ETHIOPIAN ROADS AUTHORITY

Entrance Exam For Junior Engineers

Attention:
1. Time Allowed is 1.45Hours
2. Choose and Answer only Five (5) questions
3. Any response for Questions more than five will not be considered for evaluation
4. Response should be made with clear, concise and structured paragraphs
5. Exam Code__________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

1. From the documents constituting contract documents, describe the importance of

“Drawing” and “Specification” in relation to the road construction(5-points)
▪ Drawing :- is a document that consists information necessary to describe the type of
work and its limits such as; General Plans and profiles, Cross-sections, estimate of
quantities, tabulation of construction items, providing stations, offset, general notes,
etc----(2.5 points)
▪ Specification:- is a document that specifies a minimum quality requirement for a given
type of work. It also describes the process and end requirement that shall be attained.-
---(2.5 points)

2. List the types of pavements and mention at least three engineering parameters used to
select the type of pavement?(5-points)

▪ The two major types of pavements are: Flexible Pavement and Rigid Pavement(1.5
Points)
▪ The Engineering parameters considered for selecting the type of pavement are :

➢ Volume of Traffic
➢ Structural adequacy (Subgrade strength) = are the major
Ones (2.5/3.5-points)
➢ Economic viability

➢ Pavement Serviceability
➢ Climatic Conditions
➢ Topography of the road alignment = are also factors to be
Considered (1-points)
➢ Availability of construction materials
➢ Ease of construction
➢ Maintainance cost

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 ETHIOPIAN ROADS AUTHORITY
Entrance Exam For Junior Engineers

3. The presence of rust is a common problem on a reinforcement bar used for infrastructure
project. What adverse impact does the reinforcement bar with a rust is causing to our
structure? Is this impact differ from the type of reinforcement bar?(5-points)

▪ The presence of rust affects the bond performance(reinforcement bar and concrete),
but this bond performance impact differs from type of reinforcement bar---(2-points)

▪ Plain round bar:- the rust on bar improves the bond performance by the formation of
rough surfaces which increases the friction between steel and concrete.(1.5 points)

▪ Deformed Bar:- the presence of rust impairs the bond strength because corrosion
occurs at the raised ribs and subsequently fills the gaps between ribs, and thus
evening out the original deformed shape.(1.5 points)

4. What is “Mass Haul Diagram” in a highway excavation work? Describe at least three main
function of Mass Haul Diagram.(5-points)

▪ Mass Haul Diagram: - is a curve in which the abscissas (x-axis) represent the stations of
the survey and the ordinates (y-axis) represent the algebraic sum of excavation and
embankment quantities from some point of beginning on the profile.(2.5-points)

▪ Mass haul diagram is used to determine:(2.5-points)

➢ Proper distribution of excavated material
➢ Amount and location of waste
➢ Amount and location of borrow
➢ Amount of overhaul in Kilometer-cubic meters
➢ Direction of haul
5. In a geometric design, careful attention shall be given to junction, or intersection design. List
at least three basic requirements that shall be taken into account during the design?(5-points)
▪ The design of the junctions or intersections must take account of the following basic
requirements:-(1-points each)
➢ Safety
➢ Operational comfort
➢ Capacity
➢ Economy
➢ Space availability

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 ETHIOPIAN ROADS AUTHORITY
Entrance Exam For Junior Engineers

6. What types of contracts are used usually in ERA road projects? (5-points)

▪ Lump sum and re-measurement/unit rate types of contract(5-points)

7. Describe the reason why we conduct “Slump Test” for concrete. If on site slump test fails, as
a supervision Engineer would you allow the Contractor to continue concreting work?(5-
points)

▪ Slump test is conducted to prove that workability/consistency of concrete is as

required. A concrete mix with a proper workability is more durable and achieve the
required strength and more likely to pass a comprehension test.(2.5points)

▪ No: - the Contractor fails to comply with contractual requirement and therefore the
Engineer should order suspension of works---------------process specification checking
method. ----(2.5 points)

▪ Yes:-let the Contractor to continue their concreting works and later on request the
Contractor to prove that the finished works comply with other contractual
requirements. e.g. comprehension test. This is with the belief that workability is mainly
required to achieve design concrete comprehension strength. If comprehension test
fails the Contractor shall demolish the concrete structure, which is time taking and
costly to the Contractor. Hence, this option is not recommended-------------end
specification compliance checking method.---(2.5points)

8. In a highway horizontal curve, where super elevation exists, which section of the road
(internal/external) is deteriorated first? What is the engineering reason behind it?(5-points)

▪ The section or parts of the road that is usually deteriorated first is the internal
curve.(2.5-points)

▪ In a horizontal superelevated section, there is a centrifugal radial force which forces

the vehicles to tilt towards the internal curve and parts of the axle load of the vehicles
on the outer wheel will be transferred to the internal wheel. (2.5-points)

9. Mention at least two types of drainage structures on a highway projects and discuss the
difference between one another?(5-points)

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 ETHIOPIAN ROADS AUTHORITY
Entrance Exam For Junior Engineers

▪ Culverts(pipe, Slab and box) = (2-points)

▪ Bridges

▪ A culvert- is a structure, as distinguished from bridges, that is usually covered with an

embankment, (culvers are used where bridges are hydraulically required)---(1.5 points)

▪ Bridges- structures that transport traffic over water ways or other obstructions
(Bridges are used where they are more economical that culverts, perhaps due to the
need to bury a culvert under high level of fill)----------(1.5-points)

10. Why so many asphalt plants are necessary for every road projects?(5-points)

▪ Asphalt pavement material begins to cool as soon as it is mixed due to temperature

drop.(2.5-points)

▪ In order to maintain workability at the paving site (ease of compaction) and for the
highest quality of finished, the mixing facility (asphalt plant) shall be near the paving
site. With innovative technology, we may able to locate our mixing facility at Addis
Ababa and haul our fresh asphalt to all our paving site, but this is very costly and not
recommended due to various reasons.(2.5-points)

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