May 2011 Mathematics, Surveying & Transportation Engineering

Situation 1 – A block of copper having a mass of 50 kg is drawn out to make 500m of wire of uniform
cross-section. Given that the density of copper is 8.91 g/cm3, calculate the following:
1. What is the volume of steel in cubic centimeter?
A. 6105 C. 5938
B. 5097 D. 5612
2. What is the cross-sectional area of the wire in square millimeters?
A. 11.22 C. 12.21
B. 10.19 D. 11.88
3. What is the diameter of the wire in mm?
A. 3.94 C. 3.89
B. 3.78 D. 3.60

Situation 2 – Two conic sections have the following equations:

X2 + y2 – 8x + 4y -16 = 0
Y2 – 16x + 4y +68 = 0
4. Which of the following defines these conics?
A. ellipse and parabola C. circle and ellipse
B. circle and parabola D. ellipse and hyperbola
5. Which of the following is a point of intersection of the conics
A. (5, 3.66) C. (6, 3.66)
B. (6, 2.32) D. (5, 2.32)
6. What is the distance between their points of intersection?
A. 11.875 C. 11.314
B. 10.932 D. 12.342

Situation 3 – Solve the following geometry problems

7. A sphere of radius 6 units have its center at the origin. Which of the following points is outside the
sphere?
A. (3, 1, 4) C. (3, 4, 3)
B. (2, 5, 1) D. (2, 4, 5)
8. A sphere of radius 15 units have its center at the origin. Given three points P1(6, 8, 9), P2(5, 8, 10),
and P3(4, 3, 12). Which of the following is/are inside the sphere.
A. P2 and P3 only C. P1, P2, and P3
B. P1 only D. P1 and P2 only
9. Find the distance of the following points in three-dimensional space: (0, 0, 0) and (5, 6, 7).
A. 10.49 C. 11.76
B. 12.76 D. 9.54
Situation 4 – Solve the following solid geometry problems:
10. A cylinder is inscribe in a cube of side 2 meters. Find the volume inside the cube but outside the
cylinder.
A. 1.717 m3 C. 1.793 m3
B. 1.653 m3 D. 1.864 m3
11. Given a cube of side 1 m. Find the volume of the cone inscribed in this cube, with base of cone on
one side of the cube.
A. 0.393 m3 C. 0.196 m3
3
B. 0.262 m D. 0.524 m3
12. The sides of a rectangular parallelepiped measure 3 cm, 4 cm, and 6 cm, Find the radius of the
sphere that can circumscribe this solid.
A. 4.321 cm C. 7.812 cm
B. 2.754 cm D. 3.905 cm

Situation 5 - Answer the following algebra problems:

13. In a company of CE, ME, and EE, the sum of all their ages is 2160 and their average age is 36. The
average age of CE and ME is 39, of CE, and EE is 110/3, and of EE and ME is 360/11. If the ages
of CE is increased by 1, of ME is increased by 6, and of EE is increased by 7, the average of all
their age in increased by 5. How many CE are there?
A. 20 C. 24
B. 18 D. 16
14. Engineer Cruz started walking from point 0 at uniform speed of 6 kph. After 2 hours, Engineer
Fernandez started walking from the same point 0 and walked 4 km in the first hour, 5 km in the
second hour, and so on, increasing 1 km each hour. How many hours after Engr. Cruz left point 0
will they be together?
A. 8 C. 10
B. 12 D. 14
15. A farmer owns two square lots of unequal size, together containing 6, 568 m2. If the lots are
contiguous, it would require 356 m of fence to enclose them into a single enclosure of six sides.
What is the dimension of the smaller lot?
A. 33 m C. 22 m
B. 62 m D. 78 m

Situation 6 – Answer the following calculus problems:

16. A triangle in the first quadrant is bounded by the X – and Y – axes and a line that passes through
(1, 2). What is the slope of the line if the area of the triangle is to be minimum?
A. 3 C. 1/2
B. 1/3 D. 2
17. What is the nearest distance from the hyperbola x2 – y2 = 4 to point (6, 0)?
A. 3.632 C. 3.742
B. 3.518 D. 3.681
18. An inverted conical tank has a base radius of 10 m and height of 20m. Water flow out from the
tank at 150 liters per second. How fast is the water surface falling when the depth of water in the
tank is 8m
A. 3.57 cm/ min C. 5.23 cm/ min
B. 4.48 cm/ min D. 2.45 cm/ min
Situation 7 - A square lot 1 kilometer on each side is divided into five equal parts. The parts consist of four
equal right triangles and a square at the center of the lot.
19. What is the dimension of the smaller squares in meters?
A. 447.21 C. 200
B. 336.67 D. 420
20. If this process is continued, what will be the dimension of the next smaller square in meters?
A. 336.67 C. 447.21
B. 420 D. 200
21. What is the ratio of the area of the smallest square to the original square?
A. 0.2 C. 0.008
B. 0.04 D. 0.5

