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← HistoryDuring a Roman siege, which outcome results when sappers undermine a defensive wall foundation with unstable soil?
A)Catastrophic wall collapse under load✓
B)Gradual settling causing minor cracks
C)Formation of impenetrable groundwater barrier
D)Increased wall stability from soil compaction
💡 Explanation
When undermining a wall with poor soil, soil liquefaction occurs because the destabilizing saturated ground loses strength under stress, leading to sudden, uneven settlement and collapse. Therefore catastrophic collapse results, rather than gradual cracks, a barrier, or stability, which require different soil conditions or interactions.
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