ZOWA T LECTURER ND ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGY/QUANTITY

SURVEYING CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY HARARE POLYTECHNIC

CIVIL ENGINEERING DIVISION
CLADDING
A method of enforcing a building structure by the attachment of elements capable of spanning
between given points of support on the face of a building.
Claddings are a form of masking or infilling a structural frame
Cladding of walls is sometimes known as walling or siding
Cladding for roofs is generally known as roof sheeting or roof cladding

The cladding elements should fulfill the same functional requirements as walls, claddings to a
building can be considered under the following
Panel walls with or without attached facings
Concrete and similar cladding panels
Light infill panels
Curtain walling which can be defined as sheath cladding which encloses the entire structure
Functional requirements of Cladding
• Be self-supporting between the framing members
• Provide the necessary resistance to rain penetration
• Be capable of resisting both positive and negative wind pressures
• Provide the necessary resistance to wind penetration
• Give the required degree of sound insulation to suit the building type
• Give the required degree of thermal insulation
• Give the required degree of fire resistance
• Provide sufficient openings for the admittance of natural daylight and ventilation
• Be constructed to a suitable size
Claddings fixed to a structural backing e.g. plastering, wall tiles, and wall paper.
Claddings to frame structures

Materials used
Tiles
Timber Boarding
Plastic sheeting
Stone facing
Precast concrete
Glass Curtain Walling

Claddings fixed to structural backing

Considered to be made of lightweight materials e.g. tiles, stone facings, plaster, wall paper,
timber boarding, plastic boards and slates.
 If the structural wall is unable to provide an adequate barrier to the elements of weather,
the covering by light weight or small unit claddings will generally liaise the wall
resistance to an acceptable level.
As a decorative feature or to break the monotony of a large plain area composed of a single
material e.g. black or white granite

Claddings fixed to frame construction

The methods available to clad a frame structure are extensive.
Includes:

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 Panel walls [panels of brick work or block work, stretcher bond] constructed of metals
between columns and beams.
 Light infill panels of metals or timber and glass
 Pre-cast concrete panels
 Curtain walling encloses the entire structure

Pre cast concrete panels

Are designed to span vertically from beam to beam which if constructed to a narrow module
will give an illusion of a tall building
The greatest problem with panels is accommodation for structural and thermal movement.
When designing or selecting a panel the following must be taken into account
• Column or beam spacing
• Jointing method
• Exposure conditions
• Any special planning requirements as to finish or texture

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SURVEYING CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY HARARE POLYTECHNIC
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Advantages of using precast concrete in cladding

• Speed of erection
• Freedom from shuttering support onsite
• Better quality and variety of surface finish because panels are manufactured in controlled
factory conditions
Size of precast concrete panels
Size of precast concrete panel units is influenced by the following factors
• Easy of manufacture
• Method of transportation
• Weight of unit for lifting
Panel walls
These are masonry walls constructed in the same manner as solid and cavity walls and any
openings for windows or doors are formed by the same methods.
The walls are used as non -load bearing filling to spaces formed by structural columns and
bearings of a framed building. Panel wall should be strong enough to resist or withstand wind
pressure and any pressure from stacked materials. Must fulfil the same functional
requirements as walls.

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Infill panels
Are light weight and are usually glazed to give good internal day lighting conditions.
The panels’ layout can be arranged to expose some or all of the structural members creating
various illusions for example exposed beams create an illusion of extra length.
A wide variety of variety of materials can be used such as timber, steel, plastic and aluminum.
Single and double glazing can be used to achieve the required sound and thermal insulation.

