Which construction type has exterior masonry and veneer walls that are not load-bearing and placed over load-bearing wood walls, making it the lightest construction type and likely to collapse inward?

• A. Type V
• B. Type I
• C. Type II
• D. Type III

Answer: (A)

This item tests how exterior walls relate to the structural system in different construction types and how that affects fire performance. In the lightest category, the building is wood-framed, with exterior walls that may be masonry veneer placed over the wood frame. The veneer is not load-bearing—the load is carried by the wood framing behind it. Because the primary structure is wood and relatively lightweight, it can lose strength quickly in a fire, making inward collapse more likely.

Other construction types rely on noncombustible materials with heavier structural systems (or use exterior walls that carry load), so they’re not the lightest and are less prone to this inward collapse pattern described for the wood-framed, veneer-over-frame type.