CONSTRUCTION

MATERIALS AND
METHODS
ARJ 312

DESHBANDHU
SHAFIA AHMAD
SAP, Sharda University
 CONTENTS

• Types of curtain Wall

• History of glass

• Types of glass

• Factors affecting performance and selection of glass

 Types of curtain wall

• Conventional Stick System

• Semi unitized system

• Unitised System

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 Types of curtain wall

Conventional Stick system

• In this system the vertical mullions and horizontal transoms are installed on
MS/SS/Aluminium brackets which are anchored to the columns/slabs.
• Cut to size glass is fixed on the grid work with pressure plates.
• In the above system 90% of the work can be done at site.
• This system is the cheapest system wherein you will see aluminium members from
outside.

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 Types of curtain wall

Semi- unitized system

• In the above system 50% of the work is done at site.

• In this system there will not be any aluminium member visible from outside.
• You will see a groove running horizontally & vertically.
• In this system the glass is held with the help of structural sealant.
• The application of structural sealant is the critical operation as this is the sealant which
holds the glass to the frame for life.

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 Types of curtain wall

Unitized system

• In the above system 10% of the work is done at site.

• In this system there will not be any aluminium member visible from outside. You will
see a groove running horizontally & vertically.
• This system is most suitable for high rise buildings with huge quantity of glazing. In
this system you do not need scaffolding for installation & the installation of the panels
are done using a cradle/ hoist/ crane.

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Glass as Building Material
 History of glass

 In prehistoric times, Obsidian (Naturally occurring glass found

near volcanic regions) and fulgurite (glass formed naturally after
lightning strikes sand) were used to make weapons.

 Manmade glass was used as a luxury material was used in

decorations,  jewellery, vessels and crockery.

 Production of Clear glass, by introduction of manganese dioxide,

saw glass being used for architectural purposes. Cast glass
windows began to appear in the most important buildings and
villas in Rome and Pompeii.

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 History of glass

 By 11th century sheet glass was made by the crown glass process. In this process, the
glassblower would spin molten glass at the end of a rod until it flattened into a disk.

 By 13th century, this technique was perfected in Venice. Stain glass windows were used
in gothic renaissance and baroque architecture from the 11th to the 18th century.

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Glass in Building Industry

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 Types of Glass

Float Glass:
• Float glass is also called soda lime glass or clear glass.
• This is produced by annealing the molten glass and is clear and flat.
• It is available in standard thickness ranging from 2mm to 20mm.
• It has too much transparency and can cause glare.
• It is used in making canopies, shop fronts, glass blocks, railing partitions, etc

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 Types of Glass

Tinted Glass:
• Certain additions to the glass batch mix can add color to the clear glass without
compromising its strength.
• Iron oxide is added to give glass a green tint
• Sulphur in different concentrations can make the glass yellow, red or black.
• Copper sulphate can turn it blue.

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 Types of Glass

Toughened Glass:

• This type of glass is tempered, may have distortions and low visibility
• breaks into small dice-like pieces at modulus of rupture of 3600 psi
• used in making fire resistant doors etc. They are available in same weight and
thickness range as float glass.

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 Types of Glass

Shatter proof Glass:

• By adding a polyvinyl butyral layer, shatter proof glass is made. This type of glass
does not from sharp edged pieces even when broken.
• Used in skylight, window, flooring, etc

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 Types of Glass

Reinforced Glass:

• Reinforced glass has a steel wire mesh inside it to make it stonger and in some cases
fireproof. 
• If the glass is broken, the mesh will hold the pieces together. Reinforced glass is a
simple and cost-effective solution against environments such as fire and smoke.

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 Types of Glass

Lead Glass:

• Also called X-ray glass, radiation shielding glass, is a light amber coloured glass
that is suitable for installation in walls and doors.
• The shielding characteristics of radiation shielding glass are achieved by its high
lead and barium content.
• Uses:
 Viewing windows and insulating glazing for X-ray rooms
 Screens for medical diagnostics
 Protection windows in laboratories
 Lenses for safety goggles
 Airport security X-ray screens

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 Types of Glass

Extra clean Glass:

• This type of glass is hydrophilic i.e. The water moves over them without leaving any
marks and photocatylitic i.e. they are covered with Nanoparticles that attack and break
dirt making it easier to clean and maintain.

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 Types of Glass

Double glazed units:

• These are made by providing air gap between two glass panes in order to reduce the
heat loss and gain.
• Normal glass can cause immense amount of heat gain and upto 30%of loss of heat of
air conditioning energy. 

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 Types of Glass

Glass blocks:

• Hollow glass wall blocks are manufactured as two separate halves and, while the glass
is still molten, the two pieces are pressed together and annealed.
• The resulting glass blocks will have a partial vacuum at the hollow center.
• Glass bricks provide visual obscuration while admitting light .
 

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 Factors defining Performance and Selection

Transparency: This property allows visual connection with the outside world. Its
transparency can be permanently altered by adding admixtures to the initial batch mix. By
the advent of technology clear glass panels used in buildings can be made opaque. (Electro
chromatic glazing)

U value: The U-value is the measure of how much heat is transferred through the window.
The lower the U-value the better the insulation properties of the glass– the better it is at
keeping the heat or cold out.

Strength: Glass is a brittle material but with the advent of science and technology, certain
laminates and admixtures can increase its modulus of rupture( ability to resist deformation
under load). 

Workability: It is capable of being worked in many ways. It can be blown, drawn or

pressed. It is possible to obtain glass with diversified properties- clear, colourless, diffused
and stained.

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 Factors defining Performance and Selection

Recyclable: Glass is 100% recyclable, culets (Scraps of broken or waste glass gathered for

re-melting) are used as raw materials in glass manufacture, as aggregates in concrete
construction etc.

Solar heat gain coefficient: It is the fraction of incident solar radiation that actually enters
a building through the entire window assembly as heat gain.

Visible transmittance: Visible transmittance is the fraction of visible light that comes

through the glass. 

Energy efficiency and acoustic control: Energy-efficient glazing is the term used to

describe the double glazing or triple glazing use in modern windows in homes. Unlike the
original single glazing or old double glazing, energy-efficient glazing incorporates coated
(low-emissivity) glass to prevent heat escaping through the windows. The air barrier also
enhances acoustic control.

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