Earthquake and Seismic Design MCQs 2026

Fundamental mode of building usually has

1. AZero contribution always✓
2. BOnly torsional motion always✓
3. COnly vertical only✓
4. DLargest participation factor in response✓

Seismic isolation bearings made of

1. AOnly plain concrete block✓
2. BOnly timber sleepers✓
3. CRubber layers with steel shims✓
4. DOnly harbour fenders✓

Tsunami risk in Pakistan primarily associated with

1. AOnly Punjab plains inland✓
2. BMakran subduction zone coastal events✓
3. COnly desert Quetta only✓
4. DOnly northern glaciers✓

Aftershocks following major earthquake

1. ACan damage already weakened structures✓
2. BNever occur scientifically✓
3. COnly help strengthen buildings✓
4. DOnly occur at sea exclusively✓

Ductile detailing prohibits

1. AAny steel use✓
2. BAny concrete use✓
3. CAny design calculation✓
4. DBrittle failure modes before yielding✓

Inertial force in seismic design equals

1. AWeight divided by velocity only✓
2. BMoment times curvature only without mass✓
3. CMass times acceleration✓
4. DPressure times area only static✓

Soil structure interaction modifies

1. AOnly wind on antenna✓
2. BEffective input motion to foundation✓
3. COnly temperature in slab✓
4. DOnly traffic on bridge deck only without seismic✓

Vertical seismic component in design often taken as

1. AFraction of horizontal per code✓
2. BAlways zero ignored always everywhere without exception✓
3. CTen times horizontal always✓
4. DOnly for bridges never buildings✓

Seismic coefficient horizontal in BCP depends on zone

1. ASame in all zones always zero✓
2. BInversely with building height always without rules✓
3. COnly on paint colour✓
4. DHigher in zone 4 than zone 1✓

Strike-slip fault example near Pakistan region

1. AMid ocean ridge only in Atlantic far away✓
2. BOnly artificial canal✓
3. CChaman fault system✓
4. DOnly highway crack✓

Fault scarp visible at surface indicates

1. AOnly erosion by rain always✓
2. BRecent tectonic displacement✓
3. COnly animal burrow✓
4. DOnly construction cut only always✓

Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis gives

1. AAnnual exceedance probability of ground motion✓
2. BDeterministic single earthquake only always✓
3. COnly historical flood✓
4. DOnly wind gust✓

Earthquake early warning uses

1. AWeather forecast rain only✓
2. BP-wave detection before destructive S-waves arrive✓
3. CTraffic camera only✓
4. DHarbour tide gauge only✓

Masonry building seismic performance improved by

1. ARemoving all mortar✓
2. BIncreasing height without limits✓
3. CReinforcement bands and through-stones✓
4. DOpening all walls completely✓

Liquefaction occurs in

1. ASolid granite mountain always✓
2. BSaturated loose sand during strong shaking✓
3. CFresh concrete always✓
4. DSteel rail always✓

Focus or hypocenter is

1. ABuilding foundation✓
2. BDam crest✓
3. CPoint within earth where rupture initiates✓
4. DRunway threshold✓

Epicenter is point on surface

1. AAt deepest mantle always✓
2. BRandom on map✓
3. COnly in ocean always✓
4. DDirectly above focus✓

Pakistan seismic zone 2B in BCP corresponds roughly to

1. AModerate seismic hazard regions✓
2. BZero seismic hazard✓
3. CHighest zone 4 everywhere✓
4. DOnly offshore harbour✓

Ductility in seismic design allows

1. AOnly elastic behaviour until failure brittle✓
2. BZero deformation always✓
3. CImmediate collapse at yield✓
4. DInelastic deformation without collapse✓

Base isolation reduces seismic force by

1. ARemoving all structural mass✓
2. BIncreasing fundamental period and adding damping✓
3. CUsing only brittle materials✓
4. DIgnoring ground motion✓

Response spectrum shows

1. APeak response of SDOF systems versus period✓
2. BRainfall hyetograph✓
3. CTraffic flow curve✓
4. DBOQ summary✓

PGA stands for

1. APermanent Ground Alignment✓
2. BPavement Gradation Analysis✓
3. CPeak Ground Acceleration✓
4. DPublic Green Area✓

Mercalli intensity scale describes

1. ASeismic energy at focus only✓
2. BObserved effects and damage at location✓
3. CGroundwater depth✓
4. DBitumen grade✓

Richter scale measures

1. AMagnitude of earthquake energy release✓
2. BSurface damage intensity only✓
3. CWind speed✓
4. DRiver discharge✓

Shear wall resists lateral load by

1. AIn-plane shear and bending like cantilever✓
2. BOnly axial tension only✓
3. COnly torsion only without bending✓
4. DOnly gravity load only✓

