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Question 1Vertical Forces

In structural design, which item is classified as a dead load?

  1. Self-weight of the slab and fixed partitions Correct answer.
  2. Movable furniture and occupants in an office
  3. Wind pressure on the building envelope
  4. Snow accumulated on the roof

Explanation

Dead loads are permanent, in-place weights such as structural framing, slabs, fixed partitions, and attached finishes. They remain essentially constant over the life of the structure.

Question 2Vertical Forces

Which of the following is a live load on an office floor?

  1. Weight of a suspended mechanical duct
  2. Occupants and movable desks Correct answer.
  3. Weight of a permanent masonry wall
  4. Weight of the reinforced concrete slab

Explanation

Live loads are occupancy-related gravity loads that are not permanently fixed in place, including people and movable furnishings. Their magnitude and distribution vary with use.

Question 3Vertical Forces

A one-way floor system spans between parallel beams spaced 10 ft on center. What is the tributary width for an interior beam?

  1. 5 ft
  2. 10 ft Correct answer.
  3. 20 ft
  4. 15 ft

Explanation

For an interior beam in a one-way system, the tributary width equals the beam spacing because the slab load is divided equally between adjacent parallel beams. For a 10-ft spacing, the interior beam receives a 10-ft-wide strip.

Question 4Vertical Forces

Which ASCE 7 strength load combination applies to dead load plus floor live load only?

  1. 1.2D + 1.6L + 0.5Lr
  2. 1.2D + 1.6L Correct answer.
  3. 1.4D
  4. 0.9D + 1.0W

Explanation

The basic ASCE 7 strength combination for gravity load with floor live load as the principal variable action is 1.2D + 1.6L. Other combinations add roof live, snow, or wind terms.

Question 5Vertical Forces

For a simply supported beam of span L carrying a uniformly distributed load w over its entire length, the maximum bending moment is:

  1. wL^2/8 Correct answer.
  2. wL^2/12
  3. wL^2/2
  4. wL/2

Explanation

For a uniformly loaded simply supported beam, the maximum moment occurs at midspan and equals wL^2/8. This follows from the parabolic moment diagram with peak at the center.

Question 6Vertical Forces

A simply supported beam of span 20 ft carries a single concentrated load of 10 kip at midspan. What is the vertical reaction at each support, neglecting beam self-weight?

  1. 20 kip
  2. 2.5 kip
  3. 5 kip Correct answer.
  4. 10 kip

Explanation

A concentrated load at midspan of a simply supported beam is shared equally by the two supports when the beam is symmetric. Each reaction is half the load, or 5 kip.

Question 7Vertical Forces

The approximate unit weight of normal-weight reinforced concrete used for dead-load calculations is:

  1. 100 lb/ft^3
  2. 60 lb/ft^3
  3. 200 lb/ft^3
  4. 150 lb/ft^3 Correct answer.

Explanation

Normal-weight reinforced concrete is conventionally taken as about 150 lb/ft^3 for dead-load calculations. This value includes the concrete, reinforcement, and normal moisture content.

Question 8Vertical Forces

Live load reduction is permitted because:

  1. Full loading over a large area is unlikely Correct answer.
  2. Reduced loads improve deflection control
  3. Live loads are always smaller than dead loads
  4. Occupancy loads are temporary and may be ignored

Explanation

Live load reduction recognizes that a large tributary area is unlikely to be fully occupied at its nominal intensity at the same time. The reduced load is still checked against a minimum value.

Question 9Vertical Forces

A building has a one-way slab system supported by beams on a 20 ft by 30 ft column grid. Interior columns support beams in both directions. What is the tributary area for an interior column?

  1. 150 ft^2
  2. 600 ft^2 Correct answer.
  3. 1,200 ft^2
  4. 300 ft^2

Explanation

The tributary area of an interior column in a regular orthogonal grid is the product of the two adjacent bay spacings. It represents the floor area whose loads are assumed to reach that column.

Question 10Vertical Forces

A simply supported beam spans 24 ft and carries a uniform load of 2 kip/ft. What is the maximum shear force in the beam?

