Mohamed Mohsin - Bahrain

Unit 4
SUPERSTRUCTURE DESIGN
external walls and roof

Strength and stability

External walls fall into two main groups:1. structural
make a positive contribution in a structural integrity of a building, act in two ways:
load bearing (resist compression) and/or stabilising. (resist horizontal or oblique forces)

2. non-structural.
carry only their own weight resist horizontal loads( wind loading ).

Wall properties
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Weather protection Thermal insulation Durability Fire resistance Noise resistance Buildability

Weather protection
The main function of an external wall,
modifier of the external environment.
Walls must be able to exclude: rain, wind, snow, frost and sometimes heat and glare from the sun.

need to allow naturally ventilated and natural light to enter the building.

Thermal insulation
the pressure for better thermal insulation has mainly been the result of increased energy costs.

Durability
To be durable the external walls of a building must be able to: withstand the effects of the weather, withstand physical damage to which they will be subjected during their life,( e.g. damage from humans, vehicles, etc.) walls will need to be maintained continuously repainting, cleaning rainwater gutters. etc

Fire
The internal walls required to

inhibit the spread of flames, smoke and gases from room to room.

External walls need to

inhibit the spread of flames, smoke and gases from room to room. contain the fire within the building

All walls fulfill their structural function during a fire until all occupants have had sufficient time to escape. Wall materials are normally measured in terms of combustibility and surface spread (Classes 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4).

Noise
provide acoustic insulation between the internal and external environment (stated in Hz). two ways of propagating noise is:
through the air (airborne) or by impact (structure borne).

Airborne sound is normally reduced by using materials that are heavy, Impact noise is dealt with using discontinuity. Providing discontinuity by jointing which a weak point in insulating against airborne sound. Thermal insulation normally is achieved by the use of lightweight foamed materials, which are useful for insulating against impact noise but inadequate for airborne noise. Normally openings, such as windows and doors, are the weakest part of the wall as far as noise.

Buildability
Using simpler construction methods without effecting the quality of the finished product. Buildability to be considered by:
architects structural engineers services engineers

Types of external walls

Masonry walls Timber framed buildings Lightweight profiled and flat sheet cladding

Masonry walls
constructed of bricks or blocks.
Bricks:
standard size of is 215 x 102.5 x 65mm. classified by the material they are made from:
Clay bricks Calcium silicate bricks (sand lime) Concrete bricks

Blocks: made of three main types of materials : clay, (hollow blocks) pre-cast concrete (dense or heavyweight, lightweight) aerated concrete.

Bricks

Blocks

The construction of masonry walls

Basically there are three main types of construction used for masonry walls.
1. 2. 3. 4. Solid wall Clad walls Cavity walls Layered walls (cavity filled)

Solid walls
These walls are normally associated with internal use. Usually brick thick (102.5mm),

Clad walls
Solid walls with external porous nature
will permit water to migrate from the outside to the inside.

the application of a cladding material on the outside face can overcome this weakness (rendering or harling) way of cladding render tiles, shiplap boarding /Timber Shingles waterproof coating systems

Cavity walls
Today almost all external masonry walls are built using cavity construction basically constructed of two brick thick skins separated by a 50mm wide void or cavity.

28670 XRwFireC 1 RwFireB 11746 XAluminiz no RwPlainF

Layered walls (cavity filled)

used to
prevent the transmission of moisture through walls install thermal insulation

DPC in brick walls

Traditional door opening

Scottish door opening

From a thermal insulation point of view, what is the major defect in figures?

Modern Door opening

Modern construction overcomes this by closing the cavity with thermally insulated proprietary cavity closers. The use of plastic extrusions has a double benefit : acting as a DPC being strong enough to fix a window of door to the extrusion.

window opening
the horizontal DPC positioned under the window sill To provide complete waterproofing the horizontal DPC and the vertical DPC must overlap.

Windows opening

Opening Lintel
lintel Install to support brickwork above the opening Lintel type concrete lintels Pressed steel

Steel Lintel

Steel Lintel

Timber framed buildings

the external walls of the building are constructed of timber framing normally rests on a concrete raft foundation and supports timber roof trusses. The space between the vertical timber members (studs) is filled with insulation. The inner face of the studs has sheeting applied, normally plasterboard. The external face can also be covered in sheeting, such as ship lap boarding, A brick skin is normally used, due to the damp nature of the climate. Note the use of a vapour barrier on the inner side of the wall and a breather membrane on the outer side.

