283757893275

480 Barry’s Advanced Construction of Buildings
Gasket
Aluminium mullion
Silicone
adhesive
Aluminium frame
to glazed panel
Silicone seal
and spacer
Stepped edge
IG unit
Transom
18 mm
open joint
Frame to
glazed unit
Figure 7.56 Prefabricated flush face curtain wall.
must be capable of remaining in place when subjected to extreme wind pressure and must
also be sufficiently stable when damaged by impact from flying debris, such that the unit
remains largely intact and bonded to its frame. This places a large demand on the structural
cladding and the silicone bond. Wind pressure tests, missile and other impact tests are used
to prove the durability and the robust nature of the cladding materials. With the desire to
see less of the cladding frame, greater emphasis has been placed on the properties of the
silicone adhesive. The silicone is used to fix the cladding unit from the sides and from
behind, and must be able to withstand the structural loads of the cladding unit. An example
is shown Figure 7.57.