  1. 48 kip
  2. 12 kip
  3. 96 kip
  4. 24 kip Correct answer.

Explanation

For a simply supported beam with a uniform load, the maximum shear equals wL/2 at each support. With w = 2 kip/ft and L = 24 ft, the shear is 24 kip.

Question 11Vertical Forces

A cantilever beam projects 6 ft from a support and carries a uniform load of 1.5 kip/ft over its full length. What is the maximum bending moment at the support?

  1. 9 kip-ft
  2. 54 kip-ft
  3. 27 kip-ft Correct answer.
  4. 13.5 kip-ft

Explanation

A cantilever carrying a uniform load has its maximum moment at the fixed support, equal to wL^2/2. Using 1.5 kip/ft and 6 ft gives 27 kip-ft.

Question 12Vertical Forces

In a typical steel-framed floor system, which sequence best describes the vertical load path?

  1. Slab → column → beam → foundation
  2. Slab → beam → girder → column Correct answer.
  3. Beam → slab → girder → column
  4. Column → beam → slab → foundation

Explanation

Gravity loads generally travel from the slab to supporting beams, then to girders, then to columns and finally to the foundation. This sequence defines the vertical load path.

Question 13Vertical Forces

Using ASCE 7 strength design, what is the factored downward load for a member with D = 40 kip, L = 30 kip, and Lr = 10 kip when floor live load is the principal variable load?

  1. 1.2(40)+0.5(30)+1.6(10)=79 kip
  2. 1.4(40)+1.6(30)=104 kip
  3. 1.2(40)+1.6(30)+0.5(10)=101 kip Correct answer.
  4. 1.2(40)+1.6(30)=96 kip

Explanation

The controlling gravity combination with floor live load as the principal variable load is 1.2D + 1.6L + 0.5Lr. Substituting gives 48 + 48 + 5 = 101 kip.

Question 14Vertical Forces

A floor live load is 80 psf on a tributary area of 900 ft^2. Using the ASCE 7 live load reduction L = L0(0.25 + 15/√A), what is the reduced live load?

  1. 40 psf
  2. 80 psf
  3. 20 psf
  4. 60 psf Correct answer.

Explanation

The ASCE 7 live load reduction factor is 0.25 + 15/√A, where A is the tributary area in square feet. For A = 900 ft^2, the factor is 0.25 + 0.50 = 0.75, so the reduced load is 60 psf.

Question 15Vertical Forces

For a simply supported beam of span L, a unit load placed at midspan produces a reaction at the left support equal to:

  1. 0.25
  2. 0
  3. 0.5 Correct answer.
  4. 1.0

Explanation

The reaction influence line for a simply supported beam is linear, with ordinate 1.0 at the support and 0 at the far support. At midspan the left reaction ordinate is therefore 0.5.

Question 16Vertical Forces

A 4-story building has interior columns on a 25 ft by 25 ft grid. Each floor contributes a total dead plus live load of 100 psf. What is the approximate total axial load at the base of an interior column?

  1. 1,000 kip
  2. 625 kip
  3. 250 kip Correct answer.
  4. 62.5 kip

Explanation

The column tributary area is 25 ft × 25 ft = 625 ft^2. Each floor load is 625 ft^2 × 100 psf = 62.5 kip, and four floors give 250 kip.

Question 17Vertical Forces

In a simply supported beam carrying only a downward uniform load, the shear diagram:

  1. Is parabolic with maximum at midspan
  2. Is zero at the supports and maximum at midspan
  3. Is constant across the span
  4. Varies linearly from +wL/2 to -wL/2 Correct answer.

Explanation

For a uniform downward load, the shear changes at a constant rate of -w per unit length. It starts at +wL/2 at the left support and ends at -wL/2 at the right support.

Question 18Vertical Forces

A simply supported beam of span 16 ft carries a concentrated load of 12 kip at midspan. What is the maximum bending moment?

