Category: Engineering Geology Objective Questions

Engineering Geology Questions and Answers for Freshers on “Classification of Folds – 02”.

1. Pick the wrong statement about recumbent fold.
a) It has the arch, which is zone of curvature
b) It has the shell, which is the inner zone, made up of mostly igneous rocks
c) It has the shell, which is the outer zone, made up of mostly sedimentary rocks
d) It has the core, which is the innermost zone, maybe made up of igneous rocks and metamorphic rocks
Answer: b
Clarification: The shell part of a recumbent, which is the outer zone, is mostly made up of sedimentary rocks. Hence the second statement is wrong regarding it.

2. The type of fold which is actually a group of folds is ____________
a) Symmetrical folds
b) Asymmetrical folds
c) Isoclinal folds
d) Recumbent folds
Answer: c
Clarification: Isoclinal folds are group of folds in which all the axial planes are essentially parallel, meaning that all the component limbs are at equal amounts.

3. There are three types of folds classified on the basis of relative curvature of the outer and the inner arcs of a fold.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: Ramsay divides all types of folds into three main classes on the basis of relative curvature of the outer and the inner arcs of a fold. They are Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 folds.

4. In which class of folds, the Isogans converge inwards?
a) Class 1
b) Class 2
c) Class 3
d) Class 4
Answer: a
Clarification: Determination of dips may be made and then lines of equal dips are drawn. These are called Isogans. In Class 1 folds, the Isogans converge inwards.

5. Identify the class to which the fold below belongs to ___________

a) Class 1
b) Class 2
c) Class 3
d) Class 4
Answer: b
Clarification: In class 2 folds, the isogans would run parallel to each other and hence the fold shown in the figure belongs class 2.

6. Which is the type of fold with a similar degree of folding for indefinite depths?
a) Concentric fold
b) Similar fold
c) Conjugate fold
d) Uniform fold
Answer: b
Clarification: Similar folds are the folds in which the degree of folding is observed to be similar for indefinite depths.

7. A fold can have differences in thickness due to erosional and depositional processes.
a) False
b) True
Answer: b
Clarification: Supratenuous folds show differences in thickness at the crestal and the trough regions, not induced by folding process but essentially due to erosional and depositional processes operating in the folded regions.

8. Gentle folds have fold angle between ___________
a) 10° to 90°
b) 90° to 170°
c) 170° to 180°
d) They don’t belong to this type
Answer: c
Clarification: For the classification of folds on the basis of fold angle, a fold is said to be gentle fold if the fold angle is between 170° to 180°.

9. Which is the class of fold with the degree of curvature greater on the outer arc compared to the inner arc?
a) Class 1
b) Class 2
c) Class 3
d) Class 4
Answer: c
Clarification: Class 3 folds are just the reverse of class 1 folds; in these folds, the degree of curvature as measured on the outer arc is greater than that of the inner arc.

10. The fold which is associated with the formation of mountains is ___________
a) Geanticline
b) Geosyncline
c) Homocline
d) Basin
Answer: b
Clarification: Great importance is attached to the major depressions, the geosynclines, in the process of mountain building.

11. The anticlines signifying larger bending are called ___________
a) Geranticlines
b) Geosynclines
c) Geanticlines
d) Geoantinclines
Answer: c
Clarification: The anticlines which signify larger bending and uplifting of strata on sub-continental scales are expressed by the term Geanticlines.

12. The folds caused due to the drag effect are ___________
a) Monocline
b) Homocline
c) Basins
d) Drag folds
Answer: d
Clarification: Drag folds derive their name from the cause of origin; they develop due to the drag effect suffered by the soft and ductile type material of the incompetent rock.

Engineering Geology for Freshers,

Engineering Geology Multiple Choice Questions on “Classification of Joints – 01”.

1. The classification which is not considered under study is ___________
a) Spatial relationship
b) Number of joints
c) Geometry
d) Genesis
Answer: b
Clarification: Joints have been classified on the basis of spatial relationships, geometry and genesis.

2. The type of joint which can be measured and mapped easily is ___________
a) Systematic joints
b) Non-systematic joints
c) Irregular joints
d) Homogenous joints
Answer: a
Clarification: Systematic joints show a distinct regularity in their occurrence which can be measured and mapped easily.

