250+ TOP MCQs on Highway Maintenance – Requirements of Pavement and Answers

Pavement Design Multiple Choice Questions on “Highway Maintenance – Requirements of Pavement”.

1. It is necessary for a pavement to have sufficient thickness in order to ______ safely on the subgrade soil.
a) Withstand wheel load
b) Withstand axle load
c) Distribute wheel load
d) Distribute axle load
Answer: c
Clarification: The effectiveness of the pavement structure lies in its ability to distribute the wheel load in a safe value to the subgrade. Only if it is able to distribute, the load can be sustained or the pavement can withstand the load.

2. The skid resistance is found to decrease with increased speed of vehicle because of the ______ of the pavement surface.
a) Microstructure
b) Macrostructure
c) Micro arrangement
d) Macro arrangement
Answer: b
Clarification: Skid resistance is an important requirement of the pavement that decreases with an increase in the speed of the vehicle. This happens due to the effect of the macrostructure of the pavement surface. It shows the interaction between the aggregate particles which controls the escape of water from beneath the tyres.

3. Which of the below is not a source of pavement noise?
a) Exhaust system
b) Tyre/pavement interaction
c) Vehicle engine
d) Vehicle horn
Answer: d
Clarification: Pavement noise can cause nuisance and can have health and economic impacts. It arises due to the tyre and pavement interaction, the engine of the vehicle and the exhaust system of the vehicle. The blowing of the horn is not the reason for pavement noise, in fact, it contributes to noise pollution.

4. Why is the dust proofing of pavements considered an important requirement?
a) To improve visibility
b) To improve skid resistance
c) To reduce pavement noise
d) To reduce pavement wear
Answer: a
Clarification: The presence of dust on the pavement is not preferred because it drastically reduces visibility. It can lead to traffic, delays and accidents. Therefore, it is necessary to dustproof the pavement surface.

5. Low-cost construction techniques is a requirement of the pavement.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The cost of the construction of the pavement is also an important requirement to be considered. The quality of the materials must not be compromised for the reduction of cost. The cost must be within the budget available for the project.

6. What Indian state has installed the fine dust eater machine in an effort to reduce dust?
a) Kerala
b) Kolkata
c) Maharashtra
d) Karnataka
Answer: d
Clarification: The fine dust eater machine is a product developed by the company Mann+Hummel, Germany. It is capable of filtering the surrounding air and make it dust-free. It has been installed in Bengaluru and has been proposed in Kolkata.

7. Which of the below requirements can help in increasing the life of the pavement with little maintenance?
a) Drainage
b) Durability
c) Stability
d) Friction
Answer: b
Clarification: Durability is the requirement of the pavement that can make it last longer with little maintenance. The materials used for construction must be durable in order to make the pavement sufficiently durable in nature.

8. Open-graded friction courses (OGFC) can be used as a measure to keep the pavement ______ free.
a) Dust
b) Noise
c) Skid
d) Pores
Answer: b
Clarification: The use of OGFC is a measure to reduce pavement noise. The idea of using this is that by providing small holes or air voids on the pavement surface, the noise can be absorbed. The OGFC layer can be prepared by using conventional liquid asphalt or polymer-modified asphalts.

9. Which requirement of the pavement deals with the passengers using it?
a) Noise
b) Friction
c) Durability
d) Permeability
Answer: b
Clarification: The surface of the pavement is the one that affects the passengers in the vehicles riding on it. The riding quality must be high, offering smooth and comfortable travel. For this, the surface must be smooth, hard and skid resistant.

10. The unevenness on the pavement surface is a discomfort for ______
a) Pedestrians
b) Cyclists
c) Heavy vehicles
d) Animal-driven vehicles
Answer: b
Clarification: Any sort of unevenness in the longitudinal profile of the pavement can lead to discomfort for the vehicles. This mostly affects fast-moving vehicles and cyclists. The undulations, bumps, sags on the pavement can hinder the smooth and comfortable movement.

11. Permeability is one of the factors affecting the durability of pavements.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: Durability of the pavement is affected by the ageing of bitumen, bad quality of aggregates used, improper binding, environmental effects and permeability. There are different parameters under these factors that affect the durability.

12. The OBSI method of pavement noise determination is a type of what method?
a) Field
b) Statistical
c) Empirical
d) Laboratory
Answer: a
Clarification: The method OBSI stands for On board Sound Intensity. It is a field method that measures the tyre/pavement noise at the source. The method was developed by General Motors and then it was funded and converted into a method applicable in pavement engineering by the California Department of Transportation.

13. It is recommended to construct the pavement well ______ the maximum groundwater level so that the subgrade is safe in the ______ season.
a) Below, monsoon
b) Below, summer
c) Above, monsoon
d) Above, summer
Answer: c
Clarification: The subgrade must not be subjected to moisture to make it last longer. During the monsoon season, the water table rises and there is a chance of infiltration into the subgrade. In order to avoid this, it is recommended to construct the pavement well above the water table level.

14. Which of the below factors doesn’t affect the permeability of the pavement surface?
a) Void continuity
b) Quantity of void
c) Quality of void
d) Void distribution size
Answer: c
Clarification: The quality of void is not a factor that affects the permeability which in turn affects the durability and impervious requirements. Quality of void cannot be gauged. The void quantity, continuity and distribution size are the affecting factors.

15. An earth road can increase the tractive resistance due to ______ and therefore pavement layers are required over it.
a) High loading
b) High density
c) High moisture content
d) High compaction
Answer: c
Clarification: When the moisture content in the earth roads increases during rain, the soil becomes soft and weaker. It would start yielding under heavy loads and thus increase the tractive resistance or reduce the ease of movement of the vehicle.