  1. 96 kip-ft
  2. 24 kip-ft
  3. 48 kip-ft Correct answer.
  4. 192 kip-ft

Explanation

For a simply supported beam with a concentrated load at midspan, the maximum moment is PL/4. With P = 12 kip and L = 16 ft, M = 12 × 16 / 4 = 48 kip-ft.

Question 19Vertical Forces

Roof live loads are generally smaller than floor live loads because:

  1. Roofs are not intended for continuous occupancy Correct answer.
  2. Roof occupants are heavier than floor occupants
  3. Roofs are designed only for wind
  4. Roof live loads exclude construction workers

Explanation

Roof live loads account for maintenance work, equipment, and occasional roof access rather than continuous occupancy. Floor live loads are larger because floors are intended for regular occupant use.

Question 20Vertical Forces

What is the factored load for a member carrying only a dead load of 50 kip under the ASCE 7 basic strength combination for dead load alone?

  1. 60 kip
  2. 50 kip
  3. 75 kip
  4. 70 kip Correct answer.

Explanation

The ASCE 7 strength load combination for dead load alone is 1.4D. For D = 50 kip, the factored load is 1.4 × 50 = 70 kip.

Question 21Vertical Forces

A two-span continuous beam has equal spans L and carries a uniform load w over both spans. The reaction at the interior support is:

  1. wL
  2. wL/2
  3. 5wL/4 Correct answer.
  4. 3wL/8

Explanation

For a two-span continuous beam with equal spans and a uniform load over both spans, the interior reaction is 5wL/4. This follows from continuity and symmetry; the two end reactions are each 3wL/8.

Question 22Vertical Forces

For a simply supported beam of span L, the maximum positive shear at a section located L/4 from the left support due to a single concentrated moving load P is:

  1. 0.50P
  2. 1.00P
  3. 0.25P
  4. 0.75P Correct answer.

Explanation

The positive shear influence line at a section x from the left support reaches its maximum when the load is just to the right of the section. The ordinate is 1 - x/L, which for x = L/4 equals 0.75.

Question 23Vertical Forces

An interior column supports 5 floors, each with tributary area 600 ft^2 and unreduced live load 100 psf. Using L = L0(0.25 + 15/√A) with A taken as the total column tributary area, what total reduced live load does the column carry?

  1. 52 kip
  2. 524 kip
  3. 300 kip
  4. 157 kip Correct answer.

Explanation

The total tributary area for the column is 5 × 600 = 3,000 ft^2. The reduction factor is 0.25 + 15/√3000 ≈ 0.524, so the total reduced live load is about 0.524 × 100 psf × 3,000 ft^2 ≈ 157 kip.

Question 24Vertical Forces

A simply supported beam of span 20 ft has a 5-ft overhang on the right. It carries a uniform load of 1 kip/ft over the entire 25-ft length. What is the reaction at the left support?

  1. 10 kip
  2. 9.4 kip Correct answer.
  3. 12.5 kip
  4. 15.6 kip

Explanation

Take moments about the right support. The total load is 1 kip/ft × 25 ft = 25 kip, acting at midspan 12.5 ft from the left end, or 7.5 ft from the right support. Thus R_left = 25 × 7.5 / 20 = 9.4 kip.

Question 25Vertical Forces

A beam is simply supported at both ends with a span of 30 ft and carries two equal concentrated loads of 10 kip each at the third points. What is the maximum bending moment?

  1. 50 kip-ft
  2. 100 kip-ft Correct answer.
  3. 150 kip-ft
  4. 200 kip-ft

Explanation

With two equal loads at the third points, symmetry gives each reaction equal to 10 kip. The maximum moment occurs under either load and equals 10 kip × 10 ft = 100 kip-ft.

Question 26Vertical Forces

The unit weight of structural steel used for dead-load calculations is most nearly:

  1. 490 lb/ft^3 Correct answer.
  2. 30 lb/ft^3
  3. 62.4 lb/ft^3
  4. 145 lb/ft^3

Explanation

Structural steel has a unit weight of about 490 lb/ft^3, the value used to compute the dead load of steel members and frames. This value is a standard tabulated property of the material.

