What type of collapse results in the complete failure of the building?

A global (total) collapse refers to a situation in which a structure fails completely, resulting in the entire building coming down. This type of collapse occurs when the structural integrity is compromised to the point that the loads are no longer supported, leading to a failure of all components simultaneously.

In contrast, a progressive collapse might start with one element failing, which then causes subsequent failures of other elements, but it does not necessarily result in the entire structure falling down in one event. A partial collapse involves only a segment of the building failing, while localized collapse means that only a specific area or section of the building has succumbed to failure, leaving the rest of the building intact. Therefore, the global (total) collapse is characterized specifically by the total loss of structural stability, meaning the entire building fails at once.