For Type V construction, walls may collapse inward or outward.

• A. Inward or outward
• B. Upward or downward
• C. Left or right
• D. Diagonally

Answer: (A)

Wood-frame (Type V) construction uses lightweight studs that form the exterior and interior walls and rely on overall frame integrity for support. When a fire involves this type of construction, the wood members burn away quickly, and the load paths through top plates, floors, and studs are lost. As those supports fail, the wall can give way toward the interior if the interior supports collapse, or push outward if the exterior supports fail, leading to collapse in either direction. In other words, the walls may fail inward or outward depending on how the fire progresses and which part of the frame loses its strength first. The other directional options don’t fit typical collapse behavior for wood-frame walls under heavy fire.