Windows and curtain walls training

Claude Pimpurniaux Envelopes and Facades

Eva Jacobs
21/10/2016 Part 1
 Table of contents

Part 1:
Object of the training
What we do
Reference documents
Materials and systems

Part 2a:
Performances and tests
Technology: factory productions and site erections

Part 2b:
Drawings and calculations

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 Object of the training
Introduction:
Nowadays, windows and curtain walls are becoming more and more
sophisticated, due to EPB certifications, Low Energy Design and Passive
Buildings:
- Highly technological components;
Advanced and complex performances;
Basic performances completed with additional requirements such as
airtightness, hygrothermal comfort…
- Industrial manufactured products;
Glazing and systems of profiles are most of the time produced in factories;
- Advanced standards:
A very detailed European standardization.
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 Highly technological components

Industrial manufactured products

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 Advanced standards

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 Scope of the training
Training:
- Is intended to engineers wishing to acquire a basic knowledge of
windows, glazing and curtain walls systems;
- With the aim to achieve the theoretical and practical verification of usual
projects:
Theoretical verification means the examination and to prepare the
comments on specifications, architectural or execution details and
drawings, data sheets and calculation notes;
Practical verification means the site control.

Technical referent:
Claude Pimpurniaux, Brussels

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 What you will not have to check !

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 What you will have to check…

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 What you could have to check
(if you are very kind…)

Possible… If you are very kind…

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 What we control, or more accurately, what we can control.
Stability

Basic scope
Durability of materials

Air and water tightness

Preliminary draft and
Energy behavior specifications

scope
Basic
Hygrothermal behavior
On site
Reaction to fire

Optional, specific missions

Fire stability In factory
Comfort:
- Acoustical
- Hygrothermal
- Visual

Safety in use

Maintenance
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 Reference documents
1. Memo:
- To be found on EXPERT and in Dutch or in French;
- (not yet in Chinese, but who knows… we are working on it!!!).

2. Standards:
- The most important:

For windows, doors and curtain walls: NBN B25-002-1 Menuiseries Extérieures –
Généralités:
- Based on a review of mainly all the European Standards regarding the subject;
- Defined the performances of the windows and curtain walls systems (tables);
- Included the tests standards.
- For glass and isolated glazing units: NBN S23-002 Vitrerie and NBN S23-002/A1
(addendum);
3. Technical notes:
- Rapport n° 11 du CSCT/Rapport n° 11 van WTCB for the calculations according to the
Eurocodes.
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 Reference document
4. Technical approvals and CE marking:
- Different countries, different usages:
All approvals are not equivalent depending on the approval body;
- Even if standards are common in Europe, results of tests may be differently
interpreted on one hand and on the other hand, performances to be achieved
may be significantly different;
- Thus, be cautious and read the approval to be sure you have the right
informations;
- CE Marking may be a useful source of information but, as for the Technical
Approvals, read the CE Marking.
- In case of absence of approval or CE Marking, do not pacnic and contact your
“beloved” advisor.

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 Materials, profiles and systems

1. Aluminum profiles for doors and windows:

a. Without b. With thermal c. With thermal break and internal d. Hybrid

thermal break break: different insulation: profiles:
materials such as Left: window frame; aluminum
polyamide, pvc, Right: sliding window frames outside, wood
polypropylene, inside
ABS…

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2. Pvc profiles:

Pvc with steel

reinforcement to take
into account:
- Wind action;
- Weight;
- Dimensions.
(left)

Pvc profiles without

added reinforcement
(integrated by co
extrusion in profiles)
(right)

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3. Wood profiles:

a. Massive wood b. Laminated and glued c. With aluminum cover to protect

wood surface from rain and possible
deterioration

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4. Hybrid or composite profiles:

a. wood, PU
insulation and
aluminum cover
glued together
(beware of profiles
without technical
approval and of
frames of large
dimensions)

b. aluminum-
wood profiles,
with fixing parts of
synthetical
material (ABS)
(classical system,
c. wood, PU insulation encased in wood and
nearly no need of
aluminum cover and… tested according to
technical
DIN !!!
approval)

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 5. Aluminum profiles for curtain walls:

a. View of a mullion profile

Note: b. View of a junction

Technical approvals for curtain walls systems are rare and transom/mullion
thus, according to the size of the project, existing tests
have to be transmitted, or specific tests have to be
conducted.
In that case, ask for help !!!
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7. Steel profiles for windows and curtain walls:

Windows steel
profiles with
thermal break
(left)

Curtain wall
steel profiles
(right)

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Steel curtain walls
profiles: detailed
connections between
mullion and transom

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8. Aluminum-wood profile for curtain walls:

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 Materials: glass and insulated glazing units
1. Type of glass: 2. Insulating glazing units:
4 types of glass exist:
- Float glass (when broken, Multiple glazing units (mainly double or
triple glazing units) can be manufactured
large pieces with cutting
with all the types of glass panes: float,
edges);
- Heat strengthened glass heat strengthened, tempered or
laminated glass panes;
(when broken, large
pieces with cutting All the panes can receive different types
edges); of coating such as:
- Tempered glass (breaks in
- Metallic coatings;
small harmless pieces)
- Laminated glass (when - Low E coatings.
broken, stay in place and
show then large - Panes may also be tinted in their mass.
deformations)

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Type of glass breakage:

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The stickers:
(collect them !!!)

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 Tracking
Supplier

Identification
of the project,
localisation of
the window

Dimensions
and weight
of the IGU

CE marking

BENOR marking
Composition of
the IGU

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Materials: hardware, sealants, membranes,
anchors and bolts
1. Hardware:
- Hardware of opening parts are determined by their dimensions and weight
(technical approvals, docs of suppliers);
- Think also operation and use and users safety (even if it is not a part of our
mission):
2. Sealants and auto adhesive joints :
- Most of the sealants used nowadays are based on MS Polymers (Modified
Silicone);
- Do not panic if no technical approval, call your favorite advisor !!!
- Auto adhesive joints = Illmod type
3. Membranes:
- Mainly 2 types:
Watertight membranes: EPDM (most of them have a technical approval for
their use on roofs);
Airtight membranes to achieve airtightness;
4. Anchors, fixing parts and bolts:
- Fixing of windows: wind and weight fixing parts;
- Anchors for curtain walls;
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 Materials: hardware

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Materials: detailed view of
pieces

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 Materials: abacuses for use

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 Membranes EPDM: water tightness and air tightness

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 Materials: anchors and bolts

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 Materials: anchors and bolts

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 Thank you!

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