🔍 Key Concepts

• Compression along the grain vs. across the grain in wooden shoring • Effect of bearing area and point loading at the end of a shore • How end cuts (square vs. pointed) influence slipping and cracking under load

💭 Think About

• Compare how the load is distributed at the contact surfaces for shore A versus shore B. Which one spreads the force over a larger area, and which concentrates it? • Think about where wood is most likely to fail: will it fail by slipping along a smooth surface, or by splitting/cracking where the stress is concentrated? • Ask yourself which shore end condition (full, flat bearing or sharp/pointed contact) is recommended in damage-control manuals for safely taking heavy compression loads.

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which shore has full, flat contact at both ends and which has a more pointed or wedge-like end at one side. • Consider where stress concentration will be highest and whether that makes cracking or splitting more likely at that point. • Verify which shore configuration would have better resistance to slipping because of friction from a large contact area, and which one would be more prone to local crushing or cracking of the wood.