3. Example of systematic joints are ___________
a) Columnar joints
b) Mural joints
c) Sheet joints
d) Columnar and mural joints
Answer: d
Clarification: Systematic joints occur in parallel or sub-parallel joint sets that are represented in the rocks at regular intervals. The columnar joints and the mural joints are examples of regular or systematic jointing.

4. How many groups are classified based on the presence of regularities?
a) 2
b) 3
c) 5
d) 4
Answer: a
Clarification: All joints are divided into two main groups on the basis of presence or otherwise of some regularity in their occurrence.

5. Which type of rocks are classified based on geometry?
a) Pseudo-stratified
b) Stratified
c) Non-stratified
d) Anisotropic
Answer: b
Clarification: In stratified rocks, joints are generally classified on the basis of the relationship of their attitude with that of the rocks in which they occur.

6. How many types are further classified based on geometry?
a) 2
b) 4
c) 3
d) 5
Answer: c
Clarification: Under the classification based on geometry, three types are recognized: Strike joints, dip joints, oblique joints.

7. The type of joint not studied under the geometry as basis is ___________
a) Strike joints
b) Dip joints
c) Hade joints
d) Oblique joints
Answer: c
Clarification: Only three types of joints are studied under the classification of joints on the basis of geometry; strike joints, dip joints and oblique joints. Hade joint is not a type of joint.

8. What is the other name for diagonal joints?
a) Dip joints
b) Strike joints
c) Sheet joints
d) Oblique joints
Answer: d
Clarification: Oblique joints are those joints where the strike of the joints is at any angle between the dip and the strike of the layers. These layers are also called diagonal joints when they occur midway between the dip and strike of the layers.

9. Joints parallel to bedding planes are called ___________
a) Strike joints
b) Bedding joints
c) Dip joints
d) Oblique joints
Answer: b
Clarification: In stratified rocks, some joints ma develop essentially parallel to the bedding planes. These are simply referred as bedding planes.

10. Non-systematic joints occur at random in the rocks.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: Non-systematic or irregular joints appear at random in the rocks and may have incompletely defined surfaces. In many cases, these are related to the systematic joints in that these occur between them.

Engineering Geology Questions and Answers for Entrance exams on “Composition and Texture of Igneous Rocks – 02”.

1. The texture which the characteristics in between granitic and felsitic are ______________
a) Secondary
b) Intermediate
c) Orthophyric
d) Transitional
Answer: c
Clarification: Orthophyric texture is another type of equigranular texture, which is in between the granitic and felsitic textures. The individual grains are fine in size but not microgranular.

2. What is the texture called when large-sized crystals are embedded in fine grained matrix?
a) Granitic texture
b) Poiklitic texture
c) Porphyritic texture
d) Directive texture
Answer: c
Clarification: The porphyritic texture is characterized by the presence of a few conspicuously large sized crystals (the phenocrysts) which are embedded in a fine-grained ground mass or matrix.

3. The cause which is not influencing the porphyritic texture is ______________
a) Difference in molecular concentration
b) Change in physic-chemical conditions
c) Relative insolubility
d) Change in temperature
Answer: d
Clarification: Porphyritic texture may be caused by any one or more of the following factors: Difference in molecular concentration, change in physic-chemical conditions and relative insolubility.

4. What is the absolute reverse of porphyritic texture?
a) Poiklitic
b) Granitic
c) Felsitic
d) Ophitic
Answer: a
Clarification: Poikilitic texture is characterized with the presence of fine-grained crystals within the body of large sized crystals. In other words, it is just the reverse of the porphyritic textures.

5. What is the term when augite has inclusions of plagioclase felspar?
a) Poiklitic
b) Granitic
c) Felsitic
d) Ophitic
Answer: d
Clarification: When the host mineral is identified as augite and the inclusions are of plagioclase felspars, the poiklitic texture is further distinguished as ophitic.

6. The development of ophitic texture is completely understood.
a) True
b) False
Answer: b
Clarification: The development of ophitic texture in rocks is yet incompletely understood. It may be due to operation of factors for porphyritic texture but in a different manner.

7. Which texture indicates the flow of magma during its formation?
a) Equigranular
b) Directive
c) Intergrowth
d) Intergranular
Answer: b
Clarification: Those textures that indicate the result of the flow of magma during the formation of rocks are known as directive textures.

