A buttress wall is primarily designed to resist which forces?

A buttress wall is primarily designed to resist flexure and overturning forces. These walls are structural elements that provide lateral support to vertical structures, such as retaining walls or buildings, by counteracting the forces acting upon them. When lateral loads, such as soil pressure or wind, exert force on a vertical surface, they can cause bending moments and potential overturning moments.

The design of a buttress wall incorporates its ability to transfer these forces down to the foundation, thus preventing the structure from tilting or failing. The shape and material properties of a buttress wall allow it to effectively handle these bending (flexural) stresses and moments that occur due to lateral forces.

In comparison, while shear forces may also be present and need consideration in the overall design, the primary purpose of a buttress wall focuses more on stability against flexural and overturning issues rather than directly addressing shear or tension forces. Therefore, the emphasis on flexure and overturning makes this the best choice.