Answer :

Final answer:

Insufficient expansion joints in plaster walls can prevent cracks from pulling away from the lath.

Explanation:

The issue when plaster cracks are not pulling away from the lath might be due to insufficient expansion joints.

When a house warms and cools, the plaster walls undergo thermal stress, causing cracks to open and close. If there are no expansion joints in the plaster, the cracks may not be able to move away from the lath and pull it apart.

Insufficient expansion joints can also be observed in other structures, such as railroad tracks and roadways, which can buckle on hot days due to the forces and pressures created by thermal stress.