BST22316

 Objective
 Explain the performance requirements, basic
design principle, construction details and
processes of cladding systems, infill panels
system and facings.
 BST22316
 What is the External
wall system?
BST22316
 Cladding
 Curtain wall
 Other types: stone, metal, GRC etc
 In-fill panels
 Facings
BST22316
Cladding
 A method of enclosing a building structure
by the attachment of elements capable of
spanning between given points of support
on the face of a building without requiring a
continuous background structure.
Cladding
 A cladding element will generally be
 large enough to take a large part of the wind
force acting on the building
 strong enough to transfer this load to the basic
structure together with its weight.
Advantages
 Self-support between the framing members, thus
thinner external wall
 For admittance of natural daylight ventilation
 Attractive appearance
 Precast construction lead to better workmanship
 Shorter construction time: Separate with the
construction of structural frame
Cladding
 Functional requirements for external envelope
 Refer BST12315: Functions of Building
 Focus of study
 Overall definition

 Fixing detail

 Fire, thermal weather, sound resistance etc…

 Appearance

 Maintenance

 Installation

 Etc…
Problems: Design Detail
 Joint: rain penetration and sound insulation
 Thermal insulation
 Wind load
 Movement control
 Fire resistance: Code of Practice for Fire Resisting
Construction
 Maintenance
 Cost
Types
 Brick
 Stone
 Timber
 Precast concrete
 Metal
 Glass reinforced cement/plastic
 Structural glazing
 Curtain Wall
Brick
 Continuous angle support
 Intermittent bracket support
Brick
Brick
Brick
Natural stone, Cast stone
 Prestige appearance, used in hotel
 Shinny or matt surface
 Not suitable to tall buildings because
of its weight; or only used at lower
floors of buildings
 Fixed to wall by bolts and fixed to
stone by brackets or pins
 Natural stone, Cast stone
 Dry fix
 void filled by dry cement
Natural stone, Cast stone
Natural stone, Cast stone
Natural stone, Cast stone
 Exposed grid
Natural stone, Cast stone
Pre-cast concrete
Pre-cast concrete
Pre-cast concrete
Pre-cast concrete
Pre-cast concrete
Pre-cast concrete
Pre-cast concrete
 Advantages:
 Higher strength-to-weight ratio, non-
combustible, good thermal and sound
insulation, relatively cheaper
 Disadvantages:
 Thicker and heavier
Metal
 Steel, Stainless steel, Copper, Bronze and
Aluminium in flat or profiled sheets form
 Composite metal cladding panels
Metal
Metal
Metal
Metal
Metal
Glass reinforced cement, Glass
reinforced plastic
 Similar fixing method with stone
 Lighter weight
Structural glazing
Structural glazing
 10 or 12mm thick toughened glass to form
structural glazing
 Structural Sealant (Silicone) Glazing
 Mechanical Fixing
 ‘Planar’ Glazing
Structural Sealant (Silicone)
Glazing
 Silicone apply between the glass panes and
support the frame
 Sealant functions as an integral structural
link between glazing and the frame
 Usually used in smaller area
Mechanical Fixing
Mechanical Fixing
 Uninterrupted glazing with frameless
glazing façade
 Supports at 4 corners
 Glass fin on internal side as stiffener
 Fixed by stainless steel nuts and bolts,
plastic washers and bushes
 Metal patch plates to clamp the glass
corners
Mechanical Fixing
Mechanical Fixing
Mechanical Fixing
‘Planar’ Glazing
 Most popular, used in large panel
 Also frameless and give more appealing
appearance
 Spider bracket fixed at glass corners
 Spiders transfer the lateral force to metal truss
 Nylon bush between the stainless steel bolt and
glass at the bolt holes lead to uniform transfer of
loadings
‘Planar’ Glazing
‘Planar’ Glazing
‘Planar’ Glazing
Curtain Wall
 Curtain Wall
 A sheath of window and spandrel panels in a
light-containing framework
 Not built up within the main structure of a
building
 Held at widely spaced points
 An application of wall cladding
Curtain wall
Types
 Unit System (Unitised)
 Grid System (Stick)
 Unit-and-Mullion
 Column Cover and Spandrel
Unit System (Unitised)
Grid System (Stick)
Unit-and-Mullion
Column Cover and Spandrel
Unit System
 Large framed units are pre-assembled in
factories.
 The vertical edges of the units are combined
to form mullions.
 The horizontal edges are put in place to
form transoms.
 Controlled quality under factory conditions.
 Speed is more efficient.
Unit System (Unitised)
Unit System
 Need better means of transportation and
handling system
 Space for on-site storage
 Better protection means
 More precise planning is needed to
incorporate dimensional tolerance.
Unit System: installation
Unit System: installation
Unit System: installation
Unit System: installation
Unit System: installation