8. Example of directive texture is ______________
a) Tracheod
b) Granitic
c) Trachytic
d) Porphyritic
Answer: c
Clarification: Trachytic and Trachytoid textures are common examples of directive textures. The former is characteristic of certain felspar lavas and is recognised by a parallel arrangement of felspar; the latter is found in some syenites.

9. The texture which involves polygonal or trigonal spaces in rocks is ______________
a) Directive texture
b) Intergrowth texture
c) Interstitial texture
d) Intergranular texture
Answer: d
Clarification: In certain igneous rocks crystals formed at earlier stages may get so arranged that polygonal or trigonal spaces are left in between them. These spaces get filled subsequently during the process of rock formation by crystalline or glassy masses of other minerals.

10. What is it called when two or more minerals crystallize simultaneously in a limited space?
a) Directive texture
b) Intergrowth texture
c) Interstitial texture
d) Intergranular texture
Answer: b
Clarification: During the formation of the igneous rocks, sometimes two or more minerals may crystallize out simultaneously in a limited space so that the resulting crystals are mixed up or intergrown. This type of mutual arrangement is expressed by the term intergrowth texture.

Engineering Geology Multiple Choice Questions on “Origin of Ore Deposits”.

1. What is the mineral which contains a metallic element which can be economically exploited called?
a) Ore mineral
b) Metallic mineral
c) Eco-ore
d) Eco-mineral
Answer: a
Clarification: Ore mineral is defined as a mineral which contains a metallic element in a quantity that can be exploited and extracted for use at an economical cost.

2. The definition of ore is dependent on ______________
a) Quantity
b) Size
c) Colour
d) Quality
Answer: b
Clarification: Natural concentration of an ore mineral in a massive rock body is defined as an ore deposit. Hence the definition of an ore deposit is also size dependent.

3. The non-metallic minerals associated with ore minerals are called _____________
a) Non-metallic minerals
b) Metallic minerals
c) Gangue minerals
d) Flux minerals
Answer: c
Clarification: A few non-metallic minerals are often found associated with an ore-mineral. These have be separated from the ore before the same is processed for extraction of the metal. These associated minerals are called gangue minerals.

4. How many types of rocks are there on the basis of time of formation?
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
Answer: b
Clarification: On the basis of their time of formation relative to the host rock, the ore deposits are divided into two groups: syngenetic and epigenetic.

5. The deposits that have formed simultaneously with the enclosing rock are called _____________
a) Syngenetic
b) Epigenetic
c) Syncgenetic
d) Sinclogenetic
Answer: a
Clarification: Syngenetic deposits are such deposits that have formed simultaneously with the enclosing rock. These are either of igneous or of sedimentary types.

6. Deposits that were formed subsequent to the formation of the host rocks are called ____________
a) Syngenetic
b) Epigenetic
c) Syncgenetic
d) Sinclogenetic
Answer: b
Clarification: Epigenetic deposits are those deposits that were formed subsequent to the formation of the host rock. Epigenetic deposits of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic types are known.

7. The deposits occurring close to the roofs of magmatic masses _____________
a) Magmatic deposits
b) Pegmatite deposits
c) Hydrothermal deposits
d) Metasomatic
Answer: b
Clarification: Pegmatite deposits are sometimes classified as a distinct group of magmatic deposits formed towards the end of crystallization process and such necessarily occurring close to the roofs of magmatic masses.

8. Which of the following is not an essential condition for hydrothermal deposits?
a) Highly active fluids
b) Highly enriched fluids
c) Highly inactive fluids
d) Suitable pathways
Answer: c
Clarification: The three essential conditions for the formation of hydrothermal deposits are: highly active and enriched fluids, suitable pathways for their migration through the rocks, and suitable physic-chemical environment for their deposition to take place.

9. Type of veins which are bodies of tubular shape in pre-existing fissures?
a) Fissure-veins
b) Ladder-veins
c) Gash-veins
d) Stock works
Answer: a
Clarification: Fissure-veins may be defined as mineral bodies of elongated or tabular shape deposited in pre-existing fissures. The original fissures may be parallel or intersecting, radial or fan-shaped in pattern and that is also the shape of the resulting ore bodies.