Timber Frame
What are the roles of the Vapour barrier and Breather membrane?

The role of the Vapour barrier

Vapour barrier This sheet is impervious to water in both liquid and vapour state. Impermeable membrane that block air to inter Placed in the inner side Preventing the passage of the water vapour that is contained in air Function of Vapour Barrier
Protect envelop structure Prevent air leakage Maintaining interior humidification

Vapour barrier

The role of the Breather Membrane

Breather Membrane Water Resistance material Used outside under the exterior finish material Shed moisture and restrict rain Allow water vapour to pass Act as wind barrier Allowing moisture with cavity to escape out side Breather Membrane must have: Water resistance Water Vapour permeability Air Barrier properties

Lightweight profiled and flat sheet cladding

Used in frame structural to form the outer walls and often the roof as well. used for low cost, low quality buildings single sheet cladding had:
no insulation, limited life expectancy little visual attraction

Todays sheets are made in a wide range of materials, colours, finishes, size and profile

Typical steel profiles

Component Elements of sheet Cladding

External Cladding: Normally steel or aluminum Breather membrane Spacer: Spacer bar to Protect thermal insulation Vapour Barrier Impervious to water both liquid and vapour Acoustic absorption Internal lining

typical detail in a vertical wall.

Typical of the construction from the bottom of a foundation

Detail at a gutter (eaves)

The main component elements Portal frame Cladding rails
Fixed at 90 to the portal frame.

Cladding Gutter
lapped by the roof cladding and the flashing. noted the continuity of the insulation under the gutter.

Gutter

Gutter

Question
What type of problems do you think the owner of a building would have, to maintain a hidden gutter? Would this problem be removed by the use of half-round gutters?

Bitched roof Ridge detail.

Detail of Corner of a building.

Ventilation duct penetrates the cladding.

Why is the cladding profile different from that shown in the previous cladding details?

Composite Panels

Question
Sketch the symbols for the following materials:
brickwork concrete DPC & DPM soil insulation blockwork

Symbols of materials

Wall insulation

Ground supported concrete slab with insulation located below the screed

Ground supported concrete slab with insulation located below the slab

Type of Cladding
Profile metal sheet Flat metal sheet Rainscreen Curtain Walling

Rainscreen cladding
The rainscreen, as its name suggests, is designed to deflect rainwater from the buildings facade. A Rainscreen system allows the flow of air into the system ventilating the cavity. This allows any water which penetrates the panel joints to flow down the back of the panels and out at the base Rainscreen consists of an outer panel, a cavity and an inner leaf. Normally, the internal leaf of the building is constructed in reinforced concrete or concrete block

Rainscreen Cassette Panels

Terracotta RainScreen Cladding

From Italy Terra: mean earth Cotta: mean cooked/baked use of terracotta tiles, used as a rainscreen. In this method of cladding the metal panels, are replaced with terracotta tiles. water which penetrates between the terracotta tile being drained away by the waterproof membrane behind the tiles.

Curtain Walling system

Curtain Walling
The traditional curtain wall is a frame of aluminum with mullions and transoms quite similar to large framed glazing except that the walls form an independent envelope around the main structure and are generally not resting on the concrete structure but only connected to it.

Curtain Walling

Curtain walling systems

Curtain walling systems are: 1- Framework (Stick ) 2- Unitised frame They are presented to site in three basic ways.: Framework (stick ): of site-assembled components which is used to support pre-assembled infill panels. sections of prefabricated wall which are transported to site as unitised frames, often preglazed. prefabricated unitised frames, often pre-glazed, which are hung on a site-assembled carrier framework.

Stick curtain walling systems

Stick systems are installed on site, component by component They get their name from the fact that the vertical structural mullions (sticks) normally using a pressure plate and face cap. That a building has to be unoccupied during refurbishment. Stick systems allow on site adjustment, but the performance of the systems is dependent upon the quality of the installation in what are often uncontrolled conditions. In conclusion, stick systems are economical and, if correctly designed, detailed and installed, extremely reliable. They are, however, slow to assemble, which may not suit certain fast track projects.

Unitised curtain walling systems

installed as a series of factory-assembled frames, usually with interlocking mullions and transoms. The glazing panels and spandrels are usually factory-glazed and seals are also applied or prepared in the factory Advantages
fabrication in controlled environment, very rapid assembly on site (speed of installation,) minimal on site labour, lower installation costs. expensive storage and shipping costs, the need for very careful site handling, require longer lead limes. expensive lifting equipment on site.

