Pokhara University: Design of RCC Structures
Complete Theory Question Bank (2013 - 2025)

A comprehensive collection of all theory questions asked in the Bachelor of Engineering (BE) exams from 2013 to 2025, categorized by topic. Perfect for last-minute revision.

General RCC Theory, LSM & WSM

• Explain in brief why limit state method is better than working stress method. [2025 Fall]
• How does Limit State differ from Working Stress? [2017 Fall]
• Differentiate limit State method of design and working stress method of design. Give reasons for your answer. [2021 Fall]
• Is the Limit State method in any better method of design of concrete structures than the working stress design? Give reasons for your answer. [2015 Fall]
• Explain about the partial safety factor and factor of safety. Derive the necessary expression for the development length (both anchorage and flexural bond). [2016 Fall]
• Explain partial safety factor and factor of safety. [2018 Fall]
• Explain about the partial safety factor and factor of safety. [2018 Fall]
• Define characteristic strength and characteristic load. How do you calculate the design load and design strength of material? [2015 Spring]
• Explain about the design values of strength and loads with the help of stress and strain curve. [2019 Fall]
• Derive the design strength of concrete. [2021 Fall]
• Derive the design strength of concrete from the given characteristic strength of concrete. [2017 Fall]
• Derive the design strength of concrete as per IS 456-2000. [2023 Spring]
• The stress-strain curves for concrete and steel given in IS 456:2000 show that the reduction in the characteristic strength of concrete is applied all along the curve, whereas the reduction for the characteristic strength for steel is applied only from the yield point (0.87 fy). Give the reasons for this difference with neat figures. [2019 Spring]
• Write down the limitations of plain concrete. How the embedded reinforcement steel bars minimize the limitations? [2021 Spring]
• Give logical opinion about limitations of plain concrete and concept of reinforced concrete as a better technological solution. [2015 Spring]
• Discuss the major limitations of plain concrete. Also explain about factor of safety and partial safety factor. [2018 Fall]
• Explain different type of limit state. [2018 Fall]
• What are the assumptions made for the limit state of collapse in compression? [2025 Fall]

Beams

• Derive an expression for limiting neutral axis depth in beam. [2025 Fall]
• Derive the design strength of concrete. [2019 Spring]
• Explain the shear failure of beam with neat sketches. [2016 Fall]
• Explain in brief the types of shear failure in beam with neat sketches. [2015 Spring]
• Explain about the shear failure of beam with neat sketches. [2016 Fall]
• Write short notes on truss analogy of shear reinforcement in beams. [2019 Fall]
• Requirement for the design of the doubly reinforced beam section. [2023 Spring]
• Reinforcement curtailment rule for positive moment reinforcement with stating the clause no. IS 456-2000. [2018 Spring]
• The limit state of serviceability for control of deflection in beam. [2018 Spring]
• Moment of resistance of concrete in T-beam if neutral axis lies in the web and the section is under reinforced. Rectangular stress block depth is less than that of the flange depth. [2023 Fall]
• Derive the expressions for the minimum required development length and the provided development length. [2022 Fall]
• Write short notes on minimum required and provided development lengths. [2023 Fall]

Columns

• Describe the P-M interaction curve of a column with axial load and Uni-axial bending moment. [2024 Fall]
• Describe the P-M interaction curve of the short column with the axial load and uni-axial bending. [2022 Fall]
• Describe axial and bending moment interaction curve in short column with axial load and uni – axial bending. [2017 Fall]
• Explain the interaction curve of axial load and bending moment of the short column with axial load and uniaxial bending. [2022 Fall]
• Describe the P-M interaction curve of a short column with axial load and uniaxial bending moment. [2024 Spring]
• P-M interaction diagram of axial load and uni-axial bending moment in column. [2021 Spring]
• Explain the interaction curve of axial load and bending moment of the short column with axial load and uniaxial bending. [2022 Fall]
• Modes of failure of columns with reference to interactive curve. [2019 Spring]
• What are the failure modes of column? [2019 Fall]
• Describe the types of columns on the basis of (1) shape, (2) reinforcement alignment, (3) loading types, and (4) slender ratio. [2021 Spring]
• Mention about the slenderness ratio aspect of the RC column as per code. [2015 Spring]

Slabs

• Why the partial safety factor of concrete (1.5) is greater than that of steel (1.15)? [2023 Spring]
• Requirement for the design of the doubly reinforced beam section. [2023 Spring]

