Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glazed panels

Abstract

This invention refers to curtain walls capable of resisting the seismic forces of major earthquakes without breakage of their glass panes and without deformation or distortion of their structure. The above can be achieved through the operational separation of the curtain wall of each storey from those of adjacent storeys, by formation of a sliding line on the top of the windows ( 2.3 ), through the mutual hooks of suspension of the windows ( 6.3, 6.10 ) so that the displacement of the one storey to be independent from the others. The structure of the curtain wall of each storey confined only to the fixed part of the curtain wall of the storey and consists of the uprights ( 3.1 ), the sill-beam ( 3.2 ), the lintel-beam ( 3.3 ) and the attachments ( 3.4 ). There are no uprights in the region of windows. The uprights of the structure of curtain wall of each storey at no case are touching the glass panels. The interstorey drifts ( 6 ) are in all directions absorbed by the suspension joints of the windows ( 7.5 ) and ( 7.6 ) and the angle profiles ( 10 ).

1 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels are characterized by the fact that the curtain wall over each storey is separated functionally from the curtain walls of adjacent storeys, above and below, in a manner ensuring that the displacement of one of them will be independent from the displacement of the others, with the horizontal division line along the storey, the line of the top of the storey windows, which also functions as a sliding line for the curtain wall of one storey in relation with the curtain walls of the others. 
     
     
         2 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with requirement 1, are characterized by the fact that, the curtain wall of each storey is ideally divided into distinct sectors ( 2 . 1 ) and ( 2 . 2 ), which run all along the storey with the line ( 2 . 3 ) as a division line, and each sector consists of two parts, the fixed part comprising the structure of the storey curtain wall and the fixed glass panels ( 2 . 4 ), and the part of the windows lining the same storey ( 2 . 5 ). 
     
     
         3 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with requirements 1 and 2, are characterized by the fact that, the two parts of each sector ( 2 . 4 ) and ( 2 . 5 ) are interconnected in a manner ensuring their earthquake resistant performance as a unified sector ( 2 . 1 ) or ( 2 . 2 ), which constitutes the necessary precondition for the operation of the sliding line between storeys ( 2 . 3 ), providing at the same time the possibility for all windows to be opened, throughout the length of the storey ( 2 . 6 ). 
     
     
         4 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with requirements 1 to 3, are characterized by the fact that, the structure of the curtain wall over each storey consists, of the uprights ( 3 . 1 ) which carry over their ends and support the horizontal beams ( 3 . 2 ) and ( 3 . 3 ), which are used for the suspension of the glass panels, the fixed panels ( 2 . 4 ) are suspended from the horizontal beam ( 3 . 2 ), while windows ( 2 . 5 ) from the horizontal beam ( 3 . 3 ), and by the attachments ( 3 . 4 ) through which the uprights are fixed firmly unto the floor slab of each storey, while the said attachments also assume all seismic forces generated in the course of an earthquake. 
     
     
         5 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with requirements 1 to 4, are characterized by the fact that, among the horizontal beams ( 3 . 2 ) and ( 3 . 3 ), the beam ( 3 . 2 ) or ( 5 . 6 ,  6 . 6 ) belongs to the structure of the storey referred to and constitutes the lower horizontal beam of the storey, used for the suspension of the fixed glass panels of the storey ( 5 . 4 ,  6 . 4 ), and also the sill-beam of the windows ( 5 . 5 ,  6 . 5 ) of the storey while the beam ( 3 . 3 ) or ( 5 . 7 ,  6 . 7 ) belongs to the structure of the storey above and constitutes the upper horizontal beam of the storey, as well as the lintel-beam used for the suspension of the windows of the storey referred to ( 5 . 5 ,  6 . 5 ) and also for supporting the lower side of the fixed glass panels of the storey above. 
     
     
         6 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with requirements 1 to 5, are characterized by the fact that, the uprights are not in contact with glass panels, their height is limited between the beams and they may be constructed of aluminum profiles or of sheet steel, such as IPE, U, Z or a hollow section etc. 
     
