Curtain Walling: Dead Load
Open full view...Categories: Performance : Curtain Walling
Principles
The curtain wall is required to sustain its own selfweight and the weight of components incorporated in to it as part of the original design.
Selfweight load should be calculated by reference to EN 1991-1-1. The Current Product Standard gives further guidance on calculation. The revised Product Standard requires that calculations are carried out in accordance with the Eurocode appropriate to the farming material used. In the case of aluminium it is Eurocode 9 (BS EN 1999-1). The Eurocodes apply material factors and check for both:
The maximum vertical deflections of horizontal framing members are limited to (L/500) or 5mm whichever is the smaller.
Selfweight loads should be considered in conjunction with other loads. Guidance on load combinations to be considered is given in CWCT SSBE and CWCT TU14 Load combinations.
Standards
| EN1991-1-1 | Eurocode 1 - Actions on structures - Part 1-1: General actions Densities, selfweights and imposed loads for buildings |
| EN1993-1-1 | Eurocode 3 - Design of steel structures |
| EN1995-1-1 | Eurocode 5 - Design of timber structures |
| EN1999-1-1 | Eurocode 9 - Design of aluminium alloy structures. Part 1-1: General structural rules |
| CWCT TU14 | Load combinations |
Method of test
There is no method of test. Classification is on the basis of calculation.
Classification
There is no classification of resistance to own dead load. The current Product Standard requires that the calculated dead load capacity be declared as a total dead load in units of kN. The revised Product Standard will require that the calculated value be declared in units of kN/m2
CE Marking
UK Regulations require a building to be structurally safe:
| Location | npd allowed |
| England and Wales | No |
| Scotland | No |
| Northern Ireland | No |