Which item is placed beneath the pole to prevent sinking?

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Multiple Choice

Which item is placed beneath the pole to prevent sinking?

When a pole sits on soft ground, the key idea is to spread the load over a larger area so the soil doesn’t compact or yield under the base. Placing wooden planks as a footing creates a wider, flat bearing surface under the pole, which distributes the weight more evenly and reduces the risk of the base sinking into soft or uneven soil. This footing helps keep the pole level and stable. Ground anchors serve to resist movement or uplift, not to prevent sinking. Platform support describes a surface for supporting something rather than a bearing area under the pole, and plank braces provide lateral stability rather than addressing the base settlement. So the plank footing is the option that directly prevents sinking by enlarging the contact area and stabilizing the base.

When a pole sits on soft ground, the key idea is to spread the load over a larger area so the soil doesn’t compact or yield under the base. Placing wooden planks as a footing creates a wider, flat bearing surface under the pole, which distributes the weight more evenly and reduces the risk of the base sinking into soft or uneven soil. This footing helps keep the pole level and stable.

Ground anchors serve to resist movement or uplift, not to prevent sinking. Platform support describes a surface for supporting something rather than a bearing area under the pole, and plank braces provide lateral stability rather than addressing the base settlement. So the plank footing is the option that directly prevents sinking by enlarging the contact area and stabilizing the base.

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