     
         7 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with requirements 1 to 6, are characterized by the fact that, the structure of the curtain wall is rigid-stiff, and for their construction and for testing of their flexural stiffness a unitized system is applied, using prefabricated panels ( 4 . 1 ), filled in with cover and insulation materials ( 4 . 2 ,  4 . 3 ), as well as with stiff components ( 4 . 5 ), which are transferred to the works site and suspended from prefixed and adjusted attachments ( 4 . 4 ) 
     
     
         8 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with requirements 1 to 7, are characterized by the fact that, there are no uprights in the region of the windows, while windows ( 5 . 5 ,  6 . 5 ) are suspended freely by means of double mutual hooks ( 6 . 9 ,  6 . 10 ), which exist, the one ( 6 . 9 ) on the upper horizontal beam-lintel ( 6 . 7 ) of the storey windows, belonging to the structure of the storey above, and the other ( 6 . 10 ) on the upper horizontal profile ( 6 . 11 ) of the frame of the window glass panels ( 6 . 5 ), terminating with the lower horizontal profile ( 6 . 12 ), at the lower horizontal beam-sill of the storey windows ( 6 . 6 ), where they are held firm there, in a manner ensuring that structure and windows ( 5 . 4  and  5 . 5 ) or ( 6 . 4  and  6 . 5 ) will constitute the fixed and unified sector of the storey ( 5 . 1 ,  6 . 1 ), which cooperates in its seismic performance with the respective sector of the storey above ( 5 . 2 ,  6 . 2 ) via the sliding line created between the double mutual hooks ( 6 . 9  and  6 . 10 ). 
     
     
         9 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with requirements 1 to 8, are characterized by the fact that, the line of suspension of the windows constitutes also a line of division of the fixed sectors of the curtain wall, as well as a sliding line between them, with the insertion in-between the double mutual hooks of a gasket ( 6 . 3 ) of a material having low coefficient of friction, such as polyamide, teflon or other similar to ensure that the two fixed sectors will slide freely between them and thus ensuring a free and independent movement of the sector, which follows the displacement of the floor slab of the storey referred to ( 5 . 1 ,  6 . 1 ), from the sector above, which follows the displacement of the floor slab of the storey above ( 5 . 2 ,  6 . 2 ) where, at the same time the sliding line also serves as an axis of revolution of the hook ( 6 . 10 ) on ( 6 . 9 ) for the opening of the windows. 
     
     
         10 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with requirements 1 to 9 are characterized by the fact that, the fixed panels ( 6 . 4 ) are also suspended by means of hooks, one of which ( 6 . 13 ) is provided throughout the length of the lower horizontal beam-sill of the storey windows ( 6 . 6 ) and the other ( 6 . 14 ) on the upper horizontal profile of the frame of fixed glass panels ( 6 . 15 ), and that the fixed glass panels terminate by the lower horizontal profile of their frame ( 6 . 16 ) at the upper horizontal beam-lintel of the windows of the storey below ( 6 . 7 ), which beam belongs to the structure of the storey referred to, and the fixed panels are fixed there by similar hooks, one of which ( 6 . 17 ) is provided throughout the length of the beam ( 6 . 7 ) and the other ( 6 . 18 ) on the profile of the frame of the fixed glass panel ( 6 . 16 ), and are held firm on both beams ( 6 . 6  and  6 . 7 ) by way of rubber inserts ( 6 . 19 ) having a high coefficient of friction, so that in combination with the joining of the upper horizontal section of the frame ( 6 . 15 ) with the horizontal sill-beam ( 6 . 6 ) by means of bolts at point ( 6 . 20 ), the fixed frame ( 6 . 4 ) is immobilized on the sill-beam ( 6 . 6 ). 
     
     
         11 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with requirements 1 to 10, are characterized by the fact that, there are no uprights over the region of the windows, that the structure of each storey is confined only to the fixed part (spandrel) of the storey, on whose slab it is fixed and which slab it follows at all seismic displacement, and that fixed glass panels, along with all other facing material applied on the structure of the curtain wall remain steady in the course of the earthquake in relation with the storey slab on which they are fixed and also that all drifts (δ) between the storeys are dealt with and absorbed exclusively over the region of the windows ( 5 . 5 ,  6 . 5 ) of each storey. 
     
