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How does concrete used in building pillars and arches behave under compression compared with under shear, according to the source?
AIt withstands compression well but performs very poorly against shear
BIt withstands shear well but performs very poorly under compression
CIt performs equally well under both compression and shear
DIt cannot withstand either compression or shear at all
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. It withstands compression well but performs very poorly against shear
1. The source discusses concrete right after covering shear moduli for various materials.
2. It states that concrete used in buildings can withstand compression, as in pillars and arches, but is very poor against shear.
3. Heavily loaded floors or earthquakes are given as situations where this shear weakness becomes a practical concern.
4. This is why modern structures rely on steel and steel-reinforced concrete rather than plain concrete alone.
_Source: OpenStax College Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 5 "Further Applications of Newton's Laws: Friction, Drag, and Elasticity", section 5.3 Elasticity: Stress and Strain_
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