INTRODUCTION

•A curtain wall system is an outer covering of a building in which the

CURTAIN WALL
outer walls are non-structural, but merely keep the weather out and METAL CURTAIN WALLS
the occupants in.
• As the curtain wall is non-structural it can be made of a light 1. STICK TYPE CURTAIN WALLS
DATA COLLECTION
weight material, reducing construction costs.
• When glass is used as the curtain wall, a great advantage is that •Likely most common wall system especially
natural light can penetrate deeper within the building. on low-rise construction . COMPONENTS OF METAL CURTAIN WALLS
• The curtain wall façade does not carry any dead load weight from • Each component of wall is installed piece by piece in the
the building other than its own dead load weight. field. Installed with one- or two storey mullion lengths and
• The wall transfers horizontal wind loads that are incident upon it to horizontal rails equal in length to width of the infill panels 1. ANCHORS
the main building structure through connections at floors or • Field labour intensive and dependent • Curtain wall anchors connect the wall to the building and can
columns of the building. • Often utilize standard system be broadly grouped as both gravity and lateral load anchors
• A curtain wall is designed to resist air and water infiltration, sway • Minimum requirements for assembly facilities and (fixed) or as just lateral load anchors (slotted). Aside from
induced by wind and seismic forces acting on the building, and its shipping. their primary load carrying function anchors must be
own dead load weight forces. • Normally short lead time to arrive on-site, but longer designed to allow for adjustment to site conditions.
erection/close-in time on-site. THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF ANCHORS
TERMINOLOGIES IN A CURTAIN WALL • Difficult to accommodate in-plane movements due to 1. CONCRETE EMBEDED: This is a type in which
sway or seismic events. anchors are embedded in concrete
II. UNITIZED TYPE CURTAIN WALLS
2. MOUNTING LUG ASSEMBLY: In this type a lug is
•Most common to large high-rise buildings although found on buildings as Provided in which
low as four stories. The panel is fixed
• Large factory assembled framed units complete with spandrel panels and
often with vision lights installed.
Panels typically one-storey high by width of infill panels.
• Panels designed for sequential installation with interlocking split vertical
mullions and nesting horizontal rails at expansion joint.
• Significant fabrication facility and shipping requirement. 2. PROFILES
• More shop labour dependant and less field dependant than stick system •A wide range of cross sections or profiles is available from different
• Normally longer lead time to arrive on-site, but rapid erection with manufacturers.
minimum time to close in building once on-site. • Each manufacturer’s profile varies somewhat and incorporates different
• Design potential to accommodate in-plane movements due to sway and features, although common section widths and depths are found with
seismic events. most suppliers of standard systems.

MULLION AND PANEL SYSTEM 3. FASTENERS

•Mechanical fasteners such as screws and bolts
•It is combination of stick and unitized system where are used in the assembly of the curtain wall
mullion members are separately installed first and then framing, the fixing of the pressure plate and the
the preassembled framed units are placed between them. anchorage to the building.
•This system is often employed where mullion members • A wide variety of fastener types, thread types,
Aluminium Extrusions
are unusually deep or large in cross section , making it coatings and materials are available.
The extrusions are designed to resist seismic/wind loads in compliance with the requirements pertaining to the height of
impracticable to incorporate them as a part of
building. These extrusions are anodized to prevent corrosion and to improve aesthetics
preassembled unit.
Mullions
Mullions are provided basically to transfer the dead load of the Curtain wall. Mullion joint is preferred at the bracket location
•The preassembled unit used in this system may be one PRECAST RCC CURTAIN WALLS
storey in height or may be separated into a spandrel unit
and aluminium stiffeners are provided for extra strength. •Precast cladding or curtain walls are the most commonly used precast
and vision glass unit.
Transoms concrete components for building envelopes.
Transoms are aluminium sections provided in between the mullions horizontally. They are designed after due consideration of
the floor height and the false -ceiling height.
PANEL SYSTEM •This type of precast concrete panel does not transfer vertical loads but
simply encloses the space.
Silicone Sealants •Panel system is similar to preassembled unitized system except that •Cladding components are designed to resist wind, seismic forces
Silicone sealants are used to prevent the passage of moisture, air, dust and heat through all the joints. The putties formulated it consists of homogenous units formed from sheet metal or castings generated by their own weight and forces required to transfer the weight
from linseed and other organic oils were the first generation sealants that perform satisfactory for 5 to 7 years. Mastics with few joints except at glass periphery. of the panel to the support.
formulated from butyl and other synthetic oils, were improvement over putties. Their greater flexibility and movement •Mullions are omitted and connections are made to floor
permitted the use of aluminium and vinyl frames in place of wood •Panels may be small units, one or two storey in height with or
Setting blocks without openings for glazing.
Setting blocks are used to provide support in the relation to the size of glass, glazing techniques and condition of use. Setting • Units may be glazed during shop assembly or glazed after panels
blocks, which are rot-proof, non-absorbent and load bearing, capable of maintaining the requisite edge clearance without are installed on buildings.
presenting local areas of stress to the glass through being incompressible or non resilient should be used. • The panel system is economical when large numbers of identical
panels are to be used.
• The costs for in shop or site labor are both minimized.
TYPES OF CURTAIN WALLS
1. METAL CURTAIN WALLS
2. WINDOW WALLS
3. R.C.C CURTAIN WALLS
4. SPECIAL PURPOSE CURTAIN WALLS CONNECTION DETAILS BETWEEN PANELS
COLUMN COVER AND SPANDREL SYSTEM
1. METAL CURTAIN WALLS
•Panel system is similar to preassembled unitized system except that it
•An exterior curtain wall which may consist entirely or principally of metal, or may be a combination of metal, glass
consists of homogenous units formed from sheet metal or castings with
and other surfacing materials supported by or within a metal framework.
few joints except at glass periphery.
•Mullions are omitted and connections are made to floor
2. WINDOW WALLS
•Panels may be small units, one or two storey in height with or without
openings for glazing.
•A type of metal curtain wall installed between floors or between floor and roof and typically composed of vertical and
• Units may be glazed during shop assembly or glazed after panels are
horizontal framing members, containing operable sash or ventilators, fixed lights or opaque panels or any combination
installed on buildings.
thereof.
• The panel system is economical when large numbers of identical panels
are to be used.
3. RCC OR PRECAST CURTAIN WALLS • The costs for in shop or site labor are both minimized.
•Precast cladding or curtain walls are the most commonly used precast concrete components for building envelopes.
This type of precast concrete panel does not transfer vertical loads but simply encloses the space.
CONNECTION OF PANELS AT INTERMEDIATE FLOOR LEVELS

PRACHI .S. SURANA

ADVANCED BUILDING TECHNOLOGY A ND CONSTRUCTION - II -FOURTH YEAR - C