     
         12 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with requirements 1 to 11, are characterized by the fact that, the relative drift (δ) between storeys, on one hand, in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the curtain wall ( 7 . 7 ), is absorbed through the joints provided at the window suspension hooks ( 6 . 9 ,  6 . 10 ) and also at the attachments connecting the windows to their horizontal sill-beam ( 6 . 22 ,  12 . 2 ,  12 . 3 ), as a result of the rotation margin allowed to the square headed bolt ( 12 . 2 ) at the angle ( 12 . 3 ) and also of the margin allowed to the bolt at the incision ( 12 . 6 ) of the section of the window frame ( 12 . 7 ), and on the other hand, in a direction parallel to the surface of the glass curtain wall, the relative drift (δ) ( 8 . 6 ) is transferred in a horizontal sense through the sliding line ( 2 . 3 ,  5 . 8 ,  6 . 8 ,  8 . 3 ) to the extremities of the glass curtain wall, where it is absorbed at the angle curtain walls, constituting the problem, by angle profiles and at the glass curtain wall of a single facing or a single plane, by profiles of side edge of a similar form. 
     
     
         13 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with requirements 1 to 12, are characterized by the fact that the angles of the structure of the curtain wall are constructed by cutting the aluminum profiles of the horizontal beams ( 9 . 3 ) and ( 9 . 4 ) in the direction of the bisecting line of the angle formed ( 9 . 1 ,  9 . 2 ) and are joined firmly by means of tough parallel blades ( 9 . 5 ,  9 . 6 ), in a manner ensuring that the entire structure of the glass curtain wall in each storey, rectilinear and angular sectors, is unified and transferred in a single way, by following the displacements of the storey slab on which it is fixed. 
     
     
         14 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with the requirements 1 to 13, are characterized by the fact that for the absorbtion of the conflicting relative drifts at the corner of a curtain wall an angle profile is used, which consists of to main inner legs ( 10 . 1 ), of an angle in proportion with the angle of the corner of the building and length in proportion of the drift (δ) which should be absorbed, in combination with the termination of the vertical section of the window frames culminating at the angle ( 10 . 6 ) so that always their overlapping will be maintained and also by parallel water tight legs ( 10 . 2 ) and ( 10 . 3 ) with water tight gaskets, which in combination with the terminations of profiles ( 10 . 7 ) and of glass panes ( 10 . 8 ) meet the water tightness requirements, before and after the earthquake. 
     
     
         15 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with the requirements 1 to 14, are characterized by the fact that, the main legs of the angle profile ( 10 . 1 ) and of the frame terminations ( 10 . 6 ) are always overlapping, while, for dealing with the drifts along the diagonal of the building, the glass panes are chamfered at their edges ( 10 . 9 ), depending on their anticipated diagonal drift ( 6 ′) ( 10 . 10 ), in a manner ensuring that the glass panes will not collide with each other in the course of the earthquake. 
     
     
         16 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with the requirements 1 to 15, are characterized by the fact that, to enable drifts in all directions to be absorbed, the angle profile has at its center a closed core ( 10 . 4 ), by means of which it is suspended ( 11 . 1 ) from the lower side of the two upper horizontal beams-lintel of the storey windows ( 11 . 2 ), by means of a small plate as attachment ( 11 . 3 ) and of a pin ( 11 . 5 ) with a play allowing the free movement of the angle profile at the top, according to the drifting of the structure of the glass curtain wall of the storey above (a gyroscopic movement), while its lower end, stands on the horizontal angle formed by the lower horizontal beams-sill of the storey ( 11 . 6 ) by means of an attachment having the form ( 11 . 7 ) and a pin ( 11 . 8 ) provided with the necessary play ( 11 . 9 ) allowing vertical movements and turns. 
     
