Concrete has poor ______ strength and ______ strength.

Concrete has poor ______ strength and ______ strength.

• A. Compressive strength and Tensile strength
• B. Shear strength and Compressive strength
• C. Flexural strength and Tensile strength
• D. Tensile strength and Shear strength

Answer: (D)

Concrete is strong in compression but weak under tensile and shear stresses. The cement paste and aggregates resist squeezing forces well, but they crack easily when pulled apart, so the tensile strength is relatively low. Shear resistance, which involves sliding along potential failure planes, is also limited in plain concrete because there isn’t enough cohesive strength to prevent diagonal cracking. That’s why, in structural practice, concrete is designed to carry compressive loads and relies on reinforcement to handle tensile and shear demands. This combination explains why the statement about concrete having poor tensile strength and poor shear strength is the most appropriate description.

Concrete is strong in compression but weak under tensile and shear stresses. The cement paste and aggregates resist squeezing forces well, but they crack easily when pulled apart, so the tensile strength is relatively low. Shear resistance, which involves sliding along potential failure planes, is also limited in plain concrete because there isn’t enough cohesive strength to prevent diagonal cracking. That’s why, in structural practice, concrete is designed to carry compressive loads and relies on reinforcement to handle tensile and shear demands. This combination explains why the statement about concrete having poor tensile strength and poor shear strength is the most appropriate description.