Lessons Learned from Failures of the Building Envelope in Windstorms
Publication: Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 11, Issue 1
Abstract
Lessons learned from failures of the building envelope in windstorms are encapsulated in three principal findings. The building envelope is crucial to the performance of buildings in windstorms. Windborne debris is decisive in shaping the performance of the building envelope. Design attention should be given to postimpact behavior of building-envelope systems. Reviews of damage documentation, insurance records, and computer simulations of building failures establish the importance of the building envelope to satisfactory building performance. These reviews also establish the decisive role of windborne debris in causing damage. The imperative for considering the postimpact behavior of building envelope systems is discussed, and innovative glazing products that meet new design criteria are presented. It is concluded that the building envelope should be given status equal to the principal structural frame in terms of design attention.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 11 • Issue 1 • March 2005
Pages: 10 - 13
Copyright
© 2004 ASCE.
History
Received: Nov 26, 2003
Accepted: Aug 3, 2004
Published online: Mar 1, 2005
Published in print: Mar 2005
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