     
         17 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with the requirements 1 to 16, are characterized by the fact that, the seismic unification of the two parts of the fixed sector, both the structure and the windows, is achieved in various ways, depending on the condition of the windows before and during the earthquake, where, when windows remain closed, as in tall buildings, their stabilization on the sill ( 12 . 1 ) is obtained by means of screw ( 12 . 2 ) and angle with hole for screw ( 12 . 3 ), as well as fork ( 12 . 4 ) in collaboration with pin ( 12 . 5 ), of which the two first ( 12 . 2  and  12 . 3 ) hold and secure the windows against seismic forces perpendicular to the plane of the glass curtain wall, corresponding to the positive or negative wind pressures and, at the same time, they function as joints for absorbing relative drifts ( 7 . 1 ) and also by means of the attachments fork and pin ( 12 . 4  and  12 . 5 ), which bar all sidelong drifting of the windows in relation to the sill-beam ( 12 . 1 ). 
     
     
         18 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with the requirements 1 to 17, are characterized by the fact that, corresponding to the attachments, fork and pin ( 12 . 4  AND  12 . 5 ), at the top of the window frames and at the points of the vertical joints attachments are fixed, U form plate ( 13 . 1 ) in collaboration with angle ( 13 . 2 ) which aim at operating in collaboration with the fork for maintaining firm and unvaried all vertical joints of the curtain wall grid ( 13 . 4 ), and they will also assist the unified operation of the fixed sector for absorbing the drift (δ) through the sliding line, either if the windows happen to be closed at the moment of the earthquake or if they happen to be open, and in parallel, they will hold firm the structure of the glass curtain wall, without any variation to its tightness and its mechanical performance, so that, after the earthquake, the curtain wall may resume its original condition. 
     
     
         19 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with the requirements 1 to 18, are characterized by the fact that, when windows operate normally as projected ones, the unification of the two parts of the fixed sector is obtained, on the one hand, when windows happen to be closed at the moment of the earthquake, by putting in the place of the attachments instead of screw and angle ( 12 . 2  and  12 . 3 ), tough locks ( 14 . 1 ) with pin ( 14 . 2 ) which hold and lock the windows against seismic forces perpendicular to the plane of the glass curtain wall and, at the same time, to absorb all relative drifts ( 7 . 7 ), while in parallel the attachments fork and pin ( 12 . 4  and  12 . 5 ) bar all sidelong drifting of the windows in relation to the sill-beam ( 12 . 1 ), and on the other hand, when windows happen to be open at the moment of the earthquake, the unification of the two parts is obtained by means of brackets holding the windows open and locking them ( 14 . 1 ,  14 . 2 ), in combination with attachments ( 13 . 1  and  13 . 2 ), which are permanently held in place, irrespectively of the condition of the windows. 
     
     
         20 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with the requirements 1, are characterized by the fact that, in the case of a curtain wall in which the glass panels are unified from one storey to another, or from floor to floor of the storey above or below, or from the floor to the roof of the same storey, the operation of the sliding line ( 2 . 3 ,  5 . 8 ,  6 . 8 ,  8 . 3 ) shall be valid in full, as long as the glass panel unified in height ( 16 . 1 ) operates as a fixed sector, as in cases ( 2 . 1 ,  5 . 1 ,  6 . 1 ), but in this case, the two horizontal beams ( 6 . 6  and  6 . 7 ) shall be unified into a single beam per storey ( 16 . 2 ), functioning at the same time as a sill ( 16 . 3 ) and a lintel ( 16 . 4 ) and having the glass panels suspended with the use of double mutual hooks ( 16 . 5 ) of identical form and method of operation as in the case of the windows, and the said single beam shall carry the same method of stabilization ( 16 . 6 ) to ensure the operation of the sliding line, with supports and dimensions of the various features corresponding to the structural and dynamic requirements of the project. 
     
     
         21 . Earthquake resistant curtain walls with suspended glassed panels, in accordance with the requirements 1 to 20, are characterized by the fact that, the dimensions of the aluminum profiles, the form of the panels, of the structure and of the glass panels, the supports and the method of fixing the uprights depend on the structural features of the project and on the architectural requirements of the construction.