The wooden shoring shown in the illustration is bearing against the hatch coaming and is supporting a load in the direction indicated by the arrows. Which of the following statements is correct for the this condition? SF-0018

Correct Answer: Option C — Shore "B" will support the load without it cracking.

Proper shoring requires the shore to be installed perpendicular to the load-bearing surface to maximize compressive strength. Shore B is positioned correctly to distribute the force evenly across the timber's cross-section, preventing the buckling or splitting that occurs when a shore is installed at an inefficient, non-perpendicular angle.