Definition check: a beam is most appropriately defined as a structural member primarily subjected to which type of loading?

Introduction / Context:
Clear definitions of structural members help assign the correct analysis models and design checks. A beam is distinguished from truss and column members by the dominant type of loading and the resulting internal actions it resists.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Member is part of a frame or floor system.
• Loads typically act perpendicular to the member's longitudinal axis.
• Primary internal effects are bending and shear.

Concept / Approach:
A beam primarily resists transverse loads (perpendicular to its axis), developing bending moments and shear forces. Axial forces may be present (e.g., from frame action or temperature), but they are secondary in the classical beam idealization. Purely axial members (tension/compression) are categorized as ties or struts/columns, while beam-columns handle significant combined axial and bending actions.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the dominant loading orientation: perpendicular to the member axis.Recall that this leads to bending and shear as primary internal forces.Select the option that names transverse loading as the defining characteristic.

Verification / Alternative check:
Beam theory (Euler–Bernoulli, Timoshenko) is built on transverse loading assumptions; design checks focus on flexure, shear, deflection, and sometimes lateral-torsional buckling due to bending about the strong axis.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Axial loading: describes ties/struts/columns.
• Axial and transverse: may describe a beam-column, not a pure beam definition.
• None: incorrect because beams are classically defined by transverse loading.

Common Pitfalls:

• Misclassifying members with small axial force as beam-columns; if axial is minor, beam design still governs.

Final Answer:
Transverse loading.