraction
c) Absorption
d) Reflection and absorption
Answer: d
Clarification: A particular colour is produced by reflection of some and absorption of other components of white light.

4. Colour of a mineral depends upon its?
a) Atomic structure
b) Outer surface
c) Composition
d) Atomic structure and composition
Answer: d
Clarification: A mineral shows colour of that wavelength of the white light which is not absorbed by it by virtue of its composition and atomic structure.

5. Metallic minerals belong to which category with respect to colour?
a) Idiochromatic
b) Pseudochromatic
c) Allochromatic
d) Iridescence
Answer: a
Clarification: Idiochromatic having a characteristic, fairly constant colour related primarily to the composition of mineral. Metallic minerals belong to this category.

6. The type of mineral showing variable colour is?
a) Idiochromatic
b) Allochromatic
c) Iridescence
d) Pseudochromatic
Answer: b
Clarification: Allochromatic minerals have a variable colour; the variety in colour is generally due to minute quantities of colouring impurities thoroughly dispersed in the mineral composition.

7. The type of mineral which shows a set of colours in succession is?
a) Idiochromatic
b) Pseudochromatic
c) Allochromatic
d) Iridescence
Answer: b
Clarification: Pseudochromatic minerals show false colour. Such an effect generally happens when a mineral is rotated in hand; it is then seen to show a set colours in succession.

8. Allochromatic minerals may show more than two colours.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: Many non-metallic minerals like quartz, calcite, fluorine, tourmaline etc. may occur in more than two colours depending on the nature of impurities.

9. Pseudochromatism occurs due to ___________
a) Reflection
b) Transmittance
c) Refraction
d) Simultaneous reflection and refraction
Answer: d
Clarification: Psuodochromatism is attributed to simultaneous reflection and refraction from the mineral surface due to minute inclusions of impurities in the mineral at different locations.

10. The phenomenon due to which a mineral shows rainbow colours is?
a) Idiochromatism
b) Allochromatism
c) Iridescence
d) Pseudochromatism
Answer: c
Clarification: Some minerals may show rainbow colours either in their interior or on the exterior surface. This is called iridescence.

11. Play of colours is not desirable.
a) True
b) False
Answer: b
Clarification: Due to play of colours, the colours change in rapid succession on rotation and their effect is quite brilliant and appealing to the eye.

Engineering Geology Multiple Choice Questions on “Sedimentary Rocks and Their Mode of Formation”.

1. Which rock is also called secondary rock?
a) Igneous rock
b) Sedimentary rock
c) Metamorphic rock
d) No class of rock is termed so
Answer: b
Clarification: Sedimentary rocks are also called secondary rocks. This group includes a wide variety of rocks formed by accumulation, compaction and consolidation of sediments.

2. Which is the rock present in the majority on the surface of earth?
a) Igneous rock
b) Sedimentary rock
c) Metamorphic rock
d) No class of rock in particular
Answer: b
Clarification: Sedimentary rocks are known to cover as much as 75 percent of the surface of the earth the rest being covered by the igneous rocks and the metamorphic rocks.

3. What are the mechanically formed sedimentary rocks also called?
a) Clastic rocks
b) Non-clastic rocks
c) Elite rocks
d) Mech rocks
Answer: a
Clarification: Sedimentary rocks are broadly grouped into three classes on the basis of their mode of formation: Mechanically formed or Clastic rocks: Organically formed rocks and chemically rocks which are called as Non-clastic rocks.

4. Detrital rocks refer to which type of sedimentary rocks?
a) Mechanically formed
b) Organically formed
c) Chemically formed
d) Residual
Answer: a
Clarification: During the formation of the sedimentary rocks by a mechanical method, original hard and coherent rock bodies are gradually broken down into smaller fragments. This disintegrated, loosened material is called detritus. Hence, clastic rocks are often also called as detrital rocks.

5. The important phenomenon that happens during deposition is ________________
a) Settling
b) Erosion
c) Sorting
d) Blowing
Answer: c
Clarification: The most important phenomenon that happens to the sediments during their transport and deposition is sorting or grading according to their size, shape and density.