Unit System: installation
Unit System: installation
Unit System: installation
Unit System: installation
Unit System: installation
Grid (Stick) System
 Framing members visually prominent
components installed piece by piece.
 Usually mullions are installed first and then
transoms are connected to the mullions.
 Relatively low transportation cost
Grid System (Stick)
Grid (stick) System
 Dimensional adjustability
 Great flexibility of installation
 Installation can be carried out
simultaneously at various locations
 Quality is more difficult to control
 Speed relatively slow
 More site control
Unit-and-Mullion Type
 Framing members visually prominent, panel
pre-assembled and installed.
 Wall made up of parts, standard details
employed and assembled either in
manufacturer’s stock patterns or with the
architect’s design.
Unit-and-Mullion
Unit-and-Mullion Type
 Mullions are first installed, followed by pre-
assembled framed units.
 This system is used when the mullions are
too big to be incorporated into pre-
assembled framed units
 Disadvantage - more time is needed than
unit system.
Column Cover and Spandrel
 The column cover is installed first, which
may be one or two stories in height.
 Then the long spandrel panels which span
between the column cover are then placed
between them.
 Finally the infill glazing panels are installed
within the frame
Column Cover and Spandrel
Fixing Brackets
 Galvanized iron embed are fixed to
formwork before concreting, with halve
channel exposed on concrete surface
 Rotate the T-bolts and channel nuts 90
degree after inserted into the half channel in
order to lock
 T-bolts and channel nuts are used to fix the
mullions or transoms of curtain wall
Fixing Brackets
Fixing Brackets
Fixing Brackets
Fixing Brackets
Fixing Brackets
Fixing Brackets
Movement
 Horizontal
 Vertical
Movement
Movement
Test
 Various types of test e.g. wind loading test, water-
tightness test, glass safety tests
 For example
 Deflection of structural elements of curtain wall <=
span/180 or 20mm, whichever is the less (e.g. max.
deflection of 4m span wall is 22.2mm so the max.
deflection is 20mm)
Test
 More information available from the Practice
Notes to Authorized Persons APP-37
 http://www.bd.gov.hk/english/documents/pnap/AP
P/APP037.pdf
Test
Test
 http://www.curtainwalltest.com/
Test-Post installation
Fire Protection
 2 hours fire stop/seal to prevent fire/smoke
spread through the gap between slab and
curtain wall
Fire Protection
Safety
 Practice Note for Authorized Persons APP-37
Curtain Wall, Window and Window Wall Systems
states the Safety Tests required by curtain wall
systems.
http://www.bd.gov.hk/english/documents/pnap/AP
P/APP037.pdf
Safety
 Note the risk of spontaneous breakage of tempered
glass (one type of high strength glass)
 Alternative products like thicker glass, heat-
strengthened glass or laminated glass are
recommended.
Energy
 The Building (Energy Efficiency)
Regulation (set a cap on OTTV): restrict the
heat gain of buildings which also imposes
limitations of the curtain wall design (e.g.
glass selection, spandrel unit design, sun
shading).
Energy
 http://www.bd.gov.hk/english/documents/p
nap/APP/APP067.pdf
 Low-Emissivity (low-e) glazing is now
commonly used in curtain wall as it can
reject most of the solar heat gain but allow
the passage of visible light
Energy: Low-E Glass: Reject Heat;
Allow Visible Light
Case Study: Hysan Place (LEED
Platinum Award)
In-fill Panel
 Infill panels are fixed between the
members of the structural frame of the
building, rather than applied to the face of
the frame to form a skin as cladding
usually does.
In-fill Panels
 Concrete façade
 Metal-framed in-fill panels
 Timber-framed in-fill panels
Facade
Facade
Facade
Facade
Facade
Panel Arrangement
 Grid panels
 Horizontal panel
 Vertical panel
Functional Requirements
 Similar to in-fill panels
 Fire resistance
 Code of Practice for Fire Resisting
Construction
Facings
 Fixing (wet fix)
 Continuous background structure
 External face of the building
 Functional requirements
 Similar to external finishes
Types
 Brickwork
 Natural stone and marble
 Cast stone
 Tile
Facings
Facings
Facings
Self-assessment questions
 Compare by using examples and annotated
sketches the fixing methods for external
facings, external claddings and external
infilling panels
 Describe with annotated sketches the design
principle of the Unit type curtain walling
system and their suitability for a high-rise
hotel in Central.
Reference
 Chudley, R., Construction Technology,
Vol.3, 3rd edition, Longman, 1999.
 Foster, J. S. & Harington, R., Structure and
Fabric, Part 2, 5th edition, Longman, 1996.
 CERCI, The Interaction of Structure and
Cladding (Video Tape)