Which of the following is NOT a common cause of overloading?

• A. Excessive weight
• B. Misalignment
• C. Incorrect orientation of the support
• D. Inadequate anchorage

Answer: (C)

Overloading happens when the actual force on a component exceeds what it can safely carry. The most common ways this happens are putting too much weight on the system, misalignment that causes unintended bending moments and higher stresses, and inadequate anchorage that allows movement or slippage and can ramp up forces during loading. The orientation of a support, while crucial for stability and how the load is transmitted, does not inherently increase the amount of load the member must carry. It mainly changes the direction and distribution of forces, not their total magnitude. So describing incorrect orientation of the support as a cause of overloading isn’t fitting the typical reasons for overload.