Which term describes the force that tends to cause a member to fail by cutting perpendicular to the beam's longitudinal axis?

The term that describes the force that tends to cause a member to fail by cutting perpendicular to the beam's longitudinal axis is known as vertical shear. This type of shear force occurs when loads are applied to a beam, causing internal stresses that act to slide one part of the beam past another along a plane perpendicular to its length.

In structural engineering, understanding shear forces is crucial because they can lead to shear failure, a condition where parts of the structure separate due to the inability to withstand these forces. Vertical shear is specifically the result of vertical loading, affecting how beams and other structural elements are designed and analyzed for safety and stability.

The other terms, while related to structural forces and behaviors, do not specifically address the perpendicular cutting nature of shear forces. Compression refers to forces that push or pull components together, moments relate to rotational forces about a point, and deflection deals with the displacement of a beam under load rather than the forces causing potential failure.