Which construction category describes impressive compressive and tensile strength in light-weight members that have little inherent fire resistance and will fail rapidly without fireproofing?

• A. Cast in Place
• B. Steel Construction
• C. Wood Construction
• D. Metal Deck Roof Fire

Answer: (B)

The main idea is steel construction. Steel provides high strength for its weight, giving impressive compressive and tensile capacity in lightweight members. But it has very little inherent fire resistance; when exposed to heat, steel loses strength and stiffness quickly, so members can fail rapidly unless they’re protected with fireproofing or insulation. That combination—great strength-to-weight but poor fire resistance without protection—defines steel construction.

The other options don’t fit as well. Cast-in-place (concrete) is heavy and relies on concrete’s thermal mass for fire behavior, not on lightweight steel characteristics. Wood construction is lighter but does not deliver that same level of high strength in both tension and compression, and it has fundamentally different fire behavior. A metal deck roof refers to a specific system, not a broad construction category defined by these strength and fire-resistance traits.