Curtain Wall Consultants: Frequent Design Questions

Curtain Wall Consultants - As an industry leader in building envelope services including building envelope consulting, design and engineering of aluminum and glass curtain walls, etc. Chimgreen' expertise in curtain wall consulting is unmatched with a host of repeat clients and a portfolio of monumental projects located around the globe. Find the common questions of curtain wall design below.
 

A curtain wall is defined as thin, usually aluminum-framed wall, containing in-fills of glass, metal panels, or thin stone. The framing is attached to the building structure and does not carry the floor or roof loads of the building.
 

The principle of the system is that the air pressure in the cavity changes in sympathy with the external wind pressure, thus eliminating the pressure differential across the external seal which would otherwise tend to draw moisture into the cavity.
The most critical issues to consider when designing the smallest details of a curtain wall: Compliance with the architect’s expectations regarding the fastening method, the appearance of the fittings, and the texture of the external wall;

10,000 or more square feet of curtain wall. Chronic labor shortages. Dense urban location with a tight schedule. Curtainwall tends to cost more, about $100 per square foot, based on recent surveys of manufacturers and glazing contractors.
 

The essential factors that influence the design of curtain wall glass thickness involves imposed loads, value of the span, and possibly shading temperature effects which may influence the design for stress capacity. The strength of flat glasses is substantially affected by the heat treatment applied during glass production process.
 

Following are the points which are discussed for design of curtain walls for wind loads: Wind loads are initially imposed on glazing panels then transferred to perimeter supports by glazing panels after that framing members receive wind loads from perimeter supports either directly or indirectly.