 The framework and external lining can be erected comparatively quickly so that the
internal finishes and services can be put into operation very soon after fixing the external
cladding.
These can be constructed in a solid or cavity format, the latter usually having an inner skin of
blockwork to increase the thermal insulation properties of the panel
All the fundamental construction processes and detail of solid and cavity walls (bonding
lintels over openings, wall ties, and damp proof courses) apply equally to infill panel walls
The infill panel walls be tied to the columns by means of wall ties cast into the columns at
300mm canters or located in cast-in dove tail anchor slots.
The head of every infill panel should have a compressible joint to allow for any differential
movements between the frame and panel

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Lightweight infill panels

These can be fixed between the structural horizontal and vertical members of the frame or
fixed to the face of either the columns or beams to give a grid, horizontal or vertical emphasis
to the façade
Can also be constructed from a wide variety of combination of materials such as timber,
metals and plastics into which single or double glazing can be fitted
If solid panels are to be used below a transom, they are usually of a composite or sandwich
construction to provide the required sound insulation, thermal insulation and fire resistance
properties

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Curtain Walling
This is a form of lightweight non-load bearing external cladding which forms a complete
envelope or sheath around the structural frame.
In low-rise structures the curtain wall framing could be of timber or patent glazing, but in the
usual high rise context box or solid members of steel or aluminum alloy are normally
employed
Basic requirements for curtain walling
• Provide the necessary resistance to penetration by the elements
• Have sufficient strength to carry own self-weight and provide resistance to both positive
and negative wind pressures
• Provide required degree of fire resistance
• Be easy to assemble, fix and maintain
• Provide the required degree of sound and thermal insulation
• Provide for thermal and structural movements

Fixing Curtain Walling to the structure

• In Curtain walling systems it is the main vertical component or mullion which carries the
loads and transfers them to the structural frame at every or alternate floor levels
depending on the spanning ability of the mullion
• At each fixing point the load must be transferred and an allowance made for thermal
expansion and differential movement between the structural frame and Curtain Walling
• The usual method employed is slotted bolt fixings

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Advantages of cladding
 The units can be prepared in a factory, where their production is not hampered by bad
weather conditions and where quality controls can be maintained.
 They can be produced in readiness for fixing while the framework is being built.
 The units do not carry any structural loads other than their own weight hence they may be
comparatively thin and light.
 A wide variety of surface fixings are available.
 Used as a decorative feature to break up the monotony of a large plan area composed of a
single material
EXAMPLES OF CLADDING TO BUILDINGS

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
Overall design considerations
Conditions required in the building
Natural forces
Performance requirements for fabric

Finishes
Overall design considerations
Cladding must perform a number of functions
Stable
Strong
Resistant to elements
Fire resistant
Acoustic and thermal properties
Resist erosion and corrosion
Aesthetic
Thermal expansion/joints
Allow for frame tolerances/movement

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Conditions Required in the Building
Daylight
Solar radiation and glare
View
Rain barrier
Ventilation and draughts
Heat loss / cold areas
Security
Noise
Fire proof

Natural Forces

Wind
Location, Height, Topography
Rain
Location, intensity, time, associated with wind.
Frost
Chemical and biological degradation
Earthquakes and vibration

Performance requirements of fabric

Appearance
Colour, texture, width of joints
Geometry
Dimensional co-ordination, joints, tolerance & fit
Security
Maintenance
Construction
Handling, storage, ease of fixing

Finishes

Load bearing units – brick, block

Small units to frames – masonry
Large units – metal, PCC, GRC, GRP, composites
Curtain Walling – Any prefabricated framework with an infill of glazing and/or panels of
other materials, supported by structural frame.
Concrete
Capital Bank, Chester
(Trent Concrete)

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Precast Concrete
Falun, Sweden

Precast Concrete
Heathrow Car Park

Precast Concrete
Speke, Liverpool

Brick faced, Precast Concrete

Old Trafford, Manchester
(Trent)

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Precast Concrete with Curtain Walling

Gear Eastern

Curtain Walling

Metal Sheeting
Derby F.C.
(Kingspan)

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Metal Sheeting
Kempton Race Course
(Kingspan)

Metal Sheeting
Legoland
(Kingspan)

Metal Sheeting
Millenium Stadium, Cardiff
(Kingspan)

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Metal Sheeting
Nangor Road
(Kingspan)

Metal Sheeting with Curtain Walling

Samsung UK
(Kingspan)

