What is the term for walls that by design carry at least some portion of the building's structural load in the direction of the ground?

• A. Means of Egress
• B. Load-Bearing Wall
• C. Hollow-core door
• D. Glue-Laminated Beam

Answer: (B)

Walls that are designed to carry at least some portion of the building’s structural load down to the foundation are called load-bearing walls. They transfer gravity loads from roofs and floors to the ground, forming a primary part of the building’s load path. Non–load-bearing walls, by contrast, mainly divide spaces and do not carry significant vertical loads.

The other terms don’t describe this function: a means of egress refers to exit routes, a hollow-core door is a type of interior door, and a glue-laminated beam is a structural member used to span openings, not a wall that carries loads.