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Created: 2026/10/21 00:29
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I went through all six papers (2019, Feb 2021, Jul-Aug 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025). Viva-voce sections are excluded because they have no written questions. "Times" counts the number of exams a question appeared in, not total occurrences. Question numbers are included so you can check each one. Where the wording was close, I merged the questions into one row.

I classified dredging, navigation, groynes, spurs, bank protection, and the Bangladesh river systems as River Engineering (A), even though many appeared in the Section B slot. I put dams, weirs, reservoirs, diversion channels, levees, and watershed management under Flood Management (B).

## Section A: River Engineering

|#|Question / topic|Appeared in|Times|
|---|---|---|---|
|1|River pattern: definition and factors affecting it (slope, discharge, sediment load/size, width-depth ratio, sinuosity), with figures|2019 (Q1a, Q2a), Feb 2021 (Q1a), Jul 2021 (Q1a), 2023 (Q1a), 2024 (Q1c), 2025 (Q1a, Q1b)|6|
|2|Sediment load classification and differences (bed load, bed-material load, wash load, suspended load, suspended bed-material load)|2019 (Q2b), Feb 2021 (Q1c), Jul 2021 (Q2c), 2023 (Q2b), 2024 (Q3a), 2025 (Q1d)|6|
|3|Complex pier: definition, components/cases, why scour is higher, need for effective diameter|2019 (Q4b), Jul 2021 (Q6b), 2023 (Q8b), 2024 (Q4c), 2025 (Q4b)|5|
|4|Groynes: attracting/repelling, permeable/impermeable, slack zone, length/spacing design, application|2019 (Q6c), Feb 2021 (Q3c), Jul 2021 (Q8c), 2024 (Q1f), 2025 (Q8c-b)|5|
|5|Numerical: bed erodibility using Shields parameter (erodible?, critical/minimum size, max allowable discharge)|Jul 2021 (Q2d), 2023 (Q2e), 2024 (Q3d), 2025 (Q2e)|4|
|6|River stability: meandering vs braided, stability parameters/planform ratios, effect of sediment-load type|Jul 2021 (Q2b), 2023 (Q2a), 2024 (Q2a), 2025 (Q2c)|4|
|7|Flow regime and bedforms: upper vs lower regime, bedform sequence with stream power, roughness change|2019 (Q1b), 2023 (Q3a, Q3b), 2024 (Q3c), 2025 (Q1e)|4|
|8|Pier scour factors: pier width, flow depth, sediment size, angle of attack (figures)|2019 (Q4a), Feb 2021 (Q3a), 2024 (Q1e), 2025 (Q1f)|4|
|9|Numerical: bed load (Meyer-Peter & Müller for gravel, or dune-migration method)|2019 (Q3e), Feb 2021 (Q2d), 2024 (Q4e), 2025 (Q8e)|4|
|10|Dredging: types, processes and phases (hydraulic dredging etc.)|Jul 2021 (Q4c), 2023 (Q8f), 2024 (Q7a-i, Q8b), 2025 (Q8b)|4|
|11|Dredging: purposes and impacts from different perspectives, morphological/hydraulic response, effect on flood management|2019 (Q7a), Feb 2021 (Q7c), Jul 2021 (Q7d), 2024 (Q5c)|4|
|12|Meander formation: two hypotheses/theories|2019 (Q3a), Jul 2021 (Q2a), 2025 (Q1c)|3|
|13|Clear-water vs live-bed scour (which is higher and why)|2019 (Q4e), Jul 2021 (Q6a), 2025 (Q8c-a)|3|
|14|Contraction scour: definition, why insignificant at a bridge/when ignored|Feb 2021 (Q1b), Jul 2021 (Q3c), 2023 (Q4c)|3|
|15|Pier scour mechanism: horseshoe/wake vortices, helical current, equilibrium scour depth, critical scour velocity|Feb 2021 (Q2a), 2023 (Q4b), 2025 (Q4a, Q4c)|3|
|16|Rouse number: definition and role in suspension status/sediment distribution|2019 (Q3c), Feb 2021 (Q2b), 2024 (Q4a)|3|
|17|Fall (settling) velocity vs shear velocity|Feb 2021 (Q2b), 2023 (Q3d), 2025 (Q8c-c)|3|
