Properties and Dynamic Behavior of Glass Curtain Walls with Split Screw Spline Mullions
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 10
Abstract
Recent terrorist events have underscored the importance of designing glass curtain walls as engineered systems. For most building owners, however, it is usually an unjustifiable expense to have a curtain wall designed to provide a high level of blast resistance. This paper investigates the serviceability of an economical, nearly conventional, glass curtain wall system that provides a low level of blast resistance in appropriate applications. A conventional, split screw spline mullion system is utilized with laminated glass lites properly attached to the mullions with structural silicone sealant. The response of this system to service load conditions is first explored through static and dynamic experimental testing. A simple finite-element model of the system is then calibrated to low-amplitude static test results. Finally, the calibrated model is used to perform modal and transient analyses that are compared to experimental free vibration responses. The model was found to provide results that agree well with experimental responses, indicating that the primary properties have been adequately defined for reliable serviceability investigations.
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Acknowledgments
The writers are grateful for the private sector support for the research presented in this paper. EFCO Corporation funded the project and donated the metal extrusions; Viracon donated the laminated glass; Dow Corning donated the structural silicone sealant; GRATEC Incorporated (Fort Mill, S.C.) donated the labor required to glaze the specimens; Southern Steel (Charlotte, N.C.) provided the structural steel for the loading apparatus at a substantial discount. The efforts and valuable suggestions of Greg Walden and David DeSutter are particularly appreciated.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 10 • October 2007
Pages: 1415 - 1425
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 2, 2005
Accepted: Apr 4, 2007
Published online: Oct 1, 2007
Published in print: Oct 2007
Notes
Note. Associate Editor: Abhinav Gupta
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