Which construction type is specified to have a collapse zone equal to three times its height for safety?

Which construction type is specified to have a collapse zone equal to three times its height for safety?

• A. Reinforced concrete frame buildings
• B. Wood frame houses
• C. Steel shear walls
• D. Unreinforced masonry wall buildings

Answer: (D)

This question is about how different building types behave under extreme loads and the safety buffers used around them. Unreinforced masonry walls are brittle and lack redundancy, so when they fail, debris can scatter unpredictably and the whole wall can collapse suddenly. Because of that high risk, safety standards specify a collapse zone that extends three times the building’s height to keep people and nearby property clear if the wall comes down. Other construction types—reinforced concrete frames, wood-frame houses, and steel shear walls—are designed to be more ductile and to distribute or absorb forces, reducing the likelihood of a sudden, widespread collapse. Therefore, they do not require the same large collapse zone.

This question is about how different building types behave under extreme loads and the safety buffers used around them. Unreinforced masonry walls are brittle and lack redundancy, so when they fail, debris can scatter unpredictably and the whole wall can collapse suddenly. Because of that high risk, safety standards specify a collapse zone that extends three times the building’s height to keep people and nearby property clear if the wall comes down. Other construction types—reinforced concrete frames, wood-frame houses, and steel shear walls—are designed to be more ductile and to distribute or absorb forces, reducing the likelihood of a sudden, widespread collapse. Therefore, they do not require the same large collapse zone.