Final answer:
For a cantilevered beam, horizontally aligned bolts would be preferable to minimize shear stress since the primary load on the beam is horizontal.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the bolt arrangement for a cantilevered beam attached to a column and which arrangement would minimize shear stress. Shear stress can be induced in bolt connections when there is a transverse load on the beam. In standard practices, the distribution of stress is more uniform when bolts are aligned in the direction of the load. In the case of a cantilevered beam, the primary load is horizontal, so to minimize shear stress, the bolts should be aligned horizontally rather than vertically.
Therefore, when considering minimizing shear stress for a cantilevered beam bolted to a column, horizontally aligned bolts, 5 inches apart (option b) would be preferable over vertically aligned bolts. Shear deformation is represented by the formula Δx = γLo, where Δx is the deformation, γ is the shear strain, and Lo is the original length; however, to properly minimize shear stress in a connection, knowledge of the loading direction is paramount.