In designing bridges, why is it critical to understand the elastic properties of materials?
Understanding elastic properties ensures that materials can withstand various loads (traffic, wind, weight) without undergoing permanent deformation, maintaining structural integrity. As per NCERT, applying relevant law/formula with correct units and sign convention leads to To ensure structural integrity. This satisfies dimensional consistency and physical conditions given, so option D is scientifically correct.
Ref: NCERT Class 11 Physics, Thermal Properties and Gravitation.