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← HistoryWhich risk increased for Roman fortresses when enemies employed sapping?
A)Foundation shear failure occurs✓
B)Mortar tensile strength lowers quickly
C)Thermal expansion accelerates significantly
D)Oxidation reduces structural integrity
💡 Explanation
Sapping involves undermining a wall's base; reduced soil leads to foundation shear failure because increased stress concentrates on a smaller remaining area supporting the heavy walls. Therefore, collapse becomes far more likely rather than temperature effects, chemical changes, or material degradation which are far less immediate factors physically impacting structural integrity.
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