Question 27Vertical Forces

Interior floor beams are spaced uniformly at 10 ft on center. What tributary width is used to compute the uniform load carried by a typical interior beam?

  1. 5 ft
  2. 20 ft
  3. 10 ft Correct answer.
  4. 15 ft

Explanation

The tributary width of an interior beam equals half the spacing to each adjacent beam added together, which for equal spacing is simply the spacing itself. Thus a 10 ft spacing gives a 10 ft tributary width.

Question 28Vertical Forces

A cantilever beam projects 8 ft from a fixed support and carries a concentrated load of 3 kip at its free end. What is the bending moment at the fixed support?

  1. 48 kip-ft
  2. 24 kip-ft Correct answer.
  3. 12 kip-ft
  4. 8 kip-ft

Explanation

For a cantilever with a point load at the free end, the fixed-end moment equals the load times the cantilever length, or 3 kip times 8 ft = 24 kip-ft. The moment produces tension on the top face of the beam.

Question 29Vertical Forces

The minimum uniformly distributed live load specified for stairs and exit ways is:

  1. 40 psf
  2. 100 psf Correct answer.
  3. 50 psf
  4. 80 psf

Explanation

Stairs and exit ways are assigned a 100 psf uniform live load because of the concentrated foot traffic and the possibility of crowding during an evacuation. This value exceeds the loads for ordinary office or residential floors.

Question 30Vertical Forces

A column carries a dead load of 20 kip and a floor live load of 15 kip. Using the ASCE 7 strength combination 1.2D + 1.6L, what factored axial load is used for design?

  1. 39 kip
  2. 42 kip
  3. 48 kip Correct answer.
  4. 35 kip

Explanation

Applying the factors gives 1.2(20 kip) + 1.6(15 kip) = 24 kip + 24 kip = 48 kip. Dead load is factored by 1.2 and live load by 1.6 in the basic gravity combination.

Question 31Vertical Forces

A floor live load of 100 psf acts over a member tributary area of 400 ft^2, with an element factor KLL of 4. Using L = L0(0.25 + 15/sqrt(KLL x AT)), what reduced uniform live load applies?

  1. 87.5 psf
  2. 50 psf
  3. 75 psf
  4. 62.5 psf Correct answer.

Explanation

The influence area is KLL times AT, or 4 x 400 = 1600 ft^2, whose square root is 40. The reduction factor is 0.25 + 15/40 = 0.625, so the reduced live load is 0.625 x 100 = 62.5 psf.

Question 32Vertical Forces

For a statically determinate beam, the bending moment reaches a local maximum or minimum at the section where:

  1. the shear reaches its maximum
  2. the beam deflection is zero
  3. the shear passes through zero Correct answer.
  4. the load intensity reaches its peak

Explanation

Shear is the rate of change of moment along the beam, so the moment is stationary where the shear is zero and changes sign. This is why the maximum moment in a simply supported beam is found at the point of zero shear.

Question 33Vertical Forces

A one-way slab spans between two parallel beams and carries only transverse load. The slab load is delivered primarily to:

  1. the two beams parallel to the direction of slab span
  2. the columns directly beneath the slab panel
  3. all four supporting beams in equal shares
  4. the two beams perpendicular to the direction of slab span Correct answer.

Explanation

In a one-way slab the panel bends in one direction, so the load is carried to the two supports that lie perpendicular to that direction of bending. Load travels through those beams before reaching columns.

Question 34Vertical Forces

A simply supported beam spans 20 ft and carries a uniform load of 2 kip/ft. Each end frames into a girder. What concentrated load does the beam deliver to each girder?

  1. 40 kip
  2. 5 kip
  3. 20 kip Correct answer.
  4. 10 kip

Explanation

The total load on the beam is 2 kip/ft times 20 ft = 40 kip, and by symmetry each end reaction takes half of it. The beam therefore delivers 20 kip to each girder.

Question 35Vertical Forces

A simply supported beam spans 12 ft and carries a triangular distributed load that varies linearly from 0 at the left support to 6 kip/ft at the right support. What is the vertical reaction at the left support?