Situation 8 – Two trains A and B are travelling in the same direction. With train A behind train B. Train
A, 65 meters long, is travelling at 240 kph. Train B, 85 meters long, is travelling at 120 kph. At a certain
instant, the trains are 200 m apart (clear distances)
22. Find the time when train A starts to overtake train B.
A. 6.5 sec C. 6 sec
B. 5 sec D. 7 sec
23. Find the time when train A completely overtakes train B.
A. 11.5 sec C. 10.5 sec
B. 10 sec D. 11 sec
24. Find the distance travelled by train A when it completely overtakes train B.
A. 700 m C. 600 m
B. 650 m D. 550 m
Situation 9 – In a certain barangay, 80% of the population have cellphone. Two people from the barangay
were selected at random.
25. Find the probability that the two have cellphones.
A. 0.32 C. 0.16
B. 0.64 D. 0.08
26. Find the probability that one has cellphone and the other has none.
A. 0.64 C. 0.08
B. 0.08 D. 0.32
27. Find the probability that the two have no cellphones.
A. 0.16 C. 0.08
B. 0.02 D. 0.04
Situation 10 – Evaluate the following limits:
28. Lim (4x2 + 19x - 30) / (4x2 – 33x +35) as x approaches 1.25.
A. -2.167 C. -1.261
B. 0 D. -1.873
29. Lim (2x3 - 6x2 - 8x + 24) / (x2 – 2x - 3) as x approaches 3.
A. 2.3 C. 3.6
B. 2.5 D. 1.8
30. Lim (x3 + 8x2 + x - 42) / (x2 + 10x + 21) as x approaches -3
A. -5 C. -4
B. 5 D. 4
Answer Key
1. D 11. B 21. B
2. A 12. D 22. C
3. B 13. D 23. C
4. B 14. C 24. A
5. C 15. C 25. B

6. C 16. D 26. D
7. D 17. C 27. D
8. C 18. B 28. C
9. A 19. A 29. B
10. A 20. D 30. A
MAY 2011 Hydraulics & Geotechnical Engineering
Situation 1 – A prestressed concrete pile, 360 mm x 360 mm in cross-section, is to be driven in a clayey
soil (𝛾 = 18.5 kN / m3) as shown in Figure 56-13(02)-S22. The pile has a design capacity of 360 kN. Use
factor of safety of 2. The unconfined compression shear strength, qu, of the soil is 110 kPa. Use Nc = 9.
1. What is the end bearing capacity of pile in kN.
A. 68.43 C. 73.21
B. 64.15 D. 57.93
2. Compute the skin friction in kN expected to develop along the shaft of the pile.
A. 655.8 C. 623.8
B. 783.2 D. 578.5
3. Compute the length of the pile if frictional constant 𝛼 = 0.75
A. 12.67 m C. 11.54 m
B. 10.58 m D. 11.04 m