6. Deposition takes place in which conditions?
a) Ordinary pressure and temperature
b) High temperature and low pressure
c) High pressure and low temperature
d) High pressure and high temperature
Answer: a
Clarification: The sorting or grading occurs during the deposition stage of the formation of sedimentary rocks and the deposition happens in layers in most cases. Deposition generally takes place under ordinary pressure and temperature conditions.

7. The process not associated with diagenesis is ____________
a) Sediments get gradually converted to cohesive material
b) Sediments get gradually converted to hard material
c) Decaying occurs basically
d) Might occur due to pressure or cementing material
Answer: c
Clarification: The process of transformation of loose sediments deposited in the settlement basins to solid cohesive rock masses either under pressure or because of cementation is collectively known as diagenesis.

8. The process which involves pressure exerted by the load is ____________
a) Loading
b) Welding
c) Cementation
d) Unloading
Answer: b
Clarification: Welding is the process of compaction of the sediments accumulated in lower layers of a basin due to the pressure exerted by the load of the overlying sediments.

9. The process other than welding which is studied under diagenesis is ____________
a) Co-welding
b) Cementation
c) Pressurising
d) Unloading
Answer: b
Clarification: Diagenesis is achieved by two methods. They are welding and cementation. Cementation is the process by which loose grains or sediments in a settlement basin get held together by a binding material.

10. Rock salt may be formed by ____________
a) Erosion
b) Winds
c) Continued evaporation
d) Continued precipitation
Answer: c
Clarification: Limestone may be formed by precipitation from carbonated water due to loss of carbon dioxide. Rock salt may be formed from sodium-chloride rich seawater merely by the process of continued evaporation.

11. Example of chemically formed sedimentary rocks is ____________
a) Gypsum
b) Sandstone
c) Shale
d) Breccia
Answer: a
Clarification: Chemically formed rocks are of two types: precipitates and evaporites. Examples are limestones, rock salt, gypsum and anhydrite.

12. Pick the organically formed sedimentary rock.
a) Shale
b) Sandstone
c) Breccia
d) Limestone
Answer: d
Clarification: Limestones are the best examples of organically formed sedimentary rocks. Generally, the evidence of the source material gets obliterated from these rocks with the passage of time.

13. How is the degree of packing in welding related to load of overlying sediments?
a) Directly related
b) Inversely related
c) Not related at all
d) Totally independent
Answer: a
Clarification: Welding initially involves squeezing out of all or most of the water from in between the sediments, thus bringing them closer and closer and hence resulting in compaction. In fact the degree of packing of sediments in a sedimentary rock is directly proportional to the load of the overlying sediments.

14. Animal and vegetable life don’t contribute to the formation of sedimentary rocks.
a) True
b) False
Answer: b
Clarification: Animal and vegetable life, including microorganisms also contribute a fairly large supply of organic residues, which on gradual accumulation after the death of the source get compacted and turn into hard massive bodies of sedimentary rocks.

Engineering Geology Multiple Choice Questions on “Water Bearing Qualities of Rocks”.

1. The rock mass which is capable of yielding the contained water economically __________
a) Aquifer
b) Aquiclude
c) Aquifuge
d) Aquitard
Answer: a
Clarification: Aquifer is defined as a rock mass, layer or formation which is saturated with groundwater and which virtue of its properties is capable of yielding the contained water at economical costs when tapped.

2. Which among the following is not an example of the good aquifer?
a) Granite
b) Gravels
c) Limestones
d) Sandstones
Answer: a
Clarification: Gravels, limestones and sandstones generally form good aquifers when occurring in suitable geological conditions and geographic situations.

3. The formation which may be porous enough to hold enough quantity of water is __________
a) Aquifer
b) Aquiclude
c) Aquifuge
d) Aquitard
Answer: b
Clarification: A rock body or formation which may be porous enough to hold enough quantity of water which by virtue of its other properties does not allow an easy and quick flow through it, is called an aquiclude.

4. Example for best aquiclude is __________
a) Granites
b) Gravels
c) Compacted clay
d) Sandstone
Answer: c
Clarification: Aquiclude is to be treated as a practically impermeable rock mass. Compacted clay formation are the best example of aquicludes.

5. Which rock formation is absolutely impermeable?
a) Aquifer
b) Aquiclude
c) Aquifuge
d) Aquitard
Answer: c
Clarification: Aquifuge is an absolutely impermeable rock formation through which there is no possibility of storage or movement of water.

