Full-scale dynamics and water-tightness tests of a closed cavity double skin curtain wall

IF 6.4 1区工程技术 Q1 ENGINEERING, CIVIL

Engineering Structures Pub Date : 2025-10-01 DOI:10.1016/j.engstruct.2025.121498

Kehinde J. Alawode , Amal Elawady , Seung Jae Lee , Arindam Gan Chowdhury , Guido Lori

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Traditional double skin curtain walls have been around for a while and are mostly designed as pressure equalized rain screens with cavity openings to the external climate. Cavity permeability which is formed by both intentional and non-intentional openings (i.e., holes or defects, respectively) impacts the pressure equalization rate and wind load sharing ratio between the two skins. Cavity permeability is also known to affect the weather-tightness of the building envelope. Recently, a double skin curtain wall with a closed cavity, also referred to as a Closed Cavity Façade (CCF) was developed in the façade industry. Compared to the traditional double skin curtain wall, the closed cavity curtain wall has at least two orders of magnitude lower cavity permeability. Currently, there is no guidance on the wind load sharing for this newly developed closed cavity curtain wall, neither are any details on the behaviour of the units when there are defects that lead to a higher cavity permeability. To date, the water tightness of these units using realistic rain and strong winds has not been investigated systematically. To improve the understanding of the behaviour (wind-induced vibrations, water penetration due to wind-driven rain, and load sharing) of this closed cavity system, full-scale wind tunnel testing is carried out on this unit at the NHERI Wall of Wind Experimental Facility. The tests were conducted at 22.4 m/s, 31.3 m/s and 40.2 m/s wind speeds with wind directions from 0° to 180° in 15° increments. This study shows the dependence of the cavity pressure on wind speeds when there are defects. Also, higher pressure fluctuations leading to higher loads on the external glazing are observed. Higher dynamic amplification is associated with the non-defective units. Load sharing is observed to be dependent on the stiffness and permeability of the unit, while in a defective unit, it was also dependent on the wind speed. The closed cavity unit performed effectively under co-occurring wind and rain conditions when there was no defect.

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闭腔双层幕墙全尺寸动力学及水密性试验

传统的双层幕墙已经存在了一段时间，主要被设计为压力均衡的雨幕，并带有对外部气候的空腔开口。空心透气性是由有意和无意的开口（分别为孔洞或缺陷）形成的，影响着两个蒙皮之间的压力均衡率和风荷载分担比。空腔渗透性也会影响建筑围护结构的密封性。近年来，在幕墙行业发展了一种带封闭腔的双层幕墙，也称为封闭腔幕墙（CCF）。与传统双层幕墙相比，封闭腔体幕墙的腔体渗透率至少降低两个数量级。目前，对于这种新开发的封闭腔体幕墙，没有关于风荷载分担的指导，也没有关于当存在导致更高腔体渗透率的缺陷时单元行为的任何细节。到目前为止，这些单位的水密性使用现实的雨和强风还没有系统地调查。为了更好地理解这种封闭腔体系统的行为（风致振动、风雨导致的水渗透和荷载分担），在NHERI风力实验设施的墙壁上对该装置进行了全尺寸风洞测试。试验风速分别为22.4 m/s、31.3 m/s和40.2 m/s，风向为0°~ 180°，增量为15°。研究表明，当存在缺陷时，空腔压力与风速的关系。此外，观察到更高的压力波动导致更高的外部玻璃负载。较高的动态放大与非缺陷单元有关。观察到荷载分担取决于单元的刚度和渗透性，而在有缺陷的单元中，它还取决于风速。当没有缺陷时，封闭腔体单元在共同发生的风雨条件下有效地执行。

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来源期刊

Engineering Structures 工程技术-工程：土木

CiteScore

10.20

自引率

14.50%

发文量

1385

审稿时长

67 days

期刊介绍： Engineering Structures provides a forum for a broad blend of scientific and technical papers to reflect the evolving needs of the structural engineering and structural mechanics communities. Particularly welcome are contributions dealing with applications of structural engineering and mechanics principles in all areas of technology. The journal aspires to a broad and integrated coverage of the effects of dynamic loadings and of the modelling techniques whereby the structural response to these loadings may be computed. The scope of Engineering Structures encompasses, but is not restricted to, the following areas: infrastructure engineering; earthquake engineering; structure-fluid-soil interaction; wind engineering; fire engineering; blast engineering; structural reliability/stability; life assessment/integrity; structural health monitoring; multi-hazard engineering; structural dynamics; optimization; expert systems; experimental modelling; performance-based design; multiscale analysis; value engineering. Topics of interest include: tall buildings; innovative structures; environmentally responsive structures; bridges; stadiums; commercial and public buildings; transmission towers; television and telecommunication masts; foldable structures; cooling towers; plates and shells; suspension structures; protective structures; smart structures; nuclear reactors; dams; pressure vessels; pipelines; tunnels. Engineering Structures also publishes review articles, short communications and discussions, book reviews, and a diary on international events related to any aspect of structural engineering.