Which term defines a nonload-bearing exterior wall attached to the outside of a building with a rigid steel frame?

• A. Curtain wall
• B. Masonry veneer
• C. Drywall
• D. Shear wall

Answer: (A)

The concept here is a façade that doesn’t support any of the building’s weight but simply hangs on the outside of a rigid steel frame. That describes a curtain wall. Curtain walls are lightweight exterior wall systems attached to the frame and only resist wind and weather loads, not vertical loads from floors or the roof. They’re typically made of metal framing with glass or panels and are designed to enclose the space while remaining independent of the structure’s weight-carrying system.

Masonry veneer, by contrast, is a decorative outer layer attached to a backing wall that does carry loads, drywall is interior finishing material, and a shear wall is a structural element that resists lateral forces.