Identification of features influencing glass façade damage in mid- to high-rise buildings during extreme wind events

While the importance of glass façade performance under extreme wind events has gained attention, further research is needed for a comprehensive understanding. Decades of recurring glass façade damage in mid- to high-rise buildings in Houston’s Central Business District further underscore this need. This paper focuses on identifying features that influence glass façade damage in such buildings during extreme wind events. Initially, a synthesis of historical glazing damage in the United States from 1980 to 2024 is conducted, focusing on cases with accessible information. These records are supplemented with literature and the authors’ opinions to develop three feature categories: architectural, structural, and environmental. They encompass design- and location-related features that may contribute to glass façade damage during windstorms. Their applicability is demonstrated through two case studies involving different windstorm types: the Houston Derecho (2024) and Hurricane Laura (2020). Post-event building damage imagery is used to evaluate the proposed features. Results show that architectural and structural features are useful for characterizing glass façade systems, inferring missing information, and identifying potential vulnerabilities in building shape and footprint. Environmental features help explain how the spatial arrangement of surrounding buildings may amplify wind loads in dense urban areas.