Frame-Supported Glass Curtain Walls
Frame-supported glass curtain walls are glass curtain walls where the glass panels are supported by a metal frame around their perimeter. They mainly include:
Exposed Frame Glass Curtain Walls
Exposed frame glass curtain walls have the metal frame components exposed on the exterior surface. They use specially profiled aluminum alloy profiles as the frame, with the glass panels fully embedded in the grooves of the profiles. Their characteristic is that the aluminum alloy profiles themselves serve the dual function of a skeletal structure and fixing the glass.
Exposed frame glass curtain walls are the most traditional form, the most widely used, and have reliable performance. Compared to concealed frame glass curtain walls, they are easier to meet the requirements of construction technology.
Concealed Frame Glass Curtain Walls
The metal frame of a concealed frame glass curtain wall is hidden behind the glass, and the metal frame is not visible from the outside. Concealed frame glass curtain walls can be further divided into fully concealed frame glass curtain walls and semi-concealed frame glass curtain walls. Semi-concealed frame glass curtain walls can be horizontally exposed and vertically concealed, or vertically exposed and horizontally concealed. The structural characteristics of concealed frame glass curtain walls are: the glass is on the outside of the aluminum frame, and the glass is bonded to the aluminum frame using silicone structural sealant. The load of the curtain wall is mainly borne by the sealant.
All-Glass Curtain Wall
An all-glass curtain wall is a glass curtain wall composed of glass ribs and glass panels.
1. The thickness of the glass panels in an all-glass curtain wall should not be less than 10mm; the thickness of a single laminated glass pane should not be less than 8mm; the thickness of the glass curtain wall rib section should not be less than 12mm, and the section height should not be less than 100mm.
2. When the glass curtain wall exceeds 4m (glass thickness 10, 12mm), 5m (glass thickness 15mm), or 6m (glass thickness 19mm), the all-glass curtain wall should be suspended from the main structure.
3. The main structural members suspending the all-glass curtain wall should have sufficient rigidity. When steel trusses or steel beams are used as load-bearing members, their centerlines should be aligned with the centerline of the curtain wall, and the centerlines of the elliptical bolt holes should be aligned with the positions of the curtain wall hanger anchor bolts.
4. A rigid horizontal force transmission structure should be installed between the hanging clamps of the suspended all-glass curtain wall and the main structure.
5. After all steel structure welding is completed, a concealed works inspection should be conducted. Rust-preventive paint should be applied after the inspection is passed. 6. All-glass curtain wall panels are generally large in size and are best installed using mechanical suction cups.
7. Silicone structural sealant may be applied on-site for all-glass curtain walls.
8. All-glass panels must not be in direct contact with other rigid materials. The gap between the panel surface and the decorative or structural surface should not be less than 8mm and should be sealed with sealant.
Point-supported: Point-supported glass curtain walls consist of glass panels, point support devices, and a supporting structure. Supporting structures include glass rib supports, single steel or steel pipe supports, truss supports, and tension cable systems.
Unitized Curtain Walls: Unitized curtain walls refer to building curtain walls where various wall panels and supporting frames are manufactured into complete basic curtain wall structural units in a factory and directly installed on the main structure. Unitized curtain walls can be mainly divided into: unitized curtain walls and semi-unitized curtain walls (also known as rigid unitized curtain walls). Semi-unitized curtain walls can be further divided into: mullion-type segmented unitized curtain walls and spandrel unitized curtain walls.
