2.
Linear State Method
1. Consider the following statements:
1. The limit state of collapse is defined as the
acceptable limit for the stresses in the materials.
2. Limit state method is one that ensures adequate
safety of structure against collapse.
3. In the limit state design method, actual stresses
developed at collapse differ considerably from the
theoretical values.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 3 (d) None [ESE : 2004]
2. Which one of the following states falls under the ‘Limit
state of Serviceability’ as per IS-456?
(a) Stability under load
(b) Loss for equilibrium of a structure
(c) Floor vibration
(d) Formation of mechanism [ESE : 2013]
3. When assessing the strength of a structure as per the
limit state of collapse, the value of partial safety factor
for steel is taken as
(a) 2.0 (b) 1.5
(c) 1.15 (d) 1.00 [ESE : 1998]
4. Partial safety factor for concrete and steel are 1.5 and
1.15 respectively, because
(a) concrete is heterogeneous while steel is
homogeneous
(b) the control on the quality of concrete is not as
good as that of steel
(c) concrete is weak in tension
(d) voids in concrete are 0.5% while those in steel are
0.15% [ESE : 2000]
5. According to IS : 456, the partial safety factor for
concrete is taken as
(a) 0.87 (b) 1.15
(c) 1.50 (d) 3.00 [UPPSC : 2003]
6. According to IS : 456, the partial safety factor for
concrete is taken as
(a) 0.87 (b) 1.15
(c) 1.50 (d) 3.00 [UPPSC : 2004]
7. In the limit state design method of concrete structures,
the recommended partial material safety factor (γm)
for steel according to IS 456 : 2000 is
(a) 1.5 (b) 1.15
(c) 1.00 (d) 0.87
 [GATE 2004 : 1 Mark]
8. The partial factor of safety for concrete as per IS 456 :
2000 is
(a) 1.50 (b) 1.15
(c) 0.87 (d) 0.446
 [GATE 2005 : 1 Mark]
9. According to IS code, the partial safety factor for
reinforcing steel is taken as
(a) 0.87 (b) 1.15
(c) 1.50 (d) 3.00 [UPPSC : 2007]
10. For limit state of collapse, the partial safety factors
recommended by IS 456 : 2000 for estimating the
design strength of concrete and reinforcing steel are
respectively
(a) 1.15 and 1.5 (b) 1.0 and 1.0
(c) 1.5 and 1.15 (d) 1.5 and 1.0
 [GATE 2009 : 1 Mark]
11. In the limit state design method of concrete structures,
the recommended partial safety factor (Vm) for steel
according to IS 456 : 2000 is
(a) 1.5 (b) 1.15
(c) 1.00 (d) 0.87 [UPPSC : 2011]
12. Grade of steel is designated as Fe 415, if
(a) the upper yield stress of the steel is 415 N/mm2
(b) the ultimate stress of the steel is 415 N/mm2
(c) the partial safety factor is 1.15
(d) the characteristic strength is 415 N/mm2
 [ESE : 2012]
13. The partial safety factor applied to the reinforcement in
the design of RC structures in the limit state of strength
is :
(a) 1.15 (b) 1.50
(c) 0.87 (d) Equal or less than 1.0
 [MPSC : 2013 (I)]
14. Factor of safety is the ratio of
(a) tensile stress to working stress
(b) compressive stress to working stress
(c) bending stress to working stress
(d) yield stress to working stress [ESE : 2013]
15. The factored loads at the limit state of collapse for DL
+ LL, DL + WL and DL + LL + WL combinations,
according to IS 456: 1978 are respectively.
(a) 1.5 DL + 1.5 LL, 1.2 DL + 1.2 WL, 1.5 DL + 1.5 LL
+ 1.5 WL
6 Limit State Method
(b) (0.9 or 1.5) DL + 1.5 LL, 1.5 DL + 1.5 WL, 1.2 DL
+ 1.2 LL + 1.2 WL
(c) 1.2 DL + 1.2 LL, 1.5 DL + 1.5 WL, 1.5 DL + 1.5 LL
+ 1.5 WL
(d) 1.5 DL + 1.5 LL, (0.9 or 1.5)DL + 1.5 WL, 1.2 DL +
1.2 LL + 1.2 WL
 [GATE 1993 : 1 Mark]
16. Combination of partial safety factors for loads under limit
state of collapse and limit state of serviceability will be
(a) 1.5 (DL + LL) or 1.5 (DL + WL) or 1.2 (DL + LL +
WL) and DL + 0.8 (LL + WL)
(b) 1.5 (DL + LL) and DL + 0.8 (LL + WL)
(c) 1.5 (DL + LL) or 1.5 (DL + WL) or 1.2 (DL + LL +
WL) and 1.0 (DL + LL) or 1.0 (DL + WL) or DL +
0.8 (LL + WL)
(d) 1.2 (DL + LL + WL) and 1.0 (DL + LL) or 1.0 (DL
+ WL) or DL + 0.8 (LL + WL) [ESE : 1998]
17. A reinforced concrete beam is subjected to the following
bending moments:
Dead load – 20 kN-m
Live load – 30 kN-m
Seismic load – 10 kN-m
The design bending moment for limit state of collapse is
(a) 60 kN-m (b) 75 kN-m
(c) 72 kN-m (d) 80 kN-m [ESE : 2003]
18. For avoiding the limit state of collapse, the safety of
RC structures is checked for appropriate combinations
of Dead Load (DL), Imposed Load or Live Load (IL),
Wind Load (WL) and Earthquake Load (EL). Which of
the following load combinations is NOT considered?
(a) 0.9 DL + 1.5 WL
(b) 1.5 DL + 1.5 WL
(c) 1.5 DL + 1.5 WL + 1.5 EL
(d) 1.2 DL + 1.2 IL + 1.2 WL [GATE 2004 : 1 Mark]
19. Un-factored maximum bending moments at a section
of a reinforced concrete beam resulting from a frame
analysis are 50, 80, 120 and 180 kNm under dead, live,
wind and earthquake loads respectively. The design
moment (kNm) as per IS 456: 2000 for the limit state of
collapse (flexure) is
(a) 195 (b) 250
(c) 345 (d) 372
 [GATE 2008 : 2 Marks]
20. The probability of failure implied in limit state design is
of the order of
(a) 10–2 (b) 10–3
(c) 10 –4
(d) 10–5 [ESE : 2001]
21. According to the concept of Limit State Design as per IS
456 : 2000, the probability of failure of
a structure is __________. [2015 : 2 Marks, Set-II]
22. The basic assumption of plane sections normal to
the neutral axis before bending remaining plane and
normal to the neutral axis after bending, leads to
(a) uniform strain over the beam cross-section
(b) uniform stress over the beam cross-section
(c) linearly varying strain over the cross-section
(d) stresses which are proportional to strains at the
cross-section [GATE 1995 : 1 Mark]
23. In a R.C. section under flexure, the assumption that
"a plane section before bending remains plane after
bending" leads to
(a) Strain distribution being linear across the depth
(b) Stress distribution being linear across the depth
(c) Both stress and strain distribution being linear
across the depth
(d) Shear stress distribution being uniform along the
depth [ESE : 2011]
24. Consider the singly reinforced beam shown in the
figure below:
P P
X
X
L L/2 L
At cross-section XX, which of the following statements
is TRUE at the limit state?
(a) The variation of stress is linear and that of strain is
non-linear
(b) The variation of strain is linear and that of stress is
non-linear
(c) The variation of both stress and strain is linear
(d) The variation of both stress and strain is nonlinear
 [GATE 2015 : 1 Mark, Set-I]
25. If fcu and fy are cube compressive strength of concrete
and yield stress of steel respectively and Es is the
modulus of elasticity of steel for all grades of concrete,
the ultimate flexural strain in concrete can be taken as
f
(a) 0.002 (b) cu
1000
fy
(c) 0.0035 (d) + 0.002
1.15Es
 [ESE : 1995]
26. The maximum strain in concrete at the outermost
compression fiber in the limit state design of flexural
member is (as per IS:456-1978)
(a) 0.0020 (b) 0.0035
 Limit State Method 7