Situation 2 – A confined aquifer is shown in Figure 36-56(78)S03. This aquifer has a source of recharge
located as shown. The hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer is 45 m/day with a porosity of 25%. The
piezometric (head) surface in the two observation wells 1650 m apart are at elevation 65 m and 60 m,
respectively from the common datum. The aquifer has an average thickness of 25 m and an average width
of 4 km.
4. Determine the nearest value to the rate of flow of water through the aquifer, in cubic meters per
day.
A. 10,606 C. 7,576
B. 16,667 D. 13,636
5. Determine the nearest value to the seepage velocity in m/day.
A. 0.303 C. 0.545
B. 0.424 D. 0.667
6. Determine the nearest value to the time of travel from the head of aquifer to a point 4.2 km
downstream, in days.
A. 6,300 C. 7,700
B. 13,860 D. 9,900
Situation 3 – A rectangular canal is 5.6 meters wide and 1.2 meters depth. The canal is laid on a uniform
slope of 0.002 and roughness coefficient is 0.013.
7. Calculate the discharge in the canal, in m3/s.
A. 23.45 C. 18.56
B. 20.58 D. 15.89
8. What savings in lining per meter length of canal could have been effected if the most efficient
rectangular section were used for the same discharge and slope?
A. 0.826 m2 per meter C. 0.751 m2 per meter
2
B. 0.921 m per meter D. 0.628 m2 per meter
9. What savings in earth excavation per meter length of canal could have been effected if the most
efficient rectangular section were used for the same discharge and slope?
A. 0.287 m3 per meter C. 0.171 m3 per meter
3
B. 0.321 m per meter D. 0.522 m3 per meter
Situation 4 – A pump draws 24 liters per second of water from reservoir C and lifts it to reservoir D as
shown in Figure 402. The Head lost from C to 1 is 3 time the velocity head in the 150-mm suction line and
the head lost from 2 to D is 25 times the velocity head in the 100-mm discharge line.
10. What is the power delivered by the pump to the system in hp?
A. 73.21 C. 83.87
B. 65.93 D. 79.62
11. What is the pressure head at point 1 in meters of water?
A. 19.62 C. 32.67
B. 23.56 D. 16.58
12. What is the pressure head at point 2 in meters of water?
A. 234.89 C. 271.42
B. 321.67 D. 178.43

Situation 5 – The result of a triaxial test on a cohesive soil is as follows:

Angle of shearing resistance = 29°
Cohesion = 31 kPa
Maximum shearing stress = 65 kPa

13. Compute for the value of the cell pressure at failure, in kPa.
A. 15.15 C. 12.15
B. 13.15 D. 14.15
14. Compute for the value of the maximum principal stress at failure, in kPa.
A. 165.15 C. 132.15
B. 154.15 D. 143.15
15. Compute for the value of the normal stress at the plane of maximum shear in kPa.
A. 78.15 C. 65.15
B. 89.15 D. 71.15

Situation 6 – A closed conical tank has a bottom radius of 33 cm and is 50 cm tall. The tank contains 0.026
m3 of the water.

16. What is the depth of water in the tank in centimeters?

A. 9.65 C. 9.18
B. 8.56 D. 12.34
17. What is the total volume of the tank in cubic meter?
A. 0.094 C.0.063
B. 0.075 D.0.057
18. How much water is required to fill the tank, in cubic meters?
A. 0.031 C. 0.049
B. 0.068 D. 0.037
Situation 7 – Water is flowing in a 200-mm-diameter rigid pipe that is 850 m long. The increase in pressure
caused by instantaneous closure of the valve near the exit is 700 kPa. Bulk modulus of elasticity of water
is 2.07 x 109 Pa.

19. What is the celerity of pressure wave in m/s?

A. 1528 C. 1321
B. 1439 D. 1639
20. What is the maximum discharge in m3/s?
A. 0.0231 C. 0.0179
B. 0.0153 D. 0.0321
21. What water hammer pressure is expected if the valve is closed in 3 seconds?
A. 365 kPa C. 567 kPa
B. 128 kPa D. 276 kPa

Situation 8 – A tank 12 m high is to be filled with oil with unit weight of 9.4 kN/m3 as shown in Figure
2345. Neglect the weight of the tank.

22. Calculate the compression index of the clay layer.

A. 0.421 C. 0.369
B. 0.346 D. 0.325
23. Calculate the settlement under the center of the tank in mm.
A. 872 C. 723
B. 456 D. 687
24. Calculate the minimum depth to which the tank’s base must be placed to minimize settlement.
A. 5.12 m C. 6.24 m
B. 4.38 m D. 8.43 m

Situation 9 – Given the following properties of a soil:

Specific gravity of solids = 2.70
Void ratio = 73%
Degree of saturation = 92%

25. Determine the nearest value to the moisture content of the soil.
A. 27.04% C. 26.45%
B. 28.45% D. 24.87%
26. Determine the nearest value to the dry unit weight of the soil.
A. 16.43 kN/m3 C. 14.65 kN/m3
3
B. 17.11 kN/m D. 15.31 kN/m3
27. Determine the nearest value to the moisture content when the soil is saturated.
A. 24.87% C. 26.45%
B. 27.04% D. 28.45%
Situation 10 – A thick layer of saturated clay has moisture content of 59%. The specific gravity of soil
solids is 2.68. The water table is on the ground surface.

