STRUCTURAL GLASS FACADES - USC School of Architecture

Design issues: These systems must be carefully designed to accommodate building
movements, and to provide pressure equalization to the system to prevent water and air
infiltration.
Glass System Interface: The glass is continuously supported on the frame.
Glass Type: There are no limitations to the glass type used except those imposed by code
requirements.
Resources and Technology
Materials and Processes: Extrusions are ordered pre-finished. There is general parity
between framed systems with respect to glass and panel materials.
Material Suppliers and Subcontractors: There are storefront and curtain wall subcontractors
experienced in the use of stick systems operating locally, regionally and nationally.
Durability and Maintenance: This is a function of two things; good design to keep water out
of the system, and a top quality finish to the extrusions.
Structural Performance
Spanning capacity: The systems are generally designed to span between floor plates.
Typical deflection criteria: Primarily a function of the glass type used; insulated glass units
will have a deflection limit specified by the glass supplier. This is typically not a problem as
the glass is fully perimeter supported.
Accommodation of movement: The systems must be designed to handle vertical, in-plane
lateral, and out-of-plane lateral loads as determined by engineering analysis of the building
and accounting for all dead and live load conditions.
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