(c) 0.0065 (d) 0.0050 [ESE : 1996]

27. The limiting compressive strain of concrete in bending
is
(a) 0.0035 (b) 0.0015
(c) 0.0025 (d) 0.015 [ESE : 1998]
28. As per IS:456-1978, the ratio of stress in concrete to its
characteristic strength at collapse in flexure for design
purposes is taken as
(a) 0.67 (b) 0.576
(c) 0.447 (d) 0.138 [ESE : 1999]
29. The design for the limit state of collapse in flexure is
based on the following assumptions:
1. Plane sections normal to the axis remain plane
after bending
2. The maximum strain in concrete at the outermost
tension fibre is 0.0035.
3. The relationship between the compressive stress
distribution in concrete and the strain in concrete
may be assumed to be rectangular, trapezoidal,
parabolic or any other shape which results in
prediction of strength in substantial agreement
with the results of tests.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
(a) 1 and 3 (b) 1, 2 and 3
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1 and 2 [ESE : 2001]
30. Stress-strain diagram of concrete in compression is
given below:
Stress
(d)
Neutral Axis
31. As per IS 456 : 2000, the maximum compressive stress in
concrete for design purpose is
(a) 0.37 fck (b) 0.416 fck
(c) 0.446 fck (d) 0.67 fck[UPPSC : 2004]
32. The maximum strain in concrete in compression in
bending is taken as
(a) 0.003 (b) 0.0035
f
(c) 0.002 (d) ck  [UPPSC : 2008]
Ec
33. Stress-strain curve of concrete is
(a) A perfect straight line upto failure
(b) Straight line upto 0.002 strain value and then
parabolic upto failure.
(c) Nearly parabolic upto 0.002 strain value and then
a straight line upto failure
(d) Hyperbolic upto 0.002 strain value and then a
straight line upto failure [ESE : 2011]
34. If fcu and fy are the cube compressive strengths, of
concrete and yield stress of steel respectively and Es
is the modulus of elasticity of the steel. For all grades
of concrete, what can be taken as the ultimate flexural
strain in concrete?
f
(a) 0.002 (b) cu
1000

