Which mechanical vulnerability increased when 18th-century warships transitioned from primarily oak to elm planking below the waterline?

💡 Explanation

When elm replaced oak below the waterline, galvanic corrosion risk increased because elm's higher water absorption facilitated electrolytic coupling between iron fasteners and copper sheathing. Therefore, galvanic corrosion was the primary risk, rather than splintering, infestation, or hogging, due to electrochemical interactions of dissimilar metals.

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