What type of load may cause bending in the supporting members?

The correct answer is that an eccentric load may cause bending in the supporting members. An eccentric load is applied off-center, which creates a moment or torque about a point, leading to bending stresses in the structural members that support the load. This bending occurs because the force is not acting directly through the center of gravity of the structure, causing one side of the member to experience tension and the other side to experience compression.

In contrast, an axial load acts vertically and through the center of the structural member, which results in uniform compression or tension without causing bending. Shear load primarily causes sliding between sections of a structure and does not create bending moments. A uniform load, while it can create bending in some contexts, distributes evenly across a surface and typically produces a different type of bending than that caused by an eccentric load. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for assessing structural integrity and ensuring safety in construction and firefighting contexts.