28. What is the density of clay in grams per cc?

A. 1.65 C. 1.57
B. 1.78 D. 1.89
29. What is the effective stress at a depth of 30 m?
A. 167.83 kPa C. 476.54 kPa
B. 191.55 kPa D. 485.85 kPa
30. What is the total stress at a depth of 30 m?
A. 476.54 kPa C. 485.85 kPa
B. 167.83 kPa D. 191.55 kPa

Answer Key
1. B 11. A 21. D
2. A 12. C 22. C
3. D 13. B 23. A
4. D 14. D 24. C
5. C 15. A 25. D

6. C 16. C 26. D
7. B 17. D 27. B
8. A 18. A 28. A
9. A 19. B 29. B
10. D 20. B 30. C
MAY 2011 Structural Engineering & Construction

Situation 1 – The beam shown in Figure 001 is part of a walkway of a gymnasium. The beam ABC can be
considered simply supported at B and at C.

1. Determine the vertical reaction at C in kN.

A. 27.5 C. 22.5
B. 42.5 D. 37.5
2. Determine the load carried by the column at B in kN.
A. 37.5 C. 27.5
B. 22.5 D. 42.5
3. Determine the maximum negative moment in the beam in kN-m.
A. 8 C. 10
B. 9 D. 11

Situation 2 – The beam shown in Figure 002. Is fixed at both ends and carries a uniformly distributed load
of w = 25 kN/m throughout its length. The beam is W 16 x 77 with the following properties:
Bf = 260 mm tw = 11.6 mm
Tf = 19.3 mm Ix = 462.02 x 106 mm4
d = 420 mm Iy = 57.44 x 106 mm4
4. Calculate the maximum bending stress in the beam, in MPa.
A. 102.7 C. 98.4
B. 85.4 D. 76.7
5. Calculate the average shearing stress in the web, in MPa.
A. 28.5 C. 32.9
B. 45.2 D. 23.1
6. Calculate the maximum shearing stress in the beam, in MPa.
A. 25.5 C. 42.1
B. 19.3 D. 38.6

Situation 3 – The tripod shown in Figure 003 supports the load W.

7. Determine the nearest value to the maximum load W if the allowable load in each of the legs of the
tripod is 10 kN.
A. 18 kN C. 23 kN
B. 45 kN D. 32 kN
8. If W = 50 kN what is the force in leg BD in kN?
A. 25.6 kN C. 14.2 kN
B. 20.9 kN D. 34.1 kN
9. If W = 50 kN what is the force in leg AD in kN?
A. 21.8 kN C. 28.4 kN
B. 26.5 kN D. 24.2 kN

Situation 4 – A vertical cylindrical steel tank is 3 meters in diameter and 6 meters tall. The walls of the
tank have thickness of 12 mm.

10. What is the tangential stress in the walls when the tank is filled with water?
A. 3.68 C. 7.36
B. 4.93 D. 6.34
11. What is the longitudinal stress in the walls when the tank is filled with water?
A. 6.34 C. 4.93
B. 7.36 D. 3.68
 12. How deep is the water in the tank when the maximum stress in the walls is 5 MPa?
A. 4.1 m C. 5.3 m
B. 3.6 m D. 4.7 m

Situation 5 – A cantilever retaining wall, 6 meters high, has an active pressure varying uniformly from
zero at the top to 52 kN/m at the bottom. The flexural rigidity of the wall is constant from top to bottom.

13. What is the maximum shear at the base of the wall?

A. 178 kN C. 121 kN
B. 156 kN D. 137 kN
14. What is the maximum moment in the wall?
A. 276 kN-m C. 356 kN-m
B. 328 kN-m D. 312 kN-m
15. If the wall is simply supported at the top, what is the moment at the base of the wall? Use the
following fixed end moment formulas:
Mtop = wL2/30 Mbase = wL2 / 20
A. 115.1 kN-m C. 124.8 kN-m
B. 136.4 kN-m D. 145.9 kN-m

Situation 6 – A prestressed concrete beam has a width of 300 mm and an overall depth of 600 mm. The
prestressing tendons are placed at a distance “e” below the neutral axis of the beam and the applied
prestressing force is P in kN. There is 15% loss of prestress.