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JOINTING
When incorporating precast concrete cladding panels in a framed structure the problem of
making the joints waterproof is of paramount importance
Functional requirements of joints
• Exclude wind, rain and snow
• Allow for structural, thermal and moisture movement
• Good durability
• Easily maintained
• Maintain the thermal and sound insulation properties of the surrounding
cladding
• Easily made or assembled
Classification of joints
• Filled joints
• Drained joints
Filled Joints
• These joints ae not easy to construct and rely mainly upon mortars, sealants,
mastics or preformed gaskets to provide the barrier against the infiltration of
wind and rain
Disadvantages
• Difficulty in making and placing the joints accurately particularly with
combinations of materials
• Difficulty in providing for structural and moisture movement.
• Only suitable for small module cladding

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Drained Cavities
Drained Cavities
Designed and developed to overcome the disadvantages of the filled joint by
• Designing the joint to have a drainage zone
• Providing an airtight seal at the rear of the joint
Drained joints have two components which must be considered, namely the vertical joint and
the horizontal joint

Vertical Joints
• Consist basically of a deep narrow gap between adjacent panels where the rear
of the joint is adequately sealed to prevent the passage of air and moisture
Horizontal Joints
• These are usually in the form of a rebated lap joint, the upper panel being lapped
over the top edge of the lower panel
• The seal must be also perform the function of a compression joint, therefore the
sealing strip is of a compressible material such as bituminised foamed
polyurethane or a preformed cellular rubber strip

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Intersection
• Necessary to shed any water draining down the vertical joint onto the surface of
the lower panels where the vertical and horizontal joints intersect because the
joints are designed to cater only for the entry of water from any one panel
connection at a time

MASTICS AND SEALANTS

• Materials which are applied in a plastic state and form a surface skin over the
core which remains pliable for a number of years
• Limited life ranging from 10 to 25 years

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Butyl Mastics
• A basic mastic with the addition of butyl rubber or related polymers making it
suitable for glazing
• They have a durability of up to 10 years and can accommodate both negative
and positive movements up to 5% using a maximum joint width of 20mm and a
minimum joint depth of 6-10 mm

Oil bound Mastics

• The most widely used mastic, made with non-drying oils and has similar
properties to the butyl mastics, but in some cases a better durable of up to 15
years.
• Joint with 25 mm maximum although some special grades can be up 50mm, but
in all cases the minimum joint depth is 12 mmm
Sealants
• Capable of accommodating greater movement than mastics, are more durable
but expensive in both and installation costs
• They ae applied in a plastic state and are converted by chemical reactions into
an elastomer or synthetic rubber
• Designed to provide a complete watertight barrier in the form of a single stage
joint positioned towards the panel face
• Sealant joints are often used for highly profiled units such as spandrel or parapet
panels
Types of sealants
Two- part polysulphide sealant
• Durability of 25 years or more with a movement accommodation of
approximately 15%
• Supplied as two components, a polysulphide base and a curing agent, which are
mixed on site shortly before use ,the mixture having a pot life of approximately
hours
• Maximum width joint of 25 mm
• Minimum joint depth of 6mm when used in conjunction with metal or glass
• 10 mm in connection with concrete
One- part polysulphide sealant
does not require premixing onsite before application and is converted into a
synthetic rubber by absorbing moisture from the atmosphere
The joint sizing is similar to that described for a two part polysulphide but the
final movement accommodation is approximately plus or minus 12 ½ %
The curing process is slow 1-2 months and during this period the movement
accommodation is very slow
Silicone rubber sealant
• A one part sealing compound which converts to an elastomer by absorbing
moisture from the atmosphere and has similar properties to the one part
polysulphide
• It is available as a pure white or translucent material which makes it suitable for
sealing of internal tiling

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Removal of moisture from behind panels

• Moisture will occur on the inner surface of panels due to condensation or rain
penetration
• Panels should be designed to facilitate its removal by weep holes in the panel
• Weep holes are produced during casting using plastic tubes which are left in the
moulding
• Condensation is collected in a groove onto of the bottom horizontal ribs

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Finishes
The range of finishes produced on precast cladding can be summarised according to the
method of production as
• Surface cast directly from the mould
• Finishes in which the cement surface is removed to expose the aggregates in the
concrete
• Applied finishes such as mosaics, tiles, stone facings and bricks
• Surface textured by tampering or shaping

The choice of cladding materials is vast.

Cladding has a major effect on the structure
Aesthetic
Internal performance
Durability
Structural frame loading

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