|18|Numerical: suspended sediment concentration at another height (Rouse profile)|Jul 2021 (Q3d), 2023 (Q3e), 2025 (Q3c)|3|
|19|Numerical: Lane's balance, expected morphological change when Q, Qs and depth change (retention reservoir, irrigation diversion, landslide)|Feb 2021 (Q3d), Jul 2021 (Q6e), 2024 (Q8d)|3|
|20|Morphological response downstream of dam/clear-water release, diversion, confluence, off-take, flood|Jul 2021 (Q3b), 2023 (Q4a), 2025 (Q3b)|3|
|21|Navigation: factors affecting navigability, methods, advantages over other modes|Jul 2021 (Q4b, Q4c), 2023 (Q4d), 2024 (Q4d, Q8a)|3|
|22|Capital dredging; why dredging for navigation is not sustainable|Jul 2021 (Q4d), 2024 (Q8b), 2025 (Q4c)|3|
|23|Prove stream power is proportional to V³ and shear stress to V²|2019 (Q2c), Jul 2021 (Q6c)|2|
|24|Prove critical shear stress/force to erode coarse sediment depends only on grain size|Feb 2021 (Q3b), 2024 (Q2b)|2|
|25|Erosion vs suspension/deposition velocity against grain size (Hjulström-type figure)|Feb 2021 (Q2c), 2025 (Q3a)|2|
|26|Why pier scour is greater than abutment scour|2019 (Q4c), 2025 (Q4a)|2|
|27|Bankfull discharge: definition, abrupt width-depth change, bankfull depth numerical|Feb 2021 (Q1d), 2024 (Q1b)|2|
|28|Slope variation along the longitudinal profile (why slope decreases downstream)|Jul 2021 (Q1b), 2024 (Q1a)|2|
|29|Grain roughness vs form roughness|Jul 2021 (Q3a), 2025 (Q1e)|2|
|30|Numerical: width-discharge relationship from table|2019 (Q1c), Jul 2021 (Q1c)|2|
|31|Numerical: slope-discharge relationship from table|2019 (Q2d), 2023 (Q1c)|2|
|32|Spurs: types/orientation, new bank-line development, spur and bandal|2019 (Q4d), 2025 (Q4c, Q8a)|2|
|33|Riprap vs gabion|Jul 2021 (Q4a), 2024 (Q1f)|2|
|34|Soft/nature-based bank protection (advantages and disadvantages)|Jul 2021 (Q4a), 2023 (Q8d)|2|
|35|Active vs passive river training structures|Jul 2021 (Q6d), 2023 (Q8a)|2|
|36|Variation of suspended sediment size/concentration with depth (figure)|2024 (Q1d), 2025 (Q2d)|2|
|37|Why suspended load and bed load are interchangeable / no sharp demarcation (figure)|2023 (Q2c), 2024 (Q3b)|2|
|38|Numerical: effective/equivalent diameter of a complex pier|2023 (Q4e), 2025 (Q4d)|2|
|39|River systems of Bangladesh (Brahmaputra-Jamuna evolution)|2019 (Q5c), 2024 (Q8c)|2|
|40|Hydraulic geometry: definition and equations|2023 (Q1b)|1|
|41|Competence vs capacity|2023 (Q2d)|1|
|42|Dissolved load and why it is not part of sediment load|2023 (Q2d, Q3d)|1|
|43|Why wash load never settles (figure)|2023 (Q3c)|1|
|44|Open vs closed joint revetment|2023 (Q8c)|1|
|45|Morphological consequences of a cut-off (figure)|2023 (Q8e)|1|
|46|Numerical: meander length-width relationship|2024 (Q2d)|1|
|47|Pool and riffle (figure and cross-sections)|2024 (Q2c)|1|
|48|Effect of sphericity on fall velocity (figure)|2024 (Q3e)|1|
|49|Complexity in determining suspended sediment load|2024 (Q4b)|1|
|50|Flashy river; velocity change as discharge increases downstream|2025 (Q2b)|1|
|51|Width-depth ratio vs bank/bed cohesiveness (figure)|2025 (Q2a)|1|
|52|Limitations of Lane's relationship|2025 (Q8d)|1|
|53|Sacrificial pile|2025 (Q4c)|1|
|54|Scour vs degradation|2025 (Q8c-d)|1|
|55|Local scour: definition and types|2019 (Q3d)|1|
|56|Erosion of cohesive vs non-cohesive bed (Shields diagram)|2019 (Q3b)|1|
|57|Numerical: Lacey-Inglis scour depth and its limitations|2019 (Q4f)|1|

