The pattern formed when a wall collapse leaves one end of the floor and/or roof hanging unsupported and suspended above the other floors is called what?

• A. V shaped
• B. Cantilever
• C. Pancake collapse
• D. A-frame collapse

Answer: (B)

When a wall collapse leaves one end of the floor and/or roof supported while the other end hangs free, the exposed portion behaves as a cantilever: it is fixed at the supported edge and projects outward over the empty space below. This creates a long, suspended section that is held up by the remaining connection at one end. The term comes from the architectural concept of a beam anchored at one end and free at the other, which is exactly what you see in this collapse pattern.

Why this fits best: the defining feature is the single-sided support with an overhanging, suspended segment of floor or roof. The other patterns describe different shapes: a V-shaped pattern shows two sides falling away toward a point; a pancake collapse results in floors stacking flat with little to no overhang; an A-frame collapse creates a triangular, roof-leaning form.