10. The type of vein commonly found in igneous rocks is _____________
a) Fissure-veins
b) Ladder-veins
c) Gash-veins
d) Stock works
Answer: b
Clarification: Ladder-veins are commonly found in igneous rocks such as dykes and similar bodies and consist of transverse, roughly regularly spaced fractures that are filled with deposits of economic minerals.

11. Gash-veins are generally found in _____________
a) Silicate minerals
b) Felspar minerals
c) Metallic minerals
d) Carbonate minerals
Answer: d
Clarification: Gash-veins are narrow, sloping and thick-bodies deposits of minerals deposited in solution-fissures or cracks of the host rock which is generally a carbonate rock like limestone.

12. When gravity is the agent of placing of deposit, the deposit is called _____________
a) Deluvial deposit
b) Aeolian deposit
c) Alluvial deposit
d) Beach placers
Answer: a
Clarification: Deluvial placers is the term used when gravity is the agency involved; such placers would be found along the foot hills and talus slopes.

13. The term used for the rock hydrothermal deposits that occur in veins of exceptionally small size, but in good number is _____________
a) Fissure-veins
b) Ladder-veins
c) Gash-veins
d) Stock works
Answer: d
Clarification: The term, stock works, is used for hydrothermal deposits that occur in veins or fissures of exceptionally small size, but in good number, within a limited space, traversing the body of rock profusely.

14. Magmatic ore deposits do not commonly occur in forms of injective.
a) True
b) False
Answer: b
Clarification: Magmatic ore deposits commonly occur in the following forms: segregations, disseminations and injections.

Engineering Geology Multiple Choice Questions on “Monitoring and Control of Mass Movements”.

1. Which of the following is not a method of control of mass movement?
a) Afforestation
b) Retaining wall
c) Chemical treatment of rocks
d) Deforestation
Answer: d
Clarification: The widely adopted methods for control of mass movements include, construction of retaining walls, chemical treatment of rocks, rock bolting and to some extent afforestation can avoid mass movements, but, deforestation promotes mass movements.

2. While devising a monitoring system, what has to be kept in mind?
a) Factor of safety
b) Cost-benefit ratio
c) Stress factor
d) Dip factor
Answer: b
Clarification: In devising a monitoring system, the cost-benefit ratio has to be kept in mind in all the cases because such systems are invariably expensive.

3. Which of the following might not reduce the chances of infiltration?
a) Cooling the slope material
b) Oiling the surface of slopes
c) Electro-osmosis of the slope material
d) Heating of the slope material
Answer: a
Clarification: Oiling of the slope surfaces, electro-osmosis and heating of the slope material have been also used in different countries to stabilize slopes by reducing chances of infiltration during heavy rains.

4. Retraining structures may prove exceptionally successful when?
a) The ground is too fine
b) The sliding mass is likely to remain wet
c) The movement is of deep nature
d) The sliding mass is likely to remain dry
Answer: d
Clarification: Retaining structures may prove exceptionally successful where- the ground is neither too fine nor too plastic; the sliding mass is likely to remain dry and the movement is of a shallow nature and limited extent.

5. When might the retaining walls prove to be not costly?
a) When the movement is of deep nature
b) When the movement is of unlimited nature
c) When the movement is shallow in nature
d) When the rocks are too heavy
Answer: c
Clarification: Retaining walls may prove costly failures when they are designed to resist slides of great volume and thickness or long rising slopes.

6. Pneumatically applied mortar or concrete is called __________
a) Grout
b) Gunite
c) Geo-polymer concrete
d) Geniter
Answer: b
Clarification: Gunite, is pneumatically applied mortar or concrete. The mixture of cement and sand (1:3) with little water is applied on the face under pressure and is known to develop sufficient strength on settling and hardening.

7. Which of the following is not a method of slope treatment?
a) Providing drainage systems
b) Flattening the slope
c) Decreasing the load
d) Digging rock traps
Answer: a
Clarification: Usually the slope treatment methods include, flattening the slope to ensure stable limits, decreasing the load and also digging rock traps in the form of ditches at the foot of a slope and providing benches at proper intervals. Providing a drainage system is a drainage method.

8. Which type of trees and plants are more effective in reducing infiltration?
a) Tropical
b) Deciduous
c) Temperate
d) Plantation
Answer: b
Clarification: Afforestation of potentially unstable slopes reduces the risk of their failure considerably. Vegetation cover, especially of deciduous trees and plants reduces the quantity of infiltration.