Footings & Foundations

• In what cases, dowel bars are needed to design in the design procedure of footing? [2021 Spring]
• What are dowel bars? How do you design them? [2017 Fall]
• Load transfer from column to footing. [2024 Spring]
• Check for one-way and two-way shear in RC isolated footing. [2019 Spring]
• Structural behavior of combined footing with a typical reinforcement detailing along longitudinal direction. [2018 Spring]
• Write down the design steps of mat foundation. [2015 Spring]
• Define the term combined footing. List the reason to provide combined footing in site. [2025 Fall]

Staircases

• Load calculation method in two dog-legged staircases. [2021 Spring]
• Load Calculation method of dog logged staircase. [2024 Fall]
• Design procedure for dog-legged staircase. [2019 Fall]
• Design steps of dog-legged stair case. [2023 Fall]
• Design Procedure of staircase. [2017 Fall]
• Design steps and detailing of staircase. [2017 Fall]
• Design step and detailing of staircase. [2020 Fall]
• Dog Legged and Open well stair case. [2019 Spring]
• Reinforcement detailing of dog-legged staircase. [2015 Spring]
• Reinforcement detailing of typical staircase. [2020 Fall]

Water Tanks & Liquid Retaining Structures

• Design concept of RCC underground rectangular water tank. [2024 Fall]
• Design concept of underground circular water tank. [2023 Fall]
• Design concept and detailing of underground water tank. [2018 Fall]
• Design concept of overhead water tank. [2017 Fall]
• Design concept of top spherical, bottom spherical dome and top ring beam. [2015 Spring]
• Design criteria of liquid retaining structure. [2020 Fall]
• Design criteria of underground rectangular water tank. [2021 Fall]
• Design of steps of INTZE tank. [2021 Spring]
• Design steps of Intze Tank. [2021 Spring]
• Design steps of INTZE tank. [2014 Fall]
• Design steps of underground RCC water tank. [2019 Spring]
• Differences between underground and elevated water tanks. [2024 Spring]
• Elevated circular tank. [2021 Spring]
• Reinforcement Detailing of Intze tank. [2024 Fall]
• Intze Tank with reinforcement detailing. [2017 Fall]
• Reinforcement detailing of Intze Tank. [2016 Fall]
• Reinforcement arrangement in rectangular underground tank. [2021 Spring]
• Reinforcement detailing of underground rectangular water tank. [2023 Fall]
• Reinforcement detailing of under-ground water tank. [2019 Fall]
• Reinforcement detailing of under- ground rectangular water tank. [2019 Fall]
• Reinforcement detail in Intze tank. [2016 Fall]
• Load calculation method in underground tank. [2017 Fall]
• Load calculation method in dog logged staircase. [2021 Spring]
• Structural requirements of Overhead Tank. [2017 Spring]

Dome

• Design concept and stress in dome design. [2024 Fall]
• Design concept and stresses in dome design. [2022 Fall]
• Design concept and stresses in dome design. [2017 Fall]
• Design criteria of Dome. [2021 Spring]
• Concept of dome and forces applied on it. [2023 Fall]
• Stress in dome. [2024 Spring]
• Stresses in the spherical dome. [2018 Fall]
• Discuss different types of stresses in dome and sketch. [2025 Fall]
• Dome. [2023 Spring]
• Reinforcement detailing of spherical domes. [2019 Spring]
• Typical reinforcement in a dome (to provide sketch). [2014 Spring]

Miscellaneous

• Partial Safety factors for materials and loads. [2024 Spring]
• Characteristic Strength of materials. [2023 Spring]
• Characteristic and design strength of concrete. [2021 Spring]
• Determination of the design strength of concrete and steel. [2021 Fall]
• Design curves for concrete and reinforcement bars in RCC structure. [2020 Fall]

Prestressed Concrete (New in 2025)

• A post tensioned with 300mm² steel located at 100mm from the soffit of beam. The wires are initially tensioned to 1000N/mm². The span of beam is 10m. Calculate the loss of prestress if loss due to relaxation of steel is 50N/mm², shrinkage of concrete is 300x10⁻⁶, creep coefficient = 1.6, Es=200kN/mm² and Ec=31.5kN/mm² and draw neat figure. Also find reinforcement area if Mu of RCC beam of same size is 500kN.m and tendon number are 4 with 5 strands each of 12.7 m diameter of strands is used. [2025 Fall]

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Prepared for Pokhara University BE Students. Best of luck for your exams!