fy
(c) 0.0035 (d) + 0.002
1.15Es

 [MPSC : 2013 (I)]
Strain 35. The maximum strain in the tension reinforcement in
The corresponding stress block represented by the section at failure when designed for the limit state
of collapse should be
 fy 
(a) (a) >  + 0.002
 1.15Es 
Neutral Axis
 fy 
(b) <  + 0.002
 1.15Es 
 fy 
(c) exactly equal to  + 0.002
(b)  1.15Es 
Neutral Axis (d) < 0.002
where, fy = Characteristic strength of steel, and
Es = Modulus of elasticity of steel [ESE : 2006]
36. The design stress for mild steel in limit state design
method is taken as:
(c)
Neutral Axis
8 Limit State Method

(a) 1.5 fy (b) 1.15 fy 42. The minimum strain at failure in tension steel having
(c) fy (d) 0.87 fy yield stress fy = 415 MPa and Young’s modulus Es = 200
where, fy is the yield stress of steel [UPPSC : 2007] GPa, as per Limit State Method of Design, is
37. The maximum strain in tension reinforcement in (a) 0.0025 (b) 0.0038
reinforced concrete structures is (c) 0.0045 (d) 0.0050 [ESE : 2015]
(a) 0.0035 (b) 0.002 43. In the limit state method of design, the failure criterion
fy fy for reinforced concrete beams and columns is
(c) 0.87 (d) 0.87 + 0.002 (a) maximum principal stress theory
Es Es
 [UPPSC : 2008] (b) maximum principal strain theory
(c) maximum shear stress theory
38. In limit state of collapse against flexure, the maximum
(d) maximum strain energy theory [ESE : 1998]
strain in tension reinforcement at failure shall not be
44. According to IS 456:2000, the maximum depth of stress
less than
block for balanced section of beam of effective depth d
f
(a) 0.002 (b) 0.002 + y using steel with fy = 250, is given by
Es (a) 0.43 d (b) 0.53 d
fy fy (c) 0.68 d (d) 0.73 d
(c) 0.002 + (d) 0.002 +
0.87Es 1.15Es  [SSC : JE : 2011]
 [SSC : JE : 2011] 45. The maximum depth of neutral axis for a beam with ‘d’
39. The minimum strain at failure in the tensile as the effective depth, in limit state method of design for
reinforcement (fy = 400 MPa) of RCC beam as per limit Fe 415 steel is
state method is (a) 0.46d (b) 0.48d
(a) 0.0020 (b) 0.0028 (c) 0.50d (d) 0.53d [ESE : 2002]
(c) 0.0037 (d) 0.0045 [ESE : 2011] 46. In limit state design of concrete for flexure, the area of
40. The maximum strain in steel at failure in limit state stress block is taken as
method of design is considered as (a) 0.530 fck ⋅ Xu (b) 0.446 fck ⋅ Xu
fy fy (c) 0.420 fck ⋅ Xu (d) 0.360 fck ⋅ Xu
(a) + 0.002 (b) + 0.0035  [ESE : 2011]
1.15Es 1.15Es
fy fy ANSWERS
(c) + 0.0035 (d) + 0.002 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
1.5Es Es
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
 [MPSC : 2012 (I)]
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
41. As per IS 456: 2000, in the Limit State Design of a 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
flexural member, the strain in reinforcing bars under 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.
tension at ultimate state should not be less than 26. 27. 28. 29. 30.
f fy 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.
(a) y (b) + 0.002
Es Es 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.
fy fy 41. 42. 43. 44. 45.
(c) (d) + 0.002 46.
1.15Es 1.15Es
 [GATE 2012 : 1 Mark] qqq