16. Determine the values of P and e when the compressive stress in the entire cross-section is 21 MPa.
A. P = 2460 kN; e = 0 C. P = 2460 kN; e = 167 mm
B. P = 3780 kN; e = 123 mm D. 3780 kN; e = 0
17. Determine the values of P and e when the compressive stresses at top and bottom of the beam are
2 MPa and 12 MPa, respectively.
A. P = 1260 kN; e = 71.43 mm C. P = 1110 kN; e = 43.98 mm
B. P = 1110 kN; e = 63.21 mm D. P = 1260 kN; e = 54.32 mm
18. Determine the values of P and e when the compressive stresses at top and bottom of the beam are
0 MPa and 16 MPa, respectively.
A. P = 1210 kN; e = 90 mm C. P = 1350 kN; e = 110 mm
B. P = 1440 kN; e = 100 mm D. P = 1050 kN; e = 150 mm

Situation 7 – The column shown in Figure 004 rests on a pile cap with five piles. The piles are each 300-
mm in diameter with load capacity of 320 kN.

19. Determine the required nominal wide-beam shear strength.

A. 1340 kN C. 1190 kN
B. 1670 kN D. 1020 kN
20. Determine the required nominal punching shear strength.
A. 2490 kN C. 2840 kN
B. 2220 kN D. 2610 kN
21. Determine the required nominal moment capacity.
A. 967 kN-m C. 1013 kN-m
B. 1532 kN-m D. 1256 kN-m
Situation 8 – The bolts in the lap joint shown in Figure 005 are 22 mm in diameter 25-mm-diameter holes.
The plates are A36 steel with Fy = 250 MPa and Fu = 400 MPa. For this problem, x1 = 50 mm, x2 = 160 mm,
x3 = 60 mm, t = 12 mm.

The allowable stresses are:

Bearing stress on projected area of the plates, Fp = 1.5 Fu
Tension on net area of plates, Ft = 0.5 Fu
Shear on plates, Fv = 0.3 Fu
Shear strength of bolt, Fv = 210 MPa
22. Determine the value of load P based on bolt shear.
A. 621 kN C. 329 kN
B. 479 kN D. 538 kN
23. Determine the value of load P based on bearing on projected area on plate.
A. 870 kN C. 1020 kN
B. 750 kN D. 950 kN
24. Determine the value of load P based on block shear.
A. 532 kN C. 489 kN
B. 623 kN D. 328 kN

Situation 9 – The floor framing plan of a reinforced concrete slab is shown in Figure 006. It is required to
determine the stirrup spacing if beam BE. The slab carries a dead load of 4.9 kPa (including its own weight)
and a live load of 4.8 kPa. Unit weight is 23.5 kN/m3. Use fc = 21 MPa and fy = 275 MPa. Concrete cover
is 70 mm from the centroid of tension steel area. Use 10 mm diameter vertical U-stirrup.

Refer to CODE Section 5.11.11 (1992 NSCP) or Section 411.2 (2001 NSCP)

25. What is the factored uniform load on beam BE?

A. 42.7 kN/m C. 53.2 kN/m
B. 34.8 kN/m D. 48.3 kN/m
26. What is the factored shear at critical section in beam BE?
A. 125 kN C. 137 kN
B. 112 kN D. 154 kN

27. What is the required Stirrup spacing in beam BE?

A. 140 mm C. 190 mm
B. 95 mm D. 275 mm

Situation 10 – A 400 mm x 600 mm column with fc = 21 MPa and longitudinal steel and ties having fy =
275 MPa is subjected to factored axial forces, moments, and shears as shown in Figure 007.

The factored forces and moments are as follows:

Axial forces, Nu = 370 kN
Positive moment, Mu = 1350 kN-m
Negative moment, Mu = 450 kN-m
See section 5.11 of 1992 NSCP

28. Determine the shear strength provided by concrete using the simplified calculation given in Section
5.11.3.1.
A. 210 kN C. 160 kN
B. 240 kN D. 180 kN
29. Determine the shear strength provided by concrete using the detailed calculation given in Section
5.11.3.2.
A. 148 kN C. 178 kN
B. 121 kN D. 192 kN
30. Determine the required spacing of ties.
A. 87 mm C. 102 mm
B. 132 mm D. 145 mm
Answer Key
1. C 11. D 21. C
2. A 12. A 22. B
3. B 13. B 23. D
4. D 14. D 24. C
5. D 15. C 25. A

6. A 16. D 26. B
7. C 17. A 27. C
8. B 18. B 28. D
9. A 19. A 29. A
10. C 20. A 30. C