MATERIAL TESTING & CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES (KCE401)
SECTION A — What This Section Covers
Section A contains 10 short 2-mark questions that check the student’s understanding of basic construction materials, building components, and general engineering terms.
These questions include concepts such as efflorescence in bricks, seasoning of timber, elastomers, varnish, building terminology (header, stretcher, tread, riser), acoustics, plastering vs. pointing, corrosion vs. rusting, and stack effect.
This section tests basic knowledge about materials, finishes, stair components, deterioration, and building physics, ensuring the student understands foundational terminology used in construction.
SECTION B — What This Section Covers
Section B consists of any three long descriptive questions, each worth 10 marks.
It focuses on explanations, sketches, construction steps, material composition, and safety practices.
Topics include selection factors for building materials, constituents of paint, staircase components with sketch and types, pre-construction anti-termite treatment, and fire-safety measures in buildings.
This section evaluates the student’s ability to explain material behavior, structural detailing, protective treatments, and safety methods used in construction practices.
SECTION C — What This Section Covers
Section C requires answering one part from each question pair, involving deeper explanations, diagrams, and testing procedures.
It includes workability of concrete (slump cone test), tests on calcined clay bricks, types and uses of plastics, properties and uses of glass, brick bonds and their types, dampness effects and damp-proofing methods, types of modern doors with sketches, principles of building planning, building maintenance types, and importance of building services.
This section tests analytical understanding of concrete behavior, material testing, construction components, architectural planning, maintenance systems, and essential building services.