## Section B: Flood Management

|#|Question / topic|Appeared in|Times|
|---|---|---|---|
|1|Flood proofing strategy: considerations (incl. coastal areas)|Feb 2021 (Q6b), Jul 2021 (Q5b), 2023 (Q6b), 2024 (Q5a), 2025 (Q6c)|5|
|2|Factors responsible for floods in Bangladesh (geographic, hydro-meteorological, climate, terrain, siltation, 1998 flood)|2019 (Q5b), Jul 2021 (Q7a), 2023 (Q5a), 2024 (Q5b), 2025 (Q6a)|5|
|3|Flood zoning/floodplain: definition, zones, data, approaches, pros and cons, role in risk reduction|2019 (Q7b), Feb 2021 (Q6c), Jul 2021 (Q7b), 2023 (Q7b), 2024 (Q6d)|5|
|4|Flood forecasting: definition, role in flood management, features/limitations|2019 (Q8a), 2023 (Q5c), 2024 (Q7b), 2025 (Q6b)|4|
|5|Short-term and long-term flood management measures|Feb 2021 (Q5a), 2024 (Q6c), 2025 (Q7b)|3|
|6|Diversion channel/flood diversion: definition, importance, advantages and disadvantages|Jul 2021 (Q5a), 2023 (Q6c), 2024 (Q5d)|3|
|7|Urban flooding: definition, impacts, urban vs rural|Feb 2021 (Q7b), 2024 (Q6b), 2025 (Q7a)|3|
|8|Watershed/land management and why it matters compared with other measures|Feb 2021 (Q5b, Q7b), 2023 (Q7c), 2024 (Q7a-ii)|3|
|9|Numerical: flood/rainfall frequency (normal or log-normal; T-year event, exceedance probability)|Feb 2021 (Q5c), Jul 2021 (Q5c), 2023 (Q7a)|3|
|10|Economic evaluation of flood mitigation projects (2019 had a levee benefit-cost numerical)|2019 (Q7c), 2023 (Q5b), 2024 (Q7c)|3|
|11|Short notes: flood wall and levee; gravity dam; diversion dam|2024 (Q6a), 2025 (Q5a)|2|
|12|Flood proofing: advantages and disadvantages|Feb 2021 (Q7a), 2024 (Q7d)|2|
|13|Factors on which flood damage depends|2019 (Q5c), 2025 (Q7b)|2|
|14|Flood damage assessment: tangible vs intangible, process and parameters|2019 (Q8c), Jul 2021 (Q7c)|2|
|15|Numerical: flood risk/expected annual damage from return periods|2019 (Q8c), 2025 (Q5b)|2|
|16|Causes of dam failure; types of dam by use|2019 (Q6b), Feb 2021 (Q6a)|2|
|17|Weir vs barrage vs dam|Feb 2021 (Q6a), Jul 2021 (Q8a)|2|
|18|Reservoir storage zones / design factors|2019 (Q6a), Jul 2021 (Q8a)|2|
|19|Flood control measures: structural vs non-structural; flood types and measures in Bangladesh|2019 (Q5a), 2023 (Q6a)|2|
|20|Planning for flood management|2025 (Q5c)|1|
|21|FEMA flood proofing strategies|2025 (Q7c)|1|
|22|Effect of land-use change on flood hazard|2025 (Q5d)|1|
|23|Positive outcomes of flash floods|Jul 2021 (Q8b)|1|
|24|PMF vs SPF|Jul 2021 (Q5a)|1|
|25|Flood control vs flood management|Feb 2021 (Q5a)|1|
|26|Flood hazard, risk and vulnerability; factors influencing hazard|2019 (Q8b)|1|

## Patterns worth noting

- **Every paper:** river pattern and the sediment-load classification (A1, A2) appeared in all six exams.
- **Almost every paper:** flood proofing, floods in Bangladesh, and flood zoning appeared in five of six. The one miss for each: Section B #1 missed 2019, #2 missed Feb 2021, #3 missed 2025.
- **Numericals:** Shields erodibility, bed load, Rouse concentration, and Lane's balance recur in nearly every paper. For Section B, flood frequency analysis and risk/damage calculations recur.
- **Section A topics in the Section B slot:** Q8 of Section B in 2023 and 2025 was almost entirely River Engineering. Jul 2021 Q6 was too, and 2024 Q8 was mostly so.

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References:

- https://claude.ai/chat/f3e0c9d8-89bb-48ee-9a08-397825526447