Advantages and disadvantages of glass curtain wall

As a glass curtain wall manufacturer that has been engaged in glass curtain wall for more than 30 years, it is necessary to talk to you today about the advantages and disadvantages of glass curtain wall, so that you can have a deeper understanding of glass curtain wall. The architectural glass curtain wall is mainly based on the combination of mirror glass and ordinary glass, and is designed with hollow glass filled with dry air or inert gas in the interlayer. This kind of hollow glass can be divided into two types: two-layer and three-layer. The two-layer hollow glass forms a closed interlayer space by combining two layers of glass with a sealed frame; while the three-layer glass cleverly constructs two interlayer spaces. Hollow glass not only has excellent sound insulation and heat insulation performance, but also can effectively prevent frost and moisture intrusion, while increasing the lighting of the building and improving its wind pressure resistance. Of course, glass curtain walls also have certain shortcomings, such as possible light pollution problems and high energy consumption.

Advantages of glass curtain wall 1

Glass curtain wall has occupied a place in modern architecture with its unique charm. The reflective insulating glass used is only 6 mm thick and the wall weight is about 50 kg/㎡. It is light and beautiful, and has many advantages such as low pollution and energy saving. Based on float glass, this glass is tempered by adding trace metal elements to form a transparent and hard plate glass. It can effectively absorb infrared rays, thereby reducing solar radiation entering the room and lowering the indoor temperature. In addition, this glass also has the dual functions of reflection and transmission. The inner side of the outer glass of the curtain wall is also coated with a colored metal coating, making the entire exterior wall like a huge mirror. Under the irradiation of light, it can not only reflect the bright light, but also ensure the soft light in the room, with excellent visual effects.

Advantages of glass curtain wall 2

The glass curtain wall cleverly integrates architectural aesthetics, practical functions, energy-saving effects and structural stability. This design allows the building to show unpredictable tones at different angles and light conditions, bringing people a dynamic aesthetic experience.

Insufficients of glass curtain walls

Glass curtain walls may produce specular reflection, i.e. positive reflection, under direct sunlight and sky light, thus forming reflected glare, which has a certain impact on the surrounding environment and residents’ lives. In summer, a large amount of solar radiation will enter the room, increase the load of air conditioning, and cause energy waste.

However, with the continuous advancement of glass curtain wall technology and the continuous innovation of new material technology, the glass curtain wall materials used in current buildings can effectively deal with light pollution and energy consumption problems.

Basic types of glass curtain walls

1. Exposed frame glass curtain wall
The exposed frame glass curtain wall has a clearly visible metal frame component. This curtain wall uses aluminum alloy profiles with special cross-sections as the main frame, and the glass panel is completely embedded in the groove of the profile. This design makes the aluminum alloy profile play the role of supporting the skeleton and fixing the glass. The exposed frame glass curtain wall is the oldest curtain wall form with wide application and stable performance. Compared with the hidden frame glass curtain wall, its construction process requirements are more direct and clear.

2. Hidden frame glass curtain wall

The design of the hidden frame glass curtain wall is unique. Its metal frame is completely hidden behind the glass and cannot be seen from the outside. There are also two types of this curtain wall: full hidden frame glass curtain wall and semi-hidden frame glass curtain wall. The latter can be further divided into horizontal and vertical hidden and vertical and horizontal hidden. In terms of structure, the hidden frame glass curtain wall is characterized by the glass being located outside the aluminum frame, and the glass and the aluminum frame are tightly bonded by silicone structural sealant to form a stable curtain wall structure. It is worth noting that the load of this curtain wall is mainly borne by the sealant, ensuring its stability and safety.

3. Point-type glass curtain wall

The point-type glass curtain wall, a curtain wall system composed of glass panels, point support devices and support structures, combines the stability of steel structures, the lightness of glass and the precision of machinery. Its uniqueness lies in that the glass is reliably fixed through pre-drilled holes by stainless steel claws, rather than traditional structural adhesive bonding. This design allows the glass to be connected to the supporting structure through metal connectors after the corners are punched, thus forming a force system different from that of ordinary glass curtain walls. The support system of the point-type glass curtain wall bears the main load rather than the frame. The glass panel is connected to the supporting structure only through a few points, with almost no obstruction and extremely high transparency. White glass, ultra-white glass and low-radiation glass without light pollution are often used, especially in the application of insulating glass, the energy-saving effect is more significant. However, it should be noted that this type of curtain wall has no opening fan design.

Common problems with glass curtain walls

As a common design element in modern buildings, glass curtain walls are beautiful, but there are also many problems during use. These problems not only affect the service life of the curtain wall, but may also pose a threat to the safety and stability of the building. Therefore, the maintenance and inspection of glass curtain walls is particularly important.

1. Insufficient fire resistance
Although the glass curtain wall itself is not a combustible material, it may soften or melt under the action of high temperature and fierce fire, and even cause the glass to break. This situation must be fully considered during building design to ensure that the building meets the corresponding fire protection standards.

2. Failure of structural adhesive
Due to the long-term exposure of glass curtain walls to the natural environment, they may face various adverse factors, causing the structural adhesive to gradually age and fail, thereby causing the risk of falling glass curtain walls. In order to deal with this problem, in building design, priority should be given to the use of open frame or semi-hidden frame glass curtain walls. In this way, even if the structural adhesive fails, the stability of the frame can effectively reduce the possibility of glass falling.

3. Thermal stress causes glass breakage
Glass expands when heated, and if it is heated unevenly, tensile stress will be generated inside it. When there are tiny cracks on the edge of the glass, these cracks will gradually expand due to the action of thermal stress, eventually causing the glass to break. Therefore, during the installation of the glass, the edge of the glass must be finely processed to reduce the possibility of cracks.

4. Water seepage problem
Water seepage in the glass curtain wall may be caused by a variety of factors, among which the construction quality and the selection of sealing materials are particularly critical. To reduce water seepage, a skilled construction team should be selected and high-quality materials that meet national standards should be used.

This is the main content about the advantages and disadvantages of glass curtain walls. If you are interested in glass curtain walls or want to build glass curtain walls, please email us at monikachenwall@gmail.com or call us at +86-17727814139. We will arrange for customer service to contact you as soon as possible.