  1. 12 kip Correct answer.
  2. 8 kip
  3. 4 kip
  4. 6 kip

Explanation

The resultant of the triangle is one half times 6 kip/ft times 12 ft = 36 kip, acting at one third of the span from the tall end, or 8 ft from the left support. Taking moments about the right support gives R_left = 36 x (12 - 8)/12 = 12 kip.

Question 36Vertical Forces

A reinforced concrete beam is 12 in wide and 24 in deep overall. Using 150 lb/ft^3 for normal-weight concrete, what is the beam self-weight per linear foot?

  1. 250 lb/ft
  2. 150 lb/ft
  3. 600 lb/ft
  4. 300 lb/ft Correct answer.

Explanation

The cross section has an area of 1 ft by 2 ft = 2 ft^2, so the weight per foot is 2 ft^2 times 150 lb/ft^3 = 300 lb/ft. Self-weight is a dead load and is included in the member's own dead load.

Question 37Vertical Forces

For a simply supported beam carrying a uniformly distributed load over its full span, the bending moment diagram is:

  1. a straight line from zero at one support to zero at the other
  2. two straight segments meeting at a peak at midspan
  3. a parabola with its maximum at midspan Correct answer.
  4. a rectangle of constant moment

Explanation

A uniform load gives a linear shear diagram and therefore a moment diagram that varies as a second-order curve. The result is a parabola with zero moment at the supports and maximum moment at midspan.

Question 38Vertical Forces

Which pair of vertical loads is treated as not acting simultaneously in the ASCE 7 load combinations?

  1. snow load and floor live load
  2. dead load and roof live load
  3. floor live load and dead load
  4. snow load and roof live load Correct answer.

Explanation

Snow and roof live load are alternate sources of roof loading, so the combinations use the larger of the two rather than adding them together. This appears in the combinations as the term (Lr or S or R).

Question 39Vertical Forces

A member carries a dead load of 100 kip and is subject to a wind uplift of 70 kip. Using the combination 0.9D + 1.0W, what is the net axial force on the member?

  1. 20 kip downward Correct answer.
  2. 90 kip downward
  3. 30 kip downward
  4. 70 kip upward

Explanation

The reduced dead load is 0.9 x 100 = 90 kip acting downward, and the uplift acts upward, giving 90 - 70 = 20 kip net downward. The 0.9 factor on dead load exists precisely to check this minimum-load, uplift case.

Question 40Vertical Forces

A simply supported beam spans 20 ft. It carries a uniform load of 1.0 kip/ft over its full length and a concentrated load of 20 kip located 5 ft from the left support. What is the vertical reaction at the left support?

  1. 15 kip
  2. 30 kip
  3. 25 kip Correct answer.
  4. 10 kip

Explanation

Taking moments about the right support: R_left x 20 = (1.0 x 20)(10) + 20(15) = 200 + 300 = 500 kip-ft, so R_left = 25 kip. The uniform load acts at midspan and the concentrated load has a 15 ft lever arm to the right support.

Question 41Vertical Forces

A cantilever beam 10 ft long carries a uniform load of 2 kip/ft over its full length. What is the maximum bending moment in the beam?

  1. 200 kip-ft
  2. 100 kip-ft Correct answer.
  3. 25 kip-ft
  4. 150 kip-ft

Explanation

The maximum moment of a uniformly loaded cantilever occurs at the fixed support and equals wL^2/2 = 2(10)^2/2 = 100 kip-ft. The resultant of 20 kip acts at 5 ft from the support, which gives the same result.

Question 42Vertical Forces

A building has columns on a 20 ft by 30 ft grid. What tributary floor area is assigned to a corner column?

  1. 600 ft^2
  2. 150 ft^2 Correct answer.
  3. 300 ft^2
  4. 75 ft^2

Explanation

A corner column receives half of each adjacent bay dimension, or (20/2) x (30/2) = 10 x 15 = 150 ft^2. Interior columns take a full bay and edge columns take a full bay in one direction only.