Moment resisting frame relies on

1. AOnly masonry infill without design✓
2. BOnly glass curtain without frame✓
3. CBeam-column flexural connections for lateral strength✓
4. DOnly soil pressure only✓

Damping dissipates

1. AStructural mass only✓
2. BVibration energy during earthquake✓
3. CBuilding height only✓
4. DWind speed only✓

Natural period of building depends on

1. AOnly paint colour✓
2. BOnly window count only without structure✓
3. COnly zoning FAR only✓
4. DMass and stiffness distribution✓

2005 Kashmir earthquake magnitude was about

1. A4.0 only✓
2. B7.6 Mw✓
3. C9.5 maximum ever globally always✓
4. D2.0 minor✓

Attenuation relationship predicts

1. AGround motion versus distance and magnitude✓
2. BBitumen ageing✓
3. CConcrete curing heat✓
4. DHarbour silting✓

Seismic microzonation maps

1. AOnly political boundaries✓
2. BOnly cricket grounds✓
3. COnly airport lounges✓
4. DLocal variation of hazard within city✓

Soft soil site amplifies

1. AAll periods equally always zero✓
2. BOnly high frequency always reduced always✓
3. CLong period ground motion✓
4. DOnly wind not earthquake✓

Importance factor in seismic code increases design force for

1. ACritical structures like hospitals✓
2. BTemporary sheds only always reduced✓
3. CAbandoned buildings✓
4. DDecorative fences only✓

Response modification factor R accounts for

1. AOnly dead load factor✓
2. BDuctility and overstrength of system✓
3. COnly wind direction✓
4. DOnly live load reduction only✓

Near fault directivity effect causes

1. AZero motion always✓
2. BOnly vertical wind✓
3. CPulse-like ground motion toward fault✓
4. DOnly tidal wave in desert✓

Seismic gap in urban planning refers to

1. AParking gap only for cars✓
2. BGap in BOQ numbering✓
3. CCricket field gap✓
4. DOpen zone limiting building along active fault✓

Pakistan Building Code BCP SP 2007 seismic provisions based on

1. AUBC-type approach adapted for region✓
2. BOnly railway RDSO✓
3. COnly harbour manual only✓
4. DNo seismic rules✓

Horizontal seismic force coefficient depends on

1. AOnly floor area FAR✓
2. BZone factor importance and structural response✓
3. COnly paint cost✓
4. DOnly window tint✓

Time history analysis uses

1. AOnly static wind load✓
2. BOnly dead load alone✓
3. CRecorded or synthetic ground motion records✓
4. DOnly temperature gradient only✓

Pushover analysis evaluates

1. AConcrete slump flow✓
2. BBitumen penetration✓
3. CSoil liquid limit✓
4. DCapacity curve under incremental lateral load✓

Confined column core with ties improves

1. ADuctility and shear capacity✓
2. BOnly fire paint colour✓
3. COnly roof waterproof brand✓
4. DOnly tile pattern✓

Strong column weak beam hierarchy ensures

1. AColumns fail first always desired✓
2. BPlastic hinges form in beams not columns✓
3. CSimultaneous brittle failure everywhere✓
4. DNo hinges anywhere✓

Lap splice length in seismic zones increased to

1. AReduce steel use always to zero✓
2. BEliminate all bars✓
3. CReplace with wood✓
4. DEnsure bond under cyclic loading✓

Expansion joint in building separates

1. AOnly water pipes aesthetically✓
2. BOnly electrical wires only✓
3. CSections to avoid hammering during shake✓
4. DOnly paint layers✓

Nonstructural damage in earthquakes includes

1. AOnly foundation soil liquefaction always only item✓
2. BOnly deep mantle motion✓
3. COnly ocean tide✓
4. DCladding partitions and equipment✓

Seismic retrofit of old building may add

1. AShear walls jacketing or base isolation✓
2. BOnly fresh paint only✓
3. COnly new carpet only✓
4. DOnly signage only✓

Pounding between adjacent buildings occurs when

1. ABuildings never move✓
2. BInsufficient separation gap during sway✓
3. COnly wind on harbour✓
4. DOnly train vibration✓

Torsional irregularity in plan causes

1. APerfect symmetric response always✓
2. BOnly vertical load increase✓
3. CUneven lateral displacement and damage✓
4. DOnly thermal expansion only✓

Soft storey collapse common in

1. AOpen ground floor parking buildings✓
2. BSingle storey warehouse with uniform walls✓
3. CBasement fully braced✓
4. DUnderground tunnel✓

Short column damage occurs when

1. AColumn very long and slender✓
2. BColumn absent entirely✓
3. COnly beam exists✓
4. DPartial masonry infill reduces effective height✓