SSC JE 2023-BMC (Building Materials & Construction): Questions

The SSC JE 2023 exam is just around the corner, and aspirants preparing for the BMC (Building Materials & Construction) section must focus on the important and high-scoring questions to boost their chances of selection. This section tests your understanding of essential construction materials, their properties, uses, and practical applications in civil engineering. With the competition increasing every year, revising the important questions for SSC JE BMC becomes crucial for scoring well and improving your overall cutoff. In this article, we bring you the most important topics and probable questions that you should not miss in the last phase of your preparation.

SSC JE 2023-BMC (Building Materials & Construction): Questions

1.         Out of the following, which may be termed as an unstratified Rock?

            (a) Sandstone

            (b) Limestone

            (c) Marble

            (d) Slate

Sol: C

Classification of Rock

Types of rock	Example
Igneous Rocks	Granite, Rhyolite, Syenite, Andesite, Gabbro
Sedimentary Rocks	Gypsum, magnesite, Sandstone, Limestone, diatomite, Chalk
Metamorphic Rocks	Gneiss, Marble, Slate and Schist

Types of rock	Example
Stratified Rocks	Sandstone, Limestone, Shale, Slate
Unstratified Rocks	Basalt, Granite, Marble
Foliated Rocks	Gneiss

Types of rock	Example
Argillaceous Rocks	Slate
Silicious Rocks	Gneiss
Calcareous Rocks	Marble

2.         Moh’s scale is used for stones to determine:

(a) Flakiness index

(b) Durability

(c) Strength

(d) Hardness

Ans. (d)

Moh’s hardness, rough measure of the resistance of a smooth surface to scratching or abrasion, expressed in terms of a scale by the German mineralogist Friedrich Moh’s.

Moh’s Hardness Scale
Mineral	Moh’s Hardness
Talc	1
Gypsum	2
Calcite	3
Fluorite	4
Apatite	5
Orthoclase	6
Quartz	7
Topaz	8
Corundum	9
Diamond	10

3.         An explosive that contains: 65% saltpetre, 20% sulphur and 15% charcoal is
(a) Dynamite
(b) Nitrocellulose
(c) Blasting powder
(d) Cordite
Sol-(c)

• Blasting powder composition consists of: 65% saltpetre, 20% sulphur, and 15% charcoal.
• Dynamite comprises: 75% nitroglycerine, which is soaked into 25% sandy earth to create a dense paste.
• Cordite: A potent, smokeless explosive employing Nitroglycerine.
• Nitrocellulose or Gun cotton: Produced by impregnating cotton with nitric acid.

4.         A stone is rejected if it absorbs water more than
(a) 5%
(b) 10%
(c) 20%
(d) 25%
Sol-(b)
A good stone should be having less porosity and so it should have water absorption between 5-10% and should be rejected if water absorption is more than 10%.

5.         Hardness of the rock can be tested in situ using
(a) Smith’s test
(b) Schmidth Hammer test
(c) Acid test
(d) Crystallization test
Sol-(b)

• Schmidth hammer rebound test was developed to determine the compressive strength of concrete and has been used to determine the hardness and compressive strength of rock material.
• This instrument is portable, easy to use, and can be applied both in the laboratory and in the field.

Disclaimer: The practice questions, solutions, and exam insights provided in this article are intended solely for educational and guidance purposes. They are based on commonly asked patterns, previous exam trends, and expert inputs. These materials should not be considered official or exhaustive. The actual questions, difficulty levels, and exam details will be determined and released only by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) through its official notifications and exam papers. Candidates are strongly advised to rely on official SSC updates for confirmed information.