9. More often a combination of methods may have to be used for stabilising the slopes.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: While devising a slide-control program for an unstable area, it is always useful to weigh relative merits of methods available. More often, it may be a combination of methods rather than a single method that may have to be used for stabilising the slope.

10. Removal of water is done only by subsurface drainage.
a) True
b) False
Answer: b
Clarification: Drainage involves the removal of water from within the mass as well as preventing any further water reach the material susceptible to failure. This may be achieved either by surface drainage or by subsurface drainage or by both methods.

Engineering Geology Multiple Choice Questions on “Classification of Folds – 03”.

1. How many types of folds are there with plunge as a basis?
a) 4
b) 3
c) 2
d) 5
Answer: c
Clarification: Only two main types are recognized as the types of folds on the basis plunge.

2. What is a plunging fold?
a) Fold with fold axis horizontal
b) Fold with fold axis only vertical
c) Fold with fold axis not horizontal
d) This is not a type of fold
Answer: c
Clarification: Any fold in which fold axis is not horizontal, that is, it makes an angle with the horizontal, may be described as a plunging fold.

3. A fold in which the folding continues in the direction of the axis of the fold is ___________
a) Plunging fold
b) Non-plunging fold
c) Similar fold
d) Doesn’t exist
Answer: b
Clarification: Any fold in which the axis of the fold is essentially horizontal, that is, the plunging continues indefinitely in the direction of the axis of the fold is specifically described as non-plunging fold.

4. A fold which is not based on the profile of the folded strata is ___________
a) Cheveron fold
b) Conjugate fold
c) Cuspate fold
d) Plunging fold
Answer: d
Clarification: Cheveron fold, conjugate fold, cuspate fold are the types of fold based on the profile of the fold surface whereas, plunging fold is based on plunge of the fold.

5. Folds with two hinges and three planar limbs are called ___________
a) Conjugate folds
b) Cheveron folds
c) Cuspate folds
d) Cylindrical folds
Answer: a
Clarification: Conjugate folds are composite folds characterised with two hinges and three planar limbs in which the central limb is exceptionally flattened.

6. Folds characterized by well-defined, sharp hinge points are called ___________
a) Conjugate folds
b) Cheveron folds
c) Cuspate folds
d) Cylindrical folds
Answer: b
Clarification: Cheveron folds are the folds characterised with well-defined, sharp hinge points and straight planar limbs.

7. Pick the non-planar fold from the following.
a) Box fold
b) Cheveron fold
c) Conjugate fold
d) Cuspate fold
Answer: d
Clarification: The limbs of the cuspate fields are not planar, they are quite clearly curved becoming concave upwards in the case of anticlines and concave downwards in the case of synclines.

8. Which of the following is not true about cylindrical folds?
a) They resemble sections of pipes
b) They have very well defined axes of folds
c) These well defined axes are repeated parallel to each other
d) These well defined axes are not repeated parallel to each other
Answer: d
Clarification: Folds in which repetition of axes parallel to themselves is not possible, are classified as non-cylindrical. The first three statements are true about the cylindrical folds.

9. Identify the type of fold shown below.

a) Conjugate fold
b) Cheveron fold
c) Cuspate fold
d) Cylindrical fold
Answer: a
Clarification: As we can observe, there are two hinge points and three planar limbs. This is seen in conjugate fold.

10. The hinge joints in cuspate folds are not very sharp.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: Cuspate folds are quite clearly curved becoming concave upwards in the case of anticlines and concave downwards in the case of synclines. The hinge zones are, therefore, not very sharp.

11. Folds which mostly occur in groups are based on ___________
a) Profile of the fold surface
b) Mode of occurrence
c) Plunge
d) Relative curvature
Answer: b
Clarification: Folds that are based on the mode of occurrence, rarely occur singularly; more often they occur in groups.

12. Which of the following about drag fold is not true?
a) The axes of the drag folds are parallel to those of the major folds
b) The drag folds plunge in the same manner as the major folds
c) The layers on the upper side of the drag folds slide away from the synclinal axis
d) The axes of the drag folds are not parallel to those of the major folds
Answer: d
Clarification: It has been established that the drag folds are parallel to those of the major folds. Hence the last option is wrong. The second and the third also true about drag folds.