Disadvantages

Curtain wall
Cladding with Aluminium and glass

Bridge

Spandrel glass as viewed from the inside

vision glass as viewed from the inside

Steel structure Without glazing

Spandrel glass as viewed from the outside

vision glass as viewed from the outside

Anchoring

Curtain wall anchoring

Anchor clips- typical stick applications

Spandrel Glass

Opaque glass used for covering the bands of wall around the edges of floors

3 2

1 (Glass surface order)

Cladding System

Stick System 1-Anchors 2-Mullion 3-Horizontal rail( gutter section at window head) 4-Spandrel panel (may be installed from inside building) 5-Horizontal rail (window sill section) 6-Vision glass (installed from inside building) 7-Interior mullion trim Other variations: Mullion and rail sections may be longer or shorter than shown Vision glass may be set directly in recesses in framing members, may be set with applied stops, may be set in sub-frame, or may include operable sash.

Unit System and Unit-and-Mullion System (A) Unit SystemSchematic of typical version 1-Anchor 2-Preassembled framed unit. Other variations: Mullion sections may be interlocking spilt type or may be channel shapes with applied inside and outside joint covers. Units may be unglazed or may be Pre-plazed .Spandrel panel may be either at top or bottom of unit. (B) Unit-and-Mullion SystemSchematic of typical version 1-Anchors 2-Mullion(either one-or two-story lengths) 3-Preassembled unitlowered into place behind mullion from floor above 4-Interior mullion trim. Other variations :Framed units may be full-story height (as shown)either unglazed or pre-glazed, or may be separate spandrel cover units and vision glass units. Horizontal rail sections are sometimes used between units.

Panel System and Column Cover and Spandrel System (A) Panel SystemSchematic of typical version 1-Anchor 2-PanelOther variations :Panels may be formed sheet or castings, may be full story height (as shown) or smaller units, and may be either pre-glazed or glazed after installation. (B) Column Cover and Spandrel SystemSchematic of typical version 1-Column cover section 2-Spandrel panel 3-Glazing infill. Other variations: Column covers may be one piece or an assembly, may be of any cross-sectional profile, and either one or two stories in height. Spandrel panel may be plain, textured or patterned. Glazing infill may be a pre-assembly, either glazed or unglazed, or be assembled in place.

Unitized: finished glazed panels shipped to jobsite ready for installation

Factor of choosing the system

The choice between stick and unitised systems is dependent on a number of factors:
1. 2. 3. 4. The cost, site access construction timetabling, the overall design and structural requirements.

The methods of Structurally Bonded of Curtain Walling

Structural Glazing
It is a system of bonding glass to an aluminium window frame utilizing a high-strength, high performance silicone sealant. No mechanical retention such as beads, clips or bolt fixings It is a uniform large glazed surfaces, not interrupted by traditional frames or any other supporting or fitting system projecting out of the frame. the glass is fixed to a support, which in turn is attached to a structural element of the building,

Bolted Glazing
holds the glass by means of visible metal parts and covers a small part of the glass surface. For small or medium glazing not exceeding 7m in height and 50m in length, rigid bolted system can be used.

Fin Supported Glazing

Glass fins are used to achieve the all glass clarity required by designers while meeting the structural requirements of the glazing system A glass fin replaces a frame or mullion and must be assessed as to size and thickness and securely fixed or supported at the head and sill.

Cable Supported Glazing

In these systems stainless steel or carbon fibre high strength cables are used to transfer loads to the main structure. Cables systems create greater levels of openness, visibility & natural light and enhance the dramatic appearance of the building.

Suspended Glazing
This method of providing a frameless glazing facade is to fix together a matrix of toughened glass lites, hung from the building structure allow designers to glaze large openings in buildings, without using metal frames or mullions, to create light and space with minimum visual barriers. The glass faade is hung from the building structure like a curtain. The top tier panels are connected to the structure by adjustable hanger brackets and lower panels are connected by special fittings at their corners.

Traditional Glazing
The traditional framed glazing using wood

Roof Glazing Patent Glazing Systems

Patent Glazing is the most widely used product in overhead glazing It consists essentially of a series of longitudinal supporting members (glazing bars), and an infilling of glass or other suitable materials.

Patent Glazing