Question 43Vertical Forces

A simply supported beam spans 20 ft and carries a single concentrated load of 20 kip at midspan. What uniformly distributed load produces the same maximum bending moment?

  1. 1.0 kip/ft
  2. 0.5 kip/ft
  3. 4.0 kip/ft
  4. 2.0 kip/ft Correct answer.

Explanation

The point-load moment is PL/4 = 20(20)/4 = 100 kip-ft. Setting wL^2/8 equal to 100 kip-ft with L = 20 ft gives w = 800/400 = 2.0 kip/ft.

Question 44Vertical Forces

The minimum uniformly distributed live load specified for residential dwelling areas is:

  1. 30 psf
  2. 40 psf Correct answer.
  3. 20 psf
  4. 60 psf

Explanation

Residential dwelling areas are assigned a 40 psf uniform live load, reflecting the relatively light furnishing and occupancy of living spaces. Heavier occupancies such as offices and public areas carry higher tabulated values.

Question 45Vertical Forces

A floor consists of a 4 in normal-weight concrete slab (150 lb/ft^3), a 10 psf suspended ceiling, and a 5 psf allowance for mechanical and electrical work. What is the total dead load per square foot?

  1. 65 psf Correct answer.
  2. 55 psf
  3. 85 psf
  4. 75 psf

Explanation

The slab weighs (4/12)(150) = 50 psf, and the ceiling and mechanical allowance add 10 psf and 5 psf. The total superimposed plus slab dead load is 50 + 10 + 5 = 65 psf.

Question 46Vertical Forces

A beam has a tributary width of 10 ft and spans 24 ft. It supports a 6 in normal-weight concrete slab (150 lb/ft^3), a superimposed dead load of 20 psf, and a floor live load of 80 psf. What total service uniform load does the beam carry per linear foot?

  1. 1.75 kip/ft Correct answer.
  2. 1.00 kip/ft
  3. 1.55 kip/ft
  4. 1.25 kip/ft

Explanation

The slab contributes (6/12)(150) = 75 psf, and with 20 psf superimposed and 80 psf live the total is 175 psf. Multiplying by the 10 ft tributary width gives 1750 lb/ft, or 1.75 kip/ft.

Question 47Vertical Forces

For allowable stress design, the basic ASCE 7 load combination for a member carrying only dead and floor live load is:

  1. 1.4D + 1.7L
  2. 0.6D + 0.6L
  3. D + L Correct answer.
  4. 1.2D + 1.6L

Explanation

Allowable stress design uses unfactored service loads, so the basic gravity combination is simply D + L. The factored combinations with 1.2 and 1.6 belong to strength design.

Question 48Vertical Forces

In the analysis of a continuous beam, the design live load is placed in the most unfavorable pattern because:

  1. live load is always larger than dead load
  2. dead load is always applied in a pattern
  3. pattern loading reduces the total factored load
  4. live load may act on only part of the structure at a time Correct answer.

Explanation

Live load is variable and may be present on some spans and absent on others, which can produce larger shears and moments than loading every span at once. Designers therefore check the arrangements that maximize the effect being designed for.

Question 49Vertical Forces

A simply supported beam spans 30 ft and carries a uniform load of 1 kip/ft over the left half of the span only. What is the vertical reaction at the right support?

  1. 2.5 kip
  2. 3.75 kip Correct answer.
  3. 5 kip
  4. 7.5 kip

Explanation

The resultant is 1 kip/ft times 15 ft = 15 kip, acting at the centroid of the loaded half, 7.5 ft from the left support. Taking moments about the left support gives R_right = 15 x 7.5/30 = 3.75 kip.

Question 50Vertical Forces

A girder spans 30 ft and supports two identical beams, each delivering a concentrated load of 12 kip at the third points, 10 ft from each end. What is the vertical reaction at each end of the girder?

  1. 8 kip
  2. 12 kip Correct answer.
  3. 6 kip
  4. 24 kip

Explanation

The two equal loads are placed symmetrically about midspan, so each support carries one of them. The total load is 24 kip and it divides equally, giving 12 kip at each end.