The document discusses curtain wall systems. It begins with an introduction defining a curtain wall system as a non-structural outer covering that keeps weather and occupants in/out. The history notes that curtain walls emerged as exterior walls became non-load bearing. It describes the components of curtain walls including mullions, transoms, glass, and other materials. Functions are listed as protecting interiors from the environment while providing lighting and occupant comfort. The document also covers installation systems, loads, maintenance, and provides case studies of curtain wall implementations.

1. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
Submitted by,
ABIDHA KARTHU.E.K
SYANECE002
Under the guidance of,
Mrs. RAMYA.K.M
Asst. Prof. of Civil Engg
SIMAT,Vavanoor
1

2. CONTENT
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Introduction
 History
 What is curtain wall?
 Components of curtain wall
 Functions
 Types of Installation systems
 Loads
 Rain screen Principle
 Maintanance and Repair
 Expectations
 Case studies
 Conclusion
 References
2

3. INTRODUCTION
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 A curtain wall system is an outer covering of a
building
 Also called Hanging wall
 Influential developments in the history of
modern architecture.
 Wide usage today
3

4. HISTORY
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Exterior walls of the building take load of entire
structure
 wide spread use of structural steel and later
reinforced concrete
 It made use of small columns to support large
loads
 No requirement of exterior walls
 Made it as much as lighter
 Wide use of light materials like glass
 Curtain walls are born
4

5. WHAT IS CURTAIN WALL?
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Definition
“A curtain wall system is an outer covering of a
building in which the outer walls are non-structural,
but merely keep the weather out and the
occupants in.”
Fig 1:Curtain wall
5

6. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Light weight wall systems installed outside of
building structure
 The name derives from the idea that the wall is
thin and hangs like a curtain on the structural
frame
 Design to resist wind and rain
 Also accommodate building drift and seismic
movements
 Skin of the building
 Seperator between interior and outdoor
environments
6

7. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
Fig 2:Concept of Curtain wall
7

8. COMPONENTS OF CURTAIN WALL
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
Fig 3:Components
8

9. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Curtain wall mullion-Vertical component
 Curtain wall transom-Horizontal component
 Glass
 Transparent
 Wide spread usage
 Light weight
9

10. OTHER MATERIALS
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Fabric veneer
• Less expensive
• Faster to install
• Easy to modify
• Low density
• Light weight
Fig 4: Fabric veneer
10

11. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Stone veneer
Fig 5:Stone veneer
• Thin blocks of 3-4 inches
• Should have proper shape
and size
• Aesthetic appearance
11

12. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Panel
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM12
• It may be
aluminium,
aluminium
composite or copper
Fig 6:Panels
12

13. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Louvers
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM13
• Installed at
ventilation and fresh
air required area
• Allow to filter outside
air
Fig 7:Louvers
13

14. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Windows and Vents
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM14
• It gives both glaze
and ventilation to
the building
Fig 8:Windows and Vents
14

15. FUNCTIONS
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Protecting the interior from environmental effects
 Natural lighting
 Provide occupant comfort
 Keeps water out
 They are expected to perform acceptably when
exposed to natural disasters
15

16. TYPES OF INSTALLATION SYSTEMS
Stick-built curtain wall
system
Unitized curtain wall
system
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Installed piece by
piece at site
 Thermal expansion
and contraction of
mullions are
accomodated by
expansion joints
 System components
are shop fabricated
and shipped
 Units are shop
fabricated and pre-
assembled
 Units are designed so
that the horizontal and
vertical members in
adjacent units
interlock to form
common mullions and
rails16

17. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Greater degree of on
site adjustments
 Low shipping cost
 Lower degree of site
adjustments
 Have greater degree
of quality control
resulting from shop
fabrication
 Lower field installation
cost
 Ensure progress of
project
 Shorter construction
period
17

18. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM18
DISADVANTAGES
 Too many loss parts
and components on
site
 Poor acoustics and
thermal insulation
 Requires different
trade men
 More onsite labours
required
 Longer onsite
assembly time
DISADVANTAGES
 High skilled labours
required
 High shipping cost
 Need higher degree of
protection of units
when transportation
 Requirement of
expensive lifting
equipments on site

19. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM19

20. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM20

21. LOADS
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Dead load
 Wind load
 Seismic load
 Snow load
 Thermal load
 Blast load
21

22. RAINSCREEN PRINCIPLE
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Equilibrium of air pressure between exterior and
interior of the curtain wall
 Minimizes the force which drives moisture
through outer wall
 External cladding must be able to perform
structurally against wind loads when pressure
equalization occurs
22

23. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 PROBLEM
Differences in air pressure push water into
cladding
 SOLUTION
Pressure equalization chamber
23

24. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM24
Fig 9:Equalization
chamber

25. MAINTANANCE AND REPAIR
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Aluminum frames are generally painted or
anodized
 Care must be taken when cleaning areas around
anodized material
 Application of fluoropolymer thermoset
 Anodized aluminum frames cannot be ”re-
anodized” in place, but can be cleaned and
protected by proprietary clear coatings
 Use of specially textured matte stainless steel
surface finishes
 Use of Stainless steel curtain walls
25

26. EXPECTATIONS
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Use of transparent elements
 Use architectural glass or other glazing products
 Conserve energy
 Provide occupant comfort
 Innovation of self cleaning glass
26

27. CASE STUDIES
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM27

28. 1)BURJ KHALIFA,DUBAI
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM28
 Unitized panels
 With a surface area of
1.2 million square feet
 Comprises roughly
28,000 prefabricated
panels
 Double-layer glass set
within extruded
aluminum frames
Fig 10:Burj Khalifa,Dubai

29. 2) OTERPRISE SQUARE, 26 NATHAN
ROAD, HONG KONG, CHINA
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM29
 27-storey office tower
 Semiunitized curtain
wall
 Operatable windows
 Louvres
 Curved feature covers
 splayed glass skin
 Contract
value:$1,400,000
Fig 11: Oterprise Square

30. 3) CALAKMUL, SANTA FE, MEXICO
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM30
 Four-sided Structural
Stick System Curtain
Wall
 Aluminium panels for
6-storey office
 Ornate office building
and exhibition centre
with award-winning
design.
 Contract
value:$1,600,000
Fig 12: Calakmul, Santa Fe

31. 4) CHENG LOONG PLAZA, TAIPEI,TAIWAN
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM31
 Unitized Curtain Wall
 29-storey office
building
 full curtain wall
envelope
 High performance
glass and aluminium
panels.
 Contract
value:$3,000,000
Fig 13: Cheng Loong
Plaza

32. 5)LIPPO CENTRE,HONG KONG,CHINA
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM32
 Twin 46 and 44 storey
office towers
 Stick curtain wall with
vents
 Contract
value:$4,500,000
Fig 14:Lippo Centre, Hong Kong

33. CONCLUSION
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM
 Curtain wall is an essential part of building
today,because of its functions,light weight,rapid
constructions and also signicant aesthetic
freedom
 It is a major and unique invention in Civil
Engineering field
33

34. REFERENCES
CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM34
 Light weight curtain walls- Problems&recent
treands ,Richard L. Hess S.E. and Aswin
Rangaswamy,ASCE 2004
 Numerical Simulation and Verification of
CurtainWall Systems under Shock Pressure M.
Nawar; H. Salim, A.M.ASCE, B. Lusk; and S
.Kiger, F.ASCE
 Curtain Wall Designs for Wind and Blast:Three
Case Studies Charles D. Clift, F.ASCE

35. CURTAIN WALL SYSTEM35