6. Granite and quartzite are examples of __________
a) Aquifer
b) Aquiclude
c) Aquifuge
d) Aquitard
Answer: c
Clarification: Aquifuge is almost free from pores and other interstices. Examples are compact interlocking granites and quartzites.

7. Which is the rock mass where partial perviousness is caused because of profuse jointing or cracks?
a) Aquifer
b) Aquiclude
c) Aquifuge
d) Aquitard
Answer: d
Clarification: Aquitard is a less common term used sometimes for an aquifuge or aquiclude that has become locally leaky due to the development of partial perviousness caused because of profuse jointing or cracks.

8. All rocks are suitable for holding groundwater.
a) True
b) False
Answer: b
Clarification: All rocks are neither capable nor suitable for holding and transmitting groundwater. The terms like aquifer, aquiclude, aquifuge need to be understood well for studying the concept of groundwater.

Engineering Geology Multiple Choice Questions on “Reservoirs and Their Types”.

1. Artificially created water storage basins with storage capacity that may range from a few thousand cubic meters to thousands of millions cubic meters are called __________
a) Lakes
b) Ponds
c) Pools
d) Reservoirs
Answer: d
Clarification: Reservoirs may broadly be defined as artificially created water storage basins with storage capacity that may range from a few thousand cubic meters to thousands of millions cubic meters.

2. Depending on the purpose of storage, reservoirs are classified into how many types?
a) 2
b) 4
c) 3
d) 5
Answer: c
Clarification: Depending on the purpose of storage, reservoirs are classified into three main categories: Storage and conservation reservoirs; Flood control reservoirs; Distribution reservoirs.

3. Which reservoirs are used to feed the canal systems for irrigation and power generation?
a) Storage and conservation reservoirs
b) Flood control reservoirs
c) Distribution reservoirs
d) Drought control reservoirs
Answer: a
Clarification: Storage and conservation reservoirs, are the ones where river water is stored by creating barriers or dams in its path and is then released from gated or ungated outlets. These feed the canal systems for irrigation and power generation.

4. The reservoirs for small storage and short period of time are __________
a) Storage and conservation reservoirs
b) Flood control reservoirs
c) Distribution reservoirs
d) Drought control reservoirs
Answer: c
Clarification: Distribution reservoirs are actually small storage reservoirs that hold water supplies in a water supply system for short spells of time.

5. Reservoirs involving large sluice gates are __________
a) Storage and conservation reservoirs
b) Flood control reservoirs
c) Distribution reservoirs
d) Drought control reservoirs
Answer: b
Clarification: Flood control reservoirs are provided with large sluice ways to discharge the inflow received by the reservoir during a flood up to a volume that could be safely accommodated in the channel downstream.

6. The level up to which the reservoir shall be full of water is called __________
a) High level
b) Maximum level
c) Pool level
d) Surface level
Answer: c
Clarification: Pool level, indicated the designed level up to which the reservoir shall be ‘full of water’ at a particular point of time. There is, thus, the maximum pool level, the minimum pool level and the normal pool level.

7. The measure of the volume of water that can be drawn from a given reservoir in a certain interval of time is called __________
a) Surface yield
b) Drawable yield
c) Reservoir yield
d) Pool yield
Answer: c
Clarification: Reservoir yield is a measure for the volume of water that can be drawn from a given reservoir in a certain interval of time and is also expressed in terms of safe or guarantee yield, secondary yield and design yield etc.

8. Volume of water in cubic meters available between minimum pool level and normal pool level is __________
a) Useful storage
b) Dead storage
c) Surcharge storage
d) Specific storage
Answer: a
Clarification: Useful storage is defined as, volume of water in cubic meters available between minimum pool level and normal pool level.

9. What is the volume of water which is available between maximum reservoir level and normal pool level called?
a) Useful storage
b) Dead storage
c) Surcharge storage
d) Specific storage
Answer: c
Clarification: Surcharge storage is defined as, the volume of water which is available between the maximum reservoir level and normal pool level.

10. Some amount of water can be stored beyond the maximum pool level.
a) True
b) False
Answer: b
Clarification: No water can be stored beyond the maximum pool level and no water shall be available when the storage is below the minimum pool level.